Managing your blood sugar is an important step in properly controlling your diabetes. Having low blood sugar can be dangerous and can even cause dizziness and loss of consciousness if not taken seriously.
To help prevent low blood sugar from impacting your life, here are eight life-saving tips!
#1. Learn About Your Medications
One of the most important steps is to learn more about the medications you are taking. Understand why your diabetes medication cause low blood sugar to prevent this from happening. Be informed by consulting with a pharmacist or your physician.
#2. Know The Symptoms
Being in tune with your body is important. If you understand the symptoms of low blood sugar, you will be able to better prevent it. Look out for things like dizziness, shakiness, sleepiness, anxiety, headaches, and pale skin to name a few.
#3. Pay Attention to Insulin Timings
If you are using fast-acting insulin, you will want to pay close attention to your glucose levels one to two hours after injection: this time range corresponds to the insulin action’s peak action. Risk of hypoglycemia may be higher during this period.
#4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep plays a role in your overall health, and a study found that sleepiness was actually linked to hypoglycemia risk. You should ddress any sleep issues to better manage blood sugar levels.
#5. Plan Your Meals
Concord your meal time with your insulin injections. One study found that those who ended up in the emergency room with low blood sugar took insulin but didn’t eat.
#6. Watch Physical Activity Levels VS Food Intake
If you’re an active person, chances are you are going to need extra fuel. Pay attention to how much you are working out or how much you are moving during the day. If you are quite active, you may need to add some extra fuel to your diet to accommodate for the activity levels.
#7. Eat a Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet can go a very long way. Be sure to focus on quality fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. You will also want to be sure you are getting enough fiber-rich foods into your diet. Eating a balanced diet can be one of the best ways to manage your blood sugar levels.
#8. Carry Snacks
In case your blood sugar levels drop, you will want to have a glucose source with you to bring those levels up. Fruit juice is a great option, but some diabetics may prefer the convenience of glucose tablets.
Just like high blood sugar can be an issue, low blood sugar is problematic as well. Insulin can cause significant drops in blood sugar if you aren’t eating right or not eating during the right times. While insulin does its job, you have to do yours to be sure your blood sugar levels are in check!
Focus on a healthy diet and carry snacks with you at all times. With a little work, you can prevent low blood sugar from being something you stress about.
[expand title=”References“]
Diabetes Forecast. URL Link. Accessed February 7, 2017.
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