Mouprise.com

Reactive Hypoglycemia: How To Beat It!

If you have reactive hypoglycemia, you know the frustrations that can accompany the problem. Especially if you were recently diagnosed.

I remember when I started having problems, I had no idea what was going on, and neither did the doctors! All I knew was that my life had drastically changed for the worse and I wanted to get my old life back. I wanted to get back to exercising hard, practicing martial arts, feeling stable, and most importantly, knowing what I could eat!

By the way, as I just mentioned the doctors, let me go ahead and say that I am not a doctor. So there is your disclaimer. However, I am someone with reactive hypoglycemia or idiopathic postprandial syndrome in my case. Idiopathic postprandial syndrome is basically reactive hypoglycemia and all its unpleasant symptoms without “low glucose levels” as defined by the medical community. The good news is that I have managed to control my disease; And I didn’t do it with the help of a doctor or with any medication! I did it simply by diet … and I learned this diet after a lot of research, keeping food diaries, talking to nutritionists, personal trainers, bodybuilders (yes, bodybuilders too!) And experimenting … on myself! (Oh!)

You probably know the causes of reactive hypoglycemia by now, but if not, let me tell you what’s going on. Now brace yourself, my little definition here might not be as eloquent as your doctor’s! Basically though, when you eat carbohydrates, your body produces too much insulin about 1 to 3 hours after eating (it can vary). So what happens is that your blood sugar levels (glucose levels) drop and you have the condition known as “hypoglycemia”, or low glucose / low blood sugar levels. This is what makes you dizzy, weak, “shaky,” and so on.

Now, the main cause of reactive hypoglycemia is that the sugar you eat raises your blood sugar level and then your body floods with insulin … too much. Therefore, the key is to eat foods that have a low glycemic index, or in other words, that do not spike your blood sugar.

Eating foods that do not raise your blood sugar or foods that have a low glycemic index involves eliminating all simple sugars, simple carbohydrates, some of your fruits, starchy carbohydrates, refined foods, and soft drinks. Also, you may want to limit your alcohol and caffeine intake, as they can lower your blood sugar.

Examples of foods to avoid are sweets, white potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals, and watermelon. The diet you need and practically must have to beat reactive hypoglycemia is a diet high in fat (Yes! Fat!), Protein, fiber, and low in complex carbohydrates. Also be sure to take a very good multivitamin and omega fish oil.

So why fat? Well, the order of what your body burns for energy is as follows: carbohydrates, fats, and then protein. So if you cut carbs, you will need to get your energy from the next energy source in line, fat!

When eating small amounts of complex carbohydrates like raw oatmeal and small amounts of sweet potato with skin (fiber), you should make sure to eat them with butter and / or coconut oil. This will slow down your body’s absorption so your sugar doesn’t spike.

So what other foods can you eat? Eggs, bacon, peanut butter, almonds, dry roasted peanuts, small amounts of berries, heavy cream, cheeses, unsweetened gelatin, coconut oil, and spinach, to name a few.

Adjusting from a high carb diet to a very low carb diet can be a big change. Making the switch initially can and will make you feel tired, but your body will adjust and your body will begin to burn fat for energy. You will notice that it leans over, does not feel bloated, and feels better overall.

Again, I am not a doctor, so always check with your doctor before starting a new diet. However, I believe that what I have learned through my experience is good information and may help you if you suffer from reactive hypoglycemia or idiopathic postprandial syndrome.

You may want to do some more research on the low carb diet or visit my website before starting your diet. If you are physically active and / or exercise a lot, these are things to consider before starting a low carb diet. Stay focused and be patient, you’ll feel better shortly!