My Go-To Game Plan for Conquering Low Blood Sugars

Balancing Blood Sugar Can Be Downright Ridiculous at Times!

I get it, and that's why I'm sharing my personal game plan. After 24 years of experience, I’ve developed a simple, cost-effective routine that helps me manage lows and gives me peace of mind all week long.

Here's my routine and some tips I've learned along the way:

The Weekly Correction Plan

Each week, I buy a box of correction bars—or something from the list below—from a bulk store like Costco. This week, I'm using Clif Builder's protein bars.

• Step 1: When your blood sugar is low, eat half a bar. The chocolate mint flavor has 31g of carbs, and the chocolate peanut butter has 29g, so half a bar gives you about 15g of carbohydrates.

• Step 2: Wait 15 minutes. Test your blood sugar to see if it's corrected.

• Step 3: If you're still low, eat the other half of the bar.

This simple process is cost-effective and gives you a grab-and-go correction plan you can take anywhere, seven days a week.

My Quick Go-To List (Your Easy Button)

Here are some of my favorite bulk items to stock up on:

1. Protein bars box (Costco)

2. Organic bananas, 2 bushels (Costco)

3. Organic apples (Costco)

4. Endless bar options or bulk options (Costco)

5. Medjool dates, 2 bags (Trader Joe’s)

6. Clif bars (Grocery Outlet)

7. Trail mix (Grocery Outlet)

8. Health bars (Grocery Outlet)

Other Tips and Warnings

• A Word of Caution: I would advise against using candy that is hard to open or chew in a moment of panic. Things like hard candies (Jolly Ranchers) or chewy candies (Skittles) can be hard to get down quickly when you're feeling a terrible low. I also dislike glucose tablets. Quite frankly, they taste bad and often get crumbly and unpalatable over time, which can leave you in a bad spot.

• Some people like using glucose gels from places like Walmart or Amazon, but I find them to be too expensive for regular use. However.........See next.

• I maintain an emergency stock of glucose gels in my car (5) and a box at home in case of severe hypoglycemia. These can be administered quickly by yourself or others if you are approaching a loss of consciousness. I also get an annual prescription from my doctor for an emergency Glucagon shot. If I black out or pass out, this is a life-saver, as it's a hormone that tells your liver to release its stored sugar (glycogen) into the bloodstream, which raises your blood sugar level without having to eat anything.

I'm still learning, and the point of this blog is to help my fellow diabetics. I'd love to hear your ideas as well—what's in your correction kit?

Disclaimer: This is not medical advice from a doctor. This is real advice from a real diabetic with 24 years of experience. You should always consult with your doctor or a medical professional about your health and a personal care plan. This information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.