Low Blood Sugar and Diabetes

Skipping meals can lead to low blood sugar levels. When you skip meals, your body is deprived of essential nutrients and may not function properly. Signs that your body is not getting enough nourishment include feeling tired, dizzy, or irritable. If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to eat something right away.

If you experience any of the following symptoms – blurred vision, dizziness, mental confusion, sweating, weakness, or abnormal behavior – it is important to act quickly and consume something that will raise your blood sugar levels.

Hard candy, a glass of milk, or a peanut butter and honey sandwich are all good choices to raise your blood sugar quickly. Peanut butter and honey is my favorite because the honey will bring your blood sugar up quickly and the peanut butter will help to keep it there. You can also try orange juice with a little bit of sugar for a quick boost.

It is important to maintain normal blood sugar levels, which are typically between 70 and 110 mg/dL. If you consistently fall below this level, you may be diagnosed with hypoglycemia, which can be a precursor to diabetes. Your doctor will likely recommend treatment right away to help manage your condition.

If you are diabetic, low blood sugar may be caused by your medication. If you have been on the same dose of insulin for some time, you need to discuss with your doctor a possible medication adjustment if you have been having episodes of hypoglycemia, especially during the night or first thing in the morning.

Other causes of hypoglycemia include eating too many carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are converted into sugar very quickly after ingestion, which can cause a spike in your blood sugar. With your blood sugar spiking, your pancreas may respond by flooding your bloodstream with insulin to take the sugar out of your blood.

The only problem with carbohydrates is that they can cause a sugar spike, which is short lived. The amount of insulin that is pumped into your bloodstream can be too much, and when the sugar is metabolized, you may be left with a sharply dropping blood sugar. You may find that you have to eat again very shortly to bring your blood sugar back up.

Eating several small meals throughout the day is the best way to combat and control low blood sugar problems. Missing meals, not eating enough at a meal, drinking in excess, or even strenuous exercise can all be causes of low blood sugar.