The Holiday Season and Hypoglycemia

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The holidays are right around the corner, which means family gatherings and parties complete with great food, alcohol, and eating at random times.  It is also a time when we are running around with last minute shopping, long car drives, and sleeping too little.  Needless to say, managing blood glucose levels can be tricky. 

People tend to eat larger servings of sweet or fatty foods, drink more alcohol, as well as engage in more activities.  For these reasons, blood sugar levels can be harder to control. 

Low blood sugar can be caused by the following¹:

• Not following your meal plan like skipping or delaying a meal
• Too much exercise or exercising for a long time without eating a snack or adjusting insulin before exercise
• Too much medication or a change in the time taking your medication
• Stress
• Alcohol intake, especially without food

It is important always to BE PREPARED!

If you feel any of the warning signs of low blood glucose, test immediately, and in the event that you do not have a blood glucose meter, treat right away.

Eat or drink fast-acting sugar such as¹:

• 15 grams of Dex4 glucose tablets (4), gel, or liquiblast (this is fast-acting and pre-measured)
• 3 teaspoons or 3 packets of table sugar dissolved in 15 ml water
• 3/4 cup of juice or regular soft drink (non diet)
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Afterwards, wait 15 minutes and then check your blood glucose again. If your glucose is still below 4 mmol/L, try one of the above methods again, and do another glucose test. If your next meal is more than one hour away, have a snack with both carbohydrates and protein. If you keep having periods of hypoglycemia, talk to your healthcare professional about ways to keep your blood glucose more in check.

As low blood sugar can happen at anytime, it is important to be prepared.  Dex4 Glucose products help raise glucose levels FAST. 

Dex4 Glucose products are:

• Fast-acting
• Pre-measured so you know exactly how much glucose you are consuming
• Fat-Free
• Caffeine, gluten, cholesterol free
• Great tasting and come in a variety of flavours and formats

^{1 Canadian Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee. Canadian Diabetes Association 2013 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada. Can J Diabetes 2013;37(suppl 1):S1-S212.}

Disclaimer:
Information in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.