It's normal for blood sugar levels to fluctuate during the day depending on when, what and how much you eat, as well as your activity level. When blood sugar levels drop, you may feel tired, hungry, shaky, anxious, confused or have a headache. That's your brain signaling the need for more glucose -- your body's primary source of energy. PubMed Health notes that blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low and may become dangerous. There are some simple dietary changes you can make to prevent late-afternoon hypoglycemia.
Sugar
You can avoid low blood sugar by avoiding high blood sugar. Your body can quickly convert easily digestible carbohydrates such as sugar to glucose. The faster your body produces glucose, the more insulin your pancreas releases to move glucose from your bloodstream into your cells for energy. But when glucose levels rise too quickly, your pancreas may produce too much insulin. After all the glucose has been moved into your cells, excess insulin in your blood stream triggers hypoglycemia -- you're hungry and tired and looking for more glucose. This cycle can also lead to overeating and weight gain. The MayoClinic.com website recommends skipping the refined flours in white bread and pasta, as well as sweets, coffee drinks and sodas at lunch to avoid the inevitable crash a few hours later.
Fiber
High-fiber foods slow digestion and help you feel satisfied longer, allowing you to wait longer between meals. Eating legumes, vegetables, fruits and whole grains such as brown rice at lunch or oatmeal at breakfast will help stave off those afternoon hunger pangs. Fiber helps regulate glucose and stops the cycle of low and high blood sugar. Legumes are a great source of both protein and fiber; start your lunch with a cup of black bean or lentil soup, then have a salad with lean protein such as chicken or turkey, or a sandwich on whole grain bread and you may feel full until dinnertime.
Snack
Your body is designed to use glucose and then signal for more. If you had an early lunch then you might need an afternoon snack if you have low-blood sugar four hours or more after lunch. Eating on a regular schedule, every three to four hours, helps stabilize glucose levels. Avoid sugar snacks or using caffeine to perk yourself up. Eat a high-fiber carbohydrate in combination with healthy protein and fat. A piece of fruit and a handful of nuts, hummus with whole-grain pita, celery and cream cheese or even some leftovers from your healthy lunch will give you the boost you need.
See a Doctor
Hypoglycemia is most often associated with diabetes, but can be caused by an underlying illness such as liver disease or a tumor in your pancreas producing too much insulin. If you have chronic blood sugar problems, you'll need to treat the underlying cause. If you have diabetes and often have hypoglycemia, you may need to re-evaluate your treatment plan. You could be taking too much insulin, not eating enough food or exercising too much. If your physical activity level has recently changed, you may be experiencing low blood sugar because you're using more glucose than you realize -- you need to compensate for those extra calories burned by increasing your caloric intake or decreasing insulin.
