Low Blood Sugar:
Retaining Diabetic Health
By Safety Controls For Your Life

Low blood sugar, otherwise known as hypoglycemia, is most common in type 1 diabetics. This is because most type 1 diabetics either produce no insulin or very little in the beta cells located in their pancreas. Insulin is 100% mandatory for the health and well-being of every human body to retain their diabetic health.

Situations Which Affect The Rise And Fall
Of Blood Sugars

• Exercise (strenuous activity) always makes the body's absorption rate of insulin much faster. Remember though, exercise does not necessarily mean at the gym or during jogging. Heavy housework, mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage or any kind of sustained physical movements are still speeding up the absorption rate of your insulin. During this period, monitor your sugar levels much more closely.

• The location of your injection site will absorb differently.The abdominal area gives a slow steady release rate where the leg spreads through the system much more rapidly.

• Ingesting alcohol on an empty stomach will often lower a diabetic's sugar levels rapidly. Be sure you always have enough food in your digestive system so your diabetes and alcohol symptoms can be factored into the possibility of low blood sugars.

• Rapid weight loss or a slow steady sustained loss of weight will always require a dosage check. As you lose weight, your medications almost always must be reduced also.

• When you have an early dinner (or for some reason you had to miss a meal), say around 5 to 6PM, this leaves a span of 12+ hours before you have breakfast. Your previous insulin dose will probably be worn off by then. Have a small snack before bedtime to prevent low blood sugars overnight.

Methods To Raise Your Blood Sugars Quickly

• 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice or regular soda

• 1 cup milk, whole, low-fat or fat-free all OK

• 1/2 cup regular ice cream

• 4 teaspoons of table sugar

• 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup

• 3-5 pieces hard candy (not sugar free candy3

• 2 T. raisins

• for type 1 diabetics which are prone to severe lows (under 50mg/dl), keep a supply of glucagon in the refrigerator. Follow the package directions and instruct several people on how to administer this medication. The patient themselves will probably be unable to do this during an extreme low because of mental confusion and very slow reflexes. Often the patient will be unable to swallow also so the remedies above will not be effective. Approximately 10-15 minutes after administering the dose, follow up with some plain saltine crackers or dry toast to prevent extreme nauseous conditions brought on by the medication.

• glucose tablets, available at your local pharmacy without a prescription, can be used also in place of the small snack or food. Each of these are just a concentrated source of "sugar pill" with the correct dosage already factored into each dose.

So although low blood sugar can be a major problem, it also can be resolved or even prevented very easily with just a few safety precautions adhered to by each individual.

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