Good morning, this is your Wellness Wake Up Call with University of Illinois Extension.
Did you know if you give yourself insulin, you are MORE likely to experience hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar? Low blood sugar levels are below 70 mg/dL and can happen when you get too much insulin, do not eat enough carbohydrates, if you’re drinking alcohol, or potentially due to timing and amount of physical activity, to name a few. Symptoms of low blood sugar include fast heartbeat, shaking, sweating, dizziness, and confusion.
This is how you can prepare for hypoglycemia:
- If you are experiencing low blood sugar, test your level right away.
- Make sure to keep 100% juice, sugar tablets, or regular soda on hand in case you need to raise your blood sugar levels quickly.
- If you have a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that says you have low blood sugar, but you are not showing symptoms, use a glucometer to double check. Make sure to keep continuous glucose monitor and glucometers calibrated and up to date to avoid false readings.
- If you experience hypoglycemia often, make sure to let your doctor and registered dietitian know.
- Talk with family and friends about where things are located so if you experience a hypoglycemic episode and are unable to talk, they will know how to help.
This week see what you have on hand to raise your blood sugar levels and come up with an emergency plan to prevent future complications.
Thank you for listening! I hope you have a happy and healthy day ahead. The content for this episode was provided by Rachel Mannen, nutrition and wellness educator, for University of Illinois Extension.
Resources
- https://extension.illinois.edu/diabetes
- https://diabetes.org/adm
- https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycemia.html
