Cookin' It Up!

My Stuggle With Hypoglycemia

Growing up I was quite skinny and I ate like it was going out of style. I ate unhealthy, but so did the rest of my generation. I remember my Senior year in high school my breakfast included a Dr. Pepper and a Reses Cup. MMM! Then for lunch a Dr. Pepper and a Reses Cup. And if I was lucky one of my friends would buy me a slice of pizza. Now, before you jump all over my parents for letting me eat as such, I lived in my own place my Senior year. Paying my bills took its place over feeding myself. I was responsible for myself which I obviously didn't do a good job. Anyway . . . fast forward 10+ years and add a husband and three kids.

After my first child I quickly returned to a size 3 (I know sickening). Again, now I was living on my own, but now having to support a child. I worked at a surgery center where we kept saltines, graham crackers and a soda fountain machine at all times. (Why the sodas? I don't know.) And on Friday's the center bought a catered meal for lunch. So I ate crackers all day every Monday through Friday and drank Dr. Pepper. Then on Fridays I would gorge myself on lunch. Everyone would save the leftovers in the fridge and I would take them home with me. That was my weekend meals. So needless to say, I have had a bad history of eating poorly.

First comes marriage and then comes baby number 2. My shape definately changed after my son and size 3 was no more, but I still only weighed 5 lbs heavier than before I was pregnant. And I started cooking . . . a lot. I started having lots of gastric problems and allergy problems. (Insert here: that I have always had headaches and migraines.. My mother would send Tylenol to school with me starting in 4th grade because of my chronic headaches. My mother had chronic headaches too so she didn't think anything more than a hereditary condition.) 

Cihld 3 came and now I wasn't able to shake the pounds. I was having more headaches, severe gastric problems, miserable allergies (I never got sick as a kid and now I felt like I was always sick), limbs going numb, blurring vision, dizziness, and many other symptoms. I started looking into grinding my own wheat because I loved bread and wanted to make fresh bread. I bought a wheat grinder and Bosch machine and recieved the cookbook Set for Life: Eat More, Weigh Less, Feel Terrific. I started following the principles in the book and suddenly I stopped having headaches, I started actually having to go to the bathroom (I know that is TMI, but during school I never used their restrooms. I went all day with no potty breaks and then went potty when I got home. But was still only having maybe one BM per week), and I had energy. Best of all I was happy. My husband didn't know what to do! He actually wanted to come home because his wife was actually smiling and didn't have roller coaster mood swings anymore.

For two years I lived on my new eating plan. Then we moved to AL and healthy eating went out the window. Fast food on every corner and very, very few healthy restaurants. Nearest health food store is over an hour away. And all food is more expensive here than in Texas. So I started eating poorly again. All the old symptoms returned and more! We started do research and I have come to the conclusion that I am hypoglycemic. This is not a doctor's diagnosis, but just having a knowledge base in which to attack the problem is enough for me.

Now most diet plans for hypoglycemia consist of low-carb/high-protein. I'm not convinced that is the only solution. I'm going to attack this with whole grains, raw vegetables, and lean meats. I will be documenting my findings here on my blog, so if you are interested please check back. I will also continue to post recipes that I find are healthful and tasty. If you have read all this - wow - kudos to you! Thanks for reading.

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01:47, September 6, 2007 .. Posted by morningsunshine

interesting. I was always real skinny too and ate TONS of food. but I never liked carbination (which has saved me a lot of pain, I am sure) and fast food has always made me sick. anyway, the point of this is that I have always wondered if I was hypoglycemic, but no doctor has ever believed that it could be (some even claimed such a thing did not exist!) so I am interested in reading more about your journey.

me too maybe

02:19, September 6, 2007 .. Posted by rashel

I have also always been thin, not as thin as you but thin without having to work at it. I have always eaten and eaten plenty. I didn't eat as unhealthy as you did but I never paid much attention to what I ate. I have also had similar bowel problems as you (there's TMI back at ya). I have often wondered if I am hypoglycemic and when I don't eat, I get dizzy and get the shakes and headaches. So, I am really interested to follow you on this journey. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Rashel

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03:22, September 6, 2007 .. Posted by farmgal35

I have trouble with my sugar dropping. The dr ran test and her nurse called me and said my sugar was low. That I need to eat 6 small meals a day. I do have headaches but it could be coming from my neck problems. I do have trouble with my vision being blurry, at times. I can tell when my sugar drops. I get really shaky and feel like I am going to pass out. I have to eat. I am bad to get up and drink coffee with cream and sugar and not eat. In about an two hours I know it. I have been trying not to do that. sheryl

I will be praying

04:42, September 6, 2007 .. Posted by blessingsbaound

I will be praying that you feel better soon. I know the Lord is faithful and He will show you how to care for yourself and your special nutritional needs. The Lord is Faithful, He is our Healer! He knit you in your mothers womb and formed you perfectly. I am confident He will show you what changes to make! Because of His Great Love, Mrs. Joseph Wood

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07:15, September 6, 2007 .. Posted by Southernangel

my dad has hypergloceymia

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10:40, September 8, 2007 .. Posted by kayinpa

I am hypoglycemic, but thankfully due to my brother being diagnosed with it my mother knew what to do.

PTL that the Lord showed you how to control it with your diet.

for those of you who think you might have it, here is a quiz you can take that can help you (maybe I just post it someday)

http://www.hypoglycemia.org/hypo_test.asp