I learned something new today that I felt is important.  Sharing the kind of information that can help people is the reason why I enjoy blogging.  I provided my endocrinologist with information from my dietician appointment - the diet for the week and carb counting. I provided my weekly blood sugars as well. 

I was asked what I do when my blood sugar runs low.  I told him I eat my staple of two 3 ounce sweet potatoes and that if my sugar was below 50 and doesn’t go up right away, I’ll eat 6 ounces of sweet potatoes.  The Dr. was surprised at my response, saying that all complex carbs(a sweet potato is a complex carb) take longer for your body to digest, which in turn causes glucose to go up more slowly.  In other words, a complex carb is not a good rescue carb.  In all my years of competing, I had been concerned about sugar ruining my competition, yet 15 grams is 15 grams no matter what kind of carbs you put in your body. 

Quick sugars are any simple sugar such as orange juice, glucose tablets, or glucose gels that get in and out quickly.

HYPOGLYCEMIA SYMPTOMS:  Fast heartbeat, fine tremor, sweating, anxious, hunger, headache, irritable, weakness, and fatigue.

HYPOGLYCEMIA REMEDY:

Check blood sugar → low is considered less than 70mg/dl

1. Treat according to reading
   • Fast-acting carbs 50-59: treat with 30 grams
   •  Less than 50: treat with 45 grams 
2. Wait 15 minutes for conversion to blood glucose and for symptoms to subside
3. Re-check blood sugar - if still less than 70 then treat again, according to the new reading

Examples for 15 grams of carbs:

• 4 oz juice
• 8 oz milk (1 cup)
• 1/3 can regular soda
• 3 square of 4 round glucose tabs
• 3 round peppermint candies (chew)

Alissa: A question I’ve been asked, and it’s a problem both myself and my diabetic daughter - when your blood sugar drops low, what do you suggest eating to stop cravings and hunger - because I know for myself and my daughter, that’s we go on a binge and it’s so hard to avoid, what do you suggest for that?

Dr Blevins:  You’re talking about a craving, and when you get low, your body is saying , protect me, I want to survive.  Somehow all of the hunger mechanisms go haywire.  You can talk yourself through it, but logic doesn’t always win out when it comes to craving. 10-15 grams of simple carbs is the advisable amount to take for a low.  The best approach, generally speaking, is to use a finite amount of carb for example three glucose tabs.  Then you can tell yourself I just took in more or less 15 grams and I know that’s going to work.  That’s probably the best approach.  There’s no particular food that’s going to help a craving .  I tell people you can have half a glass of juice which is about 15 grams or you can have a barrel of juice which is a huge amount of carbs, but your sugar’s not going to go up any faster.  And you’re going to end up with this mega high sugar afterwards if you have a lot to drink or eat.  But the trouble is that it is hard because people notice that they’re very hungry and their body is telling them to eat and drink more of that juice.  So if you can be disciplined to use a finite amount like 15 grams, and be confident that it’s going to work, then you just have to talk yourself through it.  There’s no perfect food that raises it and satisfies cravings immediately

Alissa: I see

Dr. Blevins: I do think that using rapidly absorbed carbs is absolutely what you want to do.  Athletes can use gels sometimes when get low when they’re working out. A common one is hammer gel.  That’s a particular brand, there are tons of them. The glucose tablets you get at the regular pharmacy are good for routine use. 

I'd love to hear how you handle cravings when your blood sugar is low.  Please scroll down and make a comment