How Too Much Caffeine Affects Your Blood Sugar?

Whether it’s from coffee or chocolate, most people get caffeine every day. Caffeine is the drug found in coffee that can be dangerous if too much is consumed. It occurs naturally in more than 60 plants including coffee beans and tea leaves. Man-made caffeine is sometimes added to food, energy drinks, and medicines such as prescription diet pills. It is absorbed through the digestive system much faster than naturally occurring caffeine, providing a quicker spike and a quicker crash. Have you ever noticed a difference in your blood sugar after drinking a big cup of coffee or an energy drink? Caffeine can indeed have an affect on your blood glucose levels causing higher fluctuations. It stimulates cortisol secretion that directs the cells to resist insulin’s signals to absorb and store blood glucose. This is common for diabetics who take too much caffeine which leads to addiction.

What is Caffeine Addiction?

Caffeine addiction is defined as a compulsion to take caffeine leading to withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit. From headaches to loss of energy, caffeine withdrawal can have serious effects on the body. An addiction to caffeine starts as a result of an enjoyment of that extra boost of energy after taking caffeinated drinks. The problem is that the body becomes accustomed to this artificial energy and builds a tolerance that means you need more and more coffee in order to achieve the same increase in energy. Some of the major signs and symptoms of an addiction to caffeine include:

• Inability to stop drinking products with caffeine
• Cravings for caffeine
• Heightened heart rate
• Insomnia and anxiety
• Tremors or shaking 

 How to Curb Caffeine Addiction

Addressing caffeine addiction can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, difficulty focusing on tasks etc. To change your caffeine habit, try these tips:

• Start paying attention to how much caffeine you're getting from foods and beverages, including energy drinks.
• When making coffee, brew it for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content or choose herbal teas that don't have caffeine.
• Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. Make time to fulfil your emotional, physical and mental needs. 
• Incorporate exercise into your daily routine. It’s a natural stimulant for your body and central nervous system.

Nutrition and Autism

“For children with autism, a nutritious, balanced diet can make a world of difference in their ability to learn, how they manage their emotions and how they process information.” Kepha Nyanumba - Consultant Nutritionist.

 Autism is a complex developmental condition that appears during the early stages of life and affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his environment and interaction with other people. The main areas of difficulty are in social interaction, social communication and restricted or repetitive behaviours and interests. Taking care of children with autism can be challenging on many levels, and healthful eating is no exception. Many children with autism have selective eating that goes beyond the usual 'picky eating' behaviour seen in most children at specific developmental stages. These types of self-limiting diets are usually a direct result of the disorder. Common feeding concerns include:

• Difficulty accepting new foods
• Restricted intake due to colour, texture, packaging and food temperature
• Difficulty with transition to textures (especially during infancy)
• Continually eating rather than having mealtimes

 Nutrition Concerns in Autism

For children with autism, a nutritious, balanced diet can make a world of difference in their ability to learn, how they manage their emotions and how they process information. Children with autism often repeat behaviors and have narrow, obsessive interests. These types of behavior can affect eating habits and food choices, which can lead to the following nutrition concerns.

• Not eating enough food. Autistic children may have difficulty focusing on one task for an extended period of time. It may be hard for a child to sit down and eat a meal from start to finish.
• Limited food selection or strong food dislikes. Children with autism may be sensitive to the taste, smell, color and texture of foods. They may limit or totally avoid some foods and even whole food groups. Common dislikes include fruits, vegetables and slippery, soft foods.
• Medication interactions. Some stimulant medications used with autism can lower appetite. This can reduce the amount of food a child eats, which can affect growth.

Strategies for dealing with Selective Eating

• Establish as calm and comfortable environment as possible
• Work to broaden the variety of a child's diet expanding on already accepted food groups e.g. different types of bread
• Most children do best when meal times are the same time and place every day
• Setting small goals in stages will allow the child step by step to reach a larger goal
  e.g. before encouraging a child to eat vegetables; they may need to learn to accept a small amount on their plate first. 

Digestive Disorders and Autism

Children with autism seem to have a higher incidence of digestive tract symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, loose stools, and frequent diarrhea. This problem usually is caused by a child's limited food choices. Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) report that behavior improves when their children eat a diet free of gluten and casein. Gluten is found primarily in wheat, barley and rye; casein, in dairy products. Always consult a nutritionist before making any drastic changes to your child's diet as there can be side effects and potential nutrient deficiencies when a gluten- or casein-free diet is self-prescribed.

Kepha Nyanumba (Consultant Nutritionist), Tel: +254 (0) 723 103 028 / 706 253 934,   Email: knyanumba@chc.co.ke / kephanyanumba@gmail.com...Follow me on twitter: @knyanumba or Blog: kephanyanumba.blogspot.com.

Anxiety and Diabetes

“Have you ever thought about the connection between anxiety and diabetes? Studies show that people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression.” Kepha Nyanumba- Consultant Nutritionist.

 Many of us worry from time to time. We fret over finances, feel anxious about job interviews, or get nervous about social gatherings. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear which is our body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. Our systems are designed to keep us safe and to respond to danger in a way that prepares us to either stand our ground (fight) or to get us away from danger to a safe place (flight).  These responses are instinctive and an important part of our make-up. When we find ourselves in a place where we are in danger, these physical and psychological reactions give us the additional strength and clarity of focus needed to get us away from danger. In this way, anxiety can be a helpful, protective response.  Sometimes, most of us won’t often find ourselves in life threatening danger, however, anxiety may still be part of our day to day experience. Sometimes we are very aware of what’s causing the feelings of anxiety, for example when getting ready for an exam, speaking in public, or when responding to conflict at work or home. At other times, we find ourselves feeling anxious without really knowing the cause. The anxiety can feel overwhelming, resulting in feelings of extreme fear, panic and tearfulness and bringing with it physical symptoms such as lack of sleep, muscle tension and chronic pain. 

The Connection Between Anxiety and Diabetes

Have you ever thought about the connection between anxiety and diabetes? Studies show that people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression. It is estimated that 14% of people with diabetes have generalized anxiety disorder. As many as 40% of people have at least some anxiety symptoms, and fear of hypoglycemia is not uncommon in those with diabetes. Anxiety disorders in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes are associated with poor blood sugar control. This happens because emotional stress such as anxiety causes the body to secrete stress hormones into the bloodstream. For those without diabetes, the stress-induced blood sugar rise is followed by an increase in insulin secretion, so the blood sugar rise is modest and temporary. For those of us with diabetes, however, insulin is not always able to let the extra energy into the cells, so glucose piles up in the blood.  This leads to a significant and prolonged increase in the blood sugar level.

Being diagnosed with diabetes can instigate anxiety in a number of ways. People with diabetes may potentially be anxious about how their condition will be perceived by others including friends, family and work colleagues. One of the most common types of anxiety disorder is social phobia. It affects both women and men equally. People with social phobia may worry for days or weeks before a social event. They’re often embarrassed, self-conscious, and afraid of being judged. Other common types of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. People with generalized anxiety disorder worry endlessly over everyday issues like health, money, or family problems even if they realize there’s little cause for concern. They startle easily, can’t relax, and can’t concentrate. They find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. Sleep deprivation alters the sympathetic nervous system and hormonal balances, all of which affects glucose regulation. Symptoms of generalized anxiety often get worse during times of stress. Do you ever feel like your calendar is running you instead of the other way around? Ever get agitated due to too many competing priorities and super-tight deadlines but not enough time? Do you have restless nights thinking about your blood glucose levels and complications of diabetes? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, you are living with stress.

The Reality about Fighting Anxiety

When fighting anxiety, the problem arises when we begin to be afraid of our anxiety response. This fear makes the anxiety mechanism turn on itself. When we are afraid of being anxious, we create more anxiety. Panic seems to only strike when we do not want it to, and never seems to hit when we allow it to. In other words, all efforts to control or avoid anxiety only seem to make it worse. Debilitating anxiety is actually a reflection of the efforts we make to resist it. When fighting anxiety, the first thing is to simply accept that you feel anxious and try to find out the root cause instead of fighting the feeling. Reassuring yourself, or having someone else speak reassuringly to you, can help soothe the part of you that’s been activated and give you space to think. There are several foods that may reduce your anxiety symptoms. Enhancing your diet with foods rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C may help ease the symptoms of anxiety disorders and lead to an improved sense of well-being.

Kepha Nyanumba (Consultant Nutritionist), Tel: +254 (0) 723 103 028 / 732 234 161,   Email: kephanyanumba@gmail.com  / kepha.nyanumba@aar-healthcare.com...Follow me on twitter: @knyanumba or  Blog: kephanyanumba.blogspot.com.