Re: severe hypoglycemia and SCD - need complex carbs!

[Guest guest]

>

> I finally realized why I am having such a difficult time managing my blood

> sugar - no complex carbs for on-going and sustained energy!!! I am needing

> to eat every hour and 15 minutes instead of 2 hours like I was prior to

> starting the diet!! I am at a loss. I can hardly leave the house since I am

> basically eating only veggies and meat with occasional almond butter - no

> eggs or diary tolerance. These generally need to be heated (cold meat and

> veggies are yucky!) and I feel like I am ALWAYS in the kitchen!

I also feel

> awful - low energy and brain haze accept for a little while after I eat.

Good job realizing this! I caught on to the same thing early in the diet, and

it does force you to eat frequently. But from the sound of it, you're hardly

eating any carbohydrates at all. No wonder you have no energy!

I can't say this enough: SCD is not a low-carbohydrate diet, it's a Specific

Carbohydrate Diet! I just wrote a message about increasing carbohydrates on

SCD, but how about some homemade applesauce? Acorn squash with cinnamon and

honey? Diluted fruit juice? These should all be quite easy to digest (just

make sure to cook the acorn squash long enough), not too hard to prepare, and

I'll bet anything they bring your energy level right up.

> The good news is as soon as I gave up all complex carbs my on-going diarrhea

> stopped immediately and, as long as I eat foods that agree with me, my

> digestive system is happy. The rest of me is not, though.

>

Good to hear, and I hope your improvement continues!

>

>

> I made an appointment with a gastroenterologist for next week to see if I

> can get the Xifaxan script from him (through my family doc was denied twice

> from insurance), get the bacterial overgrowth managed, and eat some complex

> carbs until the hypoglycemia is treated - seems it may be my liver not

> converting glycogen to glucose efficiently. All this time I thought it was

> an adrenal issue!!! I am hoping once my liver is doing its job better I can

> successfully go back on the diet and once and for all heal my gut!

> Thoughts??!! Anyone else having a difficult time with blood sugar?

>

I can't imagine one round of antibiotics is going to solve your bacterial

overgrowth problems, so I wouldn't expect to " get it managed " from that. Quite

likely those complex carbohydrates will bring back the same old overgrowth, but

as I said, why do you need them? Eating more SCD-legal carbohydrates will

probably resolve your energy problems, if you're eating as little of them as you

seem to be.

>

>

> Thanks for input and opinions ~ Janine

>

[Guest guest]

Good job realizing this! I caught on to the same thing early in the diet,

and it does force you to eat frequently. But from the sound of it, you're

hardly eating any carbohydrates at all. No wonder you have no energy!

I can't say this enough: SCD is not a low-carbohydrate diet, it's a Specific

Carbohydrate Diet!

[Janine replies:] di- and polysaccharides are complex carbs - they are carbs

that the body has to break down over time so they provide a constant source

of energy to the body as opposed to simple carbs in fruits and veggies which

do not need to be broken down - they are used immediately for energy. Can't

have any of these on the diet since they feed the bad guys...

I just wrote a message about increasing carbohydrates on SCD, but how

about some homemade applesauce?

[Janine replies:] concentrated fruit sugars go into my blood too fast and

make me feel high and then often cause a blood sugar crash so even before

SCD I rarely ate fruits

Acorn squash with cinnamon and honey?

[Janine replies:] LOVE it, gave me the runs...I think the acorn squash was

too starchy for me

Diluted fruit juice?

[Janine replies:] yes - very diluted. I need to look into legals again -

was using Recharge but it started to give me a stomach ache. I felt better

when I was drinking it

These should all be quite easy to digest (just make sure to cook the acorn

squash long enough), not too hard to prepare, and I'll bet anything they

bring your energy level right up.

> I made an appointment with a gastroenterologist for next week to see if I

> can get the Xifaxan script from him (through my family doc was denied

twice

> from insurance), get the bacterial overgrowth managed, and eat some

complex

> carbs until the hypoglycemia is treated - seems it may be my liver not

> converting glycogen to glucose efficiently. All this time I thought it

was

> an adrenal issue!!! I am hoping once my liver is doing its job better I

can

> successfully go back on the diet and once and for all heal my gut!

> Thoughts??!! Anyone else having a difficult time with blood sugar?

>

I can't imagine one round of antibiotics is going to solve your bacterial

overgrowth problems, so I wouldn't expect to " get it managed " from that.

[Janine replies:] maybe some relief until I can get back to this diet?

Quite likely those complex carbohydrates will bring back the same old

overgrowth, but as I said, why do you need them? Eating more SCD-legal

carbohydrates will probably resolve your energy problems, if you're eating

as little of them as you seem to be.

[Janine replies:] thank you for your input, . I plan to make some

muffins tomorrow with nut butter or nut flour (haven't decided which yet)

and purred apples to replace the eggs. I am also going to make chicken

break - I am hoping these agree with me and give me more carb input but not

so much that I get blood sugar rushes...

[Guest guest]

>

> Good job realizing this! I caught on to the same thing early in the diet,

> and it does force you to eat frequently. But from the sound of it, you're

> hardly eating any carbohydrates at all. No wonder you have no energy!

>

> I can't say this enough: SCD is not a low-carbohydrate diet, it's a Specific

> Carbohydrate Diet!

> [Janine replies:] di- and polysaccharides are complex carbs - they are carbs

> that the body has to break down over time so they provide a constant source

> of energy to the body as opposed to simple carbs in fruits and veggies which

> do not need to be broken down - they are used immediately for energy. Can't

> have any of these on the diet since they feed the bad guys...

> I just wrote a message about increasing carbohydrates on SCD, but how

> about some homemade applesauce?

> [Janine replies:] concentrated fruit sugars go into my blood too fast and

> make me feel high and then often cause a blood sugar crash so even before

> SCD I rarely ate fruits

Have you tried spreading it out, say having a little each hour? That might

alleviate the problem of big fluctuations in blood sugar. Small meals are

generally a good idea on this diet anyway.

> Acorn squash with cinnamon and honey?

> [Janine replies:] LOVE it, gave me the runs...I think the acorn squash was

> too starchy for me

> Diluted fruit juice?

> [Janine replies:] yes - very diluted. I need to look into legals again -

> was using Recharge but it started to give me a stomach ache. I felt better

> when I was drinking it

I'm suspicious of Recharge, especially reading their ingredient lists which

include " natural flavors " (who knows what that includes?) and in some cases

added vitamins (which, according to recent discussion here, are often bound to

cornstarch or something like that.) I'd go with something known to be OK, like

Welch's grape juice or fresh-squeezed apple cider if you can get it. (I can't

make any guarantees for it, but I've done well while drinking elli's apple

juice and apple cider, which states " No Additives Of Any Kind. " However, as I

said, I haven't checked into this, so use at your own risk.)

> These should all be quite easy to digest (just make sure to cook the acorn

> squash long enough), not too hard to prepare, and I'll bet anything they

> bring your energy level right up

>

> > I made an appointment with a gastroenterologist for next week to see if I

> > can get the Xifaxan script from him (through my family doc was denied

> twice

> > from insurance), get the bacterial overgrowth managed, and eat some

> complex

> > carbs until the hypoglycemia is treated - seems it may be my liver not

> > converting glycogen to glucose efficiently. All this time I thought it

> was

> > an adrenal issue!!! I am hoping once my liver is doing its job better I

> can

> > successfully go back on the diet and once and for all heal my gut!

> > Thoughts??!! Anyone else having a difficult time with blood sugar?

> >

>

> I can't imagine one round of antibiotics is going to solve your bacterial

> overgrowth problems, so I wouldn't expect to " get it managed " from that.

> [Janine replies:] maybe some relief until I can get back to this diet?

> Quite likely those complex carbohydrates will bring back the same old

> overgrowth, but as I said, why do you need them? Eating more SCD-legal

> carbohydrates will probably resolve your energy problems, if you're eating

> as little of them as you seem to be.

> [Janine replies:] thank you for your input, . I plan to make some

> muffins tomorrow with nut butter or nut flour (haven't decided which yet)

> and purred apples to replace the eggs. I am also going to make chicken

> break - I am hoping these agree with me and give me more carb input but not

> so much that I get blood sugar rushes...

While everyone tolerates foods differently, it surprises me that you're

apparently tolerating nut flour but not acorn squash. Are you sure about that?

If you cook the squash long enough, and maybe even puree it, it should just

about turn into a mush that wouldn't be particularly fibrous.

Good luck getting this figured out. It sounds like you're in a hard situation,

but I'd try to exhaust the legal alternatives before abandoning (or even

interrupting, because that sounds like it will send you back to square one) the

SCD.

[Guest guest]

Janine,

I have known I have hypoglycemia for 35 years, and a year ago when I

started the diet, yes, I was pretty hungry for awhile. But it's

improved a lot. I would suggest go for as much more in the legal

carbs as you can, and also nuts or nut butters, and FAT. Whatever

fat you can handle, try to use more of it. One thing I really like

for a snack is, say, half an apple or sliced carrots and nut butter

(not peanut butter, don't get along with that). If I could handle

more than a little meat with meals, I'd probably have a bit of my

chicken also for snacks but that doesn't work for me. If you can

handle some nut flour muffins that should help a whole lot. Can you

handle something like coconut oil? I find saturated fats keep me

going lots longer than my olive oil, say.

Anyhow, re-read the legal lists and see what you think would

work. And try to snack as often as you can, really, until you get

the hang of it. It sounds like maybe you've started the diet more by

removing things from the diet than replacing those carbs that hurt us

with legal ones.

Good luck,

[Guest guest]

Janine

Our

bodies do fine without complex carbs. There are plenty of carbohydrates

available to us in the permitted SCD foods.

I

also deal with hypoglycemia, plus the occasional extreme fluctuations between hypoglycemia

and hyperglycemia (insulin resistance plus other metabolic issues). I

came to SCD because of developing functional digestive disorders, and complex

carbs make me a whole lot worse. In fact I’ve learned that my digestion

really doesn’t handle carbohydrates well, so I’m on what you could

label “lean-carb” SCD, simply because my digestion works better

with the permitted foods that are lower in carbohydrates. I have no

problems keeping my blood glucose levels stable.

But

I did have to make adjustments when I started SCD. It did take me a while

to settle into what worked best for keeping my blood glucose levels stable -- what

foods I can eat and how often and what times of day and what foods to eat in

combination with others. These details matter when it comes to metabolism and

digestion. I used my blood glucose meter frequently over the first year

on SCD while I figured out what worked best for me. These days I rarely need

to grab my blood glucose meter.

Sometimes

I can’t tell if my body is needing food or water or electrolytes.

The symptoms can often be very similar. I usually end up eating and

drinking something first, and if I don’t improve then I pull out the

electrolyte drink.

My

digestive disorders limit the amount of fiber and fat that I can eat, so it has

been challenging at times to find the right combinations of foods, but I was

able to work things out. Even my fasting blood glucose level has dropped

a few points since being on SCD. I eat something every 2 hours.

I usually make a normal-sized meal but then eat it in 2 or 3 parts. I eat

plenty of low and medium carb veggies, meats and other proteins. I only have

one fruit serving per day (cooked or juiced) and I always, always eat the fruit

at the end of a meal/snack that includes proteins and some carbs. This keeps

my blood glucose levels stable.

So

it is certainly possible to stabilize your blood glucose levels without

returning to eating complex carbs which contribute to the digestive

deterioration. We can (and should) eat plenty of simple carbohydrates on

SCD, and along with the proteins and fats we consume, not only do our

digestions improve, but so will our metabolism. For those of us with

blood glucose issues, we just have to work a bit harder at first to figure out

what combinations of things work best for our particular bodies, and then we

have to remain vigilant to our body’s signals.

Kim M.

SCD 6+ years

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 7 years

neurological & spinal deterioration 4 years

currently dealing with skin issues on hands and arms

(carcinomas)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

I

finally realized why I am having such a difficult time managing my blood

sugar - no complex carbs for on-going and sustained energy!!! I am needing

to eat every hour and 15 minutes instead of 2 hours like I was prior to

starting the diet!! I am at a loss. I can hardly leave the house since I am

basically eating only veggies and meat with occasional almond butter - no

eggs or diary tolerance. These generally need to be heated (cold meat and

veggies are yucky!) and I feel like I am ALWAYS in the kitchen! I also feel

awful - low energy and brain haze accept for a little while after I eat.

The good news is as soon as I gave up all complex carbs my on-going diarrhea

stopped immediately and, as long as I eat foods that agree with me, my

digestive system is happy. The rest of me is not, though.

I made an appointment with a gastroenterologist for next week to see if I

can get the Xifaxan script from him (through my family doc was denied twice

from insurance), get the bacterial overgrowth managed, and eat some complex

carbs until the hypoglycemia is treated - seems it may be my liver not

converting glycogen to glucose efficiently. All this time I thought it was

an adrenal issue!!! I am hoping once my liver is doing its job better I can

successfully go back on the diet and once and for all heal my gut!

Thoughts??!! Anyone else having a difficult time with blood sugar?

Thanks for input and opinions ~ Janine

[Guest guest]

Thanks for replying again, . I added a splash of coconut water (legal

- yes??!!) to my water today - haven't shopped yet for the Welch's. I have

not tried the nut-flour yet so I don't know if I can tolerate it...I've only

had nut butter but can't imagine using an entire jar (2 1/2 cups) to make

muffins I may not be able to eat which is why I was going to try the

nut-flour instead.

[Guest guest]

I used to be told by doctors to eat small, frequent meals. It did nothing for me. But then a guy who knew lots about ayurveda told me about something Deekpak Chopra said at a talk he attended. He said to try eating only when hungry and eat until you feel really satisfied. This means eating until not just feeling satisfied, but *really* satisfied - there's a fine dividing line between the two and there's also a fine dividing line between feeling really satisfied and eating too much and feeling heavy/bloated.

This way of eating made a huge difference in energy levels and hazy brain for me. I used to feel as if I was ready for my next meal only an hour after eating and felt as if I was flaking out, but since changing to this way of eating meant that I only required 3 meals a day with no snacks inbetween (unless I'm out somewhere and can't get a meal when I require it) and my energy between meals is sustained. The amount I eat this way is probably not much different to before, just that I eat it in 3 blocks. I don't know what the theory behind this is but digestion takes a huge amount of energy up and if our digestion is constantly on the go... This might not work for everyone but if it works, the effects are quite quick.

Alison

[Guest guest]

Hmmmmm – very interesting, Alison!

Thank you for sharing! ~ Janine

I

used to be told by doctors to eat small, frequent meals. It did

nothing for me. But then a guy who knew lots about ayurveda told me about

something Deekpak Chopra said at a talk he attended. He said to try

eating only when hungry and eat until you feel really satisfied. This

means eating until not just feeling satisfied, but *really* satisfied - there's

a fine dividing line between the two and there's also a fine dividing line

between feeling really satisfied and eating too much and feeling heavy/bloated.

This

way of eating made a huge difference in energy levels and hazy brain for

me. I used to feel as if I was ready for my next meal only an hour

after eating and felt as if I was flaking out, but since changing to this

way of eating meant that I only required 3 meals a day with no snacks inbetween

(unless I'm out somewhere and can't get a meal when I require it) and my energy

between meals is sustained. The amount I eat this way is probably not

much different to before, just that I eat it in 3 blocks. I don't

know what the theory behind this is but digestion takes a huge amount of energy

up and if our digestion is constantly on the go... This might not

work for everyone but if it works, the effects are quite quick.

Alison