Thursday, December 31, 2009

Dieting for the Hypoglycemic


With hypoglycemia, it’s important to manage your diet well and always make sure that you have some type of food source handy.
Avoid caffeine, which will lower your blood sugar. Also avoid sugar, which can put your own blood sugar (glucose) on a roller coaster ride and make you crash harder and faster than if you didn’t eat it in the first place. If you must eat sweets, do not eat them on an empty stomach; eat sweets after a regular meal.
Other tips to manage hypoglycemia:
  • Eat a high-fiber diet to slow digestion of foods.
  • Eat small meals frequently to maintain blood sugar.
  • Watch out for fruits and fruit juices. These are high in sugar content and can cause a crash just like refined sugar can.
  • If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night, this could be an indication of your blood sugar dipping. To correct this, try a handful of cashews or other protein just before bed. Protein digests slowly through the system and will help keep you steady through the night.
  • Eat some protein every morning—some examples for breakfast can be yogurt, a protein smoothie, or peanut butter on an apple. You can also take three capsules of the herb spirulina, which is rich in protein. It will help carry you through the day.
  • Watch what you eat, and note any food allergies that may be triggering a problem.
  • Take your supplements. The following have all been helpful in the correction or management of hypoglycemia: GTF chromium (GTF stands for “glucose tolerance factor”) is a mineral that helps steady your blood sugar.
L-glutamine is an amino acid useful in sugar metabolism. A combination of licorice root, safflowers, dandelion, and horseradish is helpful to the glands and digestion. Spirulina taken between meals is a rich source of protein that can help keep you nourished.

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