Question

Hi Amy! I have Reactive Hypoglcemia and I am a little leery of exercise because of getting low or because my glucose can drop so rapid. What is a good amount of exercise and does it really help due to the fact they say it lowers sugar and causes a person to create more insulin? They say that after you exercise as well that your sugar gets lower. I have to watch carbs anyway and this is a little discouraging due to the fact that when energy comes, it gets used up fast! I am also not really overweight. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks:)

Amy's Answer

Hi. Reactive Hypoglycemia is difficult to diagnose without confirmation of blood sugars actually dipping below 70 mg/dl. Test your blood sugar, if you are actually having hypoglycemia, you may want to touch base with an Endocrinologist to determine the root cause of this problem. There are some other factors that can cause these issues and you would want to get a proper diagnosis.
With Hypoglycemia, It has been suggested that your diet consist of 6 small meals per day, mainly free of concentrated sweets and try to be consistent with the carbohydrates at each meal. Try to incorporate protein with each meal and remember that high carbohydrate foods can cause you to have feelings of low blood sugars. Whole grains and high fiber foods that are not refined do help with the prevention of feelings of low blood sugar.
In regards to the exercise issues, the diet discussed above may help with this. If things do not get better for you, seek an endocrinologist that can further evaluate your issues. I hope that this is helpful. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

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