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Blood Sugar : What Goes Up Must Come Down Originally published in Natural Living Magazine What is it about a coffee and donut mid-morning that feels so good? The caffeine certainly gives us some pep and the sugar also guarantees us that extra burst of energy. But will this warm feeling ever end? Unfortunately the effect is short-lived and the nice ride up will inevitably result in a crash and burn. The problem, of course, is that consuming high levels of sugar can seriously affect your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar irregularities are a growing health concern today, with symptoms that include shakiness between meals, blunted mental clarity, irritability, and headaches. What is worse, more and more people are falling into a dangerous cycle that starts with a sustained high-sugar diet, followed by elevated insulin levels, hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, and finally diabetes. With high levels of sugar in the blood, the body tends to overcompensate by increasing insulin levels. Unfortunately, this leads to blood sugar levels dropping too far. Insulin resistance sets in as a result, with diabetes being the end result. Often, this condition is further accompanied by elevated blood pressure and significantly elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. Now as bad as that sounds, the good news is that the majority of health problems that result from blood sugar irregularities can be minimized with some simple lifestyle changes, starting with an understanding of how our bodies regulate blood sugar and what can sometimes go wrong. Blood Sugar In Brief When we eat carbohydrates -- proteins and fats are handled differently during digestion -- the carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and then absorbed into the blood as fuel. Simple carbohydrates, such as refined sugars, are quickly absorbed because they don't have to be broken down. Once the glucose is in the blood stream, however, it still needs to get into the cells. And this is facilitated by the use of the body's own insulin, produced by the pancreas and secreted into the bloodstream at the appropriate time. But with blood sugar levels too high, an excess of insulin is needed. And it is the elevated insulin levels that lead the cells become resistant to the insulin -- i.e. there can be lots of glucose in the blood but it can't get into the cells because the insulin can't open the door. And that's when the trouble begins. As a practicing naturopathic doctor, I'm constantly asking myself questions like "What is the body expecting?" or "What are our bodies designed to handle?" In this case of blood sugar irregularities, the question is "Why does the body need to maintain a relatively tight control on blood sugar in the first place?" There are several reasons for this, the chief reason among them laying with the brain. To maintain normal brain function there has to be a steady, even supply of glucose to the brain. It turns out that the brain is a very fussy eater, insisting on blood sugar for almost every meal and thumbing its nose at proteins and fats. But the irony of this is that the rest of the body doesn't want nor need such levels of pure sugar and by eating too much of it we are in fact asking the body to run on the wrong type of fuel. The typical North American diet contains far too much simple sugar, averaging 100 lbs. of refined sugar per person per year, including 20 gallons of ice cream and 300 cans of pop. That is like filling your car up with rocket fuel -- enjoy the ride but you may experience some maintenance problems after a short period of time. What the body favors, instead, is a slower intake of sugar; foods that aren't immediately absorbed as glucose. That is why diet is so crucial to avoiding blood sugar problems. Avoiding Blood Sugar Problems As a rule, try to eat foods that contain both complex carbohydrates and proteins, such as those found in whole grains and vegetables. These are foods that offer a steady release of glucose into the blood. Good sources of protein also include fish, soy, nuts, and legumes. Fiber, too, will serve to steady the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the blood. And alcohol should be minimized because it can result in elevated insulin levels. Chromium is an essential component in assisting insulin's ability to help glucose into the cells, as is vanadium, which has an insulin-like effect. Some preparations of chromium include vanadium, which together is a powerful combination for helping to regulate blood sugar. Exercise can help with blood sugar regulation by increasing tissue chromium levels and increasing the number of insulin receptors (New England journal of medicine 1980). Gymnema sylvestre, an interesting plant from the tropical forests of India, has been shown to help with blood sugar control by stimulating endogenous insulin production. (Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1990). (As a philosophical point, however, you're better off in the long run trying to encourage your body to regain its own equilibrium rather than giving it what it is supposed to be producing. In other words, don't let your body get lazy.) Plants such as gingko biloba can be helpful in treating the peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation) that develops with diabetes. Bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus) is also a useful botanical in assisting the microcirculation problems associated with diabetes, such as diminished visual clarity. (As an interesting historical note, bilberry research started in World War II when it was observed that RAF night bombers enjoyed increased visual acuity when taking bilberry). And let's not forget about something as simple as Vitamin C, an integral part of forming the collagen that holds the blood vessels together. As with all aspects of health, regulating healthy blood sugar levels involves looking at how the body operates and trying adjust lifestyle and diet to accord with that operation. Give the body the fuel source it was designed to handle: complex carbohydrates, protein, quality fats, and fiber. Ensure proper levels of nutrients needed to assist the glucose from the blood to the cells (such as chromium and vanadium). Reduce stress levels, which influence the blood sugar levels through the adrenal gland, and enjoy moderate levels of exercise. Mitigate the long-term complications of diabetes with botanicals such as bilberry or gingko biloba. Then, instead of going up and down on a blood sugar roller coaster, you'll enjoy a smooth ride, like driving across the prairies on a sunny winter's day. Wishing you health. By Dr. Gordon Sims N.D   <back to Natural Living Magazine Online Archive Directory>

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