Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I occasionally wake up in the morning feeling dizzy, after feeling fine when I went to bed. It doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen. Then, when I walk, I sort of stagger, a little, like if I had been drinking too much!! Do you know of anything I could take, to either help prevent this from happening, and/or help it to go away when I get it?? Thanks.” —Ken O., Luxemburg, WI A. Dear Ken, I certainly would consult a physician to determine what might be causing the dizziness. This is a symptom that could be associated with a wide variety of conditions, including high blood pressure, which if left untreated could cause severe consequences. It can be a sign of blood sugar issues, ear infection, brain tumor, thyroid dysfunction or the most common cause, a condition called Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is a disorder caused by problems in the inner ear. In this disorder, which usually lasts only a few weeks, changes in the position of the head (as in getting out of bed in the morning) trigger dizziness, unsteadiness and a feeling that the ground is moving, or tilting under you. Since some of the causes are very serious, you really need to get a definitive diagnosis before you decide how to proceed. Should it turn out to be a thyroid issue, I have had much success with a thyroid formula containing 30 mg of iodine and 400 mg of the amino acid L-tyrosine. This can help your thyroid gland produce healthy levels of thyroid hormone. If you are having some mild elevations in blood sugar, in addition to adopting a healthy diet (I recommend my Diet For All Mankind) try a formula of ingredients that will help modulate blood sugar levels, to keep them more even. This would include chromium, vanadium, mulberry leaf extract and a very interesting herb called purslane. Healthy regards! Terry . . . Naturally