Hypoglycemia is an abnormally diminished content of glucose in the blood. The term literally means "low sugar blood." It can produce a variety of symptoms and effects but the principle problems arise from an inadequate supply of glucose to the brain, resulting in impairment of function. Effects can range from mild dysphoria to more serious conditions such as seizures, unconsciousness, and (rarely) permanent brain damage or death.
It's been said that a blood sugar count of 70 or below determines Hypoglycemia. New research has proven that Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugars drop too fast. For example, if your sugars dropped from 100 to 75 (which is considered a "good" blood sugar level) in 5 minutes, you would feel the effects of Hypoglycemia and THAT is what classifies Hypoglycemia.
Many people with Fibromyalgia also have Hypoglycemia. Why? Who knows? The connection has not yet been made. I knew I had Hypoglycemia years before I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Like I've said, my husband has Type One Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes.) He's the one who found out I had it. :) From the time I was a little girl, I remember never being able to last three hours for church. I'd black out, see spots, and be the nastiest person you've ever met. I would get ravenous for food, carbs, sugar, anything to help me feel better. It's funny how instincts work. Even as a little girl, I knew the only remedy was food. Our religion believes in fasting for spiritual purposes. I've never fasted a day in my life. I was convinced I had no will power, and I wasn't spiritual enough. I accepted the fact that I was weak, and I could never fast. I still tried, but I could never go more than two to three hours without breaking down and eating. I'd black out, shake like a leaf, and wanna die. After years of marriage and while pregnant with my third child, my husband said to me, "ya know, you have all my symptoms when I get low blood sugars. Maybe you should check yours." We have a house full of glucose checkers for the diabetic. I am terrified of needles, but 30 minutes of talking myself through it, I checked my sugars. 65. I was totally shocked. I have Hypoglycemia? Why? My family's so healthy, what does it mean? I had no idea, but from there on out, I felt better about not being able to fast, and made sure to eat every two hours. Many people get pregnancy induced Hypoglycemia, but I knew mine was not; I'd had these symptoms since I was a very little girl. When I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I also told her I had Hypoglycemia. She was the second doctor to tell me that this was the stage before Diabetes Type 2. Um, no. I eat healthier than most, I work out, my BMI is on the lower side of the healthy bracket, I wear a size 8 in pants, and I've had this my whole life. You're telling me that people in their 20's get Type 2 Diabetes when they're skinny and healthy? I think not, I'd be a medical wonder. I knew it wasn't true, but it scared me all the same! What was going on with me? She did a glucose test on me. I fasted all night, went in first thing in the morning, and waddia know? I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. My blood sugars were 120 (120 is the magic number for diagnosing Type 2 Diabetes.) after two hours. I went home devastated. My husband laughed. "Honey, family doctors don't know anything about Diabetes. It takes a specialist to 'read' blood sugars. Check your blood sugars now. Yes, you just had a ton of carbs, of course your sugars were high. Doctors check sugars after two hours when they should be checking them after three. EVERYONE is high after two. Check 'em." I did. I was low. I was at 60. Hubby was right. He went in to my next check up and was the one who explained to my doctor that her diagnosis was wrong. She agreed. She then diagnosed me with Reactive AND Fasting Hypoglycemia. This is rare. It's usually one or the other. Reactive means that when you eat too many sugars, and carbs, you'll get low. Fasting means that when you fast, you'll get too low. I have both, so when I eat high carb foods, I get low. When I wake up, I'm low, or if I go more than two hours, I get low. This is why I eat in my sleep sometimes. My Hypoglycemia is powerful, and I've eaten many times in my sleep to help my blood sugars. I've woken up to empty bags of chips that were completely full the night before. When I wake up, I've already eaten or I'm in the middle of eating. It's weird! When I don't sleep walk, I'm usually dreaming about food. Hypoglycemia (think about it, your brain is starving) is what gives me my intense nightmares, too. It makes my brain crazy and over active.
Hypoglycemia is hereditary, so if someone in your family has it, or if you have Fibromyalgia, have your sugars checked. Two out of my four children have it. My baby is almost a year and a half and he's still taking bottles two to three times a night because of his Hypoglycemia. My four year old wakes up in the middle of the night to eat, and she has intense nightmares, and sleep walks like her mamma. It's exhausting, and it feels like poo. It makes you very emotional, and irrational when you're low. You couldn't drive, that's for sure. You'd probably kill someone. So to deal with this, I can't drink regular drinks. They all have to be diet. People laugh at me when I get a diet drink with my Big Mac. "Dude, you're an idiot. You think I'd be getting a Big Mac if I was worried about my weight, but I'd get a diet drink with it?" :) No more orange juice or fruit drinks, (that is OK, the acid hurts my stomach anyways.) not too many carbs, and plenty of salad's and chicken. Lots of chicken. :) Protein is fabulous for regulating your blood sugars. It keeps you full longer and carries you out longer, does that make sense? It helps regulate your sugars and keeps you full longer. There, that was easier. It makes a world of difference when you eat better. Not so many incidents, and you feel healthier and stronger. When I do need to stuff my face with crap, I just make sure that I eat something healthier in two hours.
So something I've really missed is hot chocolate. It's cold out, and that's all the holidays are about, hot chocolate! Well, my hubby can't drink regular drinks either (he DOES take shots for food, but liquids go through his system too fast and the insulin doesn't counteract it fast enough. It messes up his sugars bad.) and we both love hot chocolate. Well, the dude's a genius. He's always experimenting with food, (he's the healthier out of the two of us, he's the family cook.:) and came up with the best low carb hot chocolate drink ever! It's great for dieters, Hypoglycemics, Diabetics, and heck, everyone. Sugar's bad for you! :) I can't tell you the fat or caloric content, but each cup contains 2-3 grams of carbs.
Here's Adam's low carb, hot chocolate recipe:
1 Tablespoon of baking cocoa
3 Tablespoons of Splenda, Stevia, or your choice of sweetener. (There needs to be at least 3-4 times more Splenda than cocoa.)
1/4 cup of water
Add unsweetened, vanilla flavored Almond Milk to taste (The more you add, the lighter the chocolate taste becomes.)
Mix the cocoa and Splenda together. Add the water, and heat to a boil. Boil for about two minutes, and add the Almond Milk.
This makes about 4-5 cups.
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