If there is one thing I have learned by living with diabetics, is that mood and blood sugar levels go hand in hand. Unfortunately it's not common knowledge and not enough people are talking about it. That needs to change.

What is Blood sugar/glucose?

"Blood sugar or blood glucose refers to sugar that is transported through the bloodstream to supply energy to all the cells in our bodies. The sugar is made from the food we eat."1

How does it affect the brain?

"Glucose, a form of sugar, is the primary source of energy for every cell in the body. Because the brain is so rich in nerve cells, or neurons, it is the most energy-demanding organ, using one-half of all the sugar energy in the body.

Brain functions such as thinking, memory, and learning are closely linked to glucose levels and how efficiently the brain uses this fuel source. If there isn’t enough glucose in the brain, for example, neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers, are not produced and communication between neurons breaks down...

“The brain is dependent on sugar as its main fuel,” says Vera Novak, MD, PhD, an HMS associate professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “It cannot be without it.”"3

Who Does it affect?

Blood sugar fluctuations affect all of us, not just those dealing with Diabetes and pre-diabetes. Any person's blood sugar levels can drop after exercise, with stress, from fear, illness, with fasting and just overnight while you are sleeping. Blood glucose irregularities can be caused by medications, pregnancy, and stress. Fluctuating blood sugar levels affect children and adults.

If your blood sugar levels are all over the place, then your mood is not stable. Period. You cannot mentally have good emotional control when your blood sugar levels are too high or too low.

"The problem, Solowiejczyk said, is "that the brain operates totally on glucose. When you don't have enough glucose (or too much), things start breaking down and your cognitive function doesn't work that well. This is a physiological, not an emotional, response.""2

All those positive coping mechanisms and strategies won't work for you when your blood sugar is not normal. Physiologically your body is just not capable of regulating your mood well. You can't just "snap out of it" or shake it off. It's not possible.

So if you frequently feel depressed, sad, anxious, angry and don't know why, your body is trying to tell you that there is something wrong.

What Do blood sugar fluctuation look like?

When your blood sugar levels are low you are more likely to experience confusion, sadness and rage. There can also be extreme fatigue, incoordination and slurring of words. People experiencing very low blood sugar levels can appear drunk and even become combative. In this case the brain hoards all the glucose into the brain to maintain vital bodily functions, and other functions such as speech and motor coordination are lost.

When your blood sugar levels are high you are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and irritability. It can feel like brain fog, or a feeling of "thickness" as the blood sugar levels climb. "High blood glucose levels can affect the brain’s functional connectivity, which links brain regions that share functional properties, and brain matter. It can cause the brain to atrophy or shrink. And it can lead to small-vessel disease, which restricts blood flow in the brain, causing cognitive difficulties and, if severe enough, spurring the development of vascular dementia."3

Most of the time, people who are experiencing the blood sugar fluctuations don't recognize the mood changes that go along with them. However if you ask their partner or someone who lives with them, they will see the changes.

What can I do?

Eat a balanced diet. Include lots of vegetables in each meal.

Eat some protein and healthy fats with each meal or snack. Even a couple tablespoons of seeds, nuts or legumes will work. Adding fats and protein raise the glycemic index of the meal and slows the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, thus providing energy for a longer period of time.

Eat low glycemic foods more often. Foods such as peas, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, lentils, oats, kale, mushrooms, whole wheat or multigrain breads and pasta, quinoa, cherries, peaches, coconut, apples, pears, grapes, beans, hummus, brown rice, nuts, oranges, prunes, plums, strawberries and green beans are just some of the low glycemic foods.

Listen to your body

In times of stress, or adrenal fatigue, working overnight shifts or shift work, your body needs more carbs to fuel the body through these stressful times. Plan ahead and eat well when in stressful situations. Have pre-made healthy snacks and fruit available so you don't reach for impulse foods.

It's also important to understand that not everyone's body respond the same way. You are unique. One person may feel just fine only eating every 4-5 hours. Another person may need to eat every 3 hours to keep their mood stable. In this case you would want to be more careful in the food choices you make.

When in doubt, ask for help. A Registered Holistic Nutritionist can provide guidance, information and plans to help you and your family eat better and feel better.

Change What You Eat

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Change How You Feel

The information provided here is for educational purposes only. For treatment please seek a qualified health care provider.