We pay much attention to detecting high blood sugar levels, the outstanding feature of diabetes. Glucose, blood sugar, is the main fuel that our cells burn to create the energy for our body to function properly.

The healthy body keeps the level of glucose in the blood within very narrow limits, as too high or too low a level of blood sugar can severely disturb many important functions of the body.

The technical term for a low blood sugar level is hypoglycaemia. Low blood sugar can be even more common and more dangerous, but it is not often talked about. Both high and low blood sugar levels are, in fact, aspects of the same problem, known by doctors as dysglycaemia. I believe that both these conditions have common causes and can be dealt with by a similar approach.

Insulin is the major hormone the body uses to control blood sugar. But eating excess carbohydrates, particularly refined sugars, will cause the body to secrete large amounts of insulin. This may result in a fall in blood sugar, sometimes to dangerously low levels. Many people live with their blood sugar swinging dangerously.

This situation actually sets the stage for the development of diabetes later in life. It is important to recognise that diabetes starts to develop many years before it is officially diagnosed and low blood sugar is often an early sign of impending diabetes. Early detection and correction of this situation can prevent the onset of diabetes.

COMMON CAUSES

Poor eating habits with missed, late or inadequate meals.

High-carbohydrate foods - starches and simple sugars.

Diabetic medication - both insulin and tablets.

Alcohol consumption, liver and pancreas diseases.

COMMON SYMPTOMS and SIGNS

Sweating, trembling and palpitations of the heart.

Hunger, nausea and/or vomiting.

Anxiety, panic, inability to concentrate, headaches.

Speech difficulty and poor coordination.

Confusion, drowsiness, coma, and even death.

EFFECTS OF HYPOGLYCAEMIA

Although conventional medicine took a relatively long time to accept hypoglycaemia as an important health issue, research has shown that it has far-reaching health consequences. These include:

Syndrome X/Metabolic Syndrome

These are terms used to describe a combination of common conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and circulatory disorders, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and obesity modern medicine treats these conditions with a variety of different medicines as if they are all unrelated, they all have a common basis - too much insulin in the blood and insulin resistance. Hypoglycaemia is a common warning sign of the development of these conditions.

Brain dysfunction

When the brain is starved of glucose, it malfunctions. Dizziness, headache, clouded vision, blunted mental activity, emotional instability and confusion can result. There is even a strong but controversial link between hypoglycaemia and criminal behaviour.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

This is a condition in women in which a number of emotional and physical symptoms appear seven to 14 days before menstruation. These symptoms are related to a hormonal imbalance, associated with high insulin levels and hypoglycaemia.

Migraine headaches

Several medical studies have implicated low blood sugar levels as a common precipitating factor in migraine headaches.

Attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder

A major contributor to the current epidemic of learning and behavioural disorder in our children is the fluctuations in their blood sugar levels. This is often due to a diet of high-sugar foods and drinks with little vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.

Prevention and treatment

This common problem can be prevented and treated by lifestyle changes and avoiding the various factors mentioned.