Blood Sugar Regulation — Fact vs. Fiction

While the internet and technology in general has worked to make our lives more efficiently and convenient, it has also increased the spread of misinformation. We can now make dinner reservations and buy movie tickets online, physicians can get x-rays within minutes and we can video chat with mom from half way around the world.

But there have been some drawbacks as well. Namely, the overabundance of medical websites allows us to self-diagnose–usually inaccurately–based on limited information. Trying to learn a bit more about your health isn’t a problem; but thinking you’ve made the correct diagnosis and can therefore formulate your own treatment plan can be very problematic.

This lack of information combined with the multitude of misinformation floating on the internet can cause problems with easy solutions, to worsen. This is especially true when it comes to extreme spikes and dips in blood sugar.

Since more than 70 million Americans suffer from irregular blood sugar, one can only imagine just how much information they receive on a regular basis is completely wrong at best, and harmful at worst. What conventional wisdom tells us about regulating blood sugar is mostly wrong and based on flawed information.

So what is true and it is fiction when it comes to blood sugar regulation?

Fiction — No Symptoms=No Problem

This is perhaps the worse piece of incorrect information at all. Sure there is that popular saying that “no news is good news” but the problem is that many people have no clue what symptoms of too low or too high blood sugar look like.

If your blood sugar is too high you can have problems and not even be aware that they are problems. For example if you urinate frequently or feel nauseous or drowsy, you may be suffering from high blood sugar. Do you have extreme bouts of thirst or hunger? These are yet more symptoms of high blood sugar that you may ignore or chalk up to not eating all day or drinking too much soda or beer.

On the other side, if you have low blood sugar you may find yourself feeling sweaty, anxious, irritable, dizzy and tired. Being extremely hungry and having a fast heartbeat are more symptoms, which most of us consider situational problems rather than irregular blood sugar.

So you may not think you have symptoms of blood sugar when you do.

Fiction — Low Fat Diet Regulates Blood Sugar

This is one of the most common pieces of blood sugar fiction out there because it’s more than wrong; it’s exactly the opposite of true.

Our bodies need fat for fuel and depriving the body of essential fuel will cause it to react in a way that produces nearly all the symptoms of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia. This misconception mixes up fat and sugar, when the truth is a low-glucose diet can help you regulate your blood sugar.

Let me be clear, a low-fat diet will help you lose weight which CAN regulate blood sugar, but the truth is that thin people also suffer from irregular blood sugar, which means weight is no guarantee of a regulated blood sugar level.

Too much sugar causes blood sugar to spike and too little causes it to crash. This is why when you eat a donut for breakfast; you have a sugar high followed by a sugar crash once it has been quickly burned. This is the definition of irregular blood sugar.

Fiction — No Natural Solutions

The truth is that the most effective way to regulate your blood sugar is natural, all-natural in fact. For starters instead of eating the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner, eat smaller healthy meals every 3 or 4 hours. This will not only boost metabolism, but also keep your blood sugar levels even.

Eliminating high sugar and high fat foods can help keep your blood sugar on an even keel. Eat foods like fresh fruits & vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains instead of cupcakes, pizza and candy.

Finally regular exercise is a great way to regulate blood sugar.