Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar or low fuel in the blood. It alsorefers to a distubed carbohydrate metabolism, since some people changebetween high and low blood sugar levels. When the body tries to work underthese conditions, mental processes are impaired and body systems arebroken. Hypoglycemia is sometimes related to other conditions like drugaddiction, alcoholism, allergies, arthritis, diabetes, mental illness, anti-socialbehavio, an juvenile deliquency.
There are numerous causes of hypoglycemia including; inborn errors ofmetabolism, defects in enzyme systsms, disorders of various glands andorgans (hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals, nervous system, kidneys, andliver). The most common cause is a diet high in carbohydrates and caffiend,which disturbs the blood-sugar regulating systems of the body. THere are a number of symptoms of Hypoglycemia that can beidentified. The major symptoms are depression, insomnia, irritability, lack ofconcentration, crying spells, phobias, forgetfulness, confusion, unsocial oranti-social behavior and suicidal tendencies. The early symptoms ofhypoglycemia are similar to those which occur as the result of experiencinga sudden and violent fear: fainting, tremulousness, and inward tremblind,emotional disturbances, chilliness, numbness and pallor encirling th nmouth,hunger, apprehencion, hand tremors, mild degree ofmental cloudiness,dilated pupils and pale skin. As the hypoglycemia progress, a variety ofsymptoms occur such as headaches, difficulty inconcentration,disoreientation, mental confusion, dizziness, faintness, double vision,coldness of the extremities, staggering or inability to walk, muscletwitching, depression, restlessness, and excessive excitement.Unless thesesymptoms are recognized and treated, hypoglcemia can lead to convulsions,amnesia, and unconciousness.
In 1924, Seale Harris M.D., a diabetic specialist noticed that manypeopl had symptoms without having diaetes. Their blood sugar would droptoo low after eating a sugary refined carbohyudrate meal, or after drinkingcafeine or alcohol. After an initial rise but not into the diabetic range, theirblood sugar would then fall into a hypoglemic range with many differentsymptoms depending on the indivvidual, the immune system, and themetabolis. He was the first person to notice Hypoglycemia and todifferentiate it from Diabetes.
Hypoglycemia can be treated a umber of ways. THe diet shouldexclude things that can cause stress on thebody, such as caffeine, nicotine,alcohol, and rapidly absorbed carbohudrates such as sugars, honey, and manygrains and cereals. Frequent feedings are essential,k withhearty breakfastsand bedtime snacks. Many symptoms will dissapear when the blood sugar isstablilized. THe most important thing to remember is that the averageadult has between one and twot easpoons of blood sugar circulating in hisbody at one time, with a small amount stored in his liver foremergencies. Achild has less in relationto its height and weitht. Eating foods such as 4 ozsof chocolate cake withicing and 6 ozs of Coke, which is too quickly absorbedinto the blood, can cause a mess from the sugar overload as the body has tobring the blood sugar down to a normal range by a very complicated process.
