Are You in the Zone?
For as long as we keep ourselves physically healthy our bodies are able to process sweets and carbohydrates easily. Eating a hefty portion of pasta or slice (or two) of pie causes us no noticeable trouble. However, once we abuse that privilege for long enough, we can lose it forever.
While in my early twenties I noticed that after eating those kinds of things my blood sugar would plummet. That made me feel anxious, angry, shaky, dizzy and confused. I would panic and grab any kind of food I could to shove down my throat just to make that awful feeling go away. When someone has hypoglycemia their insulin levels fluctuate wildly in response to sugar or simple carbs. First it soars and then drops dangerously low. Each time we eat sugar (in whatever form) our system is flooded with insulin. If we eat sugar too often then our bodies release insulin in huge quantities and we become insulin resistant, meaning our bodies don’t recognize that the insulin is there anymore. So it sends out signals that it needs more and more. The pancreas then tries to comply and makes as much as it can. If this continues long enough the pancreas wears out and just can’t make insulin any longer and we become a type 2 (adult onset) diabetic. This explains why many diabetics must give themselves insulin injections.
This process is extraordinarily complex but the basic principles are really quite simple. Just because someone has hypoglycemia doesn’t mean they’re destined to become diabetic – if the correct changes are made. The body is an amazing creation – better, smarter and more powerful than anything that could ever be created in a lab. If we give our bodies even some of what it needs, it can correct many imbalances on it’s own. Your body’s natural state is good health. That is what it will naturally gravitate toward. Only when we abuse ourselves does the body become unable to cope and begins to break down.
Thankfully I stumbled across Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone books. His books taught me how to eat so that I could completely avoid the blood sugar roller coaster. To keep blood sugar steady, make sure each meal or snack consists of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Back in the days when my blood sugar would tank regularly I found that grabbing a sandwich normalized me the best. If you think about it, a sandwich usually consists of meat (protein), bread (carbs) and mayo (fat).
I began making it a point to eat in the zone at each meal. Now I never eat fruit by itself, for instance. Mixing fruit with yogurt is okay though because protein and fat are introduced. Once you do this enough, it becomes second nature. The other major key in keeping blood sugar stable is eating regularly. Don’t try to go seven hours between breakfast and lunch, for example. Even a zone meal can only hold you for so long.
The best part of keeping your blood sugar in “the zone” is that you feel a difference immediately. You have the power to stop blood sugar fluctuations and all of the eventual disease that develops as a result in it’s tracks. Now that is exciting!
Author Bio: Amy is a certified nutritional consultant who lost 140lbs in just over a year following her own holistic approach. She stays healthy by using many forms of natural medicine. http://amyafter.com
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: hypoglycemia,hypoglycemic,the zone, barry sears,low blood sugar,diabetes,symptoms of hypoglycemia