Imbalanced blood sugar is a common issue for many people. While many think this is only related to diabetes, it is not - far from.

Three common causes of imbalanced blood sugar are inadequate dietary protein intake, infrequent eating or long term stress causing what I call 'trashed adrenals.'

Imbalanced blood sugar may cause (the ones in italics are very common):

  • excessive fatigue
  • nervousness and irritability
  • pms
  • salt craving
  • mental depression
  • sugar cravings
  • allergies
  • headache
  • alcohol and caffeine intolerance
  • neck and shoulder pain
  • muscle aches
  • confusion
  • poor memory
  • heart palpitations
  • anger and frustration
  • stomach problems
  • lightheadedness
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • fainting or fainting spells
  • insomnia
  • Waking early early in the morning like 2-4 am and having to eat something
  • night time person - love the late nights
  • cannot get up out of bed
Warning signs of imbalanced blood sugar are:
  • You get dizzy or lightheaded when you get up from sitting or laying down.
  • Getting cold, shivering and then sweating hot
  • Faster heart rate
  • Losing body hair
  • Losing weight
  • Fainting
  • Sudden anger
  • Dry skin and thinner skin
What to do about imbalanced blood sugar?
  • Eat more frequently and have a protein portion with every meal and snack
  • Limit simple sugars
  • Eat a hearty protein breakfast like eggs, meat, or protein powder smoothie
  • Exercise
  • Proper rest
  • Remain calm as much as you can - supplements and herbs can assist with this.
    • remaining calm is easier to do once your blood sugar is stablized with proper protein.
A couple patients I've seen with imbalanced blood sugar:
  • 50 year old man with a 10 year history of alternating severe anger, followed by depression leading to suicidal thoughts of stepping in front of a bus every 2 weeks. Reported cold sweats, sugar cravings, commonly skipped breakfast, diet consisting of mainly carbohydrates and sugary foods as he felt they gave him energy.
    • Advised he eat a protein smoothie breakfast, have protein with every single meal, and eat every 2 hours.
    • Three weeks later he followed up and reported no more sugar cravings, no more cold sweats, no more severe anger and no more depression. His wife was in tears as her husband was emotionally stable.
    • Cost: only 2 patient visits and a high quality protein powder.
  • 26 year old female diagnosed with BiPolar. History of nausea and vomiting improved with marijuana. Vomiting after every meal unintentionally. Easily stressed or sad from the slightest provocation. 8 cups of coffee daily, intense headaches daily, no lunch, energy bar for snack, lightheaded, dizzy upon standing from sitting.
    • Advised protein smoothie breakfast, eat every 2 hours with some form of protein, go to bed at 10pm and no later, reduce coffee intake, multivitamin, cod liver oil, high B vitamin complex
    • First return in one week: no more headaches and stopped marijuana as felt she didnt need it anymore. Sleeping well, reduced coffee to 4 cups a day, diet still lacking in protein intake but eating breakfast protein smoothie.
    • We ordered a fasting 2 hour post-prandial glucose tolerance test with fasting insulin and fasting glucose.
      • Likely test result: reactive hypoglycemia secondary to adrenal exhaustion.
    • Future treatment: support her adrenals with herbal tincture and ensure protein every 2 hours.
  • Most likely she is not BiPolar at all. Rather she is suffering from hypoadrenocorticism. According to Dr John Tintera:
    • "Dr Tintera found pateints with hypoadrenocorticism have blood sugar instability that leads some of them to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar or neurotic. The hypoadrenocorticism in these patients is typically observed on glucose tolerance testing to cause functional reactive hypoglycemia.