What is true: blood sugar imbalances can affect…?
From the book – Chapter 21: Body Chemistry and Mental Health
The right answer
Mood, energy, concentration and irritability
Blood sugar
Insulin allows cells to use glucose. Glucose is the primary fuel for brain cells. Stability is critical for mental function.
Hypoglycaemia: irritability, anxiety, confusion, shakiness, mood swings, brain fog. Can trigger anxiety, panic, irritability, depression. Prevention: regular meals, balanced nutrition, protein with carbohydrates.
Hyperglycaemia / diabetes: fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision. Increased risk of depression, cognitive decline, anxiety. Management: diet, exercise, medication, monitoring.
Sugar crashes can cause irritability and anxiety. Stable blood sugar supports stable mood. Complex carbohydrates provide sustained energy. Protein and healthy fats slow glucose absorption.
Read the full chapter – Chapter 21: Body Chemistry and Mental Health
Stories from real life
- Tired, Low and Forgetful at Forty – Sunita Patil, forty-two, a school teacher in Kolhapur, had been feeling flat for most of a year. She was exhausted by lunchtime, felt cold when others…
- Kabir’s Skipped Meals – Kabir Sheikh, thirty-five, drove a delivery van in Hyderabad. His days ran on tea and biscuits, with a large meal late at night. Lately he had…
- Neha’s Tingling Fingers – Neha Verma, nineteen, was a first-year student living in a hostel in Delhi. She was a strict vegetarian and survived on instant noodles, tea and biscuits.…
Shloks
- Bhagavad Gita 17.8 – Foods that increase life, clarity, strength, health, happiness, and love—which are juicy, naturally oily, stable, and agreeable—are dear to the sattvic mind.
More on this topic: The brain, hormones and body chemistry behind your moods
More questions
- What is true: vitamin D deficiency is linked to…?
- What is true: B vitamins (especially B12 and folate) are important for…?
- What is true: dehydration can cause…?
- What does Bhagavad Gita 17.8 mean for the mind?
- Tired, Low and Forgetful at Forty – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
- Kabir's Skipped Meals – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
- Neha's Tingling Fingers – what this story teaches, the signs and what to do
- What is body chemistry and mental health? An overview
- Understanding thyroid function – body chemistry and mental health
- Hypothyroidism (low thyroid) – thyroid function