Hypoglycemia, also referred to as low blood glucose, can affect you when your blood sugar levels drop below a normal level. If you have a condition known as meal-related reactive hypoglycemia, your body secretes too much of the hormone insulin after you eat, causing your cells to remove a lot of sugar from your blood. To avoid getting associated symptoms, such as shaking, irritability, weakness and extreme hunger between meals, you should adapt your diet to accommodate your body's needs.
Step 1
Eat foods that have a low glycemic index. The glycemic index measures how fast and high your blood sugar levels rise after a certain food is eaten. A food that ranks closer to "0" will not have a big effect on your blood sugar, while foods closer to "100" can cause blood sugar levels to spike. The way a food is processed, how long it is cooked, and what it contains affect its glycemic index rating. Stick to foods that are lower on the list, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, steel-cut oatmeal, barley, dairy products and sweet potatoes. Foods, such as bread and baked goods, chips, pretzels, mashed potatoes, French fries and sticky rice, should be limited. Seek information on individual foods from the glycemic index chart at the bottom of this article.
Step 2
Choose high fiber foods. Foods with soluble fiber are an especially good choice because soluble fiber causes the stomach to empty more slowly, your body to digest more slowly, and the glucose to be absorbed more slowly than foods with insoluble fiber. Find soluble fiber in vegetables, legumes, oats, nuts and fruits. Legumes are full of protein and can help balance out a meal that contains a food that is ranked higher on the glycemic index. Avoid eating fruits that are prepared with a lot of sugar.
Step 3
Limit the intake of saturated fats, such as those found in dairy and meats, and try to get fat from sources such as fatty fish (salmon and tuna, for example,) avocados, almonds, olive oil and walnuts. When you do eat dairy products and meats, opt to drink skim milk and eat lean meat.
Step 4
Limit or completely cut out your intake of alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. Alcohol, tobacco and some medications can cause a hypoglycemic reaction on their own, because they utilize the liver's resources when it needs to be producing sugar. Caffeine can stimulates adrenaline and worsen any pre-existing symptoms of hypoglycemia.
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