Hypoglycemia
What is Hypoglycemia?
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is considered a cluster of symptoms, not a disease. Normally the body maintains a fairly constant blood sugar level. The amount of sugar in the blood is regulated by the hormone, insulin. Hypoglycemia is thought to be caused by an oversecretion of insulin in response to the blood sugar rising too rapidly after food is eaten, usually after eating foods high in simple carbohydrate. Hypoglycemia can also result from lack of food for example, skipped meals.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia:
The symptoms of hypoglycemia may include headache, shakiness, fatigue, sweating, anxiety, blurred vision, dizziness.
Treatment:
The goal of treatment of hypoglycemia is to slow down the absorption of food through the intestines. This is best done through changes in eating habits. Follow these general guidelines:
- Avoid simple (refined) carbohydrates. These are foods high in sugar content, such as jams, jellies, table sugar, honey, syrup, molasses, pies, candy, cakes, cookies, pastries and soda pop.
- Increase your intake of complex carbohydrates (starches). These foods are absorbed more slowly than simple carbohydrates and therefore do not cause rapid increases in blood sugar levels. Examples of complex carbohydrates are breads, cereals, pasta, rice, vegetables, and legumes. If carbohydrates are removed from the diet, the body loses its ability to handle carbohydrate properly.
- Increase your intake of fiber. This is the indigestible portion of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. Carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly when they are part of a high fiber meal.
- Eat smaller meals with snacks between meals and at bedtime. Six small meals per day are recommended at 2-3 hour intervals. They should consist of a small serving of low fat protein, and a food high in fiber. One of the small meals should be eaten before bedtime. (Eating shortly after awakening is very important.)
- Eat fruit÷fresh or canned without sugar÷rather than drink juice. The added fiber will slow down sugar absorption.
- Avoid foods and beverages containing caffeine. Caffeine often produces the same symptoms as hypoglycemia and may make you feel worse.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels, especially on an empty stomach.
- Decrease your fat intake. A high-fat diet has been shown to interfere with your body's insulin use. Because fat is high in calories, decreasing fat intake will also help you lose weight. If you are at your desirable body weight, replace calories from fat with calories from complex carbohydrates.
Guide to Food Selection:
| Foods to Use |
Foods to Avoid |
| Milk÷Skim, skim buttermilk, evaporated skim milk, plain, low-fat yogurt. |
Milk÷Whole milk, 2% milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, sweetened milk drinks, flavored or fruited yogurt. |
| Vegetables÷Fresh, frozen, or canned. Starchy vegetables, such as peas, corn, and potatoes with skins, are high in fiber. |
Vegetables÷Vegetables with sauces and glazes, sweet pickles. |
| Fruits÷Fresh or dried fruits. Fruits canned or frozen in water or their own juice. |
Fruits÷Fruit drinks, punches, and ades. Fruits canned or frozen with sugar or syrup. |
| Meat & Meat Substitutes÷Lean beef, lamb, pork, veal, and poultry. fish and shellfish. Low fat cheese and eggs. Lentils, soybeans, dried peas and beans. Soybean meat substitutes. Peanut butter. |
Meats & Meat Substitutes÷Meats or meat substitutes prepared with a sweetened sauce or gravy. Meats high in fat, such as luncheon meats, frankfurters, processed cheeses and cheese spreads, fried chicken or fish. |
| Fats & Oils÷Safflower, sunflower, soybean and corn oil. Margarines in which the first ingredient is a liquid vegetable oil. Be careful of portion sizes. |
Fats & Oils÷High fat sauces and gravies. |
| Miscellaneous÷Decaffeinated coffee and tea, herbal teas without caffeine, sugar-free soda pop without caffeine (such as Diet 7-Up or RC 100), and mineral water. Artificial sweeteners and artificially sweetened jelly, jam, and syrup. Unsweetened gelatins. spices, herbs, and condiments. |
Miscellaneous÷Regular soda pop. Coffee or tea containing caffeine. Alcoholic beverages. Sugar-free pop containing caffeine. All other sweetened beverages. Sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, honey, jam, jelly, preserves, syrup, molasses, candy. Regular gelatin. Pies, cakes, cookies, puddings, and other sweet desserts. |
| Breads & Grains÷Whole grains, breads and cereals. (Examples: whole wheat or whole grain flour, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, wild rice, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, cornmeal.) |
Breads & Grains÷Sweet rolls and pastries. Presweetened cereals. |
| Bagels, tortillas, muffins. French, pumpernickel, raisin, rye, sourdough, and whole wheat breads. Hot and cold unsweetened cereals. |
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| Spaghetti, macaroni, lasagna. Bread sticks, graham crackers, melba toast, whole wheat crackers, rye krisp, popcorn (unbuttered). |
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Source: International Diabetes Center, Park Nicollet Medical Foundation, 1986.
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