Blood Sugar Crash

Over the years many children that I have worked with have told me that they feel 'funny', have a headache, feel very sleepy or cross in the middle of the afternoon. A lot of adults experience this too. It is a blood sugar crash.

People's metabolism varies in sensitivity to this but in today's nutritional climate it is something that should be taken seriously. Unchecked it can lead to 'metabolic syndrome' and then even Type 2 Diabetes. The good news is that it is very easy to remedy.
Here are some tips that can prevent it happening:

a) Eat a good breakfast containing protein and some fat, e.g. Boiled egg and buttered toast fingers. Porridge with whole milk, skimmed milk is a very poor food as many of the vitamins have been skimmed off and growing children need them. A toasted cheese sandwich and an apple is another idea. Fish paste made with tinned fish and Hellmann's mayonnaise mashed together on bread or crackers is also a good start to the day. Cereals by and large are not nutritious foods and likely to spike blood sugar because they are high in sugar and the grains are so thoroughly battered there is not much goodness left in them; they are also pure starch, another blood sugar destabilizer. Avoid Ready Brek too because the oats have been refined and therefore turn straight into sugar in the gut.

b) Lunch, the same applies. A sandwich with butter and ham or cheese and some tomato, cucumber and sweet pepper. Peanut butter is a good food that most children enjoy. Use some of the breakfast ideas too and add some fruit, an apple, banana, some berries. Cashew nuts are quite sweet and a good food that many children enjoy.

c) Mid afternoon. A snack is essential for 'Crash Kids'. It should contain some protein and fat again as well as carbs. A good choice is an apple and some nuts (as long as your child is not allergic). Cheese and pineapple chunks are good and can feel like a real treat. A hard boiled egg or a piece of celery with a good dollop of cream cheese is easy to make and does the trick. Every meal as well as snacks should contain a small amount of protein and some fats because these slow down the speed at which carbohydrates are turned into sugar and so prevent the blood sugar spikes. Crisps and sweets are a poor choice because they are highly refined and turn to sugar very quickly in the digestive tract; they will give an immediate boost but in a very short time will leave you with a very grumpy or weepy child.
Making this small change can have a powerful influence on a child's (and adults!) emotional, physical and intellectual life. School and work will then become a breeze.