Hypoglycemic Sport Diet

According to information from the medical website Medline Plus, hypoglycemia is a condition in which the body has insufficient levels of blood sugar. This can lead to symptoms such as impaired vision, fatigue, sweating and possibly even coma. While medication can be used to treat the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, a natural alternative (or complement) to medical treatment is adherence to a hypoglycemic diet. For sportsmen, a proper diet is a necessary part of treating hypoglycemia to keep their bodies healthy and functioning at peak capacity.

Sportsman's Hypoglycemic Diet

• Balance the two competing interests of a athletic and a hypoglycemic diet---keeping the body properly fueled to compete while keeping blood sugar at normal levels to avoid hypoglycemia. According to information from the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation, this means eating a diet that is rich in slow-digesting natural carbohydrates as carbs are the body's main source of blood sugar. This ensures that there will always be sufficient blood sugar available in the body, preventing hypoglycemia. This means structuring the bulk of your diet around plant-based foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Around 60 percent of your diet should consist of these foods, spread evenly across all of your daily meals. In other words, if you are eating 180g of carbohydrates per day and three main meals, each meal should contain roughly 60g of carbs to avoid overloading the body with excessive levels of blood sugar at any one time (which could result in a crash into hypoglycemia later). Avoid fast-digesting carbs that could also cause this condition, such as white flour, alcohol and all processed foods. Round out your diet with an even split between lean meats and dairy along with healthy unsaturated fat from seeds, oils and nuts.

Athletic Considerations

• Prepare yourself to deal with the potential of a hypoglycemic condition while you are training or competing. Your body will use most of its blood sugar supply during these situations, leaving you at potential risk for entering a state of hypoglycemia. To avoid this, have a fast-digesting source of carbohydrates on hand at all times, such as a sports drink. Be aware of yourself throughout the training session and sip on your sports drink if you feel the symptoms of hypoglycemia starting to emerge. Note that this is only a stopgap measure to allow you to continue training. After the session is complete, head back home and eat a meal that complies with recommendations as soon as possible to normalize your blood sugar levels and avoid the threat of hypoglycemia.