In reality, even though we watch our diet, blood sugar is not a perfect science. However it is known that some foods are more influential than others. These foods are mostly carbohydrates - and they can affect more than just our blood sugar. Carbohydrates can affect our moods and appetite through a neurotransmitter called serotonin.

Serotonin is unique in that it is indirectly controlled by foods, specifically carbohydrates. It's not surprising that eating foods like chocolate cake and potato chips can lift your spirits for a moment or two - but the aftermath doesn't always seem as exhilarating. This becomes a fattening trend, after a while. Why do we get a spiritual uplift from indulging in these no no yum yums?

There is an explanation for this fattening fix. Different sugars affect the brain in different ways. Beware of sugars that are more processed like: glucose, dextrose, and sucrose. These sugars enter the bloodstream quickly, reaching high levels in a short time. This triggers the release of large amounts of insulin. The evolution of man has not adapted for highly refined sugars. This type of sugar is quickly ushered to the cells. Depending on how active a person you are - this energy may not be used up and therefore results to fat storage. A good indicator to use when choosing carbs is the glycemic index. The lower you stay on the index, the less the overall impact on your blood sugar rise. Checkout Fifty50 glycemic index for a list of everyday foods.

Valentine's Day. Sure is a tough day to be diabetic if you have to fight a yearning for sugary treats that are nutritional no-nos. Is is possible to have a sweet Valentine's Day without sugar? Well, maybe. For starters, check out the DLife website. The folks over there have posted some handy hints on how to get by on the big, red, heart-shaped day without giving in to a candy craving. Their advice includes trying low-carb candies and (for couples in lurve) focusing on romance, flowers and the like.

As for helping diabetic kids to deal with the sugar deluge associated with V-Day, here are a couple of good suggestions: have them distribute non-foodie gifts with Valentine cards at school. Think along the lines of little, inexpensive items like stickers. They also advise stashing any candy your diabetic child may receive as a gift and keeping it to be distributed a little at a time.

You have to wonder if parents with diabetic kids have a particularly difficult time on holidays like this, which are so tied up with sticky treats. Must be hard to talk the little ones into going without. Seems to me the best solution for kids and adults is to refocus onto "safe" foods that are still fun and Valentine's Day-themed. Okay, you'll have to use your imagination a little, but life is full of challenges! For example, I liked the website Pioneer Thinking's suggestion: whipping up a big hot potful of spicy Gazpacho soup. It's healthy, affordable, red-hot and can be enjoyed by all. There's just no candy in it. Nor is it heart-shaped. (As I said, you need to use your imagination for this to work...) But what a great idea! I can see it now: in a future, alternate-universe America, people spurning red boxes of candy in exchange for hot and spicy cuisine. A bowl of chili and a bunch of roses for your True Love? Stranger things have happened in this world...

It's terribly unfair. Your sugar drops. You can feel it. The primitive instincts that do not qualify as being on our best behavior sometimes spill out in the subliminal advertising of a low sugar. When your blood sugar drops to hypoglycemic levels, your body goes into survival mode and only lends energy reserves for the nature of survival-unfortunately social graces and reason do not register high on that list.

dLife has put together a guide to help take the guesswork out of treating a low sugar. Too often we tend to over treat lows and end up on the other side of the 80/120 fence, It's difficult to master the twin deficits: too little sugar or too little insulin. But as Kerri (Six Until Me) points out-there is no such thing as a perfect diabetic...we can only do our best.

With that in mind, dLife suggests a few good ways to treat a low, without going too far. Their Rule of Thumb emphasis the 15 grams per 15 minutes rule. This simply means after consuming 15 grams of a fast acting carbohydrate, wait fifteen minutes before re-testing. If your levels are still too low, repeat and retest. Good sources of fast acting carbohydrates include: Glucose tablets (read packaging for equivalent of 15 grams carb) , sugar-sweetened soda (read packaging), 3 small Smarties rolls , 8 Sweet Tarts, or 1 Tablespoon of honey.