NOTHING TO SNICKER(S) AT!

A man found a magic lamp on the beach. He rubbed it and out popped a genie, who gave the fella three wishes.  First, he wished for a million dollars, and poof! There was the money. Second, he wished for a convertible, and poof! There was the car.  Finally, he wished that  he could be irresistible to all women, and poof! He was turned into a box of chocolates.

Have you ever snapped angrily at someone when you were hungry?  Or has someone snapped angrily at you when they were hungry?  If so, you’ve experienced, “hangry” (an amalgam of hungry and angry) – the phenomenon whereby people get grumpy and short-tempered when they’re overdue for something to eat.  Why is that?  The answer lies in a process that goes on inside your body when it needs food.  Here’s how it all works.  The carbohydrates, proteins and fats in everything you eat are digested into simple sugars (glucose), amino acids and fatty acids.  These nutrients pass through your bloodstream from where they are distributed to your organs and tissues and used for energy.  As time passes, after your last meal, the amount of these nutrients circulating in your bloodstream starts to drop.  And if your blood-glucose level falls far enough, your brain will perceive it as a life-threatening situation.  That’s because whereas most other organs and tissues in your body can use a variety of nutrients to keep functioning, your brain is critically dependent on glucose to do its job.  And the neurons your brain sends out for food are the same neurons your brain sends out for emotions (which is why a baby cries when it is hungry).  So low blood sugar and high emotional moods are connected.