Headaches, Hungry, Thirsty, Tired - Could you have a blood sugar problem?

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

Susan's current diet and lifestyle were the perfect recipe for her developing Diabetes.

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

With the support of her partner and myself, Susan managed to make these changes, and after two months she reported no more headaches and her energy levels were much improved.

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.

Finally

I hope you found these ideas useful. More importantly, I hope you do something with them. If you do have any specific questions about your symptoms, I do offer a free 15 consultation either in person or by phone. Call 613 230-0998.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Why has my brain stopped working?

Gillian, 42, a mother of two children, 4 and 6, worked as an accountant. She had a loving husband and a successful career that she had worked very hard to create for herself. 

Gillian had always had an incredible memory and could always count on her brain, however, over the past few years she noticed that she could not remember phone numbers long enough to put them in her iPhone and was unable to keep up with her work and family responsibilities. She knew that she was no longer really dependable at work, which really bothered her. 

But that was nothing compared to the guilt and frustration she felt, as she was not able to be the mother she wanted to be. She suffered from bouts of depression and although she was not a fan of medication, her depression had got so bad that she began taking antidepressants. The medications worked at first but she ceased taking them after she stopped noticing any benefits from them after a couple of months. She also started to develop digestive problems including bloating and bouts of constipation. 

Gillian had always been the sort of person who could read a book in one sitting and remember everything she read. Now she could no longer focus and would begin feeling drowsy after reading just a few pages. She was also failing to remember what she had read after reading just one paragraph.

Gillian is displaying signs of neurodegeneration or the early signs of dementia, which include:

• Fatigue promoted by brain activity
• Depression
• Poor Digestive Function 

According to a study commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, in 2011, nearly three-quarters of a million Canadian’s were living with cognitive impairment, including dementia. That equates to 15% of Canadians 65 and older and if nothing changes in Canada, it is estimated that this figure will almost double to 1.4 million by 2031. Today, the economic impact of these figures is staggering, with the combined medical and lost earnings costs of dementia total of  $33 million per year. Again if nothing changes, to prevent this disease the cost is estimated to climb to a mind-blowing $293 billion a year by 2040.

So what could have caused Jillian’s brain to so obviously degenerate at a relatively young age. 
It is impossible to avoid some degree of neurodegeneration as our brain cells begin dying the moment we are born. However, there are certain factors that will kill your brain cells at a much faster rate including:

• Poor blood sugar regulation (Alzheimer’s is referred to as the “diabetes of the brain”
• Hypoxia (or reduced oxygen to the brain, often caused by poor circulation and anemia’s)
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Poor methylation (leading to elevated body Homocysteine levels and atrophy of the hippocampus part of the brain
• Traumatic brain injury.

So how can Gillian help herself and slow down her neurodegeneration.

She can do this by beginning to implement some of the following recommendations:

• Limit food toxins: These include gluten, genetically modified crops (soy, corn and canola) and sugar especially (corn syrup).
• Ensure adequate nutrient levels: Especially those needed for oxygen delivery (B12, iron and folate).
• Improve levels of Omega 3: Increased DHA, which is found in Omega 3 oils, has been found to increase brain function and plasticity.
• Improve digestion. There is a saying in functional medicine, “Fire in the gut equals fire in the brain.” i.e. inflammation in the gut will cause inflammation in your brain.
• Keep mentally active. Without constant stimulation neurons will atrophy and die.
• Keep active. Exercise is one of the best ways to increase blood flow to the brain.
• Ensure adequate sleep. Poor sleep has been shown to sabotage brain health.

Finally

I hope you found these ideas useful. More importantly, I hope you do something with them.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.