diet and health

Hypoglycemia Diet

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycaemia means an excessive reduction in blood glucose, which on an empty stomach should be between 70 and 99mg / dl.

Blood glucose increases naturally after meals and lowers with fasting or prolonged motor activity. However, the healthy organism is able to counteract both the surge and the collapse of blood glucose, quickly guaranteeing the restoration of normality.

The circulating sugars serve to feed the cells of the whole body, which is why their defect can cause the malfunctioning of various tissues. The most serious failure is the suffering of the brain.

The symptoms of hypoglycaemia are: hunger, nausea, moans and stomach cramps, blurred vision, tingling, headache, pallor, hypotension, mood disorders, fatigue, drowsiness, confusion, motor disorders, etc. In very serious cases, generally related to other diseases or severe fasting, fainting, convulsions, transient paralysis and death also occur.

Sensitivity to hypoglycemia is quite subjective and not all people complain of the same symptoms or the same level of severity.

The causes of hypoglycemia are many and range from simple individual tendencies to real diseases (functional malabsorption, anorexia nervosa, kidney failure etc.) or pharmacological errors (eg excess of exogenous insulin).

Causes

In the absence of disease, hypoglycaemia can be caused by one or more of the following factors:

  • Fasting: within certain limits, fasting is effectively counteracted by the homeostatic regulation of certain hormones. However, this effect can be harmful if:
    • The Fast is prolonged
    • The hepatic reserves of glycogen (glucose reserve) are already compromised
    • Physical activity is also practiced.
  • Sports activity beyond the organism's tolerance limits: this is the case with marathons, long cycling stages, triathlons, etc.
  • Hypoglucid diet: there are various dietary regimes based on the drastic reduction of carbohydrates. If adopted for long periods, these predispose the body to the onset of hypoglycemia due to the depletion of glycogen stores.
  • Reactive hypoglycemia: this is a lowering of blood glucose caused by a meal that excessively stimulates the release of insulin. This occurs if the glycemic / insulin index is too high compared to the total amount of sugar. In practical terms, in predisposed subjects, reactive hypoglycemia can occur if the meal is:
    • Rich in carbohydrates
    • Very digestible
    • Easy to absorb
    • Free of metabolic conversions .
    NB . The food that best expresses all these characteristics is glucose syrup.
  • Food fructose intolerance and galactosemia: obviously, ONLY in the absence of other sugars in the diet.

Foods Against Hypoglycemia

From a nutritional point of view, the molecules able to favor the increase in blood sugar are mainly those of a glucose nature; also called sugars or glycides or carbohydrates, these molecules are part of foods in various forms or chemical structures.

The only sugar that can be absorbed and poured directly into the blood is free glucose, while the others require digestion and / or metabolic conversion:

  • Glycides to digest: Saccharose (table sugar), Starch (cereals, potatoes, legumes), Destrine (they are a part of Starch), Maltose (produced by the almost elementary decomposition of starch), Lactose (contained in milk)
  • Glycides to be converted into glucose: Fructose (fruit sugar) and Galactose (a molecule contained in milk lactose).

Products containing more carbohydrates belong to the III, IV, VI and VII fundamental group of foods. However, remember that even milk, despite belonging to the second group, contains a good dose of carbohydrates.

To combat hypoglycemia, if the diet is not rich enough in carbohydrates, the body is able to:

  • Demolish reserve glycogen in the liver (glycogenolysis) and release it into the blood
  • Producing new glucose starting from: amino acids (of proteins), glycerol (which structures glycerides), lactic acid and pyruvic acid (products of anaerobic glycolysis)
  • Promote the consumption of other energy molecules, depending on the specific capabilities of the fabric (ketone bodies and fatty acids).

However, even these "fallback" mechanisms have a limit, which is why carbohydrates in the diet are defined as "fundamental, albeit not essential".

Rules Against Hypoglycemia

Scientific research claims that a sedentary subject should take at least 120g of carbohydrates per day; this value corresponds to the minimum glucose requirement of the central nervous system.

However, in practice, the demand for carbohydrates varies based on subjectivity and level of physical activity.

Diet to prevent hypoglycemia

In the following we will summarize the fundamental rules for the prevention of hypoglycemia (taking for granted the absence of diseases):

  • Share the total calories respecting the Mediterranean diet criteria:
    • 55-65% carbohydrates (≤ 16% simple)
    • 25-30% lipids
    • 10-15% protein.
CARBOHYDRATES IN FOOD AND CONTEXTUALIZATION IN THE MEAL
MEALFOOD
40-50% CARBOHYDRATES

COMPLEX

BreakfastBreakfast cereals, bread or other derivatives (rusks, dry biscuits, etc.)
SnacksBread or other derivatives (Rice Cakes, Wasa Bread etc)
Lunch and dinnerPasta, Polenta, Whole Grains (Rice, Barley, Spelled, etc.), Legumes (Beans, Chickpeas, Lentils, etc.), Potatoes, Bread and Other Derivatives (occasionally, Crackers and Breadsticks without salt and hydrogenated fats)
≤ 16% SIMPLE SUGARSBreakfastHoney, Jams with little added sugar, Milk
SnacksSugary fruit (apples, pears, oranges, kiwi etc.)
Lunch and dinnerVegetables (Tomatoes, Zucchini, Pumpkin, Onion, Carrots, etc.), sugary fruit in moderation.
Note : despite the tendency to hypoglycemia, we do not recommend the frequent use of junk foods rich in added sugars, such as: sweet drinks, candies, sweet snacks, etc.
  • Consume at least 5 meals a day, avoiding spending more than 3 hours between one and the other: the most correct calorie breakdown of meals includes:
    • 15% of energy for breakfast
    • 5-10% in the two snacks (mid-morning and afternoon)
    • 30-45% for lunch and dinner.
    For more information, see Example of Mediterranean Diet.
  • Abolish alcohol, especially on an empty stomach
  • At each meal, consume a food source containing at least a small portion of carbohydrates.
  • Reduce the glycemic index of the meal by choosing foods with the following characteristics:
    • Containing fructose or lactose rather than glucose or maltose
    • Rich in fiber and water
    • Also containing proteins and / or lipids.
  • Practice regular exercise (in the presence of a correct diet): sporting activity promotes optimal glycemic maintenance. In fact, despite the increase in caloric expenditure, sports practice favors the release of hyperglycemic hormones such as catecholamines and somatotropin (GH).

What to do in case of hypoglycemic crisis

  • If the symptoms of hypoglycaemia appear, it is advisable to intervene as follows:
    • Position yourself comfortably, preferably in a reclining chair
    • Consume around 15g of simple carbohydrates, which can be found in the following foods:
      • 3 sugar cubes: NOT less; the risk would be to worsen hypoglycemia due to the already mentioned reactive hypoglycemia. Absolutely avoid glucose syrup!
      • 200-250ml of milk (better if partially skimmed or skimmed)
      • 200ml of fruit juice or orange juice
      • 1 generous spoonful of honey or maple syrup or agave
      • 6-8 fruit candies
      • 1 slice of toasted bread (NOT stale).
    • After 15 minutes, if the symptoms do not disappear completely, consume another 15g of carbohydrates.