Hypoglycemia

Greetings @maconsulting2 and @jc76.
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.

@jeshaw6801 many sauces, salad dressings, gravies have extra sugar, salt, &/or fat added. Most processed foods does too. This is hard to deal with! BUT I love pizza. So I don’t deprive myself of it completely; that can be psychologically harmful and can cause all kinds of other problems. Instead I’ve learned to limit portion size and frequency of having pizza. It also helps to have friends & family to share it with when I do indulge!

I have had low blood sugar all my life which has gotten progressively worse. At first in my teens I had a drop in glucose if I waited too long to eat the next meal. As I have aged (now 63) episodes are more frequent and the condition is difficult to manage. I eat fiber with my complex carbs, protein and fat at every meal. I have hypoglycemic episodes 3 times a day. A CGM is somewhat helpful, but is more designed for diabetics. For example glucose less than 70 is considered low and warrants an alarm. I have low 70's upon waking up in the morning. This gradually decreases into the 50's if I am fasting for blood tests. Daily after I eat the glucose numbers go down into 40's and 50's. On occasion it will spike after eating to 130 or 140, then within an hour it is back in the 60's. I am working with my 4th endocrinologist. Genetic testing did not reveal the reason, An MRI, echocardiogram and abdominal ultrasound yielded not explanation. I am next scheduled for a mixed meal tolerance test. There is also a hereditary component as my mother and my son have the same undiagnosed condition. Does anyone have a similar experience or have comments about the mixed meal test?

I was just giving an example of what i found in my own exploration with monitoring my sugar. I really don't need a lecture on what you believe is psychological damage caused by deprivation.

Yes it can be hard.. but each has their own journey and their own way to cope.