You’ve just started a new diet, are going about your day, and all of the sudden the room starts to whirl around you and you’ve got to sit down. You wonder to yourself if this new diet is to blame for your recent bout of dizziness. The truth is, while dizziness may happen while dieting, it’s not because of your actual diet. It’s most likely vertigo, a middle ear infection, or low blood sugar. Let’s look into the real reason behind why you’re feeling dizzy!
Dizziness From Vertigo
What it Feels Like
Vertigo makes you feel as if there is movement when there is no movement. You feel as if you’re tilting, spinning or falling. It can cause you to fall, feel nauseous, vomit or make it difficult to walk or stand. For those of you who have been on a cruise, it’s similar to “sea legs” or feeling the rocking motion of the sea waves hours or even days after you’ve gotten off the boat.
Why It’s Happening
Vertigo can be caused by many, many different things. Among the most common is an inflamed inner ear from illness or from small crystals that should be within your inner ear, moving to the wrong place and irritating other parts of your ear, leading to vertigo.
What to Do
If you haven’t yet, consult with your family doctor immediately! Follow their recommendations so you can get the room to stop spinning.
Dizziness From Middle Ear Infection
What it Feels Like
This will feel similar to vertigo and will cause dizziness. The dizziness will often be accompanied by ear pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and possibly stinky fluid draining from the ear. Yuck!
Why It’s Happening
A middle ear infection most often occurs after you have been sick with an upper respiratory infection. All that fluid and mucus hanging out inside of you can find its way into your middle ear. The fluid has whatever bacteria and virus gave you your cold in it and when it gets in contact with your middle ear, BAM you’re infected and dizzy as a dog chasing its own tail.
What to Do
Again we’d recommend you get yourself over to your doctor asap and get some much needed TLC.
Dizziness From Low Blood Sugar
What it Feels Like
This one feels a lot different from the first two but has a few similarities. You may experience sweating, feel nervous, shaky, weak, really hungry, a little nauseous, dizzy, headache, blurry vision and have a fast heartbeat.
Why It’s Happening
Basically, your body doesn’t have enough sugar for fuel. Low blood sugar can be caused by medication, exercise and improper dieting.
What to Do
Write down when you notice that you have low blood sugar and track what you did to combat it. Try taking a B-complex supplement, it will keep your body running like a well-oiled machine and give you essential nutrients to help convert food into fuel, keeping you energized all day.
You can also improve your blood sugar by increasing your mineral intake specifically magnesium, manganese, and potassium.
It’s also helpful to eat a small snack that is low on the Glycemic index. Foods that are low on the Glycemic index are foods that will will gradually raise your blood sugar and not spike it. We recommend Greek-style yogurt (our favourite is Fage), soybeans, soy milk, cows milk, hummus and peanuts.
Note: If you are having more than one unexplained dizzy spell a week, make an appointment with your family doctor.