I had a tough run for a while. I was struggling with low blood pressure. Though it s not clinically low, it still at the low end of the “normal” range.
For those who don’t know, low blood pressure can cause nausea, headaches, and general all over yuck. Medications wouldn’t touch the headaches. I stayed in bed twice in as many weeks because of nausea. Even when I wasn’t stuck in bed, I felt like I was on a ship in rough seas.
At the same time, I was craving junk food. Specifically chips and pop. Dr. Pepper is my drug of choice, and when my will power is at its lowest, Cool Ranch Doritos.
Of course, at the time, I didn’t realize low blood pressure was the culprit. And part of why I was craving chips and pop was for the salt and caffeine, both of which help raise blood pressure, thus causing those other symptoms (headaches and dizziness) to go away. At least temporarily.
It was definitely a love-hate situation. I loved the excuse to eat some of my favorite junk food. It wasn’t just emotional eating, it really was helping me feel better! On the other hand, I felt awful that I was eating crap to feel better. In the grand scheme of things, it’s kind of counter-productive.
I started drinking licorice tea to help increase the low blood pressure. I went from drinking bottles of pop to cans, and slowly cut it out again. I bought a blood pressure monitor to help me evaluate which symptoms were connected with bp drops. I bought keto crackers at the Farmers Market to eat instead of chips.
And one day, I got my will power back. The cravings came, my bp was good, and so I didn’t act on the cravings. I took the advice of a friend, and started telling myself that sugar is poison for my body.
I still allow myself a tiny amount of sugar – I have one square of 90% dark chocolate after lunch, and one after dinner, and I don’t fanatically read labels. However, when I had a sample of shitake mushroom crisps that tasted delicious at the grocery store, I almost bought them… until I looked at the amount of sugar in them.
I think it also helps that with the nicer weather, I’m getting out and moving my body more. All of it leads to feeling better, and like I’m back in stride for loving my body and being healthy.
Blessings,
Mary