I've known for many years that I was at-least-borderline hypoglycemic. Ever since I can remember my hands have trembled-- sometimes worse than others. I usually don't notice it, but I've had people ask me if I'm cold, or nervous. "Nope," I cheerfully tell them, "just low blood sugar." When the trembling gets bad enough for me to notice then I know it's time for a high-protein snack. As far as I was concerned that's all there was to it.
A few days ago a friend told me about a friend of hers who was diagnosed with hypoglycemia and changed her diet. Within a month she noticed that she was no longer having migraine headaches. My friend knows I suffer with migraine headaches-- usually several a month-- so she asked for more information which she passed along to me.
I took a quiz at
Hypoglycemia.org to "see" if I was "at risk" for hypoglycemia. I already knew I was, but I was interested to see what my results would be. The normal range is 20 or below. I scored a whoppin' 65, which did not surprise me a bit.
What blew me away was that I had never connected low blood sugar with my migraines. I don't know why. I really did think that minor trembling was about all there was to it. I still don't know for sure if they are connected... but you know what? I have decided that changing my diet is definitely worth a try.
That means no sugar, no refined flour... basically nothing white. I have also decided that I want to avoid, whenever possible, artificial sweeteners. Try shopping for groceries with those limitations! Let me tell ya, it ain't easy!
Most products labeled as 100% whole grain still had sugar. The one "mainstream" (i.e. not on the health-food aisle) salty-munchy that I found with whole wheat and no sweetening was Triscuit crackers.
For my (decaf) coffee I discovered flavored liquid stevia at the health food store. I got two flavors: English Toffee and Vanilla Creme. No, it's not as good as caramel sauce... and it's quite expensive... but just 3 or 4 drops with a splash of milk is pretty good for a sugar-free (as well as chemical-free) latte.
So I'm off on a new adventure. Reckon I can convince my family to join me? Nah... I doubt it.
Anybody else have experience with a low-glycemic diet?
The wind was blowing the clouds around.
Most of the leaves have blown off the trees.
These little guys have managed to hang on, though!
And a few brave little scarlet leaves.
I loved crunching the leaves under foot.
Before it gets too dark, I better hurry home and light some candles!
And then just shake the livin' daylights out of it! Shake and shake and shake until you're tired of shaking... then pass it to the next person and let her shake awhile.
It will get to where you don't hear or feel it sloshing any more, and the jar looks like it's completely full. But you aren't done yet. Keep shaking!
After awhile (maybe 20 minutes? or probably less if you remember to let the cream set out for a bit before you start), all of a sudden, you will feel the sloshing come back and the white cream will "break apart" inside the jar. Then you're almost done. But not quite.
Shake it a little longer. You will notice “grains” of butter begin to form that look a little like foam.
Continue to shake it until the grains clump together to form a ball of soft butter floating in buttermilk. 
Dump it in a bowl and drain the buttermilk off the butter. (It can be used for making biscuits or anything else you would use buttermilk for.) 
Now you need to rinse your butter. Add cool water and stir into the butter, draining off the milky water and adding fresh water until the water is clear. Continue to stir the butter until all the water is worked out of it. Add salt if you like.
Spread on bread and enjoy!
I've known for many years that I was at-least-borderline hypoglycemic. Ever since I can remember my hands have trembled-- sometimes worse than others. I usually don't notice it, but I've had people ask me if I'm cold, or nervous. "Nope," I cheerfully tell them, "just low blood sugar." When the trembling gets bad enough for me to notice then I know it's time for a high-protein snack. As far as I was concerned that's all there was to it.
Most products labeled as 100% whole grain still had sugar. The one "mainstream" (i.e. not on the health-food aisle) salty-munchy that I found with whole wheat and no sweetening was Triscuit crackers.
For my (decaf) coffee I discovered flavored liquid stevia at the health food store. I got two flavors: English Toffee and Vanilla Creme. No, it's not as good as caramel sauce... and it's quite expensive... but just 3 or 4 drops with a splash of milk is pretty good for a sugar-free (as well as chemical-free) latte.
Dearest Lyle,
Pumpkin Patch Primitives is giving away a bundle of 27 fat quarters! What a pretty quilt that would make! Head on over for your chance to win! And mention that Karla @ Ramblin' Roads sent you. The contest ends on October 31.