What To Do If Blood Sugar Level Drops Too Low

As you must have heard, another term used for low blood sugar is “hypoglycemia.” This condition is prevalent in diabetic patients who rely on drugs to increase the amount of insulin in the body.

checking blood sugar level
Measuring blood sugar levels.

The first most important thing we should all know is that low blood sugar is a hazardous health condition. So if you notice any sign of the condition, take action immediately before it becomes severe.

What is Blood Sugar?

Before we proceed with what the low blood sugar can cause and how we can remedy the situation, let’s broaden our knowledge on what blood sugar is. Blood sugar is also known as glucose.

The glucose in question is from the food we eat, and this provides energy to the body, for us to perform our daily activities.

Foods that supply glucose to the body

There are a lot of foods that provide the body with glucose. Carbohydrate-based foods are examples of foods that provide the body with glucose it needs. Some examples are:

  • Rice
  • Bread
  • Potatoes
  • Cereal
  • Milk
  • Fruit
  • Tortillas
  • Vegetables

What Causes Low Blood Sugar?

There are many factors responsible for low blood sugar. They include:

  • Skipping meals
  • Taking too much medication
  • Eating less than normal
  • Exercising harder than usual, especially without consuming enough food.

How to identify if you have low blood sugar

Some symptoms warn us when our body is about to or is experiencing low blood sugar. If these signs happen to you, then you have to take the necessary steps to raise your blood sugar.

  • Hunger
  • Shaking
  • Sweat
  • Turn pale
  • Headache
  • Feeling Cranky
  • Have blurred vision
  • Feeling nervous or uneasy
  • Fast or pounding heartbeat
  • Having general weakness or feeling tired

In severe cases where your blood sugar becomes extremely low, you may have a seizure, faint, or go into a coma.

How to Restore Your Blood Sugar

If you notice you have low blood sugar, the most important thing to do is to take action immediately.

The leading cause of low blood sugar is food, which produces the glucose that converts into energy and used by our cells. So if you have the condition, the following tips are your best bet to increase blood sugar.

Take High Carbohydrate Snack

Consuming snacks that contain a high amount of carbohydrate can help you restore low blood sugar level. According to the American Diabetes Association having snacks that contain at least 15 grams of Carbohydrates is what you need t increase blood sugar level. Examples of snacks are;

  • Fruit juice
  • Granola bars
  • Fruit juice (1/2 cup of orange juice)
  • Cookies
  • 5 or 6 hard candies

Other ways to raise blood sugar are:

  • A tablespoon of cake frosting
  • A tablespoon of honey
  • A tablespoon of sugar dissolved in water

Take Glucose Tablets

You can rapidly raise your blood sugar levels with glucose tablets. They are available as nonprescription medication, but you have to check the amount of gram in each tablet before use.

Always have it at the front of your mind that you are aiming for just 15 grams and 20 grams of carbohydrates.

Target Level By Type Upon Waking Before Meals (Pre prandial) At least 90 minutes After Meals ( Post prandial)
Non-diabetic ~4.0 to 5.9 mmol/L Under 7.8 mmol/L
Type 2 Diabetes 4 to 7 mmol/L Under 8.5 mmol/L
Type 1 Diabetes 5 to 7 mmol/L 4 to 7 mmol/L 5 to 9 mmol/L
Children w/type 1 diabetes 4 to 7mmol/L 4 to 7 mmol/L 5 to 9 mmol/L

These are general medicine guidelines; please follow your doctor’s instructions or refer to blood sugar chart.

Conclusion

Once you have confirmed that you have a low blood sugar, the best thing you can do for yourself is to replenish your sugar level by consuming high carbohydrate based diets. But if the condition does not improve, seek medical help.

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