The term Hypoglycemia is a combination of the Greek 'hypo' (meaning low),
'glyc' (sugar) 'emia' (in the blood).
Hypoglycemia is a metabolic disturbance which is charicterised by
fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Dr St Amand believes that 40% of women and
20% of men with fibromyalgia have hypoglycemia or carbohydrate
intolerance.
Hypoglycemia can produce a variety of symptoms in the person affected. Acute
Symptoms include hand or inner shaking / tremor, panic attacks, heart pounding,
acute anxiety and frontal headache / pressure. Chronic Symptoms include fatigue,
dizziness, faintness, ringing ears, gas, abdominal cramps, flushing / sweating,
foot / leg cramps, frontal / bi-temporal headaches and impaired concentration /
memory.
Hypoglycemia / carbohydrate intolerance can only be controlled by following
Dr St Amand's HG diet. Removing both simple and complex carbohydrates from the
diet means that the release of insulin is reduced and hypoglycemic symptoms will
no longer result.
Click here to
access the Hypoglycemia FAQs from Dr St Amand's website. There is also an
extensive recipe archive. All recipes have been checked by Claudia Marek or her
assistants and are guaranteed to be compatible with Dr St Amand's HG diet.
There are also many low carbohydrate diets and websites available online.
However, you should be aware that these are primarily for weight-loss. So you
should double-check ingrediants against Dr St Amand's lists.
Hypoglycemia
Dr St Amand's white paper on hypoglycemia. Part of the Fibromyalgia
Treatment website.
Diets
for Hypoglycemia
Information about fibromyalgia and hypoglycemia for
physicians. Part of the Fibromyalgia Treatment website.
Other Resources
A member of the UK-FMS-GUAI discussion book has recommended the following
book:
Dr Atkins' Quick and Easy New Diet Cookbook
Robert C. Atkins MD
The Glycemic Index
Background information about the glycemic index written by Rick Mendosa. Glycemic
Index Lists
Rick Mendosa's page offers a comprehensive list of foods and their glycemic
index.
