21/12/2022
Why do I always want to eat? What hunger pangs say about blood sugar levels.
“Hi, I have type 2 diabetes. The problem is that I always want to eat. When at home, on weekends, I eat all day, I take a nap, wake up and eat again. Please tell me what to do? - such questions come to our specialists literally every day. Today we will explain why people with diabetes often experience bouts of hunger and how to deal with it.
With a constant feeling of hunger, one or two cookies for tea easily turn into a pack of cookies at a time.
Why am I always hungry?
Let's start with the terminology: excess appetite that does not disappear after eating is called polyphagia or hyperphagia in medicine. You may have heard this term at the appointment with the endocrinologist. Now let's understand why this happens.
The first common cause is high blood sugar. Since our brain cannot store nutrients, it needs a constant supply of glucose. But without enough insulin, the brain simply cannot use glucose, even though there is an excess of it in the blood. In addition, the brain does not know that you have diabetes, which is why it will constantly signal hunger to encourage you to eat. For this reason, people with diabetes need to measure their blood sugar levels regularly throughout the day. Then you will be able to understand if you really need more food or if you need to lower your blood sugar in the first place.
The second common reason is psychological. On an unconscious level, we strongly associate food with comfort, reward, or happy memories. What's more, some foods can be cravings and addictions, especially if they're high in salt, sugar, or fat. To deal with psychological causes, follow the UNDER rule.
What is the UNDER rule?
In its full version, it sounds like: “Wait. Appreciate the hunger. Take action." Now more about each stage:
"Wait". Take a short break before you start eating. This is not as easy as it seems, because often drinking tea or snacking is an unconscious act. In the early days, hints may come in handy - for example, a silicone bracelet, a painted star, or something symbolic on the hand with which you write and open doors. The main thing is that you should notice this clue and immediately take a short pause.
"Assess the hunger." After that, ask yourself the question: “Am I really hungry right now? Or do I want something else right now?” In the modern rhythm of life, we have long lost the feeling of real hunger. For example, we often crave tea and something tasty when we are bored, when we are tired from doing monotonous work, or as a reward for a crazy morning.
"Act." If you think you're really hungry, start eating. If you realize that you are not particularly hungry, but still have an unbearable desire to eat, this is also acceptable. In this case, your task is to make food intake minimally harmful to the body. Ask yourself: “Maybe instead of a chocolate candy (sweetness and fat), I can first eat fruit (sweetness) and a piece of cheese (fat)?”
We also recommend that you make a list of ten pleasant things that you can distract yourself with. For example, many of our patients start by drinking a large cup of fragrant freshly brewed tea with mint and currant leaf, and only after that they move on to food.
How to lower blood sugar levels?
If you have unstable blood sugar levels, this is a clear sign that your body needs extra support. If your blood sugar is above 10 mmol/L, be sure to talk to your doctor about possible treatment adjustments. Perhaps you need:
● Adjust the diet and level of physical activity,
● Adjust insulin dosage,
● Adjust the regimen of non-insulin medications,
● Start (or switch to) a new non-insulin drug,
● Start insulin therapy.
Remember that your first and most important goal is to lower your blood sugar to a safer level, because high blood sugar can lead to complications throughout the body in the long run. As a rule, the cardiovascular system suffers first.
What can you eat if you really want to eat, and sugar is high?
If you want to snack or eat well when your blood sugar is high, choose low-carb, whole foods. And drink plenty of water with your food. Yes, yes, water! Water "moisturizes" the blood, lowers the concentration of sugar and helps the kidneys produce more urine to remove excess sugar from the body.
