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- subject = Human Anatomy
- title = Hypoglycemia
- papers =
- Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar or low fuel in the blood. It also
- refers to a distubed carbohydrate metabolism, since some people change
- between high and low blood sugar levels. When the body tries to work under
- these conditions, mental processes are impaired and body systems are
- broken. Hypoglycemia is sometimes related to other conditions like drug
- addiction, alcoholism, allergies, arthritis, diabetes, mental illness, anti-social
- behavio, an juvenile deliquency.
- There are numerous causes of hypoglycemia including; inborn errors of
- metabolism, defects in enzyme systsms, disorders of various glands and
- organs (hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals, nervous system, kidneys, and
- liver). The most common cause is a diet high in carbohydrates and caffiend,
- which disturbs the blood-sugar regulating systems of the body.
- THere are a number of symptoms of Hypoglycemia that can be
- identified. The major symptoms are depression, insomnia, irritability, lack of
- concentration, crying spells, phobias, forgetfulness, confusion, unsocial or
- anti-social behavior and suicidal tendencies. The early symptoms of
- hypoglycemia are similar to those which occur as the result of experiencing
- a sudden and violent fear: fainting, tremulousness, and ôinward tremblindö,
- emotional disturbances, chilliness, numbness and pallor encirling th nmouth,
- hunger, apprehencion, hand tremors, mild degree ofmental cloudiness,
- dilated pupils and pale skin. As the hypoglycemia progress, a variety of
- symptoms occur such as headaches, difficulty inconcentration,
- disoreientation, mental confusion, dizziness, faintness, double vision,
- coldness of the extremities, staggering or inability to walk, muscle
- twitching, depression, restlessness, and excessive excitement. Unless these
- symptoms are recognized and treated, hypoglcemia can lead to convulsions,
- amnesia, and unconciousness.
- In 1924, Seale Harris M.D., a diabetic specialist noticed that many
- peopl had symptoms without having diaetes. Their blood sugar would drop
- too low after eating a sugary refined carbohyudrate meal, or after drinking
- cafeine or alcohol. After an initial rise but not into the diabetic range, their
- blood sugar would then fall into a hypoglemic range with many different
- symptoms depending on the indivvidual, the immune system, and the
- metabolis. He was the first person to notice Hypoglycemia and to
- differentiate it from Diabetes.
- Hypoglycemia can be treated a umber of ways. THe diet should
- exclude things that can cause stress on thebody, such as caffeine, nicotine,
- alcohol, and rapidly absorbed carbohudrates such as sugars, honey, and many
- grains and cereals. Frequent feedings are essential,k withhearty breakfasts
- and bedtime snacks. Many symptoms will dissapear when the blood sugar is
- stablilized. THe most important thing to remember is that the average
- adult has between one and twot easpoons of blood sugar circulating in his
- body at one time, with a small amount stored in his liver foremergencies. A
- child has less in relationto its height and weitht. Eating foods such as 4 ozs
- of chocolate cake withicing and 6 ozs of Coke, which is too quickly absorbed
- into the blood, can cause a mess from the sugar overload as the body has to
- bring the blood sugar down to a normal range by a very complicated process.
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