Dear Shaky Sharon,

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, often happens because we go too long without eating. Some symptoms of hypoglycemia may include dizziness, mental confusion, anxiety, shakiness, and weakness. Reactive hypoglycemia is a chain of events. It refers to a state when our blood sugar is low, which causes a person to eat a concentrated sweet, and then insulin is overproduced by our pancreas and our blood sugar drops even further than where it was before. A more serious condition, Spontaneous Hypoglycemia, results in chronic low levels of blood sugar. This is a very rare condition, and medical attention is required. To determine the cause of your hypoglycemia, see your health care provider. S/he may better discuss your individual risk factors for diabetes. S/he may also refer you to a nutritionist, who can help design an eating plan to suit your specific needs.

In a Hypoglycemic Diet Plan, you eat every two to three hours. Mixed meals and snacks, including carbohydrate, protein, and a little fat, are recommended. An easy snack to keep with you that fits this bill is peanut butter crackers, prepackaged or ones you make yourself. Other appropriate snacks include low-fat yogurt and low-fat trail mix. Avoid eating a concentrated sweet, such as a candy bar or a sugary drink, like soda, because this causes our blood sugar to drop even further. Drink plenty of water because many symptoms of between meal "lows" are caused by dehydration.

If you are at Columbia, call x4-2284 to make an appointment with a health care provider and/or nutritionist at the Health Service.

Alice

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