The Hypo Foodie: tips

To live with hypoglycemia, knowledge is not sufficiant; practical applications are crucial. Many ressources supply ample information on the physical and mental impacts of this condition, but offer very little down to earth know-how. Here is compilation of 10 day-to-day pointers that eases life.

1- Always carry something to eat.

I suggest that people on-the-go get a snack bag that is not only sturdy, but good-looking too. It gives that extra motivation to carry it and not forget it.

2- keep a food log.

At the very least, do it for some time at the beginning. A food log helps identify patterns and pinpoint responsible foods if we have a tough morning or worst: a bad day.

3- Exercise.

Exercise has many benefits to digestion, it stimulates the metabolism, eliminates toxins and helps with stress management. The optimal exercise time for both diabetics and hypoglycemics is 1 hour 6 days a week.

4- Eat lots of vegetables.

Prepare ahead one or two big salads a week ( with no dressing beforehand, it will preserve longer ) and eat it before most meals. You may also make "veggiefruit" ( see this post ) and add it to your breakfast. Vegetables are full of fibres, a good carbohydrate that slows digestion and helps to supply longer-lasting energy. Furthermore, they contain vitamins and minerals essential to healthy living. Eating vegetables, regardless of their origin ( organic or not ) is supperior to taking supplements for at least two reasons: they provide calories and nourish, which reduces appetite for other things; they are accessible to everyone and now more than ever, anytime of the year.

5. Eat fruits.

Fruits with a protein as a snack is a great way to fill up the tank. Even thought they are sweet, they are a good nutritious treat that nourishes just like vegetables. Hypoglycemics should still be carefull and reduce the amount they eat, never eat them alone and avoid them in the evening ( some believe that any food absorbed in the evening is more difficult to transform, which put hypoglycemics at risk of nightly crashes ).

6- Drink lots of water.

When we eat more fibres, it is essential to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Moreover, studies show that we sometimes missinterpret thirst for hunger. Drinking before snacks and meals reduces overeating.

7. Favor the flavor.

We are increasingly aware that the food industry offers products full of fats, sugars and salt to add taste. Choosing better quality food that is flavorfull in itself is a good way to satiate and reduce the quantity, thus cravings.

8. Cheat " smartly ".

Temptations to eat rich and sweet foods are plentifull and difficult to fight. When we cut on their consumption for a while, we reduce the tolerance for sweet taste, which results in needing less to give satisfaction. Nevertheless, when we cheat regularly, we maintain that desire instead of loosing it. It is then prefferable to stray and eat a whole cake instead of having a little piece everyday. This means that the smart way to deal with temptations is to recognize our weakness and "plan" to yield in on a progressively longer laps of time.

9. Be accountable, not radical.

On the same note as the previous suggestion, one has to agree that a sugarless regimen is difficult to maintain for a long period of time. It is still possible to improve our health by understanding which foods triggers negative effects on our well-being and eat less, if none of them. That being said, if we are overly anxious or obsessive about those negative effects, it is as dammaging to our health, mood and happiness as eating them in the first place. If we keep in mind that we know how and can do our body right, being accountable for the choices we make is what we should aim at instead of punishing us with guilt when we don't do so good.

10. Eat at regular hours.

Skipping meals impedes sugar stability, same as skipping snacks. Planning our daily schedules around our needs is crucial to keep a constant flow of energy. If we establish those habits, our internal clock gets used to it, and if we don't let too much time separate those intakes ( for most it is around every 3 hours ) we limit the risk of overeating because our brain does not tolerate to be starved and switches in stocking-mode, or jumping on the first thing that we get: often junk-food.

What are your own tips? Do you have any questions on mine? Support from people living the same thing is a factor in staying motivated. Don't hesitate to comment, I cannot wait to read you.