Hypoglycemia and Raw

[willychez]

About 11 years ago I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia stemming from gestational diabetes. Initially I was lost, misinformed, and unknowingly ate the wrong foods and I kept getting sicker and sicker. I finally got a handle on it by changing my diet. High protein (mainly dairy & meat) and low-carb (mainly brown rice & whole grains). Although that helped, I still did not feel good or healthy. sooooo.....

I gave up refined sugars of any kind -- literally any 'ose' in the label disqualifies the food, white everything -- rice, potatoes, and bread. Now I only eat sprouted breads -- occassionally.

Anyway, since adding more and more raw foods to my diet -- i noticed that after i have a smoothie with 2 or more types of fruit in it -- my blood sugar drops and i get the shakes -- leaving me feeling nauseaus and exhausted -- literally drained and sleepy after the episode.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? I'd love to be able to try recipes for smoothies which include more than one fruit at a time -- but i'm afraid i'll pass out! I usually eat fruit with protein -- like nuts or beans...

Thanks guys --

[Aleesha Sattva]

i would think that eating raw would effect hypoglycemia the same as it effects diabetes. i'm looking forward to reading the responses to your thread from people who are more enlightened in this than i.

[willychez]

I guess I should clarify and say that since adding more raw fruit to my diet, i've had these sugar drops. Normally, I'd eat just one piece of fruit a day -- usually an apple and always with a protein, such as almond butter. Now, that I've been trying to have smoothies using more fruit, which of course, is a big part of a raw diet, i'd imagine, i'm experiencing these bouts.

thanks for any input ;)

[Ilse W.]

I add 2T ground sunflower seeds and 2T ground flax to my smoothies. I do it for the omega 3s in the flax and the vit E in sunflower seeds (you should always take E with O3s), but it has the side effect of keeping me full longer and there is no bloodsugar spike and drop.
This might help you as well.

[anneh]

Great idea, do you buy them ground or grind yourself and if so how? I also have low blood sugar and find myself grabbing a piece of organic raw cheese more often than I prefer :( anneh
I add 2T ground sunflower seeds and 2T ground flax to my smoothies. I do it for the omega 3s in the flax and the vit E in sunflower seeds (you should always take E with O3s), but it has the side effect of keeping me full longer and there is no bloodsugar spike and drop.
This might help you as well.

[cara4art]

Good suggestions by other people about adding something like seeds, etc. to your fruit smoothies, but this can be further improved by doing green smoothies. Basically 60% fruit, 40% greens, plus stuff like hemp protein and/or chia seed seeds. The greens, and the chia seeds do act to slow the release of the fruit sugars, thereby helping your blood sugar stabilize. Give it a go and see how you feel. With a well-constructed raw food diet, I'll bet anything your blood sugar issues will improve. Check out Raw for 30 Days DVD - several people under the supervision at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona were DEFINITELY helped by this. No reason it couldn't help hypoglycemic issues too.

[househugger]

I too am looking for some direction on going raw with hypoglycemia. I've done well going gluten and dairy free since September and now I want to go raw. I love raw fruits and vegetables so I think I'll do fine on it. I'm wondering though, might there be a way to 'treat' hypoglycemia with diet as in type 2 diabetes?