Diabetes - Essentials

This is a quick-acting carbohydrate that helps in raising the blood glucose level in event of hypoglycemia. This can be in the form of -

3 tsp (15 gms) of glucose,
3 tsp (15 gms) sugar,
regular soft drink (not diet Coke/diet Pepsi),
milk with sugar,
fruit juice,
honey,
raisins,

When the blood glucose level drops below 70mg/dl, it needs to be brought up immediately, in which case a quick 'glucose source' is highly essential.

Sometimes people who are fond of sweets or chocolates may drive themselves towards hypoglycemia so that they can feast themselves on these prohibited items of food. However, what is often not realized is that sweets or foods rich in fat (ghee or oil or cream) are not the ideal stuff to be eaten during hypoglycemia. The fat present in such foods delays absorption of the glucose from the intestines and delays the rise in the blood glucose level and hence the correction of hypoglycemia.

Many people fail to carry a quick source of glucose since they feel food is accessible everywhere, but this assumption can be dangerous. A prolonged hypoglycemia can be dangerous to the brain tissue. There are many day-to-day situation that may not allow one to find a place to eat (examples include traffic jams, getting stuck in elevators, etc.).