Hypoglycemic tips?

briannejohnson23
briannejohnson23 Posts: 2
in Getting Started
Hey guys. Was looking for some tips for people who are hypoglycemic. I have to eat about every three hours or else things get dicey. What meals should I be making the biggest and what things should I have on hand to eat if I'm about to have an episode?

Replies

  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    I have blood sugar issues. It helps to eat every few hours, and if I get shaky I have an 8 oz glass of orange juice to set me right again.

    I always keep orange juice in the house, and a granola bar in my purse.
  • independant2406
    independant2406 Posts: 447 Member
    I think everyone's hypoglycemia will need to be managed differently based on the severity of the symptoms and the foods/activities you find trigger the low sugar. Here's what has been working for me:

    I try to eat 5 meals a day. This means I don't ever eat a large filling meal, but also means I'm never crazy hungry either.

    I always try to include both protein and carbs in my meals.

    I keep my carb intake lower than my protein intake over the whole day.

    I get lots of healthy fats (Olive oil, nuts, eggs etc)

    I try to eat mainly foods low on the glycemic index (this means more raw foods and meals prepared at home instead of meals out/processed foods):

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/

    http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

    I've started doing body weight exercises. A lot of things I've read said heavy cardio workouts may increase blood sugar crashes so I've been focusing on building muscle (which may help with blood sugar control).

    Its helpful to have a bit of sugar and a bit of protein on hand in case you begin to feel sick. One of my favorites is a small apple and some peanut butter or a handful of nuts. Trail mix (measured out and counted for calories into baggies) also works well.

    Start keeping a diary and take notes when you start feeling sick...what did you eat recently? how long ago, and how much? Do the symptoms always occur at specific times of day or after certain activities?

    I kept a diary and found some foods really trigger bad drops in my blood sugar. Oatmeal is one of the worst. I now eat oatmeal less frequently and when I do eat it I use a kind that is blended with protein powder so its more balanced. I found other foods (like eggs or an apple with peanut butter) help keep my blood sugar stable.

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