Monday, November 14, 2011

Fatigue and Carbohydrates

Fatigue

Fatigue is a constant companion for people with chronic illness.  If a person has food allergies in addition to chronic illness, it is a major achievement to just get out of bed.

Having energy is a beautiful thing and cannot be taken for granted.  Energy is something which takes planning and careful eating.

Energy level is directly related to to the foods we eat and don't eat, the amount we eat and what type of food we eat.

Every food has a carbohydrate load (amount) and a type (simple or complex).  The carbohydrates and sugars that we eat directly influence the blood sugar level.

When blood sugar level is too high or too low, damage is occurring in our bodies.  Keeping a steady, even, balance of carbohydrates is important because it allows a steady flow of energy.

Every person has a different chemistry and different set of health problems.  I personally have found that eating six times a day with planning for carbohydrate load is beneficial to my energy level.  I choose complex carbohydrates to initiate a slow burn of energy which lasts longer instead of simple carbohydrates which send short bursts of energy.

What works best for me is a breakfast with 60-90 carbohydrates, then a snack two hours later with 15-30 carbohydrates.  Lunch 60-90, then a midday snack, 15-30.  Dinner 60-90 and and late night snack 15-30 so that I don't feel hungry at night.

If you have insurance, have your Doctor due blood sugar testing to find out what your norm is and what you should aim for.  If you don't have insurance, play with your carbs and make careful notes to see how you feel.

A food log can be the best indicator of energy level and health.  Keep a food and health log and write down what you eat and how you feel.  If you notice a headache, go back and see what you might have eaten to cause a headache.  If you can't stay out of the bathroom due to intestinal distress, check your log to see what you ate to cause stomach issues.

Eventually, you will know what foods cause what health problem and the timeframe you have until the effect kicks in.  This is especially helpful on your cheat days when you have something dairy and need to find a bathroom within the hour, or sooner.

Keeping a steady flow of complex carbohydrates in your diet and avoiding sugars and simple carbohydrates which spike and drop energy levels can help relieve fatigue.

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