As one who seldom experiences hunger but frequently experiences cold nose, hands, feet I was intrigued with the following statement by Dr Peat:
"When the liver is the main cause of hypothyroidism, your temperature (and especially the temperature of your nose, hands and feet) will fall when hungry, and will rise when you eat carbohydrates."
After reading an Adele Davis book and her take on hunger and blood sugar levels I emailed Dr Peat. I am posting my question to him and his reply:
Dr Peat,
In one of Adele Davis' books she comments that hunger does not occur until blood sugar drops to 70 or below and that most Americans have blood sugar levels of 90 or above twelve hours after eating their evening meal; therefore, do not experience true hunger in the mornings. How does this relate to hypoglycemia in the context of trying to "keep it at a good level" by frequent food intake. Does this mean keeping it high in regards to what ones normal fasting level is (perhaps 90 or above), or high in regards to being above 70 (indicating hunger)? If one never feels hungry could this be because blood sugar is always 15 to 20 points above 70? What is happening when the cold nose of adrenalin surge occurs with a blood sugar level of 90 or above?
Dr Peat's Reply:
"A really healthy person can go all day on stored glycogen, but most people deplete the glycogen quickly, then produce cortisol to convert tissue protein to glucose, and while doing that, shift to using more fat. The fat blocks the use of glucose, so it can raise blood glucose. In the 1940s and ‘50s the average american had a different metabolism. With fatty acids interfering with glucose oxidation, creating “insulin resistance,” adrenaline is secreted even when the blood glucose level seems good."
Since, for some people, blood sugar levels may not be an accurate gauge of the body's need for fuel, warmth of extremities is a better gauge of when it's time to refuel the body. Eating when one does not feel hungry has been a challenge for me. Anyone else have a comment on this?
"When the liver is the main cause of hypothyroidism, your temperature (and especially the temperature of your nose, hands and feet) will fall when hungry, and will rise when you eat carbohydrates."
After reading an Adele Davis book and her take on hunger and blood sugar levels I emailed Dr Peat. I am posting my question to him and his reply:
Dr Peat,
In one of Adele Davis' books she comments that hunger does not occur until blood sugar drops to 70 or below and that most Americans have blood sugar levels of 90 or above twelve hours after eating their evening meal; therefore, do not experience true hunger in the mornings. How does this relate to hypoglycemia in the context of trying to "keep it at a good level" by frequent food intake. Does this mean keeping it high in regards to what ones normal fasting level is (perhaps 90 or above), or high in regards to being above 70 (indicating hunger)? If one never feels hungry could this be because blood sugar is always 15 to 20 points above 70? What is happening when the cold nose of adrenalin surge occurs with a blood sugar level of 90 or above?
Dr Peat's Reply:
"A really healthy person can go all day on stored glycogen, but most people deplete the glycogen quickly, then produce cortisol to convert tissue protein to glucose, and while doing that, shift to using more fat. The fat blocks the use of glucose, so it can raise blood glucose. In the 1940s and ‘50s the average american had a different metabolism. With fatty acids interfering with glucose oxidation, creating “insulin resistance,” adrenaline is secreted even when the blood glucose level seems good."
Since, for some people, blood sugar levels may not be an accurate gauge of the body's need for fuel, warmth of extremities is a better gauge of when it's time to refuel the body. Eating when one does not feel hungry has been a challenge for me. Anyone else have a comment on this?