Diet for Hypoglycemia

What are some practical ways to avoid severe conditions of Hypoglycemia?

My g-friend suffers severe conditions of hypoglycemia such as becoming incoherent and lethargic. What should I do when this occurs and what are things she can do to prevent these symptons before they occur.

Public Comments

1. She shouldn't be eating sugar products and she should be eating high protein.
2. make sure she's eating the right meals and regular snacks she needs to eat every 3 hours
3. If she is alert enough to drink something, keep a soda or some orange juice on hand. You can also purchase chewable tablets and a gel based sugar than can be placed between the gums and cheek. The best defense here is a good offense. Keep it in check before she becomes incoherent and lethargic.
4. The blood glucose level may fall too low or too fast. Some people then experience the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Some snack and meal suggestions that meet the goal of including a complex carbohydrate, a protein source and fat include: sandwich yogurt and fruit cottage cheese and crackers turkey, cheese slices and veggies on a salad salad with beans added peanut butter and crackers low fat cheese and crackers bean soup and crackers low fat cheese on bake potato bagel and lowfat cream cheese Eat at least three regularly spaced meals 3 to 5 hours apart) daily. Include snacks if needed. Eat at the same time each day. Avoid skipping meals. This can be accomplished without weight gain by staying at a healthy caloric intake (distribute total calories throughout the day). Avoid sugar and foods and beverages containing sugar, especially on an empty stomach. An occasional sweet food consumed in a small amount with a meal may be tolerated. Include at each meal or snack: Complex carbohydrate: fruit,vegetable,starch or grain product. Protein source: lowfat meat, lowfat dairy product, legume, peanut butter. Fat source: oil, margarine,lowfat mayonnaise (fats may be hidden in carbohydrate and protein). Use these fats sparingly. Distribute meals and snack calories as evenly as possible throughout the day. Limit alcohol. Drink alcohol only with food and only with health care providers approval. Avoid caffeine (in coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate) Eat 1 to 3 hours before exercise. Extra calories may be needed before exercise to compensate for calories burned.
5. First of all, go out and buy those gel frostings .. the one that will stain the least when consumed is yellow. Before bed, she should eat crackers/peanutbutter and milk.. crackers/cheese and milk... cheese sandwich with orange juice or milk, you get the idea. There are three types of foods here: protein (which is the long-acting sugar producer), bread/cracker (which is the middle-acting sugar producer) and the milk or juice (which is the short-acting sugar producer). So eating a bit of each will get her through the night. Have her keep packs of peanutbutter crackers with her in the car and in her pocketbook. Have her keep the frosting gel at her bedside, in the car and in her pocketbook. She needs to consume judicious amounts of protein through the day so that she has ongoing digestion and release of glucose/sugar into her blood stream.
6. I am also hypoglycemic and must avoid sugar, caffeine, simple carbs, and alcohol. Those are the biggies. She should focus more on a diet made up of lots of protein, complex carbs, and fiber. When she is having an episode, she should be given some type of quick dissolving sugar, such as soda, juice, or hard candy. However, about 15 minutes later she must eat a good meal or snack that is high in protein, fiber, and fat...such as a ham and cheese sandwich w/ milk, or a hamburger...to prevent another episode from happening. Good luck!