How to Avoid Hypoglycemia

Your body can tolerate low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, for short periods of time. But since every cell in your body is fueled by blood sugar, chronic hypoglycemia will cause your health to deteriorate. To prevent:

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Fruits
• Blood Sugar Test
• Sports Drinks

1. Start off every day with a healthy breakfast containing fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods such as oatmeal.
2. Eat frequent small meals (rich in complex carbs, protein and fiber) throughout the day.
3. Drink a high-electrolyte sports drink an hour before strenuous exercise to insure you have enough calories to sustain you through your workout and to avoid a rapid drop in blood sugar.
4. Be sure to eat something before you drink alcoholic beverages - alcohol causes blood sugar to spike, then drop precipitously.
5. Choose high-fiber, low-sugar bedtime snacks, such as two graham crackers with 1/2 cup skim milk.
6. Avoid eating excessive amounts of high-sugar foods, which will make your blood sugar spike then plummet. When your blood sugar falls after a "sugar high," it tends to drop dramatically low.
7. Maintain a healthy blood sugar level by never taking too much insulin if you are diabetic. Always check your blood or urine for sugar before injecting, and never skimp on calories once you have taken your insulin.

Tips & Warnings

• For more information on hypoglycemia, call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-342-2383.
• Avoid fasting, eating irregular meals and chronic binge drinking if you want to maintain a more constant blood sugar level. To limit your risk of developing hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar), eat a diet that provides a slow and regular release of sugars.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.