Easy Ways of Preventing Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition where the amount of glucose in the blood has reached abnormally low levels. Glucose is critically important to the body. It is especially important to the major organs of the body such as the brain and the heart. Moderate hypoglycemia can result in dizziness, confusion, anxiety, and the trembling of limbs. Severe hypoglycemia can result in heart palpitations, seizures, unconsciousness, and even comas. Diabetics are especially at risk for episodes of hypoglycemia because of their body’s inability to create or regulate insulin properly. It’s therefore important that they learn to prevent hypoglycemia in order to stave off it’s harmful effects.

1. There are many drugs of diabetes. Some medicines as well as other substance such as alcohol can also lower  your body’s glucose levels. Taking medicines can be tricky as you always have to be aware of the possible drug interactions with your food intake. Before beginning to take any medicine, you should ask your doctor or check with a drug manual to find out if it has any affect on blood sugar levels, and if so, make the necessary dietary adjustments to ensure that you won’t suffer “insulin shock”.

2. Being consistent with when you eat meal by having them at approximately the same time every day, is one of the best ways to combat hypoglycemia episodes. By not skipping or delaying meals, and eating the same amount of food at each meal or snack time, you help to stabilize the amount of glucose entering your body at any one time.

3. Pay attention to the kinds of foods that you eat. If your blood glucose levels are constantly hovering at or under 50 mg/dl, you’re in danger of acute hypoglycemia. A good thing to do is to speak to a nutritionist and your doctor to develop a series of meal plans geared towards keeping your blood sugar levels at optimum levels. And even though your doctor is your ultimate guide in regards to treating your diabetes, most doctors are not well trained in nutrition. Having your nutritionist develop a meal plan and then running it pass your doctor is probably the best way to go.

4. Before you embark on a strenuous exercise routine, be careful. Physical exercise gets your body’s adrenaline pumping and makes your body’s organs work harder. The compounding of these two factors has the potential to deplete much of the glucose in your body. If your are at risk for hypoglycemia, before you begin exercising you should consume some healthy carbohydrates. This can greatly help to keep your blood glucose levels in the normal zone.

5. Constantly monitor your blood sugar levels. Many times you won’t experience symptoms of low blood sugar until you are already in the hypoglycemia range. Monitoring your glucose levels is the only reliable way to ensure that you become aware of a potential hypoglycemic situation before it actually occurs. Adequate glucose monitors are relatively inexpensive these days, making it very easy to monitor your situation.

But what do you do if you have already begun to experience the signs of low blood glucose? The fastest means of alleviating them is to raise your glucose levels back to the normal range. Usually this is done by eating a carbohydrate such as a banana, some crackers, etc. Many people with diabetes make a point of carrying snacks with them for just this type of circumstance. The best cure, however, is to follow dietary rules to help keep you from getting into a bad situation.

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Tags: Easy, Hypoglycemia, Preventing, Ways