I’ve learned that eating healthy doesn’t have to be a huge production. These days, it takes a lot out of me to make a meal from scratch. I used to enjoy doing that for myself and for friends, when I had the time, before my illness arrived. There are friends, and some family members, that I’m still beholden to because at some point, beyond the last five years, I promised to make them dinner, which for whatever reasons never came to fruition. Maybe I’ll invite everyone over for a potluck dinner and try to convince them that I’ve paid my debt(s)…

In the meantime, because my appetite for food doesn’t always work, some days I go for long stretches without eating much. That’s one of the downsides of having a chronic illness that dulls one’s interest in food, which isn’t a good thing when you’re hypoglycemic too. Having hypoglycemia means keeping your body fuelled is an absolute necessity. However, these days I sometimes fail at that.

The thing that often reminds me to eat is a sudden drop in my blood sugar level. A drop in blood sugar has some rather undesirable symptoms. They can range from things that may seem benignly insignificant like feeling clammy or shaky and trembling; to more serious symptoms such as feeling dizzy, fainting, fully blacking out, and/or the symptom I most dislike vomiting.

One way I fight not having a great appetite, and avoiding all the lovely things I’ve listed, is eating frequent snacks that include some protein throughout the day. I try to include foods with protein because they take longer to digest. This prevents sudden drops in blood sugar, which I can do without while waiting for my once insatiable appetite (for food) to kick into gear again or I try to think of something more filling that I actually want to eat…

I’m curious to learn what else others who have hypoglycemia do to prevent the onslaught of a hypoglycemic attack.