Diet for Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is best described as low blood sugar. It is a state caused by a lower than normal blood glucose level. Persons who have blood glucose of 70 mg/dl are said to be hypoglycemic, although it really depends upon the individual as to the specific level of blood glucose that will trigger hypoglycemia.
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Symptoms
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Symptoms of hypoglycemia include, but are not limited to, anxiety and nervousness, cold sweats, palpitations, fast heartbeat, dilated pupils and/or feelings of pins and needles in the feet and hands. The person may complain of intense hunger. Another common complaint is a severe headache. Those with severe hypoglycemia may exhibit unusual aggressiveness and anger, amnesia or may appear to be very drunk.
Characteristics
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Hypoglycemia is often seen in those with insulin dependent diabetes (type 1), but is not limited to that disease. Persons with type 2 diabetes may also suffer hypoglycemia if they fail to eat or take their medications properly. Hypoglycemia is seen in people who have a problem with digestion in which the body is unable to use the sugars produced during digestion in the proper way. Having hypoglycemia does not mean that you have diabetes, it merely means that the body is not responding to the sugar ingested in the proper way.
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Treatment
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Controlling how and what a person eats is the main treatment for hypoglycemia. A diet with moderate proteins and whole grains is recommended because these products are absorbed more steadily and over a longer time than a diet high in processed sugars. The diet should also contain a small amount of fats, as these help keep the body's glucose at a more steady level. Eating smaller, more frequent meals about three hours apart also helps the body maintain a more constant blood glucose level. Eating something containing a fairly high amount of protein just before going to bed will help maintain a steady glucose level during the night.
Diagnosis
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Those suspected to have hypoglycemia should obtain a blood glucose meter. Anytime they feel that their blood sugar has dropped, they should test their blood glucose level and record the results. They should also test their blood glucose level the first thing in the morning before they have eaten, to monitor how low the blood glucose is dropping during the night. Your physician may order a glucose tolerance test, which measures how the body reacts to glucose over a several-hour period.
Warnings
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Persons suffering from a hypoglycemic episode should eat something immediately that contains a high level of refined sugar. This will cause the blood glucose level to increase rather rapidly. Care should be taken if the person is showing signs of lethargy or is unresponsive. In this case, a spoonful of honey can be slowly dripped into the person's mouth, preferably under the tongue, taking care not to cause the patient to aspirate any of the liquid. In some cases, a person may require an injection of glucose directly into a vein to increase the glucose level.
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