Over the past few years, carbs have been given a bad rap. People everywhere are yelling from the streets that you shouldn’t eat carbs, because they are bad for you. If this statement is true and carbs are bad for you then why would you want to fight a disease like Fibromyalgia by consuming carbs?
The reason for this is that Fibromyalgia also comes with a slew of other conditions, one of which is hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is the disease where you have low blood sugar and need to keep it stabilized. One way to keep your sugars stabilized is by consuming carbs.
What are carbs?
“Carb” is short for carbohydrate. When you think of carbs or carbohydrates, you may think of a bunch of runners eating mounds and mounds of pasta in order to generate energy for a big race. Other forms of carbohydrates come from crackers, sugars, breads, and many other grain and yeast products.
Carbohydrates are essential for human life. When broken down in the body, carbs are turned into energy. This energy can then be used by the body in order to move, perform tasks, and get through the everyday activities of life.
Fibromyalgia and its connection to hypoglycemia
When the body is hypoglycemic, it has issues keeping the sugar in our bodies regulated. When your blood sugar drops, organs, such as the brain begin to shut down, they stop working as they should, and they start to starve, since they are not getting the nutrients that they need. The condition known as Fibromyalgia works in the same way. Triggered by electrical impulses in the brain, those suffering from Fibromyalgia can find relief from their symptoms by adjusting their diets and consuming more carbs.
Stabilizing your Sugar when it goes Wacky
Those with Fibromyalgia and hypoglycemia need to keep their sugar stabilized as best they can. When your blood sugar goes out of whack, you can begin to experience many different symptoms. Some of these symptoms include but are not limited to the following:
Depression – When our blood sugar becomes unstable, our brains become affected. When our brains become affected, we begin to play off of our emotions. We begin to think about the past, future and look at events in a new light. We begin to find fault in ourselves and the world we live in. When we are depressed, we are not thinking straight, and it is a sign that our bodies are telling us that they need to eat or to acquire other needed nutrients.
Fatigue – Our bodies burn carbs (specifically sugars) for energy. When we do not get enough carbs in our diets for our bodies to burn for energy, we begin to feel the effects of fatigue. Some of the effects of fatigue include watery and itchy eyes, the urge to yawn, and the urge to rub our faces. We begin to lose focus and allow our minds to wonder. The best way to fight fatigue is to eat something, or to allow your body to sleep.
Headaches – When we have low blood sugar, we can begin to get headaches. This is because the brain is craving nutrients and it is not getting them. When you get a headache and you have fatigue, you’re going to end up feeling pretty miserable and uncomfortable.
Mood swings – Mood swings are another symptom of having low blood sugar. Whether we’re annoyed at a situation or we can’t concentrate enough to finish a task, we’re fighting off mood swings. Mood swings can go in any direction, hence the name. At one moment, you can be fine, and the next be really happy or really depressed. One way to control mood swings is by consuming food to raise your blood sugar.You may also want consult a doctor to see if the mood swings are due to hypoglycemia or a mental health concern.
PMS – PMS is the menstrual cycle women experience once a month. When you have low blood sugar, the symptoms of PMS can increase and become more severe.
Dizziness – Dizziness is another way in which the body reacts to the low blood sugar. When we have low blood sugar our minds begin to lose focus, our vision begins to get blurry, and our equilibrium becomes unbalanced.
Inability to concentrate – When we have low blood sugar, it culminates in the inability to concentrate. Some people refer to this as hunger pains or brain fog. When you are hungry, all you can think about is getting food into your system. Once that is accomplished, the symptoms begin to subside and your blood sugar levels begin to rise again.
Fainting – Fainting is the extreme condition in which you black out or come close to blacking out and fall to the ground. Fainting is a rare effect of low blood sugar, but it has been known to happen. You will be going along just fine, and then all of a sudden the world begins to spin and you pass out.
Heart palpitations and panic attacks – When you have low blood sugar, the effects on the brain will also affect other parts of the body. You may begin to have panic attacks and feel that your heart is about to jump out of your chest. If this occurs you need to sit down and catch your breath. Drink a glass of water and chew on a piece of bread or hard candy. After a few minutes, the effects should subside and you will be able to assess your situation from there.
When we are talking about fibromyalgia and carbs, you will see that they go hand in hand. At the end of the day, keeping carbs in your system will help keep your blood sugar stabilized. A good way to do this is to eat small meals and snacks throughout the course of the day. Going all day without food is never a good idea. If these symptoms persist, then seeking medical attention either by a doctor visit or hospital stay may be required.
Further reading:
Fibromyalgia & Carbohydrates: http://www.livestrong.com/article/354226-fibromyalgia-carbohydrates/
Fibromyalgia and Carbohydrates: http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/effect-of-carbohydrate-consumption-on-fibromyalgia
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