Diabetic

smorehouse123

I'm a type one diabetic and I'm worried about eating unhealthy when I get a low blood sugar. Are there any other diabetics here that can give me some helpful advice?

jgnatca

Hi, Type 2 here. So if I am off base just say so.

The most unhealthy condition to remain in is low blood sugar as you can faint and forget to wake up again. The simplest cure is glucose tabs, which is absorbed immediately by your body. No harmful additives, exactly what your body needs.

jgnatca

Now, as for prevention of low blood sugar, eat on a schedule and eat a variety of foods from all macro groups at every meal. Test regularly.

jgnatca

Now, this is assuming you are keeping glucose tabs on your person at all times. Don't turn down a helpful person's offer of a chocolate bar or juice if there is nothing else on hand.

jgnatca

Type 1's correct me if I am wrong, but is the glucose tab to be followed up with a snack like cheese and crackers shortly afterwards?

tlw9903

OP, I am a dietitian. Here are my thoughts. When you need to treat a low blood sugar, you really need to use something that is going to be absorbed rapidly. I wouldn't worry about eating something "good" or "bad" or "healthy" or "unhealthy" when you have a low, you need to treat it ASAP with something that will be rapidly absorbed, which is usually a simple sugar. You want to avoid things high in fat or high in protein when treating a low, those can slow absorption. The best things to use are glucose tabs (as previously mentioned), regular pop, sugary candies--you get the idea--a lot of things that are considered "bad" and things that people who are trying to lose weight normally avoid. But you really need to get that low treated ASAP before it gets worse. Don't worry about quality at a time like that.

I think the real question is how often are you getting lows? Maybe you need your insulin regimen adjusted? If you are having frequent lows, I would suggest talking to your doctors.

brendak76

I try and treat lows exclusively with glucose tabs. They work the fastest and are only 15 calories each. I do account for them in my daily caloric intake. If I am low I could easily eat for a solid 20 minutes until I feel better which could be several hundred calories. Which is why I stick to tabs....

@jgnacta you don't necessarily need to follow up with a bigger snack. It completely depends on what insulin regimine you are on and how much active insulin is in your system. Those rules applied to much older types of insulin.