The Best Foods To Increase Low Blood Sugar
Ever feel shaky, sweaty, nauseous, or even anxious and unsure of why? You may feel one or more of these symptoms when you have low blood sugar. People with diabetes who are on certain types of medications or insulin are more likely to experience these symptoms. Low blood sugar is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter. If left untreated, low blood sugar can lead to coma or death. An effective way to bring up low blood glucose levels is to consume foods that absorb into the bloodstream quickly. Video of the Day Regular sodas and fruit juices that are not labeled diet or zero-calorie are excellent sources of rapidly absorbed carbohydrate. The fact that they contain mostly carbohydrates and no other nutrients means that these beverages get into the bloodstream quickly. Four ounces or 1/2 cup of a sugary beverage of your choice is all you need. One 4-ounce serving is equivalent to about 15 grams of carbohydrate, which is the amount you need to bring blood sugar up to normal range. Candy Is Convenient Hard candies will work well to raise blood sugar. Candies such as peppermints and fruit-flavored discs are great foods for bringing up glucose levels. They are mainly made of sugar with little if any protein or fat, and therefore they absorb quickly into the bloodstream. Jellybeans and gumdrops are also great options. It is best to read the nutrition facts to determine how many candies are needed; remember that 15 grams of carbohydrates is what you should aim for. Most people have sugar, honey or syrup stocked in their kitchens at all times. These are great sources of fast-absorbing carbohydrate, and it only takes 1 tablespoon of your choice to make up 15 grams' worth. Because these are simple forms of carbohydrate, they will increase blood sugar very quickly. Be careful not to Continue reading >>
Healthy Breakfasts For Stable Blood Sugar
Even if you’re not diabetic, stabilizing your blood sugar is a wise goal. Maintaining a steady blood sugar level can help you lose or manage weight and cut cravings that may lead to selecting unhealthy snack foods. Eating satisfying, regular meals throughout the day will help you maintain stable blood sugar levels. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that will keep you on an even keel until lunch. Drink a cup of green tea with your breakfast, as the polyphenols in this beverage have been shown to slow the metabolism of glucose. A 2005 ABC News poll found that almost 40 percent of Americans generally skip breakfast. Although it saves time, this strategy can wreak havoc with your weight. If you choose sugary pastries or cereals for breakfast, your body digests them quickly, leaving you hungry again very soon. A breakfast that stabilizes blood sugar contains a combination of healthy sources of protein, fat and low-glycemic carbohydrates that are rich in fiber. You body digests these nutrients more slowly, helping you stay full so that you don’t crash mid-morning and go searching for fatty doughnuts or sugar-laden drinks. Choose carbohydrates with a glycemic index below 55 to ensure stable blood sugar. Yogurt Yogurt makes the base of a good breakfast for blood sugar control. A cup of plain, low-fat yogurt contains 154 calories, with 13 grams of protein, 3.8 grams of fat and 17 grams of carbohydrate. The glycemic index of plain, low-fat yogurt is just 14, which is very low. To add fiber to this healthy meal, stir a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed into your yogurt and then slice up some low-glycemic fruit, such as orange, peach, kiwi or pear. For an extra shot of protein, toss on some chopped walnuts or almonds. You’ll get even more protein if you opt for Greek-s Continue reading >>
Diabetes - Low Blood Sugar - Self-care
Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia. A blood sugar level below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) is low and can harm you. A blood sugar level below 54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) is cause for immediate action. You are at risk for low blood sugar if you have diabetes and are taking any of the following diabetes medicines: Insulin Glyburide (Micronase), glipizide (Glucotrol), glimepiride (Amaryl), repaglinide (Prandin), or nateglinide (Starlix) Chlorpropamide (Diabinese), tolazamide (Tolinase), acetohexamide (Dymelor), or tolbutamide (Orinase) Know how to tell when your blood sugar is getting low. Symptoms include: Weakness or feeling tired Shaking Sweating Headache Hunger Feeling uneasy, nervous, or anxious Feeling cranky Trouble thinking clearly Double or blurry vision Fast or pounding heartbeat Sometimes your blood sugar may be too low even if you do not have symptoms. If it gets too low, you may: Faint Have a seizure Go into a coma Talk with your health care provider about when you should check your blood sugar every day. People who have low blood sugar need to check their blood sugar more often. The most common causes of low blood sugar are: Taking your insulin or diabetes medicine at the wrong time Taking too much insulin or diabetes medicine Not eating enough during meals or snacks after you have taken insulin or diabetes medicine Skipping meals Waiting too long after taking your medicine to eat your meals Exercising a lot or at a time that is unusual for you Not checking your blood sugar or not adjusting your insulin dose before exercising Drinking alcohol Preventing low blood sugar is better than having to treat it. Always have a source of fast-acting sugar with you. When you exercise, check your blood sugar levels. Make sure you have snacks with you. Talk to your provider about r Continue reading >>
What To Eat When You Have Low Blood Sugar
When your blood sugar dips, it can leave you feeling hungry, shaky, and lightheaded. This can happen to anyone who hasn’t eaten in several hours. When blood sugar drops below normal levels, it’s called hypoglycemia. In people with diabetes, hypoglycemia can be a life-threatening complication of diabetes medication, other health problems like infection, or inadequate caloric intake. You can lower your chances of low blood sugar—and treat it when it occurs—with some simple steps. Know the Symptoms Sugar, or glucose, is a key source of energy for the body. When blood sugar drops, you may get these symptoms: Hunger Shakiness Sweating Dizziness Lightheadedness Confusion Anxiety Feeling tired or sleepy Headache What You Can Do Most of the sugar or glucose in your blood comes from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches in grains, beans, vegetables, fruit, milk and milk products, honey, and sugar. If you don’t have diabetes and you’re feeling the unpleasant effects of a drop in blood sugar, eat or drink something with carbohydrates. Good choices are a piece of fruit, a few whole wheat crackers, a glass of milk, or a carton of yogurt. In people with diabetes, hypoglycemia can come on suddenly and needs to be treated right away so it doesn’t get worse. Eat or drink a quickly digested carbohydrate food, such as: ½ cup fruit juice ½ cup of a regular soft drink (not a diet soda) 1 cup of milk 5 or 6 hard candies 4 or 5 saltine crackers 2 tablespoons of raisins 3 to 4 teaspoons of sugar or honey 3 or 4 glucose tablets or a serving of glucose gel Each of these choices provides about 15 grams of carbohydrate. Wait for 15 or 20 minutes, then check your blood sugar with a blood glucose meter. If your blood sugar is still low, have another portion of carb Continue reading >>
Treating Low Blood Sugars Quickly
Unless you are eating a meal right away, the best treatment for lows is a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates plus some protein. Quickly treating lows lessens stress hormone release and lowers the chance of the blood sugar going high after a reaction. You'll feel better if the body is quickly resupplied with the fuel it needs. Your brain, muscles and other cells will thank you for not prolonging their misery. Treatment Plant For Hypoglycemia Eat 15 to 20 grams of fast acting carbohydrates immediately. Consider how much unused bolus insulin may still be active. Decide whether complex carbohydrates and/or protein are needed to keep you stable until you eat your next meal. Test your blood sugar 30 minutes later to make sure it has risen. Repeat step 1 if necessary. After a moderate or severe low blood sugar, wait 30 to 45 minutes before driving or operating machinery. A return to normal coordination and thinking is slower than the return to a normal blood sugar. You may need to eat more than 20 grams for a low: when you took a carb bolus for a meal but never ate it. when it has been only an hour or two since your last injection of rapid insulin. when you have been more physically active. Glucose is the "sugar" in blood sugar and may also be referred to as dextrose on labels. It comes in tablets, such as Dex4 or BD Glucose tablets, and in certain candies like Sweet Tarts. Glucose breaks down quickly and reaches the blood as 100 percent glucose, which makes it the best choice for raising the blood sugar quickly. Another good product for raising your glucose is Glucolift Glucose Tablets. Table sugar consists of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule, so when it breaks down in the stomach, only half is immediately available as glucose. Fruit juices, like or Continue reading >>
The Fastest & Slowest Carbohydrates For Low Blood Sugars
Treating a low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) might seem easy: eat something with carbohydrates. But to ensure that you’re getting the best source of carbohydrate that will raise your blood sugar as quickly as possible isn’t as simple as you might’ve thought. For the most part, my relationship with diabetes is a positive one. Checking my blood sugar and taking shots doesn’t evoke any significant negative emotion in my mind (although, don’t get me wrong, I’d love a cure). However, treating a low blood sugar with something I’ve used a hundred-zillion times before, like glucose tabs, tends to make me feel sick to my stomach. Literally, the idea of consuming another juice box to treat another low makes me feel sick to my stomach and it evokes a sense of disgust. “I don’t want to drink another freaking juice box or eat one more freaking glucose tab!” Today, I no longer buy juice boxes for treating lows. And I have dozens and dozens of glucose tabs…but I am sick of that taste. Sick of the connection of how I feel when I’m low with whatever food I’m using to treat it. It’s an emotional connection I’ve made to my diabetes management that is negative. So I find new carbohydrates to treat my low blood sugars on a regular basis. Unfortunately, like I said, different types of carbohydrate take different amounts of time to break down into glucose and get into your bloodstream. I spoke with my friend, Mara Schwartz, who lives with Type 1 diabetes, and is a colleague of mine at TeamWILD (We Inspire Life with Diabetes) as the Director of Special Projects. She is a registered nurse, a diabetes educator and a clinical researcher at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Aurora, CO. She shared with me the fastest and slowest sources of carbohydrate fo Continue reading >>
I Have Low Blood Sugar - What Should I Eat?
The question: I have been diagnosed with low blood sugar. Is there a special diet I should follow? The answer: There isn't a specific diet for low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, but there are dietary modifications that can help prevent reactions altogether. I have developed meal plans for many clients with hypoglycemia who now experience no symptoms at all. Hypoglycemia can be a concern for people with diabetes taking certain blood sugar-lowering medications, but it can also affect people who don't have diabetes. Symptoms can include headache, shakiness, weakness, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, confusion and blurred vision. Diet isn't the underlying cause of hypoglycemia, but altering what you eat – and when you eat – can prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low if you're susceptible to the condition. My goal with clients is to prevent hypoglycemia from happening in the first place. And to do that, it's important to ensure glucose enters your bloodstream at a steady, even pace throughout the day. It's critical to eat every two to three hours to prevent your blood glucose from falling too low. Don't skip meals and include a snack midmorning and midafternoon. Be sure to carry snacks with you to prevent a hypoglycemic episode when you are away from home. Meals and snacks should also include carbohydrate-rich foods with a low glycemic index (GI), which means they're digested slowly and, as a result, converted to blood glucose gradually. Low GI foods include bran cereals, large flake and steel cut oatmeal, stone ground whole wheat, pasta, milk, yogurt, soy beverages, apples, pears, oranges, dried apricots, nuts and seeds, and legumes. Your meals and snacks should also include a source of protein to moderate swings in blood glucose. Lean meat, poultry, fish, low fat chees Continue reading >>
7 Morning Rituals Proven To Lower Morning Blood Sugar Naturally
If you’re a diabetic, you may find that your blood sugar levels are at their peak in the morning. This is due to the fasting period overnight. It’s common for blood sugar tests to require a period of fasting beforehand to get the best natural levels. You need to get your blood sugar levels down right away. The good news is you don’t necessarily need to rely on medication. While you will want to take medication in the way that your doctor has prescribed, you will still want to follow these seven-morning rituals. It is possible to reverse type II diabetes and focus on a healthier and more natural lifestyle. Even if you’re not a diabetic, you will want to keep your morning blood sugar levels down. Here are the seven must-follow morning rituals that have proven to lower the blood sugar levels on a morning completely naturally. Wait, Why Is Your Blood Sugar Up In the Morning? Why is it that your blood sugar levels will rise overnight? You don’t eat anything, so how can you possibly add any glucose to your system? Well, those who suffer from type II diabetes will find this is most problematic. The body still creates glucose throughout the night. It needs to, whether you’ve eaten something or not. This natural process is called gluconeogenesis, and there is nothing you can do to stop it – nor would you want to. In a healthy person, this process doesn’t cause a major problem. Those with diabetes will find the gluconeogenesis process is increased. That means your body produces more glucose naturally than it would if you were healthy. Let’s not forget that the stress hormone cortisol also plays a part. This increases slowly on a morning until it reaches a peak early in the morning. The cortisol will elevate the blood sugar levels, so you end up with naturally hi Continue reading >>
The 3 Worst Foods For Blood Sugar (& 6 Healthy Foods To Eat Instead)
Blood sugar is a relatively common concept for many Americans. But for those who aren’t actively dealing with diabetes, it can be a bit of a murky subject. Discovering more about blood sugar’s role in the body is key to your health, even if you aren’t currently diabetic. What Is Blood Sugar? Blood sugar, or glucose, is sugar carried through the bloodstream to provide energy to the body. Glucose increases when we eat – particularly foods that contain refined carbohydrates, vegetable oils, and sugar. Protein, but not fat, can be converted to glucose when needed, too. (1) Since organs function best with balance, the body tries to maintain stable blood sugar levels. This internal balance is referred to as homeostasis. When we eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into simple sugars during the digestion process. Glucose is the primary simple sugar that fuels the body. (2) Blood sugar levels rise after eating, but then typically return to homeostatic levels within an hour. Blood sugar is at its lowest levels in the morning after fasting during the night. Are you struggling to lose weight, craving foods you shouldn’t, and finding yourself fatigued and unable to focus? Chances are, your Hormones are out of whack. Get our FREE Guide to fixing your Hormones through the Paleo diet here! After glucose is broken down during digestion, it needs to be received into the cells. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose to enter the cells for energy. Without insulin, the cells would not be able to receive glucose. Insulin releases when glucose is present. When blood sugar levels are high, like with diabetes, insulin can’t always keep up with glucose absorption. In other cases, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to keep up with demands, as is common with type 1, or Continue reading >>
The 7 Best Snacks For Hypoglycemics
Low blood sugar isn’t just an issue for diabetics. Hypoglycemia is a common side effect of certain medication as well as a symptom associated with eating disorders, pregnancy and any disorder affecting the liver, heart or kidneys. If you don’t physically need an insulin pump or shots, the best way to keep your blood sugar in check is through your diet. When your blood sugar dips, you feel weak and nauseated. You may even become dizzy or irrationally angry. Snacking on something sugary, however, is just as scary, a different culprit wielding the same symptoms. Most of the food available out in the open is too simple. The solution, then, is to always have snacks on hand. Depending on what you eat, your pancreas releases various amounts of insulin. The best foods to combat a blood sugar dip (while preventing a spike) are complex carbohydrates, produce and protein. Additionally, make sure you’re drinking water with your snack—it’s an easy way to stabilize your sugar levels, especially if you’re eating something sweeter like a fruit. 1. Nuts Nuts are easy to carry and an excellent source of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, so unless you’re allergic, they’re one of the best things you can put in your body. If you’re prediabetic, eating certain nuts, like almonds, cashews or a handful of pistachios, daily can lower your risk of developing type 2. 2. Cheese Cheese may be fatty (remember, not all fat is bad), but it has relatively low sugar levels. A serving of cheese (one string cheese, or a scoop of cottage cheese) contains enough protein and fat to combat weakness and keep you going. 3. Fibrous Fruit Not all fruits are created equally, and some of them, such as grapes and bananas, are more sugar than substance. Fruits like apples, pears and mangoes ar Continue reading >>
What To Do If Your Blood Sugar Is Too Low
You'll need to test your blood sugar if you think you have hypoglycemia.(ARTIGA PHOTO/CORBIS)Although type 2 diabetes is characterized by blood sugar that is too high, some people take insulin and others medications (such as sulfonylureas) that can occasionally drive blood sugar too low. When blood sugar is too lowgenerally less than 70 mg/dLit's called hypoglycemia, and it can become a medical emergency. (The normal range for fasting blood sugar is 70 to 99 mg/dL, though it varies somewhat with age, and is lower during pregnancy and in children.) You can lose consciousness Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur when you start taking a new medication (it can take practice to match your food intake to your insulin dose, for example) or if you exercise more than usual. As blood sugar drops to low levels, you may feel: Shaky Irritable Sweaty This can occur within 10 to 15 minutes, and in extreme cases you can even lose consciousness and experience seizures if you don't consume some glucose (though hypoglycemia is usually mild in people with type 2 diabetes, and readily fixed by drinking juice or eating other sugar-containing items, such as glucose tablets or four to six pieces of hard candy). Hypoglycemia"My blood sugar was really plummeting" Watch videoMore about blood sugar monitoring You'll need to test your blood sugar to confirm that you're having hypoglycemiasome people become irritable if blood sugar is too high, so it's not always obvious. If you drink sugar-containing juice, or some other form of carbohydrate, it should bring blood sugar back into the normal range. You can also purchase glucose pills or gels in the pharmacy that can get blood sugar back on track. “You should always have a glucose source in the car,” says Yvonne Thigpen, RD, diabetes program coor Continue reading >>
- Too much bad food, too little exercise is leading to devastating diabetes for kids | Miami Herald
- Tiny sensor placed under the skin to replace finger prick tests for diabetes: Smartphone app will alert patients if their blood sugar level drops or is too high
- What Are the Signs of Too High Blood Sugar?
Diet Plans For Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia means that you have low blood sugar. People with diabetes often experience low blood sugar levels. Certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, some critical illnesses and hormone deficiencies can also cause hypoglycemia without diabetes. Reactive hypoglycemia is a condition that causes low blood sugar within a four-hour window after meals. Eating food raises your blood sugar levels, but people who have hypoglycemia make more insulin than is needed when they eat. This excess insulin leads to the drop in their blood sugar level. Hypoglycemia is a lifelong condition, but you can help manage its symptoms through your diet. Follow these rules of thumb: Eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day, rather than 3 large meals per day. Avoid foods high in saturated fats or trans fats. Choose foods with a low glycemic index score. Reduce or eliminate processed and refined sugars from your diet. Choose complex carbohydrates over simple carbohydrates. Reduce or eliminate alcoholic drinks, and never mix alcohol with sugar-filled mixers, such as fruit juice. Eat lean protein. Eat foods high in soluble fiber. Here are some ideas for a diet plan for people with hypoglycemia. You should eat a small meal as soon as possible after waking. A good breakfast should consist of protein, such as scrambled eggs, plus a complex carbohydrate. Try these: hard boiled eggs and a slice of whole-grain bread with cinnamon (several small studies indicate that cinnamon may help reduce blood sugar) a small serving of steel-cut oatmeal, like this protein-packed oatmeal with blueberries, sunflower seeds, and agave plain Greek yogurt with berries, honey, and oatmeal In addition, be mindful of your consumption of juices. Stick to 100% juice varieties that do not have added sweeten Continue reading >>
5 Ways To Treat Low Blood Sugar
There are many ways I have treated a low blood glucose (BG) over the 10 plus years I have lived with type 1 diabetes, and I’ve determined how quickly my body reacts to particular items. Depending on my low, I use a different item to treat it, but always aim for 15 grams of fast acting carbohydrates. For example, if my blood sugar is beginning to trend low, then I will treat with candy, but if my blood sugar is already low (below 70 mg/dL for myself), I will treat with juice. However, I always try to be prepared and have either candy, juice, or glucose tabs with me at all times. Below are five different ways I treat a low blood sugar. 1. Hard Candy When I receive a Low Predicted Alert from my MiniMed 530G that my blood sugar is beginning to trend low, I will grab hard candy, such as a bag of Skittles, and eat about 15 pieces. Over my 10+ years of living with type 1 diabetes, I have been able to estimate the amount of Skittles needed to raise my blood sugar to my desired levels. I prefer using hard candy to help treat a low because they are easy to carry and store. For example, my wife always carries a small ziplock bag full of them in her purse. That way, no matter where we are, if a low blood sugar hits, I am prepared. I also take a small bag with me whenever I travel, golf, attend meetings, etc. 2. Juice Juice is my preferred method of treating a low when my blood sugar levels have gone below 70 mg/dL and are trending low. I prefer this method because it is fast acting for me. For example, in the middle of the night, if I have a low blood sugar and wake up from the Threshold Suspend alarm, I know I need glucose fast, so will drink a half cup of orange juice, apple juice, or any other type of juice we have in the house at that particular time. Also, if I am going to b Continue reading >>
Shopping List For Diabetics
Control Type 2 Diabetes, Shed Fat Our Shopping List for Diabetics is based on the Pritikin Eating Plan, regarded worldwide as among the healthiest diets on earth. The Pritikin Program has been documented in more than 100 studies in peer-reviewed medical journals to prevent and control many of our nation’s leading killers – heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, metabolic syndrome, and obesity as well as type 2 diabetes. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, pay special attention. Research on newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics coming to the Pritikin Longevity Center illustrate how profoundly beneficial early intervention can be. Scientists from UCLA followed 243 people in the early stages of diabetes (not yet on medications). Within three weeks of coming to Pritikin, their fasting blood sugar (glucose) plummeted on average from 160 to 124. Research has also found that the Pritikin Program reduces fasting insulin by 25 to 40%. Shopping List for Diabetics – More Features Here’s another big plus to our Shopping List for Diabetics. In addition to icons that are diabetes-focused like “sugar free,” this list uses icons like “low cholesterol” and “low sodium” because many people with diabetes are working to control not just diabetes but related conditions like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. This list can help you identify those foods most advantageous in helping you reach your personal health goals. Diabetic Food Taboos? Not Anymore! Have you been told you have to give up juicy watermelon or sweet grapes? What if we told you those foods really aren’t taboo? Watch the Video Our Healthy Shopping List for Diabetics also lists the top 10 things to put back on the shelf if you’re trying to: Lose Weight Lower Blood Pres Continue reading >>
> When Blood Sugar Is Too Low
No matter what we're doing — even when we're sleeping — our brains depend on glucose to function. Glucose is a sugar that comes from the foods we eat, and it's also formed and stored inside the body. It's the main source of energy for the cells of our body, and it's carried to each cell through the bloodstream. The blood glucose level is the amount of glucose in the blood. When blood glucose levels (also called blood sugar levels) drop too low, it's called hypoglycemia (pronounced: hi-po-gly-SEE-me-uh). Very low blood sugar levels can cause severe symptoms that need to be treated right away. People with diabetes can have low blood sugar levels because of the medicines they have to take to manage their diabetes. They may need a hormone called insulin or diabetes pills (or both) to help their bodies use the sugar in their blood. These medicines help take the sugar out of the blood and get it into the body's cells, which makes the level of sugar in the blood go down. But sometimes it's a tricky balancing act and blood sugar levels can get too low. People with diabetes need to keep their blood sugars from getting too high or too low. Part of keeping blood sugar levels in a healthy range is having good timing, and balancing when and what they eat and when they exercise with when they take medicines. Some things that can make low blood sugar levels more likely to happen are: skipping meals and snacks not eating enough food at a meal or snack exercising longer or harder than usual without eating some extra food getting too much insulin not timing the insulin doses properly with meals, snacks, and exercise Also, certain things may increase how quickly insulin gets absorbed into the bloodstream and can make hypoglycemia more likely to occur. For example, taking a hot shower Continue reading >>
- Too much bad food, too little exercise is leading to devastating diabetes for kids | Miami Herald
- Tiny sensor placed under the skin to replace finger prick tests for diabetes: Smartphone app will alert patients if their blood sugar level drops or is too high
- What Are the Signs of Too High Blood Sugar?
