It’s quite interesting how the human body works. Sugar imbalances do affect the body. Many times, we spend a lot of time focusing on the physical aspects of high or low blood sugar. What about the emotional aspects?
When your blood sugar spikes, do you notice a change in your personality? What about your friends & family? Do they notice? It happens; and you aren’t alone. Your diabetes is showing.
High and low events do affect our personalities. When our blood sugar is high, we may find ourselves irritable or downright angry and willing to argue at the drop of a hat. We may feel tense, foggy, faint, sad, thirsty, tired, nervous, and/or lethargic. When our blood sugar is low, we may get confused, nervous, hungry, shaky, jittery, tired, and/or sweaty. This may lead us to fear making the wrong food choice to correct this hypoglycemic event. We worry about causing a spike. It is exhausting! You just feel like you don't know which way you're going!
Either way, high or low, our blood sugar can cause stress, depression, and/or anxiety, all of which can cause our blood sugar to rise. It can leave us feeling lost and confused. Over time, we may feel overwhelmed and experience diabetic burnout. It's ok. Checking in on our emotional well-being should just be part of our regular diabetic maintenance plan.
We all have things that affect us, some good, some not so much. We've been paying attention to the food we eat, and how it affects blood sugar. That alone is a job! What about what we don't know?
Knowledge can help us get off the blood sugar road trip of hypoglycemia directly followed by hyperglycemia. The quick switch can make us exhausted and angry due to the high sugar. Prevention is the best answer. The CDC has shared some surprising things that affect diabetic health... These 10 things can catch you off guard and begin a blood sugar spike:
Pain of any kind, even a sunburn, can cause stress to your body and that raises blood sugar.
Some artificial sweeteners can do it too.
Caffeine, found in coffee and chocolate, is an inflammatory agent for the body that makes blood sugar spike.
Another surprising event comes from losing sleep. The loss of sleep means your body doesn't have the time it needs to heal. It makes your body use insulin less efficiently.
Struggling to control the night time munchies? That is also normal. It is difficult to control blood sugar the later it gets in the day.
Bleeding gums are a sign of and may be caused by high blood sugar
Logically, it makes sense that dehydration can cause hyperglycemia. Water is a main ingredient in blood. Less water equals less blood. Then there is more sugar in less blood.
Surprisingly, the chemicals in nose spray can make your liver release more sugar into your system.
Make sure you eat your breakfast. Missing this meal can make your blood sugar rise higher at lunch and dinner.
Dawn phenomenon happens in the morning when your body releases stored energy, aka sugar, to help the body wake up. This is normal and occurs in people without diabetes.
Sources: "Can Diabetes Cause Mood Swings?"
Healthline 03/11/2019
" 10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar"
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 04/23/2021
We may be caught off guard from time to time. A great natural way to get back on track is hydration. Water can help flush some sugar out of your system. Exercise is another option. Then there is eating well. This week's recipe is extremely healthy with just spices, vegetables, and coconut oil. It is quick, easy, and can be modified to suit your taste.
Bosque Grits
Ingredients:
3 cups cauliflower, riced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 cup cheddar, grated
Directions:
1.) Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan on medium heat.
2.) Add the cauliflower, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, cilantro, taco seasoning, and ground coriander to the sauce pan and mix.
3.) Cook for 7 to 9 minutes.
4.) Add the grated cheddar at the last minute. Stir until melted in; and remove the saucepan from the heat.
Pro Tips:
Use a food processor to cut up the cauliflower into rice sized bits. Pulsing is the best option.
If you are picky about your grits being just right, use a fork to sift through the cauliflower and get out any large pieces.
The sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers make me think of French cuisine. The cilantro, taco seasoning and coriander bring Spanish food flavors to mind. This led me to naming this dish after a region in Spain that borders France. It's amazing how well these flavors blend.
These grits aren't just for breakfast. The Bosque grits would go well with the Mexican meatloaf from last week. The shrimp scampi recipe from the "Fueling the Body" article the week of 05/18/2021 would be great with these grits without the coriander, taco seasoning, and cilantro. You can also make Tuscan shrimp like pictured above by adding some tomato sauce to the scampi recipe.
If you still need more options to combat your mood swings other than following a diabetic treatment plan, meal planning, checking your blood sugar regularly, or setting up timers to remind yourself to take medications, don't hesitate to look at other options. Talk with your doctor, family or friends. Check out a diabetic educator or sign up for a diabetic management class. You can find a support group like BezzyT2D sponsored by Healthline or check in with a psychiatric professional. I would be more than happy to be your health coach guiding you to solutions that are unique and fit into your personal life. Just reach out. Please comment, like, share, and come back next week for more recipes, ideas, and tips. Subscribe to the website, if you would like weekly email reminders to add more recipes to your recipe book.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice, but a compilation of research from medical sites. Make sure to see your doctor and have up-to-date lab work.
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