Do you regularly experience irritability and shaking before meal times?  You have this sudden ‘need’ for food and as you open the fridge door it appears that nothing inside will satisfy your cravings.  Instead of being inspired by a nutritious dish that will take some time to create, you head straight to the cupboard for a packet of crisps, a slice of bread or a naughty chocolate biscuit.  The shaky feeling subsides, you feel calmer, happier and much better after this instant food hit, but deep down you know you have made a bad choice.  You are satisfied for a few hours before the cycle starts again.  If this pattern sounds familiar you could be suffering from a blood sugar imbalance.

In our time-poor society it’s easy to make bad food choices.  We’re stressed with the pressures of modern life and gravitate to the quick and easy comfort foods that tend to be high in refined carbohydrates and sugar.  I was guilty of this myself, when I was working in a high pressured job in London, long before I discovered Kinesiology.  But a few hours after enjoying a slice of fresh white bread, I would suddenly feel irritable and shaky and all I could think about was something sweet, or another slice of bread.  My eating habits were giving me a quick fix that constantly needed topping up before my energy levels would slump.

Are you suffering from a blood sugar imbalance?
It is a hard condition to diagnose as the blood sugar (glucose) levels in your body can vary from day to day.  As with many digestive issues stress can play a key role; you could test absolutely fine one day when you are calm and relaxed, but a few days later you may be under pressure and the cravings suddenly kick in.  Blood sugar imbalance has become increasingly common with my clients as it often isn’t picked up medically.  Here are a few symptoms to look out for:

• Irritability and shakiness before mealtimes
• Cravings for sweet food, refined carbohydrates (e.g. bread, pastries, cakes, sugary cereals), and coffee
• Feelings of not being able to cope
• Difficulties with concentration
• Polycystic ovaries

The importance of steady blood sugar levels
To find the solution we must look at the cause.  Your pancreas is an essential part of your digestive system as it produces important enzymes and hormones to help break down foods.  If your blood sugar levels become too high, as a result of eating too many refined carbohydrates and sugar, it goes into overdrive and responds by releasing an excess of insulin into your body.  This dramatically reduces your blood sugar levels causing the irritability and shaking.  Additionally, insulin will store the excess glucose throughout your body as fat, so it really isn’t doing you any good at all.

Break the cycle
Start your day as you mean to go on!  A nutritious breakfast is essential in fueling your body after a night’s sleep.  A cup of coffee just isn’t enough and the caffeine will set your blood sugar levels racing.  Add a croissant to this and you are off to a bad start.  Instead, opt for low glycemic-index (GI) foods which are high in protein or good fats and slowly release energy into your body.  If you must have carbohydrates balance these with some protein.  Poached eggs with avocado on sourdough toast or porridge with fresh milk will sustain your energy levels through the morning, giving you the time to think about a nutritious lunch.  Follow this eating plan through to your evening meal, snacking on small amounts of unsalted nuts (such as almonds or brazil nuts), or fresh fruit if necessary and your body will do the rest.

Kath’s tips to manage your blood sugar levels

• The first step is to recognise that this could be a problem for you and be prepared to modify your eating habits.
• If you simply can’t do without refined carbohydrates, balance these with some protein, preferably eating the protein first. If your children have cereal for breakfast try switching to a boiled egg as the protein will help to focus their mind and help their sugary cravings.
• Avoid salty snacks such as crisps and cut down on your alcohol intake.
• Try liquorice root supplement as this is excellent for rebalancing your blood sugar levels.Open the capsule into your mouth as soon as you feel the energy dip.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night your evening meal choice could be responsible.Ending the day with protein rich foods such as chicken or fish with fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes will help sustain your blood sugar levels throughout the night.