[KleinGuy]

I'm hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and it seems to be getting worse when I ride. I only did 1 race last season b/c I almost passed out half way through it. What can i do to keep my levels up while riding. I'll admit, I'm fairly out of shape, but I've already started working on that. I'm 5'11" 140 lbs. I also have some stomach issues that cause to to have really bad acid reflux (that I take medicine for). I've tried gels and stuff, but they give me horrible reflux when I ride. Just drinking water while riding won't keep my blood sugar up. Any ideas? This is really starting to irritate me. I wish I had the funds for a trainer and nutritionist, but that's out of the question. Thanks for any help!

 

[jonKranked]

I'm no expert on nutrition. But if you need long lasting sugars, eat some honey on days you will ride. The natural sugars in it are long chain and therefore slower burning. Don't go overboard though, try a peanut butter and honey sandwich, or plain oatmeal (preferably not the instant kind) with maybe a teaspoon or 2 of it.

 

[Lowlight7]

Being a paramedic and a diabetic myself...

How do you know it's hypoglycemia?

First things first, you need to go to a doctor and get a glucose tolerance test done. If you're pre-diabetic, you can head that off at the pass but not if you ignore it...

Drink Vitalyte, it's got the double whammy of glucose + rehydration solution, and dehydration is an often-overlooked complication of hypo-/hyperglycemia... Alternate 1 liter of Vitalyte per 1 or 2 liters of water.

Honey is a good choice. Personally, I like to eat a big bowl of Mac 'n' Cheese about an hour before I ride, and munch on peanut M&Ms as needed.

 

[KleinGuy]

Thanks for the replies! I went to the doctor and had all the tests done and they told me it was hypoglycemia. I like the sound of the Vitalyte. I'm gonna have to order some of that.

 

[dante]

So if it is Hypoglycemia, definitely work on an overall proper eating schedule, focusing on slow and complex carbs. Learn a foods glycemic index (how much it affects your blood sugar levels) and avoid fast, simple carbs like white flour, sugar, white potatoes, etc. It's amazing how much better something like sweet potatoes can be than white potatoes. Also try to eat well-balanced meals, with protean and fats along with carbs so that the carbs are digested more slowly. Also use a blood sugar monitor on a regular basis so you can get a feel of exactly how you feel when. If you're spiking after certain meals (followed by the inevitable crash), modify or eliminate those meals. If you're just always low, talk to your doctor about foods that you can eat to bring it back up. Also, don't be afraid to eat something every 1/2 hour on a ride, and take a break for the 5 minutes that you're doing it so that you have a chance to digest it.

I'm mildly hypoglycemic, with a tendency to burn through carbs at a higher rate, but it's something that I know and expect. I need to have a good-sized breakfast before exercising/riding, and I'll have to carry a couple Cliff bars with me as well. The good news is that you're not diabetic. The bad news is hypoglycemia is sort of a "pre-diabetic" phase that you have to be careful about.

 

[KleinGuy]

Yea, my eating habits are about to change. I've decided to try out the P90X program and plan following a much healthier eating schedule.

 

[skatetokil]

I have low blood sugar (as does most of my family, and have a type 2 diabetic grandfather) and I've just learned never to go on a ride without food in my camelback. I once bonked so hard on a ride I had to just lie down and wait for somebody to come by with a powerbar. Could not make it up the mountain. As soon as it was down my throat it was like somebody had put the batteries back in. I was ready to go.

Now I know how to keep it from getting that bad. I just eat semi-continuously on long rides and I don't run out of gas anymore. People like us need to learn how to graze.

 

[boostindoubles]

There are several diabetics in my family, plus a phd nutritionist. The candy bars and crap sugar, bleached wheat/instant rice type foods are going to be poor foods for long term energy. They produce a spike and dive type blood sugar rollercoaster.

It's already been said, but I'll say it again. Eating complex carbs that are still whole and not sugared up will give long lasting energy. I spent 2 months backpacking last summer in 15 day stints. We could only eat what we packed in and we ended up swapping back and forth between instant rice and some gluten-free noodles for our dinner carbs. (I'm celiac) By the end of the 2 months we had completely discarded the instant rice and we were relying on the noodles. It was amazing how much more energy we had in our reserves the next day after eating the noodles compared to the instant rice. night and day.

I guess in a nut shell you can do alot for yourself in the meals preceding rides, not only snacking while on the ride.

 

[KleinGuy]

My Vitalyte came in today. I'm gonna add that in with a better eating schedule and see what happens!

 

[KleinGuy]

Are there any certain protein/energy bars that would be good for me to carry?

 

[stringcheese]

The physique needs ammunition to work. One of its above ammunition sources is sugars, which the physique gets from what is captivated as either simple amoroso or circuitous carbohydrates. For emergency situations, the physique food a backing of amoroso in the alarmist as glycogen. If this abundance is needed, the physique goes through a biochemical action alleged gluco-neo-genesis.

Could you explain a little... further? I don't know what you're trying to say here, but I guess I'll Google gluco-neo-genesis.

 

[Leppah]

If i were a robot, i could understand that a little better. :0)

 

[dante]

Could you explain a little... further? I don't know what you're trying to say here, but I guess I'll Google gluco-neo-genesis.

Mouse-over the link in his/her signature, it looks like an elaborate SPAM ruse?

 

[kidwoo]

I've been hypoglycemic my whole life. I discovered it when I started rowing and road racing and passing out far too frequently.

My solution was simple. Make sure to eat some meat. You can play with the sugars themselves all day long but you need the enzymes to process them properly. Sugar metabolism oddities are often just a symptom of something else. Figure out WHY you can't maintain your glucose levels. It often has very little to do with the carbs themselves that you intake. That said, don't go thinking gu shots are food. Eat some grains.

 

[Sandwich]

i have nothing else to add

 

[localbiketrader]

So if it is Hypoglycemia, definitely work on an overall proper eating schedule, focusing on slow and complex carbs. Learn a foods glycemic index (how much it affects your blood sugar levels) and avoid fast, simple carbs like white flour, sugar, white potatoes, etc. It's amazing how much better something like sweet potatoes can be than white potatoes. Also try to eat well-balanced meals, with protean and fats along with carbs so that the carbs are digested more slowly. Also use a blood sugar monitor on a regular basis so you can get a feel of exactly how you feel when. If you're spiking after certain meals (followed by the inevitable crash), modify or eliminate those meals. If you're just always low, talk to your doctor about foods that you can eat to bring it back up. Also, don't be afraid to eat something every 1/2 hour on a ride, and take a break for the 5 minutes that you're doing it so that you have a chance to digest it.

I'm mildly hypoglycemic, with a tendency to burn through carbs at a higher rate, but it's something that I know and expect. I need to have a good-sized breakfast before exercising/riding, and I'll have to carry a couple Cliff bars with me as well. The good news is that you're not diabetic. The bad news is hypoglycemia is sort of a "pre-diabetic" phase that you have to be careful about.

Dante is right on here. I am healing from adrenal burnout syndrome, it was a long hard road until my friend turned me onto Dr. L Wilson. I got a hair mineral analysis test and figured out i have cal mag imbalance and cal potasium imbalance which inhibits me to create enough glucose for my brain so I know about hypoglycemia. I suggest you get one of these tests they are only $400.00 and you will get the optimal diet plan and plan for healing.

First off though you might try getting yourself some almond milk from trader joe's where you can find it for 1.69 versus 3.00 most other places. This will give you the boost you need inbetween meals and is very easy to digest also contains omega 3s too. I also drink hazlenut milk and Hemp milk in between meals to keep blood sugar up.

You also need to eat more steamed vegetables with eight ounces of meat two to three times a day so you can get your minerals and zinc / selenium. Also try eating some oatmeal or something with grains in between the meat / vegetables meals this seems to work for me.... I am allergic to wheat though so I eat Quinoa which is much better for you anyways.

 

[kidwoo]

Hemp milk

We just call that hash oil.