Helpful Tips for low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)

There are times when mild low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can be a problem for a person living with diabetes. This may happen when you have skipped a meal, ate less than usual, exercise more than normal, or take too much medication.

You can bring your blood sugar back to normal quickly by eating a small amount of sugar, or a high-sugar food.

Symptoms of low blood sugar include:
sweating, hunger, weakness, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and mood changes in most people.

Since low blood sugar can cause confusion, it's important to plan ahead, having ready a snack or commercial product that contains a predetermined amount of glucose.

It's smart for a person with diabetes to carry a supply of such items at all times.

That bears repeating: Carry something with you AT ALL TIMES.

You can choose between common food items, such as: candy and glucose products made especially for people with diabetes.
Glucose raises the blood sugar faster than fructose or table sugar, which is sucrose—half glucose and half fructose.

Commercially made glucose products like BD Glucose tablets and Glutose Gel are easy to use because they are clearly marked with the recommended dosage.
Also, they're less tempting than snack foods such as candy, so they'll be there when you need them. They come mainly in tablet forms so you don't have to worry about them melting like you would some candy items.

On the other hand high-sugar foods are very effective and usually easy to find when a low blood sugar reaction occurs.

The recommended dose is 15 grams of glucose, which is the same as:
two teaspoons of regular granulated table sugar
8 LifeSavers
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup apple juice

Since fat can interfere with how fast blood sugar rises, avoid fatty sources of sugar like chocolate and baked goods.
Check your blood sugar after 15 minutes, and repeat the dose if your blood sugar is still below 70 mg/dl.
I hope this information is helpful for you in trying to keep your blood sugar level under constant control.
*Disclaimer* Keep in mind that many different things can affect blood glucose levels, including food, medicines, illness, and stress. Talk to your doctor to determine your blood glucose goals.

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