Nicole Richie is "Hypoglycemic," PR Person Says
The troubles on the set of The Simple Life - Nicole Richie collapsing on set late last week and being hospitalized for dehydration earlier this month - are the result of something new, her rep says.
Hypoglycemia. Which we all know does not exist.
Much like "exhaustion" or "chronic fatigue."
"In her ongoing effort to focus on her well-being, Nicole has recently been diagnosed with hypoglycemia" or low blood sugar, her spokesperson said.
Nicole Richie, 25, announced in October that she was seeking treatment for what her rep described as an "inability to put on weight."
The Gossip likes to call it "being an anorexic waif."
And though she and Paris Hilton work as counselors at a health camp on the fifth season of their E! reality show, Richie's own physical "issues" have recently taken center stage.
"Despite the efforts of Brody Jenner, a source says, "Four or five times she's felt really faint and almost passed out. She has to go into her trailer for a good part of the day."
But Richie's representative tells the media that since the "actress" got her hypoglycemia "diagnosis," she is taking steps to manage it.
Adds a Simple Life spokesperson: "Nicole has reported to work each day and the results have been fantastic."
We're guessing by fantastic, they mean boring, staged and utterly unwatchable. Not unlike just about anything Keanu Reeves stars in.
Meanwhile, Richie is due to appear in court on April 2 to face misdemeanor charges stemming from a December DUI arrest in Los Angeles. She pleaded not guilty on February 20.
She weighs 85 pounds.
March 22nd, 2007 5:56 PM
Hypoglycemia actually does exist, it's just not nearly as serious as it's counterpart. It's the oppositie of hypERglycemia, also know as diabetes (obviously). Some people are born with the tendancy to have lower blood sugar than most. However, unlike diabetes, it is a lot easier to manage by doing things like EATING which she seems to not understand. The simple act of eating cottage cheese or an apple can bring a hypoglycemic's blood sugar back up to normal range. Alcohol also is harder on people who have hypoglycemic tendancies and can make them feel sick, faint, ect the day after they drink until they eat a good meal. I think she's just trying to give an excuse for her weight, even though her weight should be the excuse for her hypoglycemia. If she had a good hamburger once in awhile I can garauntee she'd feel a lot better!
March 22nd, 2007 11:23 PM
seriously, hypoglycemia is a real problem. I'm not commenting on whether this is really the problem here. However, if you've ever been hit with uncontrollable shakiness, which can only be remedied by sugar (a coke and a candy bar used to work for me), then yoiu know what's going on. I just don't want people out there saying it's not real, because it very much is.
April 6th, 2007 1:59 AM
She Looks Discusting
August 30th, 2008 12:21 PM
I know this is an old story, but I wanted to say that hypoglycemia is very real-just ask anyone who suffers from it.
And, as far as the statement that it is not as serious as diabetes, hypoglycemia often precedes diabetes, making diagnosis and treatment-which can prevent it from developing into diabetes-essential.
It really irks me when people who do not know anything about this disorder just undermine the impact it can have on a person.
There are many different types (and causes) of hypoglycemia, and the simple act of keeping your blood sugar stable when you have hypoglycemia is a delicate balance. Eating sugar may temporarily cause relief, but it is actually one of the worst things a hypoglycemic can eat. Eating sugar stimulates a secretion of insulin, which makes the blood sugar low again, making the symptoms reappear.
The best way to treat hypoglycemia is to eat small, frequent meals (some people have to eat as often as every hour and a half), and to make sure those meals have protein and complex carbohydrates, while avoiding sugar.
This means that even when a hypoglycemic eats, that if they eat the wrong kinds of foods, it can make their symtpoms worse. For instance, I have seen some pictures of Ms. Richie carrying around what is most likely a really sugary Starbucks drink. With my hypoglycemia, if I drank something like that, I would fell awful in about twenty minutes.
Also, because a lot of hypoglycemics that have bodies that overreact to sugar, eating a lot of refined carbohydrates can actually CAUSE weight loss. This happened to me before I was diagnosed. I was eating a lot of food, including a lot of white breads and flours, as well as sugar, and yet, I was losing a lot of weight. My doctor ran a urine test, which showed that I was in ketosis-basically, starvation mode. This is when my doctor suspected hypoglycemia, because she knew that I had a healthy appetite.
But, of course, while I went through all of this, my co-workers started rumors that I had an eating disorder. Thanks, guys-I always feel awful, I'm shaky and nervous all of the time, I'm experiencing some awful symptoms-but no, don't offer your support, just start talking about me behind my back.
Whew. Glad to get that off of my chest.
To sum it up; Ms. Richie could quite likely have hypoglycemia. She could be eating the wrong kids of foods, and even if she was eating a sufficient amount of calories, this can cause weight loss, as well as other symptoms of low blood sugar.
This disorder causes a situation where not enough glucose gets to the brain. Low blood sugar can cause nervousness, depression, paranoia, hallucinations, mental confusion,and constant worry. Physically, it can cause heart palpitations, dizziness, loss of balance, blurry eyesight, and a myriad of other symptoms.
And, as far as you saying that she should just eat a good hamburger, that hits the nail on the head. The people in this country sometimes act as if they are totally clueless as to what constitutes a good diet. Red meat is not a healthful food, nor the white flour bun it is on. What she should eat is more quality proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Many experts theorize that the overabundance of refined carbohydrates in the American diet is creating an epidemic of hypoglycemia, which can lead to diabetes. If everyone-not just hypoglycemics and diabetics-openned their eyes and realized how detrimetal our diet is-we could take responsiblity for our health and stop eating tons of garbage, only to expect doctors to help us with pills.
A lot of doctors believe that kids diagnosed with ADD are actually hypoglycemic, and that to treat these kids with stimulants before even trying to alter their diets is an inexcusable disservice doctors and parents are doing for these kids. Many cases of 'depression' and bipolar disorder may be a misinterpretation of symptoms of blood sugar swings.
For all of the above reasons, it really annoys me when misinformed people blanketly state that a condition that I have had to deal with for decades simply does not exist. Do your research. This condition was first noted in 1924. There have been numerous studies showing that staying away from refined carbohydrates and sugars tremendously helps people who have been diagnosed with depression, and that eating too much of them can lead to numerous health problems, from infertility to diabetes.
Next time, do your homework. This disorder can seriously comlicate and alter the quality of a person's life, especially when it is untreated.
Those of us with this condition would gladly accept that this disorder did not exist in a second, if we did not have proof otherwise. We would be happy to believe we are completely healthy if it meant that we would no longer have to monitor everything we eat, that we wouldn't have to deal with symptoms whenever we eat the wrong foods, and if we didn't have to constantly defend the existence of this problem we never wanted or asked for in the first place to ignorant people like you.
The older I get, the more this epidemic of ignorance-and the fact that it is always the most ignorant people who feel the need to share their opinions-disgusts me.
October 10th, 2008 1:49 PM
I have had problems with low blood sugar for years and yes you just get completly disfunctional when the blood sugar drops its not the numbers that are the main focus in the problem but how fastit drops.