Here are Chaparro’s picks for good emergency snacks for people with diabetes to address a low-blood sugar episode and help them feel better fast:
- A 4-6-ounce glass of juice or regular soda. This can be one of the best fast-acting options. The only catch is that...
- Three individual packets of sugar (the kind you can get at your local coffee shop). This can be an...
What are the best things to eat for diabetics?
Other Best Foods For Diabetics
- Eggs. Hard-Boiled Eggs are excellent for Diabetics as they provide a high amount of protein without spiking blood sugar levels, rather eggs slow down glucose absorption in your body.
- Oatmeal. High in fiber, oatmeal can help keep blood sugar levels in check. ...
- Yogurt. ...
- Almonds. ...
- Whole Wheat Bread. ...
- Lentils. ...
- Quinoa. ...
What does food or fluids correct in a diabetic emergency?
What’s In
- Beans. One of the first high-fiber, protein-rich foods that come to mind are beans. ...
- Green Vegetables. Obviously, green vegetables are going to be a good source of nourishment for you, too. ...
- Chromium. ...
- Lean Meats and Fish. ...
- Healthy Fats. ...
- Oatmeal. ...
- Berries. ...
- Fibrous Fruits. ...
- Nuts and Seeds. ...
What are the free foods for diabetics?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that influences the body's response to insulin. Once people get diagnosed with diabetes, their diet significantly changes. Some foods that appear healthy are actually detrimental. Many contain hidden sugars, preservatives ...
What is a good meal for a diabetic?
Thanks to naturally occurring bioactive compounds and healthy fats in many fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish, some bites in particular have been shown to decrease the appearance of wrinkles, redness, and roughness, while increasing collagen, elasticity, brightness, and hydration.
What do you do for an emergency high blood sugar?
When your blood sugar level gets too high — known as hyperglycemia or high blood glucose — the quickest way to reduce it is to take fast-acting insulin. Exercising is another fast, effective way to lower blood sugar. In some cases, you should go to the hospital instead of handling it at home.
How do you prepare for a diabetic emergency?
Emergency Supplies Consider storing at least a weeks' worth of diabetes supplies, which, depending on how you take care of your diabetes, could include oral medication, insulin, insulin delivery supplies, lancets, extra batteries for your meter and/or pump, and a quick-acting source of glucose.
What foods are good for diabetic shock?
If your hypoglycemia is mild or moderate, the best way to raise your blood sugar level quickly is to eat or drink something that contains 15 to 20 grams of glucose or other sugar. You might take 3 to 4 glucose tablets or 1/3 to 1/2 tube of glucose in gel form, which you can buy at the drugstore.
How much sugar should you give to someone that is having a diabetic emergency?
What you can do: Ask them to check their blood sugar if you think they're going "low." Help them get what they need to follow the 15/15 rule: Eat 15 grams of fast-acting carbs (3-4 glucose tablets or gels, 4 ounces of fruit juice or regular soda, or a tablespoon of honey or sugar) and wait 15 minutes.
What are 5 signs of a diabetic emergency?
Here are 5 diabetic emergency symptoms to watch for:Confusion or lightheadedness. Having low blood sugar can cause your brain to go into energy-saving mode and can cause your brain cells to malfunction. ... Blurry vision. ... Seizure or loss of consciousness. ... Racing heart. ... Weakness.
What to do when a diabetic is vomiting?
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, even if you have nausea or vomiting. Your doctor can recommend the types and amounts of fluids to drink that can help you manage both your illness and your blood sugar levels. Use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines wisely.
How do you fix diabetic shock?
Treating insulin shockCall 911, particularly if the person is unconscious.Treat as outlined above unless the person is unconscious. Don't give an unconscious person something to swallow as they may choke on it.Administer an injection of glucagon if the person is unconscious.
What is the best snack for low blood sugar?
Best foods for low blood sugarCandy. When hypoglycemia occurs, patients should follow the 15-15 rule. ... Fresh or dried fruit. Fruits that provide the appropriate amount of carbohydrates include half a banana, 15 grapes, two tablespoons of raisins or a small apple or orange.Fruit juice. ... Fat-free milk. ... Honey.
What are good hypoglycemic snacks?
Snacksa small apple with a few slices of cheddar cheese.a banana with a handful of nuts or seeds.a slice of wholegrain toast with mashed avocado or hummus.whole-grain crackers topped with a small can of sardines or tuna.carrots, peppers, and cucumber dipped in hummus.a vegetable smoothie.
What is a true diabetic emergency?
Diabetic emergencies happen when blood sugar is too high, called hyperglycemia, or too low, called hypoglycemia (an easy way to remember is “hyper” means high and “hypo” rhymes with “below”). Low blood sugar is a true emergency.
What are 3 signs of a diabetic emergency?
The warning signs include:feeling thirsty or having a dry mouth.frequent urination.fatigue.dry or flushed skin.nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.difficulty focusing.confusion.difficulty breathing.More items...
What happens when your blood sugar drops to 30?
If blood glucose drops really low, the person is not able to function because physical and mental changes occur. They can have seizures or become unconscious. Hypoglycemia is the medical term used when the amount of glucose (sugar) in someone's blood is lower than 70 mg/dL, with symptoms and signs noted above.
What does a diabetic emergency look like?
When a person experiences diabetic shock, or severe hypoglycemia, they may lose consciousness, have trouble speaking, and experience double vision. Early treatment is essential because blood sugar levels that stay low for too long can lead to seizures or diabetic coma.
What is the normal blood sugar level?
A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after two hours indicates diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) indicates prediabetes.
How does an insulin pump decrease the chance of a diabetic emergency?
The pumps can release small doses of insulin continuously (basal), or a bolus dose close to mealtime to control the rise in blood glucose (blood sugar) after a meal. This delivery mimics the body's normal release of insulin.
How can I get free diabetic supplies?
Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPARX.org ). People who don't have insurance coverage for prescriptions may find their medicines and supplies for free or at low cost through PPARX.org. RxAssist.org lists drug-company assistance programs, state programs, discount drug cards, copay help, and more.
What to do if you have diabetes while pregnant?
What you can do: Call their doctor, then get them to the emergency room or urgent care. Having diabetes of any type while you're pregnant -- type 1, type 2, or gestational -- raises the odds of preeclampsia, a serious condition related to high blood pressure that can put the mom's and baby's health in danger.
What to do when someone passes out from hypoglycemia?
When someone passes out from hypoglycemia, it's a medical emergency. Don't try to give them food or liquid -- they could choke. You, or someone who knows how, should give them a glucagon shot -- not insulin! -- to raise their blood sugar to a safer level. Then call 911.
Why do people with diabetes run into trouble?
People with diabetes can run into trouble if their levels of blood sugar and insulin are out of balance. Usually they can take steps to correct what's going on and stop the symptoms.
What is the term for a person who doesn't have enough insulin?
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is a life-threatening emergency caused when you don't have enough insulin and your liver has to break down fat into ketones for energy, but too fast for the body to handle. A buildup of ketones can change your blood chemistry and poison you. You could fall into a coma.
Is HHS a complication of type 2 diabetes?
It's a complication of type 2 diabetes with very high blood sugar -- over 600 mg/dL -- but no or very few ketones. HHS (which used to be known as HHNS, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome) happens most often in older people with uncontrolled diabetes who are sick or have an infection.
How to help diabetics in an emergency?
Planning ahead can help. Having essential supplies, prescriptions, important paperwork, and practical skills will help you during an emergency. People with diabetes should also be prepared to manage their condition during any kind of emergency, whether they have to shelter in place, evacuate, or protect themselves from an infectious disease.
What are some good things to do with low blood sugar?
Lancets and lancing devices. Insulin pump supplies, including extra pump sets and insertion devices. Glucagon kits . Ketone strips. Alcohol wipes. Glucose tablets or 15 grams of quick carbs (such as juice, hard candy, or honey) to treat low blood sugar.
What is the best medicine for low blood sugar?
Glucose tablets or 15 grams of quick carbs (such as juice, hard candy, or honey) to treat low blood sugar. Oral diabetes medicine. An empty plastic bottle or sharps container to safely carry syringes, needles, and lancets. Be sure to store your supplies properly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Why is it important to plan ahead for diabetes?
Plan ahead so that you can manage your diabetes during times of emergency. Natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and other emergencies can happen at any moment. They may cause widespread and long-lasting impacts on supplies, services, and health care systems. Emergencies can be stressful because we often feel things are out of our control.
What to do in an emergency shelter?
If you have to go to a shelter during an emergency, look for one that can meet your medical needs. Do you: 1 Have a home health nurse? 2 Use a walker? 3 Use oxygen? 4 Need assistance to go to the bathroom? 5 Require wound care or medicine through an IV?
What is a diabetic emergency?
A diabetic emergency happens when symptoms relating to diabetes overwhelm the body. At this point, home treatment is unlikely to help, and delaying medical care could cause permanent damage or death. Some of the signs that can indicate a serious problem include: chest pain that radiates down the arm.
How to maintain blood sugar levels?
Eating healthful, balanced, regular meals: People who use insulin or other medications that lower blood glucose should ask their doctor about what foods to eat, how much, and when, in order to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Small, frequent meals are better than fewer larger meals.
How many people died from diabetes in 2016?
However, the CDC state that diabetes, or complications related to it, is still the seventh most frequent form of death in the U.S., and it was responsible for nearly 25 deaths in every 100,000 in 2016. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), greater susceptibility to infections, ...
What are the symptoms of hypoglycemia?
The warning signs of hypoglycemia include: confusion, dizziness, and nausea. feeling hungry. feeling shaky, nervous, irritable or anxious. sweating, chills, and pale, clammy skin. rapid heartbeat. weakness and tiredness. tingling in the mouth area. headaches.
What are the factors that increase the risk of diabetes?
According to the AAFP, the following factors may increase the risk: infections, including pneumonia, a urinary tract infection, and sepsis. the use of some medications, including some psychiatric treatments and diuretics, which can lead to dehydration. not following treatment for diabetes.
Can you get HHS with DKA?
This may happen with or without DKA, and it can be life-threatening. People with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes are more prone to HHS, but people without diabetes — or a without diagnosis of diabetes — might experience it. According to the AAFP, the following factors may increase the risk:
What foods should diabetics avoid?
If you’re a diabetic in a survival situation, there are going to be foods that you need to avoid like the plague. Breads, sweets, flour, rice, pasta, starchy vegetables and most fruits are going to be out, unless you know that you can bring blood sugar levels down with intense physical activity and plan to be moving around a lot.
What are some good oils to use for diabetics?
Healthy fats, especially olive oil and coconut oil, are something that you should stockpile because they have been shown to reduce inflammation that’s linked to both diabetes and heart disease.
What are some foods that slow down the production of insulin?
Beans . One of the first high-fiber, protein-rich foods that come to mind are beans . Assuming you have your insulin or your body is able to produce some of its own, beans have so much fiber that they actually help slow down other types of carbs as well.
Why is it so hard to keep up with Type 2 diabetes?
In the last decade, the number of Americans with Type 2 diabetes has increased by a whopping 50%, and many of those cases are attributed to diet and lack of exercise. If you have Type 2 diabetes, excess weight only spreads insulin across a larger area, which in turn makes it harder to keep up.
Why do we need to stockpile insulin?
If your body doesn’t produce any insulin at all, it’s imperative that you stockpile your insulin in order to survive, but you already know that. Knowing the rules of the glycemic index will help you reduce insulin need and also make sure your blood sugars stay in a normal range.
What happens when you eat sugar?
Foods high in sugar are either converted to fat and stored away or turned almost instantly to glucose and released rapidly into your blood stream. Always be wary of high fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars because they break down into 2 – 3x the number of glucose molecules that would be found in other foods.
What are some good foods to eat to get a healthy body?
Most greens have little to no carbohydrates and are extremely high in fiber. Spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are all great options.
How many supplies should be in your emergency kit?
People with diabetes should be prepared with two weeks of medicine, food, and everything else you need. A to-go bag with all these supplies in one place is a good way to be prepared (the bottom of the article has a case study with specific quantities).
How to keep insulin cool without electricity
Power outages are common during all seasons of the year from natural disasters. Spending three months in Ethiopia, where the power went out frequently, I can offer some tips to keep insulin cool when there is a blackout:
Grocery stores may run out of food
Everyone left Sonoma county in a rush to avoid the California fires and stripped the grocery store shelves of food. In an emergency, people with diabetes can have their situation escalate without anything to treat low blood sugars.
You may have to go off your insulin pump
In an emergency, you should be prepared with two weeks of pump supplies. But what if you cannot?
How to get last minute medical supplies for diabetes
Booking a flight at the last moment has taught me a few tricks to get medicine in a pinch:
Check in on Facebook and mark yourself as safe
You may receive a notification from Facebook, based on your location, asking if you are safe. Click “I’m safe” to send a notification to family members and friends that you are okay.
A few extra items to have in your emergency kit
How many phone numbers do you know by heart now? After my childhood best friend and sister, the list becomes limited. Traveling often requires me to be off-the-grid and these items have made it into my packs time after time:
Identify Yourself as Having Diabetes
The most important priority should be to identify yourself or your loved one as having diabetes so you can get the care you need. Tell emergency workers that you have diabetes and what you need to manage it, such as what medications and testing supplies you need.
Know Your Rights
As a person with diabetes, you have rights under federal law: the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These rights include the right to receive reasonable accommodations so that you can receive the benefit of community or government programs and resources.
Get Enough Fluids
One of the most important things you can do is to make sure you take in enough fluid to meet your body’s needs. Your fluid needs may be even higher in an emergency if power outages lead to high temperatures without working air conditioning or if you exert yourself by walking more than usual.
Watch Out for Hypoglycemia
Your blood glucose can go too low if you take certain medications, particularly insulin and also medications called sulfonylureas. If you are at risk for hypoglycemia, you should keep something containing sugar with you at all times—such as glucose tablets, fruit juice or hard candy—to treat hypoglycemia if it occurs.
Dealing with a Lack of Food
If you don’t have access to food, you may need to adjust how much medication you take to avoid hypoglycemia. If you use insulin, you will need less than usual if you don’t have any food, and certain other medications may need to be reduced as well.
Medications
If you don’t have access to your medications, you may need to eat less, particularly if you use insulin. If you have type 1 diabetes and don’t have insulin, you should consume as few carbohydrates (sugar or starches) as possible.
Watch Out for Infection
People with diabetes are at higher risk for infections of the feet if they have nerve and blood vessel problems. You should do what you can to avoid walking through contaminated water or injuring your feet. Check your feet regularly, and seek immediate medical attention if you see a problem.
