Hypoglcemia----The low down on low blood sugar

Low blood sugar is always a hot topic with diabetes. Many people have experienced it whether they have diabetes or not.  No one like it because the symptoms are so uncomfortable.
Hypoglycemia is classified as a blood sugar of 70 or below. Some of the most common symptoms are shaking, dizziness, rapid heart rate, sweating, irritability, hunger, headache, etc.  One of the tell tell signs is how quickly the symptoms come on. Literally, one minute your fine and the next minute your not.  Generally, thinking is clouded and slower.   The body has these symptoms to warm you the brain is not getting enough sugar. The symptoms will continue to persist and may even worsen until the blood sugar increases up to the normal range of 80-100.
Fixing the problem is fairly simple. You have got to eat carbohydrate. But how much? You'll want to start with 15 carbohydrates. The best foods you should start with are glucose tablets or other forms of simple sugar like juice or milk.  Some would even suggest the "rule of 15". This means a person begins by eating 15 grams of carbohydrates. Then waiting 15 minutes. So, eat 15 grams of carbohydrate and wait 15 minute. Repeat this until the blood sugar is up and symptoms go away. I would suggest sitting down or even laying down to be more comfortable while you wait. The hardest part is waiting. The 15 minutes seem like hours because you will still be experiencing the symptoms. When the blood sugar is up to 80-100 you will need to have hardy snack such as peanut butter and apples, or cheese and crackers if your next meals is more than 1 hour away. If your next meal is within the hour you don't need and extra snack.  This extra snack is to prevent another low reaction before your next meal.
A good idea for a snack could be 3-4 glucose tablets, 1 cup (8 ounces) of low fat milk, 1/2 cup juice, 6-7 lifesaver candies, or a small piece of fruit. Remember  the hard part is next. WAITING!!!  Wait 15 minutes. The reason for this....It takes 15 minutes for your body to absorb the carbohydrate.  Eating more at this point will not help you to feel better faster. It will just cause the blood sugar to go higher after the correction. So instead of being too low your blood sugar is too high.
Oft times a person experiencing a low blood sugar can become irritable and refuse to eat or drink anything.  It is helpful to have pre-planned snacks just in case a low blood sugar occurs. Keep appropriate snacks in the car, at work or school, your pocket, and by your bed