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circusgirl
New member
Here's another question for you nutritionally inded folks on here.
I appear to be much more sensitive to changes in blood sugar than the people around me. Up til around 6 months ago I used to get the kind of low-blood-sugar effects most other people get after a day of not eating, except I got them within 4 hours of not eating - diziness, confusion, trouble concentrating, excessive sweating etc. I had my blood sugar tested about a year ago when I was getting these symptoms and it didn't fall outside the norms, just to the low end of norm a lot more quickly than anyone else's - the doc was surprised when I said I'd eaten a big meal 4 hours prior to that, he thought I must hvae not eatn since the morning (this was at 6pm). The doc said I had a fast metabolism and didn't eat often enough, so said, eat more often, lots of small meals instead of 3 big ones. So I found out about the GI of carbs and incorporated more low-GI foods into my diet and the problem just disappeared - especially with an increase in protein intake. (nowhere near as much protein as you guys do - but I had thought of meat then as "unhealthy" and was eating mainly carbs, protein then went up to 20% of diet).
So far so good. Now, until 3 years ago I was REALLY unhealthy - totally sedentary, ate loads of junk food and sugar, alcoholic until I was 22, stomach ulcer you name it I had the problem. Finally after many stays in psych institutions for manic depression I decided to turn over a new leaf and get healthy once things had been stabilised (finally). I stopped drinking, started eating more fresh produce and veggies, more balanced diet, took up taekwondo and all the rest that I do now. The stomach problems, alcoholism, ready meals and frozen pizzas are now a thing of the past (still like pizza from dominos though, mmmm). BUT I may have done my body and insulin system a lot of damage up to then (I'm now 27).
Anyway, today, after 3-4 days of actually sticking to a high-protein moderate carb diet a friend came over today and we pigged out on cookies and lotsa coffee, reading magazines, looking at picutres of Morten Harket (he is hot!) etc and I had such a horrible sugar rush-crash problem, having stayed away from the stuff for 3-4 days only. Now I've had the crash and my mood is shitty, I feel like crying, I feel sad for no reason, I crave more carbs, I feel nauseous etc etc. I have the good sense to realise this is all sugar-related. I think its weird I had such an extreme reaction, it's not like I haven't had any for months.
I have three theories about why I'm this sensitive to blood sugar changes - 1) oncoming insulin resistance due to previous bad lifestyle and genetic heritage - major fluctuations I feel are due to excess insulin production 2) exaggeration of effects due to serotonin manipulation by the sugar, I take antidepressants for my bipolar illness and they keep it in check BUT does this inherent fragility of serotonin balance in my brain amplify the serotonin effects of sugar comsumption? 3) this is normal but most people just feel tired/shitty and don't make the connection. I know I can tell the difference between physical tiredness, blood sugar effects, dehydration effects and mental tiredness and act accordingly, does everyone else on the planet just think "I feel shitty" and not try to work out why they feel shitty?
I have a feeling if I ask my GP about this he won't know jack shit, will do yet another urine test and say, no, you don't have diabetes (yes I know that) and about the other say "ask your psychiatrist" but those guys don't know much about how nutrition and mental state correlate anyway. Or say, well, a lot of people say they are tired when they come to see me (no shit doc, most of 'em are sick, I too am tired when I have flu/tonsillitis/back pain/insomnia).
Anyone here able to shed some light on this? I will consult my doc anyway - I know that no-one on here can take the place of a properly qualified medic when it comes to doing blood tests etc. But I do appreciate your input if you have any idea what might be going on, what I could suggest to the doc when I see him, and so on. thank you,
circusgirl
I appear to be much more sensitive to changes in blood sugar than the people around me. Up til around 6 months ago I used to get the kind of low-blood-sugar effects most other people get after a day of not eating, except I got them within 4 hours of not eating - diziness, confusion, trouble concentrating, excessive sweating etc. I had my blood sugar tested about a year ago when I was getting these symptoms and it didn't fall outside the norms, just to the low end of norm a lot more quickly than anyone else's - the doc was surprised when I said I'd eaten a big meal 4 hours prior to that, he thought I must hvae not eatn since the morning (this was at 6pm). The doc said I had a fast metabolism and didn't eat often enough, so said, eat more often, lots of small meals instead of 3 big ones. So I found out about the GI of carbs and incorporated more low-GI foods into my diet and the problem just disappeared - especially with an increase in protein intake. (nowhere near as much protein as you guys do - but I had thought of meat then as "unhealthy" and was eating mainly carbs, protein then went up to 20% of diet).
So far so good. Now, until 3 years ago I was REALLY unhealthy - totally sedentary, ate loads of junk food and sugar, alcoholic until I was 22, stomach ulcer you name it I had the problem. Finally after many stays in psych institutions for manic depression I decided to turn over a new leaf and get healthy once things had been stabilised (finally). I stopped drinking, started eating more fresh produce and veggies, more balanced diet, took up taekwondo and all the rest that I do now. The stomach problems, alcoholism, ready meals and frozen pizzas are now a thing of the past (still like pizza from dominos though, mmmm). BUT I may have done my body and insulin system a lot of damage up to then (I'm now 27).
Anyway, today, after 3-4 days of actually sticking to a high-protein moderate carb diet a friend came over today and we pigged out on cookies and lotsa coffee, reading magazines, looking at picutres of Morten Harket (he is hot!) etc and I had such a horrible sugar rush-crash problem, having stayed away from the stuff for 3-4 days only. Now I've had the crash and my mood is shitty, I feel like crying, I feel sad for no reason, I crave more carbs, I feel nauseous etc etc. I have the good sense to realise this is all sugar-related. I think its weird I had such an extreme reaction, it's not like I haven't had any for months.
I have three theories about why I'm this sensitive to blood sugar changes - 1) oncoming insulin resistance due to previous bad lifestyle and genetic heritage - major fluctuations I feel are due to excess insulin production 2) exaggeration of effects due to serotonin manipulation by the sugar, I take antidepressants for my bipolar illness and they keep it in check BUT does this inherent fragility of serotonin balance in my brain amplify the serotonin effects of sugar comsumption? 3) this is normal but most people just feel tired/shitty and don't make the connection. I know I can tell the difference between physical tiredness, blood sugar effects, dehydration effects and mental tiredness and act accordingly, does everyone else on the planet just think "I feel shitty" and not try to work out why they feel shitty?
I have a feeling if I ask my GP about this he won't know jack shit, will do yet another urine test and say, no, you don't have diabetes (yes I know that) and about the other say "ask your psychiatrist" but those guys don't know much about how nutrition and mental state correlate anyway. Or say, well, a lot of people say they are tired when they come to see me (no shit doc, most of 'em are sick, I too am tired when I have flu/tonsillitis/back pain/insomnia).
Anyone here able to shed some light on this? I will consult my doc anyway - I know that no-one on here can take the place of a properly qualified medic when it comes to doing blood tests etc. But I do appreciate your input if you have any idea what might be going on, what I could suggest to the doc when I see him, and so on. thank you,
circusgirl
