Blood Sugar Craziness

Coming from a FORMER hypoglycemic......you're doing EXACTLY what you need to be doing. If you eat 5-6X a day and try to get protein and fruit or vegetable at eat graze.....you shouldn't have any problems. Potein slows down insulin release and the frequency should help and improve energy levels. You won't be craving or experiencing the "fogs" you get w/ hypoglycemia.

Hi there. I have been hypoglycemic for 15+ years and had a baby 6 months ago. While pregnant, I had gestational diabetes and went to a nutritionist to learn how to manage things while pregnant. I learned so much about my blood sugar that I didn't know all these years.

Here's the basics - I may not have the timings exactly right, but you will get the idea. Carbs are quick energy and last in your system for an hour or two. About the time that your sugar is going down from the highest point of the carbs, the protein kicks in. Protein takes longer to enter the system, doesn't raise sugar as much as carbs, but stays around longer. The last thing to come into play is fats. They come into your system even later, don't raise sugar very much, but the effects last a long time. So... you need all of them to keep your sugars stable.

And Hypoglycemia and diabetes are different - that's why diabetics don't know about the protein need for hypog's!

I was always told not to eat simple sugars - regular sweets, soda, etc - because it would raise my sugar too high, then I would crash down too low. (My insulin would kick in to deal with the sugar, then not shut off when it should.) So I used to check labels for sugar amounts. The nutritionist said I should be looking at overall carbs, not just the sugar part.

Small meals were good for me, but hard to do. I ended up with three smaller meals a day and a snacks in between. This seemed to keep things stable, but it was a lot easier to do this, then figure out how to get 6 meals a day!

Lastly, if you can, I would recommend going to a nutritionist. I should have done it years ago to learn the right way to manage things.

Hope this helps.

Deb-
I can relate to what you are experiencing. I don't know what area of town you live in but I have a Center for Women in Gahanna and tomorrow evening from 7-8:30pm there is a class "Sugar Blues" that will be held that I think would definitely be benefitial. The cost is $15. If you would like more info you can go to my website: www.HarmonyCenterForWomen.com or call me: J. ###-###-####. I'd love to be able to help you out. -J

Hi Deb. I sell a product called Advanced Level 90 from Isotonix. It helps the body maintain healthy blood sugar levels and promotes the normal release and activity of insulin. I have never suffered from hypoglycemia but have friends who have and this has really helped them. If you want to read about it you can find it on my website

www.marketamerica.com/rebeccahill

Or just give me a call.

B. ###-###-####

Good luck!

Hi Deb. Have you tried to eat more carbs? Carbs, although I know that you may be trying to steer clear of them, are what the body needs to regulate blood sugar. I'm diabetic, so I know about the evils of carbs, yet I do need a certain amount of them in my diet to maintain my blood sugar, or otherwise, my blood sugar would drop like a rock. I hope that this helps you, thanks for your time.

Deb...

I don't know about being HYPOglycemic, but i've been a High Sugar diabetic for 27yrs.... and Protein has never been a factor with blood sugar...not sure who gave you the advice...but you can, more than likely, eat as much Protein as you want without it Affecting your Sugar... and it will Not Help keep it Level....Carbohydrates are the factors when it comes to keeping your BS level...

I would definitely talk to a specialist... better yet... there are Diabetic educators at every hospital.... I've been able to just drop in or call them if something comes up that I have questions about. They are very informed and conscience of the "real world" living.... hopefully you will even find a Diabetic..who IS an Educator...they are the best !!

good luck...E.

Hypoglycemic is pretty easy to deal with if you don't have a very severe case and you take care of yourself properly. I was diagnosed with it when I was a little kid and had lots of problems with it growing up, but basically here's how to deal with it.

Always eat meals at the same time every day.

Avoid over consumption of candies and other sugary sweets, though for some reason chocolate doesn't set it off as much as other candy.

Exercise regularly.

It's a good idea, especially before you get it under control, to keep a granola bar with you in case you need to eat in a hurry. I've found things with peanut butter work very well.

If you start feeling a spell coming on, drink orange juice to buy your time until you can get some real food. (I've used this fix at concerts as bars may not have snacks, but they always have orange juice, but I've found it's just better to have some walnuts in my pocket.)

The protein thing is true, but you don't have to go overboard. Just make sure that you eat it pretty consistantly, for an example by including it in your snacks.

Good luck!

I struggled with several issues related to insulin. When I started following the South Beach "Diet", all of my issues became manageable. It teaches you how to pair foods for the most efficiency. Don't let the name "diet" fool you, it is a great meal plan for people with insulin issues.

Hi Deb!

I first found out I was hypoglycemic when I started feeling dizzy and passing out in high school. Since then, I have been doing exactly what you are doing..eating lots of small meals and trying to get in more protein (which is hard for me b/c I don't eat a lot of meat). I usually carry a Cliff's kids protein bar in my purse at all times. I just had my first child three weeks ago and I it has really made it harder to get the small meals..I just try to eat an apple or handful of nuts whenever I can. Hang in there and look at the bright side...eating a lot of smaller meals a day has been great for boosting my metabolism!

I have been "severe" hypoglycemic since my senior year in high school (about 6 years ago shhh lol) eating small meals all day is key.. but when you are not superwoman peanut butter sandwiches are great.. if you are out and about SNICKERS are perfect.. they have a great balance of sugar and protien etc. in the correct proportions... unfortunaltey i found the best two things to help were to eat eat eat and have a fantastic side kick who reminds you to eateateat.. you are totally not alone! and after a few years( sounds longer than it is) you will learn how you feel and what your signs of an attack are and things willl be sooooooo much easier! ( friendly tip if you have a cell/ home phone make sure it is by the bed at night along with peanuts or a regular sugar soda for those freak "attacks"..dont ask .. just a tip)good luck.. welcome to the club!

Hmm the joys of after baby....I had the same thing happen after my first one....hypoglycemia and thyroid problems...I was a total healthy bean until afterwards then it seemed all of a sudden it hit me.....My advice is be conscious of what you eat. I see you already know to eat proteins!!!! Keep it up. Also if you catch yourself being grumpy you must stop and eat something....this caused quite a tadoo in my house until I figured out that when I started getting grumpy my sugar was getting low and it would cause havic on everyone else....so do yourself a favor and be conscious of it. Good Luck!!! Also keep somesort of protein on you at all times in case your sugar decides to drop....or at least something sugary for the quick fix only to be followed up shortly with protein...Also saw that some are saying Carbs are the way to go...ask your dr but mine told me proteins and you especially dont want carbs if you are trying to loose your baby weight...

Hi Deb,

I am not a diagnosed hypoglycemic, but my doctor agrees that I have all the signs. I've been experiencing symptoms for almost 20 years, and didn't know it for probably 10. Right after my daughter was born, it was the worst it's ever been. I would have a "spell" almost every day.

Contrary to the posts from diabetics, you do NOT need more carbs (which I think you know) unless you are having an episode. My best advice is to pay attention to your sugar intake and make sure to offset it with protein. Go for whole grains more than refined products because it is healthier and takes longer for your body to process it, which will prevent a spike in your blood sugar leading to it bottoming out. Always keep a cereal bar, granola bar or protein bar or shake with you when your sugar does drop unexpectedly.

My downfall was always in the morning. I drink two cups of coffee with flavored creamer, and I have never been much of a breakfast eater. I had to start having eggs, oatmeal or peanut butter wheat toast in the morning or something that had protein in it and not too much sugar. I couldn't do cereal and milk - I would invariably crash later. Frequently I would have to pull out the cereal bar or whatever whild shopping to bring my blood sugar back up.

I haven't had an episode in a LONG time. I think what finally leveled it out was changing my diet completely. I had always overloaded on carbs, so I tried Atkins for a little while. I couldn't maintain it since I LOVE carbs. :) Then, my husband's company at the time (Abbott) sponsored a Body For Life challenge to the employees to see who could change their bodies the most. They gave away the book and had a speaker come in and answer questions. So we started doing the diet in that book. It was great for hypoglycemia - and really not too hard! The bonus was that we ended up losing weight (I lost 16 lbs. in 12 weeks). :) The basic concept of the diet is eating one serving (the size of your fist) of carbs and one serving of protein for each meal - six meals a day. You add in at least two servings (also size of your fist) of veggies a day. Obviously, your meals are much smaller than a typical three meal a day kind of plan. Since spending 12 weeks on that diet almost a year and a half ago, I don't remember having an episode. I think it helped me reset my eating habits to get away from overloading on carbs. If you want more info on their program, you can go to www.bodyforlife.com. Or, if you want specific suggestions of what meals we did, you can email me back.

Good luck! Hypoglycemia is manageable!

I'm hypoglycemic, have been now knowingly since I was about 9 or 10. I have to watch what I eat a lot, but I also take chromium picolinate. before you try it though, definately talk to a dr. to make sure it'd work for you. It works great for me though, its not actually a sugar pill like insulin, its more a sugar stabilizer for your body where it helps your body more efficiently use what sugar you get/have.

I have a diabetic daughter who is now 25. What I can tell you is first see if you can see a medical professional (clinic, or your doctor)who can set you up with a balanced plan. It sounds like you know to back up with protein. Small snacks also help. Crackers and cheese, peanut butter, yogert, a chicken sandwich, or an egg roll-up all work well for my daugter.Remember the energy you burn up has to be replaced. If you clean the house, run around with the kids, or anything causing the energy to go out you have to replace it. Smoothies are also great. I hope this helps. God bless. C. B.

Hi Deb,

Well, first thing I would ask would be what kinds of protein are you eating? You want the best protein you can get without all the fat. I don't know if you want to lose weight or if you're comfortable with your body, but I use Shaklee's Cinch Inch Loss Plan for many reasons. I like the simplicity of it, and I especially like the Non-GMO Soy Protein shakes and bars. You can use the plan to lose or maintain weight, or just for a super healthy source of protein, without all the fat. Also, the 3-in-1 Boost tablets contain all recommended daily amounts of necessary vitamins and minerals and a glucose regulation complex to keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. I've lost 30 pounds so far, and my blood sugar is well controlled - so much that my blood tests surprised my doctor on my last visit! Just a suggestion. For secure online ordering visit www.shaklee.net/greenlifeny, or call 1-800-Shaklee with ID# ZP02742 to place your order over the phone. Best of all, Shaklee offers a 100% money back guarantee on all products. Take control of your blood sugar now, so it won't be a problem later. Good luck!