Greetings @maconsulting2 and @jc76. (I’m jumping in here because the last discussion when I held off resulted in a terrible kerfuffle and got taken done all together. What a shame!)
The title of this discussion “Hypoglycemia” got me thinking (watch out). There is a disorder called Hypoglycemia which is (in layman’s terms) the opposite of Diabetes. Oddly enough, the diet to treat it is much the same as that of a diabetic. I’ve know several people diagnosed with Hypoglycemia.
More commonly hypoglycemia refers to a low blood sugar episode that a diabetic may experience from time to time (especially if they are being treated with insulin). These can be dangerous, even life threatening. Through 50ish years of diabetes I’ve been trained the best way to deal with this is to consume 15 grams of carbohydrate. A simple carb (not complex) works best. WAIT 15 minutes, test again and repeat as needed.
A good simple carb would be 1/2 - 1 cup of OJ. The liquid is quickly absorbed, no digestion needed. When I am out and about I have hard candies in my pockets, purse or glove compartment of the car. Did you know that LifeSavers were developed and named for this purpose? If the blood sugar is really low (less than 40) it doesn’t hurt to start with 30 grams.
Speaking of numbers, use a meter to do a finger stick. I say this because continual glucose monitors (CGM) are becoming more popular and are helpful tools (I use one too) but don’t actually test blood sugar. They test interstitial fluid. When blood sugar is low or high you need to know that information. Also a CGM is not accurate for blood sugar less than 40 or over 300 (according to the diabetes educators and the manufacturers of my CGM).
The 15 minutes waiting is the hardest thing to do but is important because in the panic of a hypoglycemic episode (low blood sugar that feels really bad and is a terrible experience) it is really easy to overcorrect such as eating and drinking everything you can get your hands on. Been there, done that! That will cause a spike in blood sugar and you’ve entered the blood sugar rollercoaster. You don’t want that!
Glycemic Index - I have ventured into learning about that BUT my diabetic dietician told me not to bother because it is too complicated. (Perhaps the lists you refer to are helpful.) I was taught to focus on the carb content of foods and also to pay attention to fiber. Fiber is a special kind of carbohydrate that gets metabolized differently. It takes more work to break it down, is less likely to cause a blood sugar spike and leads to a more full feeling over a longer period of time. Like beef chili referred to in the post above that might be the case especially if there’s beans in the chili because beans are high in fiber. Potatoes also have more fiber than white bread. If you like bread, you can find brands of bread that have higher fiber. Look for “whole grain” on the label. That is where the fiber is.
Protein - is important for building muscle. When you are older (like me) it is more important to maintain the muscle you have (exercise). Excess protein is hard on your kidneys (especially red meat). Diabetes & hypertension (high blood pressure) are the 2 most common reasons for kidney problems. I have Stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). So I limit beef consumption. I stick to poultry, fish, some pork, eggs and some dairy (cheese & Greek yogurt). I grill or roast the meat and have pretty much eliminated salt.
Wow - I went off on a big post! Hopefully it is helpful to someone.