I need info for a friend about hypoglycemia

[Karole]

A good friend has hypoglycemia and called me because her doctor told her to eat high protein and low carb meals. She wasn't given any info about foods to eat or any info other than that. (That is just pitiful I think )

Any way, I told her to use fitday as a tool to keep track of her carbs and protein-- she absolutely had no idea of what is what on that subject; I inquired as to her lunch and she said she had ham salad with crackers and a large orange --then later had an episode of hypo and decided to call me.

I told her the carb count for oranges and she was astounded. Just didn't have a clue !! All she knows is low fat eating.

She asked me for charts or something to go by , but I really have no idea what a hypoglycemic person should actually do.

Here is what I did tell her I felt would benefit her

1. Eat at least 5 times a day to keep blood sugar level
2. Eat protein, fat and carbs together, never carbs alone
3. Journal all food eaten to see how she reacts

I also told her to eat no more than 30 carbs a day, but she doesn't need any weight loss at all, so now I wonder about that--perhaps she would require more carbs ??? HOw many?? Or does she have to experiment a bit with that?

Please, please if any one has a site or good info for her --let me know immediately as I will be gone for a week or so and can only get info to her tomorrow. Sorry this is such a rush job.

Any help will be wonderful.

[LisaS]

I think she'd do fine on conventional PP for a couple of weeks. She might drop some water weight but as long as she won't freak out she'll be fine.
You can reconnect when you come back and she's made the change for a couple of weeks.

[gitfiddle]

Please, please if any one has a site or good info for her --let me know immediately as I will be gone for a week or so and can only get info to her tomorrow. Sorry this is such a rush job.

Any help will be wonderful.
Here's a good site, Karole: http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/

Jenny is clear and concise.

Good luck! :)

[Shadow]

Karole - I agree that she will do okay following the basic plan :). It was problems with hypoglycemia that finally convinced me to try PP. From day one, the episodes got less and less severe :nod:. The only thing I did differently than just jumping into the plan was that I had already gotten rid of all sugars (not just table sugar ;) ) and eliminated flour a month or two before finding PP. But the keys of eating several small meals PLUS making sure I ate fewer carbs and never by themselves was what finally got me to where I needed to be.

[waltc]

You might show her the carb list in one of the PP books. That would give her an idea of what low carb is about.

[laughingW]

If she has reactive hypoglycemia, and depending on her meal amounts, 5 meals could keep her insulin high all day long.... no time between meals for glucagon to kick in. Insulin goes up after every meal after all.

Another way to think of it is 3 meals and small snacks and then eliminate the snacks as she gets better at composing balanced meals that last.

[Karole]

Hi, everyone--back from the rides so I can respond finally !!

First of all, thank you so much to everyone for the sites and advice for my friend. I truly appreciate it.

I am going to copy all of it and give it to her so she can look at it all first hand and will have those sites to visit if she chooses.

I also managed to get my PPLP back now and a Dana Carpenter carb count book I had loaned someone. I'll let her have those to use also.

Again, thank you very much.