Dieting for the Hypoglycemic

With hypoglycemia, it’s important to manage your diet well and always make sure that you have some type of food source handy.
Avoid caffeine, which will lower your blood sugar. Also avoid sugar, which can put your own blood sugar (glucose) on a roller coaster ride and make you crash harder and faster than if you didn’t eat it in the first place. If you must eat sweets, do not eat them on an empty stomach; eat sweets after a regular meal.
Other tips to manage hypoglycemia:

• Eat a high-fiber diet to slow digestion of foods.
• Eat small meals frequently to maintain blood sugar.
• Watch out for fruits and fruit juices. These are high in sugar content and can cause a crash just like refined sugar can.
• If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, this could be an indication of your blood sugar dipping. To correct this, try a handful of cashews or other protein just before bed. Protein digests slowly through the system and will help keep you steady through the night.
• Eat some protein every morning—some examples for breakfast can be yogurt, a protein smoothie, or peanut butter on an apple. You can also take three capsules of the herb spirulina, which is rich in protein. It will help carry you through the day.
• Watch what you eat, and note any food allergies that may be triggering a problem.
• Take your supplements. The following have all been helpful in the correction or management of hypoglycemia: GTF chromium (GTF stands for “glucose tolerance factor”) is a mineral that helps steady your blood sugar.

L-glutamine is an amino acid useful in sugar metabolism. A combination of licorice root, safflowers, dandelion, and horseradish is helpful to the glands and digestion. Spirulina taken between meals is a rich source of protein that can help keep you nourished.

Hypoglycemia: A Sweet Solution

Hypoglycemia is a condition in which a person has low blood sugar. The opposite of low blood sugar is hyperglycemia, otherwise known as diabetes. Our pancreas and adrenal glands are mostly responsible for helping the blood sugar level stay balanced. When our blood sugar drops, it signals our hunger button and prompts us to eat. Almost every symptom you can think of can be related to hypoglycemia, which is what makes it difficult to pinpoint. Large fluctuations in blood sugar can make us feel depressed, anxious, and fatigued. Since hypoglycemia affects your brain, muscles, digestion, and glands, symptoms may also include: sleepiness, lack of concentration, memory problems, mood swings, irritability, insomnia, nightmares, blurred vision, and heart palpitations.
If a hypoglycemic gets hungry and ignores the signal to eat right away, he may experience these symptoms:
➤ Grumpiness
➤ Headaches
➤ Nausea
➤ Shakiness
➤ Sweating
➤ A spaced-out feeling
➤ Shortness of breath
Because blood sugar is the primary food for the brain, severe hypoglycemic attacks can cause a person to pass out. In some cases, an attack may even be damaging to the brain.
Hypoglycemia can usually be controlled by diet. I have managed to overcome my own systemic hypoglycemia after being properly diagnosed. I then was able to investigate the disorder thoroughly and understood what exactly was happening. As with many physical problems, hypoglycemia forces you to become more aware of your body’s communication with you.
Blood sugar fluctuates with the foods we eat. Learning to become conscious of the process will become routine once you understand some simple things you can do to manage the problem. Diet and herbs helped free me from attacks, and I am now able to recognize the symptoms associated with this ailment, which I’ll share with you here.

Kava Kava: A Quick Fix

Kava kava (Piper methysticum) is a plant from the South Pacific that’s useful in promoting relaxation, sleep, and a mild feeling of euphoria. In Greek, kava means “intoxicating beverage,” and kava kava lives up to that name: In small doses, it can calm hyperactivity, relax tensed muscles, and ease anxiety. Many people report that they remember having vivid dreams or recalling their dreams more often the next day when taking kava before bed.
Kava kava also has some pain-killing effects: Chewing on the leaves from this plant can ease pain from a toothache. In addition, the Chinese believe that this herb opens areas of blocked energy and restores better circulation and energy flow throughout the body.

Cure for Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity, also known as attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), seems to be more and more of a problem. This problem usually is first recognized in children but can be carried into adulthood as well. Hyperactivity is characterized by a wide range of disorders affecting behavior, communication, and learning ability and can include an inability to be still, outbursts of emotions, and an inability to focus.
Many factors have been linked to hyperactivity in both children and adults. In children, many experts say that a need for discipline is the main problem; others believe the real cause is a chemical reaction to food additives. Some chemicals in foods used as colorings, preservatives, and flavor enhancers cause strong reactions in certain people. If you are experiencing hyperactivity, or if your child seems uncontrollable, take a good look at the foods he or she is eating..
Eliminate stimulants such as caffeine and sugar from the diet. A good combination that has been used successful for children includes valerian, anise, black walnut, desert tea, ginger, and licorice. Other nutrients that feed the nervous system include B-complex vitamins, calcium, and magnesium.

Olive Leaf, for Olive Your Liver Problems

Another special mention needs to be given to olive leaf extract as a natural herbal remedy good for fighting any form of hepatitis. In fact, olive leaf may be better for actually killing a hepatitis infection whereas dandelion is better used preventatively. Olive leaf has now been proven to be highly effective against numerous bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasite infections. A compound called oleuropein contains the most medicinal part of this plant. Studies show it has the ability to inhibit growth of many types of bacteria and prevent viruses from replicating in the body. This herb is now being used to treat AIDS, arthritis, candida, colds, diabetes, Epstein-Barr, fungal infections (including toe fungus), hepatitis, high blood pressure, infections, shingles, herpes (both types), and worms.

Dandelion: Just Dandy for Your Liver

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seems to spring up everywhere when you start talking about herbs. And if you happen to be one of those green lawn-loving types, you probably have met the dandelion personally a few times! Well, I am here to be the mediator between you and the dandelion to personally introduce you to this herb and its wide variety of uses. Maybe when you get to know the dandelion and see all the value it can bring to your life, you might not try to poison it again! The root of the dandelion has been used for years as a tonic for the liver and to aid with hepatitis, jaundice, and gallbladder problems.
You can pick and wash bitter leaves and eat them in a salad. The leaves are used as a blood purifier and kidney tonic and help stimulate digestion. Dandelion also contains several minerals and has been helpful in treating gout and other structural problems, such as arthritis and rheumatism. The flowers have been used to make wine and beer, and the roots can be roasted and made into a coffee. Wow—and you thought you were versatile! If I had only one herb to use, I would use the dandelion root to protect my liver from hepatitis. Of course, you will be seeing your doctor for help with this illness, but you can tell him that you plan to support your liver with some home remedies that will help your progress.
If you can’t get to a doc, some herbs may help until you can get to see one. A mixture for the liver you can take include rose hips (for vitamin C), barberry and dandelion (both good for the liver), fennel, red beet, horseradish, and parsley. Milk thistle added to this program is especially helpful when recovering from hepatitis because it will help rebuild damaged liver cells. These are all listed in the table in the end of the chapter.

The ABCs of Hepatitis Prevention

As you can see, prevention is definitely the best medicine for hepatitis. Here are some simple prevention tips:

• If you feel uncomfortable about the cleanliness of a restaurant, choose a different one.
• Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before eating—and always after using the toilet.
• Stay away from any sources of contamination, such as blood-soiled products, hypodermic needles, tattoo needles, and intimate contact with infected persons.
• Always keep your immune system strong and your liver supported with herbs and nutrition. Eat fruits and vegetables rich in organic iron to feed your liver.

These foods are generally dark in color and include dark green vegetables such as spinach, beets, and black cherries. Pesticides must be filtered through the liver, so eating organic fruits and vegetables will keep your liver from having to work so hard. When dealing with any liver affliction, add vitamin C, lecithin, vitamin E, and barley juice to your program.