Welcome aboard the great American blood sugar roller coaster!
Don't worry - you’ll have plenty of fellow riders
as around 80% of the
U.S.
population lives on this ride. What powers this coaster? Refined
carbohydrates.
For many, the low blood sugar roller coaster begins when they first
open their eyes in the morning. As a consequence of their evening
snack the night before they awake with their blood sugar in the
dumps. They dare not say or do anything until after they have
something to eat.
They open their eyes in a bad mood, fatigued, cranky and disagreeable. They need either something sweet to eat or at least a cup of coffee “to get their heart pumping” and improve their mood.
When the average American rises in the morning, they most often consume a breakfast that’s composed of one or more of the following traditional breakfast items.
Many sit down to a bowl of cereal. Most brands of cereal are made of refined white flour and many also contain a lot of added sugar. Many people choose to add more sugar themselves.
Or they might start off their day with a pastry such as a bagel, a pop tart or Danish with a dash of some fruit for color. Others may go for some hotcakes or waffles usually topped with sweet syrup and/or some fresh fruit.
And then you have the on-the-go types that grab a fast cup of coffee more often that not doped with a spoonful or two of sugar. They may also top off their first meal of the day with a nice cold glass of some orange juice concoction – many of which contain sugar or worse – high fructose corn syrup.
Pick your poison. Any of these toxic items will quickly jump start your blood sugar roller coaster and get it running. This sets you up for a sequence of blood sugar fluctuations that will continue right through your day until your head hits your pillow at day’s end.
Let’s say you had your carbohydrate-laden
breakfast. You arrive at work feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed
ready for the day ahead. But around
10 am
or so you feel a need to wander on down to the lunch room for a
sugary “pick-me-up” snack from a vending machine.
This craving is caused by the post breakfast blood sugar crash which
is the real cause of your mid-morning “sweet tooth”. Don’t worry -
your snack will tide you over until lunch time.
At lunch you down more refined carbs in the form of bread on a sandwich or burger. Or maybe you like pizza – always a favorite. Pizza is loaded with refined white flour. Of course you’ll need a sweet drink or shake of some sort to wash it all down.
Once again you arrive back at the office feeling good. But around 3 pm your energy and mood sag. And there’s that sweet tooth again. Back to the vending machines for yet another sweet snack to tide you over until dinner time. (Some use caffeine or nicotine to tide them over until the next meal.)
Back home you have dinner around 6-7 pm. Of course it includes refined carbs and also a pleasing desert - loaded with sugar.
You relax in front of your TV as most Americans do but around 9 pm you get an urge to raid the ice box. Where did I put that left over pie? Your blood sugar is crashing yet again and you’re hungry for something sweet. For many ice cream is a favorite evening snack.
Because a low blood sugar level triggers strong cravings for sweet and starchy treats, you’re constantly at the mercy of your vacillating blood sugar level.
In short – you’re a refined carbohydrate addict – a real junkie! You’re living in the grips of a vicious cycle that not only makes you feel terrible most of the time but also damages sensitive brain circuitry during the periods of low blood sugar (remember, the human brain runs on sugar)
Studies have shown that the brain consumes oxygen in proportion to the sugar it utilizes. When the sugar level in the blood falls, the brain no longer has access to the oxygen and sugar it needs to maintain normal operation. This can lead to the irreversible loss of both brain neurons and synapses. The brain cells are then unable to produce enough energy to support themselves. When the brain’s energy system fails, large numbers of brain neurons die.
Tens of millions of Americans are addicted in just this way. Many use other crutches to get through their low blood sugar crashes by resorting to other drugs like nicotine or caffeine. Studies have found that smokers often confuse their desire for nicotine with low blood sugar and will reach for the smokes in either situation. Those poor souls are struggling with multiple addictions!
For some reason women more often than men find chocolate an effective blood sugar booster. The famous chocolate maker Milton Hershey started out selling both caramels and chocolates in his first store.
But after careful observation he noticed that caramels sold well only during holidays while the ladies who bought his chocolates returned week after week without fail. He quickly sold off his caramel business and focused exclusively on giving his obviously addicted customers what they so badly craved – milk chocolate.
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What does it feel like to be a reformed carbohydrate addict? When you stop consuming refined carbohydrates you climb off the blood sugar roller coaster. Your blood sugar level remains far more constant throughout your entire day.
How does that affect you? Your mood improves and becomes more stable, your energy level is enhanced and remains constant, your thinking and decision making is much improved, powerful “sweet tooth” cravings vanish, your memory is boosted, you feel much calmer and in control and last but surely not least - you have more frequent and more enjoyable sex.
After you’ve been off the refined carbs for several weeks you’ll no doubt notice that when you fall off the wagon and consume a refined carb, a few hours later you feel horrible. Even a few slices of bread will leave you depressed, fatigued and felling miserable for several hours. This is your body talking to you – and you should listen to what it has to say.
Because of this effect you’ll soon become strongly motivated to steer clear of any and all refined carbohydrates and you’ll become a keen observer of food labels. ■