Susan 33, from Manotick, came to my practice complaining of headaches and general fatigue. She worked for the Federal government as a policy adviser. Worked long hours and frequently missed breakfast. Lunch was often a quick sandwich which she would grab from the local deli. Most work days she would not get home until 7 pm and often would have a takeaway or microwave meal. Because she ate late she had little time to exercise and would not go to bed until 11:30.
She had been to her doctor some 2 months ago about the headaches, who had prescribed her medication. She had mentioned her recent fatigue but the doctor who she said seemed rushed, failed to address.
Over the next few months, her headaches and fatigue persisted. She also began to develop some heartburn, her vision had become blurry, and she had increased appetite and thirst. When talking to a work colleague about how she was feeling, the colleague who was a client of mine, suggested she book a consultation with me.
It was obvious from her case history that Susan's symptoms were the result of poor blood sugar regulation.
Poor sugar regulation can lead to Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes and potentially Alzheimer's Disease, conditions which are reaching epidemic proportions in North America. Poor sugar regulation can result from:
- Poor diet
- Lack of physical exercise
- Chronic stress
- Inadequate sleep
- Poor gut health
- Environmental toxins
I recommended that she go back to her doctor and ask for a fasting blood sugar blood test (FBS). Her results came back showing that she had a FBS level of 95, which the doctor said was within normal ranges. I explained to Susan that doctors use pathological ranges, which means if you are outside those ranges then you require medical intervention i.e. medication. I said that I use functional ranges which are much narrower, and can often be helped by diet and lifestyle modifications. The functional range I use for FBS is 90.
I explained that the root cause of her headaches and fatigue was poor sugar regulation, and to address this she needed to start the process of making changes to her diet and lifestyle. This included:
- Ensuring she ate breakfast every morning
- Eating some animal protein every meal
- Avoid snacking during the day
- Have a protein snack before bed
- Increase the amount of time she is standing and walking during the day
- Try and go to bed by 10 pm
- Introduce some stress management including meditation or yoga
Are you concerned that you may have poor sugar regulation?
The quiz below will help to guide you as to how well your body controlling blood sugar.
Blood Sugar Quiz
Points
|
|
I have been diagnosed with
prediabetes or diabetes.
|
5
|
I crave sweets during the
day.
|
1
|
I can be irritable if I
miss a meal.
|
2
|
I need coffee to get myself
started or to get through the day.
|
1
|
I get
lightheaded if I miss a meal.
|
2
|
Eating relieves my fatigue.
|
1
|
I sometimes feel shaky,
jittery, or experience tremors during the day.
|
1
|
I can be agitated, easily
upset, or nervous.
|
1
|
Sometimes I am forgetful or
have a poor memory.
|
1
|
Sometimes I experience
blurred vision.
|
1
|
I belch or pass gas more
frequently than I think is normal.
|
1
|
I experience heartburn at
least twice a week.
|
1
|
I am often fatigued after
meals.
|
1
|
Eating sweets relieves my
cravings for sugar.
|
1
|
I feel like I “must” have
something sweet after dinner.
|
1
|
I experience frequent
urination.
|
2
|
I have had increased thirst
and appetite over the past year
|
1
|
I have difficulty losing
weight.
|
1
|
Total
|
Quiz Key:
Total Points
|
What your points mean
|
0-3
|
You are likely controlling
your blood sugar well.
|
4-6
|
You may be experiencing
poor blood sugar control.
|
7+
|
You may be experiencing
serious blood sugar dysregulation and/or diabetic symptoms.
|
Next Steps
If you find from doing the quiz that you may have poor sugar regulation then the next step is to see your doctor and ask for a fasting blood sugar blood test. The important point at this point is that you find out exactly what your FBS value is. Anything above 90 is cause for concern.
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