Some people are familiar with the word hangry, others think I’m misspelling hungry or angry. It is, however, a combination of the two words. It is when the emotion of anger, irritability, impatience or intolerance coincides with someone hungry. It could be that they had a delayed meal, skipped a meal, or it’s just time to eat. But it is deeper than that.
It is a sign of blood sugar instability. A hangry person (and yes, it was added to the dictionary a couple of years ago, so it is a “real” word), typically has low blood sugar. How do you know? Suddenly, after they’ve had something to eat, they are nice again (if they are a nice sort of person to start with)! Low blood sugar is a common problem and many people “graze” – they eat small meals frequently throughout the day in an effort, consciously or subconsciously, to feed their brain enough that it will function. Grazing, in of itself is not an issue. If blood sugar is dropping low enough to cause someone to not be nice, they may be heading towards diabetes. Therefore, hangriness could be an early sign worth paying attention to.
Hangriness can also be caused by taking too much insulin – driving blood sugar levels too low. Below 70 is considered “low”. As it becomes low, from any cause, the person may feel shaky, have a difficult time focusing, feel anxious or nervous for no real reason, irritable, impatient or angry. As it progresses, symptoms may include sweating, chills and feeling clammy, lightheaded or dizzy, feeling confused or even have a rapid heart rate.
It is important that low blood sugar be addressed. If too low, the person can be dangerous, and if low enough coma and even death can result. I knew somebody, a few years ago, who was trying to get to a location not too far from her home in CDA. On her way there she was driving like she was drunk. A witness said she followed her, called the cops and stayed behind her until the cops caught up. She ran through a signal, a stop sign, side-swiped a car, hit a trash can out by the street and finally ended up at the airport. When the cops approached the car, he immediately handed her a Glucophage wafer (a medication to raise blood sugar fast). He knew instantly that it was low blood sugar, not drunkenness, because he sees it all too often. That is what I mean by being dangerous. When you have low blood sugar is the time to get help. Low blood sugar nearly always precedes diabetes (Type II). Since at that stage it is relatively easy to reverse with acupuncture and good nutritional guidance, this is the time to act. If you or someone in your life gets hangry, act now while you can and prevent a horrible disease.
©2020 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
