The Truth About Hypoglycemia And Diet

A Very Moving and Inspiring Video About Young Woman's Successful Battle With Hypoglycemia

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:50:00 +0000

I discovered this video by Christina Noordberger about her struggle with hypoglycemia and how she eventually come through the other side.

Watch Christina's video now. You'll be glad you did.

I want to apologise for a long absence from this blog

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 21:01:00 +0000

It is just over one year since I have last posted on this blog. I have also not updated my website for the same length of time.

First, I want to appologise to anyone who has posted comments on this blog and I have not replied. I have simply been so busy with my business as a web designer and copywriter - working up to 70 hours a week. (One positive thing, it is only because I have learned how to eat correctly that I have the stamina to work such long hours.) But I don't want to work this hard forever. I would like to give more attention to this blog and website.

There have been literally hundreds of people who have downloaded my Free Report in the last year or so. I really hope it has been helpful to you. Some of you have emailed me, and I have tried to reply to as many as possible.

If I get some time soon, I would like to write a longer book about hypoglyecmia and diet. A lot of people have asked for ideas for meal plans.

For now on, I will try to keep up with replying to comments on this blog. And once again I apologise to anyone who have left a comment and asked a question, which I have not replied to.

Do you feel drowsy after eating?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:00:00 +0000

If you feel drowsy and lacking energy after eating, it is very likely you have hypoglycemia. It is likely you have eaten a meal that is too high in carbohyrdates and not balanced with protein and fat.

Here is an email I recently received from someone with exactly this feeling ... and then you will see my answers to her questions below.

Question: "Thank you for your web site! I took the quiz and scored in the 'normal' range. I found your web site after searching for some information about feeling drowsy after eating. In short, I had a bowl of cold cereal this morning (1 1/2 cups) that totalled almost 68 grams of carboyhydrate. Instead of using milk on the cereal I poured 4 oz of pear juice (no sugar added) and added a teaspoon of sugar and some ground cinnamon and one egg white. I then microwaved the cereal long enough to cook the egg white. Truly, it sounds gross but is delicious - BUT - within moments I experienced a rapid heart rate, was drowsy and had a headache and went from being totally energetic to flat.

I am a 41 year old female (5'6" and 108 lbs) and a runner. I need carbs for fuel but have noticed that this happens after eating this particular cereal breakfast. I see my physician annually and my fasting blood sugar is always around 75-77 (even with both pregnancies and HUGE weight gains). A GTT done during both pregnancies was also fine. My question (and I know you are NOT a doctor) - can a carb-heavy meal make a person feel like that? That was truly my only positive answer on the hypoglycemia quiz but I truly would like to NOT ever feel like this again. It has taken the wind out of my sails for the day !

My Answer:

Thank you for your email. What you have just described is a classic example of low blood sugar caused by eating too much carbohydrate and not balancing it with protein and fat. I feel really sad that so many people are still eating high carbohydrate, low fat diets. I used to do the same myself (and felt terrible, just like you) because all the experts seemed to recommend low fat and high carbohydrate, particularly for runners. (I used to be a runner also).

I used to eat a low fat lunch and feel drowsy in the afternoon. One day I decided to try something radical. I had a sandwich with wholegrain bread and plastered it with butter, and put a thick slab of cheese in the middle. In addition, I drank a glass of whole milk. I felt great and had so much energy during the afternoon, I couldn’t believe it. Then I tried eating quiche for lunch. Again, I felt great. Now, I always have some protein and fat with every meal … and I have plenty of energy. I am 51 years old and I still weigh the same as when I was 21. The reason is, I eat very little sugar. It is sugar (and all carbohydrates, that cause weight gain, not fat). Why do you think they feed cattle with grains to fatten them up?

The truth is, low fat, high carbohydrate diets are not good for everyone. You need some protein and fat to slow down the absorption of the carbohydrate, so you don’t get a sudden rush of sugar, followed by a slump.

Don’t worry about any adverse effects from eating butter, cheese, whole milk, eggs etc. People have eaten these for centuries with no ill effects. It is sugar that is the cause of heart disease and other illnesses, not healthy, natural fats, which we actually need.

I hope this has helped you. Most of the so called experts are scientists who have never actually suffered from low blood sugar. I have found out what works from personal experience (and from reading books by people who really know what they are talking about, rather than the stuff that gets in the media, which is most rubbish). As a general rule, don’t get your information from the media, particularly magazines.

I hope this has been helpful. Let me know if you change your diet along the lines I suggest. I guarantee you’ll feel so much better, you won’t believe it.

Follow up question:

My husband and I took a moment to read your e-mail - SO informative ! To be honest, I have knowledge of diet/nutrition but have struggled with 'balanced' meals my entire life - they are either too high in carbs or protein ( and always LOWFAT or even NONFAT !) and I find myself 'bonking' whenever I eat the incorrect mix (which is TOO often !). In fact, I can feel as bad (if not worse) if I eat a totally protein meal. There must be a balance but I just can't figure it out.

I wanted to tell you that 5 years ago I lost 60 pounds on the Weight Watchers program which is very, very low fat. The obligatory 2 tsp of olive a day they recommend doesn't always cut it. This, along with aging, has led me to really examine this part of my life. I am tired of not feeling 100% ! I am a busy mom, a business owner and very active in my church and social life. I am not doing anyone any good dragging through the day.

What are your feeling on the following foods and how they fit into this way of eating:
- sweet potatoes/yams
- coffee
- bread (obviously HIGH fiber)
- slow cooked oatmeal
- any other favorites you use ? I know that I will have to find what works for MY body but perhaps you could give me an idea. I have a problem eating dairy foods (butter is not a problem though) and do not favor junk foods or even the more starchy vegetables and I NEVER eat fast food !

Also, what books would you recommend I read (or do I need to research this further ?).

My answer:

You can lose weight on a very low fat diet, but it doesn’t do your health any good in the long run. Eventually, you get hypoglycemia from the unbalanced emphasis on carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the weight loss programmes don’t tell you this. Also, you get very hungry and constantly craving food on a low fat diet. You never feel satisfied.

High protein diets (like Atkins) are not good either. You need some carbohydrates. That’s why in the old days they used to recommend a balanced diet … and people were generally healthy on this.

Sweet potatoes/yams are okay as part of meal that includes protein and fat … so is bread, oatmeal (put full cream milk on oatmeal or you will get hypoglycemia). Coffee can cause hypoglycemia if you drink it on its own, without food. Always eat something when you have coffee.I can’t really recommend any books off the top of my head. All my knowledge has come from trial and error plus a mixture of a whole lot of different books. I’ve studied virtually every diet theory under the sun … most of them are unbalanced in some way. If anyone wrote a book about eating a balanced diet, they would not sell many copies, as no one wants to read that. People are always looking for some new theory.

Any books on the French diet are good. There are one or two around at the moment.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes

Chris

The Truth About Fruit ... Should You Eat It?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 02:36:00 +0000

For many years I have been careful about eating fruit because I discovered it affected my blood sugar in a bad way. When I stopped eating fruit, I felt an immediate improvement in the way I felt ... particularly after meals. Fruit made me sleepy and hypoglycemic.

From time to time I have worried I am not eating enough fruit. I eat small amounts occasionally but not nearly as much as the diet experts say we should. But each time I start eating more fruit, my hypoglycemia symptoms come back.

Recently, I started eating more fruit again ... and sure enough, that awful sleepy and headachy, lethargic feeling after meals where I have eaten fruit.

So, who is right? The diet experts who say we must eat lots of fruit? Or what my own body is telling me ... I feel a lot better when I reduce the amount of fruit I eat to almost zero?

The answer, I have decided, is my own body is right. I will listen to my body, not the health experts.

I don't know why fruit gives me low blood sugar. The glycemic index experts say fruit has a low GI. But for me it has a high GI. The sugar in fruit seems to affect me.

So ... my conclusion is ... if you eat a lot of fruit and you still have hypoglycemic symptoms ... even if you are cutting out sugar ... why not try cutting out fruit? You may be amazed, like me, that it will make all the difference.

I'd be inerested in any feedback on this. Feel free to post a comment.

Think Of Food As Medicine

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 20:58:00 +0000

It's been a long time since my last post ... but this article caught my eye today.

It's from a newsletter I receive by Anita Flegg, an excellent writer about hypoglycemia and diet.

Here is the article, which I'm sure you will find helpful.

"Lorna Vanderhaeghe, a nutrition crusader, believes that food is a medicine and that we should treat it as such.

That means that we should imagine that everything we put into our mouths is going to have an effect on our immune system. Her major message is that most of us “suffer from major immune system depletion, which is caused by too little nutritious food and too much stress.” (Ottawa Citizen, March 26, 2006)

She recommends a diet rich in essential fatty acids, contained in flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil. She also stresses that we have to stay away from sugar because of its negative effects on the immune system.

“One teaspoon of white sugar will turn off our monocytes, macrophages, T-cells—cancer- and virus-fighting cells—for up to 6 hours.”

“In fact, a study found that after children drink soda pop their macrophages don’t mount a strong defense against viruses and bacteria for the next 18 hours. Fructose-loaded apple juice isn’t much better.”

I think this is a message we just can’t hear too much. Sugar is a problem for all of us, not just hypoglycemics. I sometimes think that we are lucky to be hypoglycemic. Sounds strange—lucky to be hypoglycemic? But we have immediate reasons to cut sugar out of our diets. Our friends can eat anything they want, but that just means that they have no warning of the harm they are doing to their bodies.

Eat well — live well!

You can visit Anita Flegg's site at www.theothersugardisease.com

She has written an excellent book called 'Hypoglycemia: The Other Sugar Disease'.

Have you heard of Syndrome X?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 06:00:00 +0000

Have you heard of Syndrome X? If you have low blood sugar problems, it's definitely something you should know about...

Here is an interesting article I received today from Karen Newton. Karen is a registered nurse and fulltime freelance writer dealing with hypoglycemia.

-----
Can't Lose Weight? Syndrome X May Be the Culprit

"I've put on 40 pounds in one year!" "It doesn't matter how much I workout, I can't lose weight." "My doctor must think I'm eating pizzas in the closet."

With nearly 4 million Americans weighing in at over 300 pounds, is it any wonder the above cries are heard each and every day by countless frustrated people who can't lose weight? One such cause for the ever increasing need to buy larger pants is a disease known as Syndrome X.

Syndrome X is also referred to as Metabolic Syndrome, Metabolic Syndrome X and Insulin Resistance. It is a very common disease; however it is widely overlooked by many medical professionals. One statistic reveals 1 in 3 people suffer from it.

This syndrome is a precursor to developing Diabetes Type 2. Sufferers have a high level of insulin. Their bodies are unable to process all the insulin that is being made from their diet. As a result, they become insulin resistant.

Think of it like this: You knock on someone's door because you want to come in. If they don't answer, what normally happens? You knock again, right? Sometimes you may even knock a third time, trying to gain entry. Insulin works in the same manner. The pancreas produces insulin (knock). Some foods cause the body to produce even higher levels of insulin (knock again). Once you become insulin resistant, develop Syndrome X, the body is unable to properly process the glucose, therefore the pancreas tries to make up for it by producing even more insulin. It thinks "no one is home" and just keeps making more.

The main purpose of glucose is to be used as fuel for the cells in the body to produce energy. Unprocessed glucose translates into fat. If the body keeps making it and it's not being processed, where does it go? Hips, thighs, stomach, and buttocks, that's where!

In addition to hypertension and heart disease, elevated insulin may be associated with weight gain and difficulty with weight loss, other blood sugar problems such as hypoglycemia, and some menstrual related imbalances.

Genetics is partially responsible for causing this disease. More likely though is lifestyle. In many cases years of high starch, processed foods, simple sugars, lack of exercise, smoking, and increased stress may be the culprit for Metabolic Syndrome X.

Now what? For starters, start exercising today. Increase water intake and totally omit starches, sugars, processed foods from your diet. Limit or omit caffeine. Try to maintain at least one third of your daily food intake to vegetables. Ask your doctor to test your sugar levels. Change what you're eating and get walking and you'll be amazed at the pounds start to fall off. The fatigue and fuzziness will start to disappear and in turn you'll feel much better.

Find out more about Diet and Nutrition at www.healthandfinesse.com
---------------------------

Karen Newton is a freelance writer and registered nurse with several years of patient experience in dealing with hypoglycemia. Her new ebook Hypoglycemia Secrets - Surviving the Roller Coaster is considered the "must have survival guide' for people suffering from this problem.

Check it out at:
http://www.hypoglycemiasecrets.com/

Are you feeling worse than usual?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 01:23:00 +0000

A lot of people with hypoglycemia feel particularly bad at this time of the year, after all the sweet food and drink that is normally consumed over Christmas and New Year.

I have noticed a big increase in visitors to my website during the last 10 days or so and more people than usual downloading the free report from my site. I wonder if this is related to the fact that people are feeling the after effects of Christmas binge eating? I suspect it probably is.

If you are now suffering from a post-Christmas 'hangover' be encouraged to know that you will feel much better in a few days if you cut out the sweet food and drink from your diet. If anything, this will have proven to you how much your health can be affected by what you eat.

Need Help To Kick Sugar? Here’s Your Opportunity!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Sun, 13 Nov 2005 07:42:00 +0000

If you’re addicted to sugar and need help to kick the habit (hypoglycemia sufferers are almost always addicted to sugar) here is a great opportunity to get help that really works.

It’s a program designed by Connie Bennett from SugarShockBlog.com, called Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown™.

Hundreds of people have already been through this program and kicked their sugar habit.

The really goods news is Connie is offering this 9-week program absolutely FREE to the first 500 people who respond by Nov 16.

You are getting MAJOR value at NO COST to you, because after Nov. 16, this innovative, inspiring, information-packed program will cost you $97 or $277, depending upon which level you choose.

Connie has asked me to pass on this great offer to readers of this blog ….

The Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown begins Jan. 5, 2006.

It is specifically designed for those of you who are yearning to break away from your sugar or quickie-carbs habit.

Here’s what Connie has to say about it:

“I'll be blunt. This unique, highly anticipated coaching program is NOT for everyone. The unmotivated among you will hesitate---or maybe even feel paralyzed by fear.

Yep, licking sugar is no simple project.

But, let me tell you -- as I discovered back in 1998 -- turning your back on sweets brings BENEFITS GALORE!!! My rewards were innumerable, from better moods to greater energy to improved relationships to increased concentration.

If you say no to sweets and quickie carbs, you could completely turn your life around.

My nine-week program, with a three-week kick-start, is ideal for you if any of the following ring true:

You feel enslaved by your sugar and quickie-carbs habit.
You're fed up with dragging along excess weight and tonnage.
You're befuddled and besieged by irrational mood swings or anger outbursts that make your loved ones throw their hands up in despair.
You're waylaid by ferocious cramps and severe PMS.
Your beloved is frustrated by your low libido, especially after you cram carbs.

In short, your sugar highs are getting you down.

If you're all too familiar with any of the above, you can escape soon from the clutches of your overwhelming habit!

How? With powerful tips and tactics included in this innovative program.

Here's what you get if you join my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown:

Daily e-mails and/or audio messages from me for the first 21 days, then weekly e-mails for the next 6 weeks.
Fun, easy assignments and eye-opening participatory exercises to get you in the sugar-kicking mood.
A weekly teleseminar with me and some amazing, inspiring guests, who are experts in the field of health and personal empowerment. I've lined up some INCREDIBLE speakers!!! (Will post more later about that. Stay tuned!)
Strategies to combat those sugar or carb cravings.
A three-week meal plan from a nutritionist. You'll get other food ideas, too.
Surprise bonuses.
And more …..”

So if you’re serious about kicking sugar, what are you waiting for?

Join KickSugar group now, before Nov. 16, and get a FREE membership to the Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown.

Also subscribe to Connie’s free, online KickSugar group now and check out her great blog at http://www.sugarshockblog.com/

One More Question ...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:30:00 +0000

Question: My daughter is 16 & has been sick for about 2 years. She passed out twice at school. She has just now been diagnosed with Hypoglycemia. We don’t see a dietician for another 2 weeks so I’m confused on what to feed her. Can you help me? She’s a teenager so I don’t want to say no to chocolate chip cookies, or should I? Her doctor said protein every 2 hours. That’s no way to live! I’m wondering if this is just a quick fix until she sees the dietician. Please help!

Here is my answer: Thanks for your email. I know how worrying it can be when you first experience hypoglycemia .... and how confusing it can be with all thedifferent advice you get about diet. Most doctors don't really know a lot about hypoglycemia, which makes it more worrying.

The most important thing to control hypoglycemia is to cut out sugar from your daughter's diet as much as possible. (Actually, everyone should really cut out sugar as much as possible). This is very difficultfor teenagers becaue they usually eat a lot of sweet things. This is what causes the hypoglycemia in the first place. This means all thingslike ice cream, cookies soft drinks, jam (I think you call it jelly inthe US) - everything with sugar in it.

This may sound pretty hard to do. But I can assure you from personal experience it will totally tranform your daughter's health if she can doit. Because we all need to have soemthing sweet now and again, you'll bepleased to know that sugar is least harmful for people with hypogyclemia if you eat it at the end of a meal. So your daughter can have a small dessert after dinner - but only a small one and not too sweet.

Ice cream is particularly bad for hypoglycemia, for some reason. I always get a migraine if I eat too much ice cream. As for eating protein every 2 hours - I wouldn't advice that. This is an old-fashioned theory that I have tried myself and I always felt worse for doing it. Your daugher just needs to eat three balanced meals a day,with one or two snacks if she is hungry in between. I usually have a piece of toast and butter, with a cup of tea as a snack (we drink tea here in New Zealand). Coffee can also make hypoglycemia worse if you drink too much - don't drink more than two or three cups of coffee a day.

A cheese or peanut butter sandwich is a good snack if your daughter likes it. I hope you don't get too confused with all the advice! Just try to get your daughter to eat three balanced meals a day of good plain food. As little added sugar as possible. It's when teenagers start eating lots of sweet "junk" foods and soft drinks between meals that they tend to get hypoglycemia. I hope this helps and let me know how you get on.

Regards

Chris

Another Question About Hypoglycemia

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:25:00 +0000

Here's another question about hypoglycemia from a visitor to my website.

Question: I was just diagnosed about 3 months ago, although I KNOW I've had it for years. I took the 5 hour GTT and after 2 hours my blood sugar level went down to 46. Needless to say, I have been trying to figure out what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat, etc.... I need help and some suggestions other than what these idiot doctors say; "stay away from sugar". I know there's more to it than that.

Today all of a sudden the room started spinning. I thought I was going to fall down. I had no idea this was a sign of low blood sugar. I had a low carb yogurt and cheerios for breakfast but still felt really dizzy. What am I doing wrong? Should I purchase a glucometer and test my blood sugar levels every day? Some say yes, and some say it's not nessecary. I don't want to be an alarmest, but I need some good advice.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Here is my answer:

Thank you for your email. I'm sorry to hear about your symptoms of hypoglycemia. I know how alarming it can be.

It's certainly correct that you should cut out sugar from your diet as much as possible. But that doesn't necessarily mean a low carb diet. This seems to be the current trend. About 20 years ago it was the Pritikin diet - very low fat. I've tried low carb and low fat diets. Neither of them work in the long run. At least not for me.

Let me try to explain. The secret to preventing low blood sugar is to have your food digest as slowly as possible. Sugar and refined carbohydrate digest very quickly. They give you a rush of sugar and then a downer. Protein and fat digests slower, as does more complex carbohydrate such as whole grain bread etc.

So, if you eat something like yoghurt and cheerios (I live in New Zealand, I don't know what cheerios are ... but I assume it's a cereal?) this will give you hypoglycemia because it digests relatively quickly. There's no fat in this meal to slow down the absorption of the carbohydrate. That's why people have traditionally eaten butter on bread for thousands of years. The butter slows down the absorption of the carbohydrates in the bread so you don't get low blood sugar. If you just eat bread on its own, without butter, you'll get low blood sugar. For some reason most so-called experts today can't see the value of eating butter and other natural fats. They talk about lowfat spreads etc. Forget all this. People have been eating butter since the beginning of time - and olive oil etc in other parts of the world. It's absolutely essential for good health that you have these fats in your diet to keep your blood sugar stable.

For breakfast I usually have a cereal called WeetBix (it doesn't have any sugar in it - basically just wheat) with milk (full fat milk - yes, it's better to have whole milk because there's more fat to slow down the carbohydrate). I also have a couple of pieces of whole grain toast with plenty of butter, and a cup of tea (not coffee because that can affect your blood sugar). I do have coffee occasionally but only after meal - never on an empty stomach. The same applies to alcohol. It's really bad for your blood sugar on an empty stomach but you can probably have one glass of wine or beer with a meal ( if you want to).

A balanced meal of any protein plus carbohydrate plus some fat (butter on potatoes etc) is fine to keep your blood sugar stable. You can try a small dessert but not too sweet. I emphasise small because I know Americans tend to eat big desserts such as ice cream. Ice cream, by the way, is one of the worst things you can eat for hypoglycemia - at least from my experience. It's pretty loaded with sugar.

I hope this makes some sense. Just please don't follow a low fat diet. Eat some butter or olive oil - just like the French do and they have one of the healthiest diets in the world - becuase they eat a lot less sugar than Americans.

So ... cutting out sugar is important. But so is making sure you have some protein and fat with each meal to slow down the release of sugar. It's simple once get get the idea.

Try eating different meals and see how you feel. I used to eat a low fat lunch and feel awful. (This was in the days when low fat was all the rage). Then one day I had a cheese sandwich with loads of butter and a thick slice of cheese and a glass of whole milk. I couldn't believe how great I flet during the afternoon. So next lunch time I had a piece of quiche. Again I felt great. Soon I realised my "healthy" low fat lunches were making me feel drowsy and headachy in the afternoons!

I hope this is helpful. You'll find more info in the free report you got off my website and also on my blog ... if I ever find time to make some posts on it!

All the best.

God Bless

Chris

Some Questions And Answers

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 06:17:00 +0000

My last post was an article by Sam Biser. But Sam's lawyers emailed me and asked me to take it down as it infringed his copyright. So, my apologies to Sam, who I still think is an excellent health writer!

Here is a question some one recently emailed me about hypoglycemia. I'd like to share the question and my answer. The person's name, of course, is omitted.

Question: "Hello. I have just been diagnosed as hypoglycemic and am looking for a diet that REALLY works. Do you by chance have one in print you can share? Thanks….."

Here is my answer: "Thank you for your email. I don't have a specific diet in print I can give you. But I can share with you some guidelines, which should be enough to get you started along the right lines.

The most important thing is to cut out refined sugar as much as possible. Also, eat balanced meals with some protein, fat and carbohydrate in each meal. The biggest cause of hypoglycemia is snacking on high carbohydrate foods like candy bars, cookies, soft drinks etc.

You need to base your diet around the foods you like to eat, so it's difficult to tell you exactly what to eat.

But as a guideline:

Breakfast: Have some cereal and milk (make sure the cereal has no sugar and it's better to have whole milk rather than low-fat milk). Plus one or two pieces of toast with butter. Or you can have an egg or two instead of cereal if you like. Plus a cup of tea or coffee. But don't drink too much strong coffee.

Lunch: Pretty much any protein food like cheese, meat, fish etc plus some carbohydrate (sandwiches etc). Also don't cut down on butter and oils as these help keep your blood sugar stable for longer. Forget the idea that butter is bad for you. It's not. People have eaten it for hundreds of years. They still eat lots of it in France and other countries and they're in great shape. I find butter is useful on bread to keep my blood sugar stable. A low fat sandwich leaves me with hypoglycemia in the afternoon.

Afternoon snack: pretty much anything you enjoy as long as it doesn't have sugar in it. I have a very boring diet and usually have a piece of toast and butter plus a cup of tea about 4pm.

Dinner: meat, fish, eggs etc. plus some potatoes, pasta, rice or whatever, plus vegetables. A good balanced meal, in other words. For dessert some fruit or perhaps a homemade cookie if it doesn't have too much sugar in it. But stay away from sweet desserts - ice cream is bad for hypoglycemia, for some reason. A cup of coffee or tea. Be careful with alcohol. The occasional wine or beer with a meal is okay but don't drink on an empty stomach or you'll get low blood sugar an hour or so afterwards.

I hope this helps. You will need to experiment and find out what makes you feel good after eating it. Then stick to that!

All the best,

God Bless

Chris

More questions and answers coming!

Are You a Sugar Addict?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:28:00 +0000

Just a brief post to tell you about Anitag Flegg's excellent site on hypoglycemia - where you can sign up for her regular newsletter.

Here is the latest newsletter, as an example of what you'll find in it:

"Eating sugar makes us feel good. I used to crave sugar constantly and I realized that I was addicted. That sounds extreme but I found that one sugary treat inevitably lead to another. How else could I describe it but as an addiction?

The continual sugar ups and down are very hard on the system and long-term “sugar abuse” causes wear and tear on your body. You will probably feel tired, hungry, frequently irritable and unable to concentrate.

The best way to feel better is to get off the “sugar rollercoaster”. It’s not easy but the problem can’t finally be solved until your system gets used to being without the instant gratification of the sugar “hit”.

Next week: How to start getting off sugar… "

Anita's sites are www.anitaflegg.com and www.theothersugardisease.com .

The Truth About the Glycemic Index

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 08:29:00 +0000

When I first discovered the glycemic index a few years ago I thought I had finally found the missing piece of the hypoglycemia jigsaw.

I knew from experience it wasn't just as simple as cutting out sugar. For example, on many occasions I had eaten what was supposedly a "healthy" lunch of bread, salad and small amount of cheese or protein .... absolutely no sugar ... only to get hypgolycemic symptoms during the afternoon. In my case, very bad headaches.

How could this be, I wondered, since I had eaten no sugar. Then I learned bread has quite a high glycemic index ... particularly white bread. This explains why you can get hypoglycemic symptoms after eating bread.

Okay, so does this mean you shouldn't eat bread? What about rice, pasta and potatoes? Staple foods that people have eaten for centuries. Should we cut these out because they have a high glycemic index?

This is where some so-called experts go wrong. They recommend you cut out all carbohydrates with a moderate to high glycemic index.

In reality, you don't need to do this ...

if you learn a simple secret ...

To slow down the effect on your blood sugar of carbohydrates, you need to eat some fats or oils and/or some protein along with the carbohydrate. In other words, you need to eat a balanced meal.

Why do you think people have been eating bread and butter for so many hundreds of years? The butter slows down the digestion of the bread ... so if you're hypoglycemic, you want to put plenty of butter on your bread. And have some protein along with it, ideally. (You can use olive oil on your bread, if you want ... but only if you like it. Don't eat olive oil just because it's trendy at the moment. There's absolutely nothing wrong with butter. Believe me. People have been eating butter since the beginning of human history.

If you have any doubts about butter (due to all the negative press it's received from so-called experts who say it's bad for you) consider the French. They've always eaten lots of butter, cream, high fat cheeses, pates ... and they have a much lower rate of heart disease than Americans and other western countries. Now, of course, the French have started eating more sugar. (The traditional French diet has very little sugar .. and they don't eat sweet snacks between meals either). The French are starting to get more health problems as they're eating more sugar ...

So it's sugar ... not fat ... that's the problem.

But there's also another aspect about sugar ...

You may be able to eat a small amount of sugar ... and get no hypoglycemic symptoms ... if you eat it along with a balanced meal with proteins and fats.

I've proven this myself to be absolutely true. For example, for lunch today I had a sandwich with bread, butter, cheese, pate and salad. Then, I had a small piece of home-made fruit cake my wife made. (She always uses raw sugar and only a small amount). Finally, I had a cup of tea (with milk). I felt absolutely fine after this lunch ... much better than if I'd eaten a "healthy" low fat meal with no butter or cheese or pate ... and no sugar.

So ... eat balanced meals with protein, fats and carbohydrates ... and you'll find your blood sugar keeps pretty stable. On the other hand ... don't eat unbalanced meals or snacks .... sweet snacks like candy bars and soft drinks are absolutely the worst things for your blood sugar.

Finally, if you want to learn more about the glycemic index, visit Michel Montignac's website. I don't agree with all his ideas about weight loss diets ... but he's got some pretty good information about hypoglycemia and the glycemic index. Well worth a visit if you can spare the time.

7 Tips to Squash Your Sugar Habit

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 06:52:00 +0000

Here is a great article by Connie Bennett of SugarShockBlog.com, which I came across today.

I'd like to reproduce it in full (with Connie's permission) because it really hits the nail on the head.

Here is the article:

'Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on candy, cookies, and cake – and do you then hate yourself for caving into your cravings?

Do you pop by the drug store for paper goods but always leave with junk food, too? And do you feel like an incurable sugar addict with zero will power?

Take heart. You can quit (or at least cut back on) both sweets and processed, “much-like-sugar carbs” such as white bread, white rice, and pasta.

Back in 1998, I did just that. After diagnosing hypoglycemia, my M.D. told me that eliminating quickie carbs could banish my low-blood sugar symptoms, including my ferocious headaches, unexpected mood swings, debilitating “brain fog” and severe PMS.

Amazingly, all 44 ailments disappeared! I do not exaggerate! After kicking sweets, I felt reborn!

That’s why I’m now on a mission to help you, too, break free of your habit. I know that spurning inferior sweets and quickie carbs could turn your life around. You could benefit if you're hypoglycemic, diabetic, overweight -- or if you're just wanting more energy and better concentration.

Here’s the non-sugar-coated scoop. If you continue to over-indulge in these nutrient-lacking foods you could:

• Pack on the pounds
• Sap your energy
• Become unfocused
• Undergo Jekyll-Hyde personality transformations
• Jeopardize your love life, and
• Possibly develop hypoglycemia, insulin resistance or diabetes.

If, instead, you choose quality, fiber-filled carbs, you could:

• Peel off excess weight
• Increase your energy
• Concentrate better
• Boost your moods
• Maybe rev up your libido, and
• Possibly reverse your pre-diabetes

Pretty promising, eh?

Here, then, are 7 tried-and-true tips and tactics to help you “just say no” to quickie carbs:

1. Adjust your mindset – and pronto! Before you can begin to make better dietary decisions, you need to totally change your thoughts. Toss away such negative views as: “Oh, boo hoo, I don’t want to quit sweets!” Instead, dwell on positive ideas like this: “Wow, I’ll feel so great by kicking quickie carbs.” Now fill your mind with pleasant, powerful images. Visualize yourself easily turning down low-quality carbs and becoming a happier, healthier, sweeter you. See yourself in charge instead of enslaved.

2. Plan a pity party. I know this might sound counter-productive, but I’m convinced that before you cut out low-quality carbs, allotting a specific, short amount of time – say, a week – to feeling sorry for yourself can work wonders. But then get over it and get on with it!

3. Watch yourself like a lab rat. Begin to face your truth by keeping a food journal. Jot down what drives you to simple carbs, when you clamor for them, where you eat them, why you want them, and how you get them (i.e., do you stealthily drive across town in the middle of night to buy a carton of ice cream because you need it?) Journaling can be potent preparation for stomping out your sugar habit!

4. Power up with PFF. By this I mean, pump up the protein (such as fish, chicken, tofu, legumes and lean meats), fill up with fiber (vegetables, fruits and whole grains), and embrace healthy fats (olive oil, flax seeds, avocado, etc.) – consuming them all in moderation, of course. These three dietary changes alone can help moderate your blood sugar levels, take the edge off your appetite, keep you feel satisfied longer, and provide needed nourishment.

5. Relish the goodies provided by Mother Nature. Learn to savor the flavor of fresh, natural, wholesome, colorful, nutritious, preferably organic vegetables and low-sugar fruits. Next time you yearn for something sweet, enjoy a few tasty cherry tomatoes, a chunk of red pepper, or several fresh strawberries. Yum! (Nibble on some protein at the same time to keep your blood sugar stable.)

6. Begin with breakfast. Always start your day with a healthy meal – you know, something like a veggie-filled omelet with a piece of orange or a small bowl of slow-cooking oatmeal. Many research studies show that breakfast eaters concentrate and perform better. If you skip that vital first meal of the day, you’re setting yourself up for overwhelming sugar cravings. (Many nutritionists and physicians I interviewed often emphasized the benefits of breakfast.)

7. Develop a kick-butt attitude. Abandon that woe-is-me stance! Tap into your inner strength instead. Even if you’re furious with yourself for having eaten nutrient-poor foods for so long, use that anger to reinforce your “I-can-do-it” attitude. Because you can! Now go for it and trust in your ability to succeed. Believe me, you can "Enjoy a Sweeter Life Without Refined Sweets.™"

------------------
Connie Bennett is an experienced journalist and author of the book SUGAR SHOCK! (upcoming), for which she interviewed more than 250 recognized physicians, nutritionists, researchers and health advocates. Visit her excellent blog: SugarShockBlog.com. Make sure to get your free report, “Sly Hidden Sugars,” and your free e-zine at StopSugarShock.com.
------------------
Copyright © 2005, All Rights Reserved, Connie Bennett, Stop SUGAR SHOCK!(TM), StopSugarShock.com, A Sweeter You, LLC.

Welcome to the Hypoglycemia Diet Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Mole) — Sat, 20 Aug 2005 08:31:00 +0000

Thanks for visiting this brand-new blog!

I promise you'll find here some of the most powerful information available anywhere about hypoglycemia and diet ... about what to eat if you have hypoglycemia. The straight facts. Common sense. The results of 25 years study, trial and error and prayer as I've tried to figure out the truth about hypoglycemia and diet.

It can be so confusing when you read all the different theories about the best diet for hypoglycemia. High protein diets. Low carb diets. Low fat diets. Eat only protein and vegetables. Food combining. Eat six small meals a day. Look at the glycemic index (GI) of everything you eat. It's a nightmare when you first start out. So many theories, it makes your head spin.

Thankfully, I've been through all that and come out the other side. The truth is always simple. That's the way God has made things. So that simple people can understand. Scientists and the medical profession like to make things complicated. So they can seem like experts ... and we'll pay them big money for their advice and theories.

Consider this. People have been eating natural diets for thousands of years ... natural food the way God made it ... and have enjoyed good health on a wide variety of natural foods. Different ethnic diets have developed. These have kept people very healthy. Long before there were any scientists to come up with crazy theories about diet.

So, you don't need to get too hung up about way out diet theories. But what you do need to consider is that much of our modern food today is highly processed and not good for us. This particularly applies to the amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates in just about everything. These are the things we need to avoid.

In future entires I'll be looking at some specific ways you can eat to restore your health completely if you have hypoglycemia. But for now I'd like to refer you to a couple of my favourite websites on health - and specifically about diet.

The first is Newstarget Network www.newstarget.com . This is an awesome site founded by Mike Atkins. Mike is one of the wiseset people around on natual health issues. Get acquainted with the site and browse around it. You'll find a wealth of priceless health information that will change your life ... if you put into practice what you read. And sign up for Mike's newsletter too.

The other site (actually a blog) that I recommend you get acquainted with is Connie Bennett's Sugar Shock. This blog is absolutely packed full of great information about hypoglycemia and the health effects of sugar and sweets in general.

I hope after you've browsed around these two recommended sites (and signed up for both their newsletters) you'll come back and check out this blog regularly for updates.

I promise you'll get the straight facts about what has worked for me and restored my health from the nightmare of hypoglycemia. And I don't have to live on an impossible diet like some so-called experts tell you. You'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that having hypoglycemia is not a life sentence to a boring high protein, low carb diet.

See you in a few days.

Chris