Читать книгу Low Blood Sugar: The Nutritional Plan to Overcome Hypoglycaemia, with 60 Recipes - Martin Budd N.D. D.O. - Страница 10

The main nutrient needed by the nervous system is glucose. There is no really adequate substitute and, although other substances are involved, they cannot replace glucose. Unfortunately, it is not fully understood just how glucose acts on the nervous system, but it has been noted that when a healthy patient is injected with insulin (the opposite of glucose), profound and sudden changes in the efficiency of the nervous system occur within minutes. This is completely reversed by an injection of glucose. This tends to confirm that the nervous system requires a continuous supply of glucose in order to function efficiently.

Although the weight of an adult brain is only two per cent of the total body weight, the activity of the brain, in terms of utilization of glucose, may amount to 20–25 per cent of the total body activity. In spite of this, the total amount of glucose concentrated within the brain at any one time would, under normal conditions, be exhausted in 10–15 minutes. The effects of glucose starvation on the brain and nerve tissue as a result of a low level of blood sugar are as follows:

1 Insufficient oxygen.

2 Reduction in specific substances within the brain that are essential for nervous activity.

Let us look at the symptoms that can result from such changes.

CIRCULATORY CHANGES

Not surprisingly, the system first affected by a drop in the blood sugar level is the blood circulatory system. This, of course, includes the heart and blood vessels. When the blood sugar falls, the body automatically reacts in an attempt to restore balance to the system. This response involves the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands, to raise the blood sugar. Adrenaline is also released in stressful situations. This means that if an individual has persistent low blood sugar, they may have symptoms similar to those produced by chronic stress. These can include:

1 An irregular increase in the heart rate, causing palpitations and breathing difficulties.

2 Angina-like symptoms involving a reduction in circulation to the heart muscle, chest cramp and pain in the chest and arms.

3 A general withdrawal of blood to deal with the ‘stress effects’, causing coldness of the hands and feet, muscular cramp and a poor adaptation to temperature changes.

GLANDULAR CHANGES

The changes involved in the glandular system following a drop in the blood sugar level are widespread and could well provide sufficient material for another book. However, in this context, it is adequate simply to briefly look at the glands affected.

1 Pituitary gland. This is the master control gland influencing the thyroid and adrenal glands.

2 Adrenal glands. These glands produce adrenaline, cortisol (hydrocortisone), DHEA and other hormones. It is the persistent stimulation of these glands in a patient suffering from low blood sugar that provides the causative link between blood sugar and rheumatoid arthritis. Overactivity, with subsequent exhaustion of the adrenal glands, can cause a reduction in the availability of cortisol and the ‘mother’ hormone DHEA, which provide protection against joint pain and inflammation.

3 Thyroid gland. Changes that occur with thyroid activity are of less significance than other glands. Although, like the adrenal and pituitary glands, the thyroid secretions are essentially antagonistic to insulin and thus thyroid imbalance can contribute to a blood sugar imbalance. A vicious cycle may be established whereby a mildly deficient thyroid causes low blood sugar and the subsequent adrenal stress can further depress the thyroid.

DIGESTIVE CHANGES

The changes in gastric (stomach) activity that occur with low blood sugar are mainly caused by the increased insulin level in the blood, rather than the actual deficiency of blood sugar. A standard hospital test to assess the efficiency of digestive activity involves administering to the patient an injection of insulin. This prompts a rapid and predictable increase in the amount of stomach acids, which are then measured. It follows that if this test has such an effect, the fluctuations of the insulin level in the blood – as occurs in low blood sugar and insulin resistance – would have a similar effect. Indeed, in practice, I find that many patients suffering from stomach ulcers, heartburn, hiatus hernia and other digestive ailments frequently have an underlying blood sugar imbalance.

Those with food intolerances may suffer symptoms that are partially caused by low blood sugar. Unfortunately, as a result of symptom similarity the two conditions are often confused.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES

As I discussed previously, changes in blood sugar can have a significant impact on the brain and nervous system – it is hardly surprising then that many patients suffering from low blood sugar also have personality problems. The most common symptoms found in low blood sugar patients are depression, anxiety and mental confusion. Many researchers, particularly in the US, consider chronic low blood sugar to be a contributing factor in such serious personality problems as schizophrenia and manic depression (bipolar disorder).

We know that low blood sugar can lead to fatigue of the adrenal glands, and that the adrenal glands are the body’s main defence mechanism against stress. It therefore seems likely that those with chronic low blood sugar can suffer a vicious circle of adrenal exhaustion, which causes anxiety, and with the anxiety comes further exhaustion and stress. Unfortunately, many people suffering from stress often overeat or comfort-eat the wrong foods. They also tend to miss meals, relying on caffeine, tobacco and alcohol for their fuel, thus further aggravating any blood sugar imbalance.