HG Diet and Meal Ideas

There are two diets for hypoglycemia or carbohydrate intolerance. Both balance blood sugars. The liberal diet maintains weight. The strict diet is for weight loss. Follow this diet perfectly for 2 months to heal your pancreas.

This diet has been found to decrease symptoms in those without hypoglycemia. The stabilization of insulin helps promote phosphate excretion. 

STRICT DIET:

MEAT and FISH: All meats except cold cuts that contain sugars or dextrose; All fowl and game; All fish and shellfish. 

DAIRY PRODUCTS: Eggs; Any natural cheese (bleu, roquefort, cheddar, cream, gouda, swiss, etc;) Cream (heavy and sour;) Cottage and Ricotta (1/2 cup limit per day;) Butter; Margarine. 

FRUITS: Fresh coconut; Avocado (limit 1/2 per day;) Cantaloupe (limit 1/4 per day;) Strawberries (limit 6-8 per day;) Lime or Lemon juice for flavoring (limit 2 tsp. per day.) 

VEGETABLES: Asparagus; Bean Sprouts; Broccoli; Brussels sprouts; Cabbage (limit 1 cup per day); Cauliflower; Celery Root (celeriac;) Celery; Chard; Chicory; Chinese cabbage (limit 2 cups per day;) Chives; Cucumber; Daikon (long, white radish;) Eggplant; Endive; Escarole; Fennel Bulb; Greens (Mustard, Beet, Collard etc;) Jicama; Kale; Leeks; Lettuce (any type;) Mushrooms; Okra; Olives; Parsley; Peppers (green, red, yellow, etc;) Pickles (dill, sour, limit one per day;) Pimiento; Radicchio; Radish; Rhubarb; Sauerkraut; Scallions (green onions;) Spinach; Squash (yellow or summer only;) String beans (green or yellow;) Snow peas; Soy Beans, Tomatoes (not sauce or paste); Water Chestnuts; Watercress; Zucchini. 

NUTS: (limit 12 per day) Almond; Brazil; Butternut; Filbert; Hazel; Hickory; Macadamia; Pecan; Pistachio; Sunflower seeds (small handful); Walnut. 

DESSERTS: Sugar-free Jell-O with NutraSweet; Custard (made with cream and artificial sweetener.) DRINKS Club soda; Decaffeinated coffee; Decaffeinated tea; Caffeine-free diet sodas and drinks such as Crystal Light. 

CONDIMENTS and SPICES: All herbs and spices including seeds (fresh or dried); All imitation flavorings; Horseradish; Sugar-free sauces such as Hollandaise, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Ketchup; Sugar-free salad dressings; Oil and Vinegar (all types;) Worcestershire sauce. 

MISCELLANEOUS: All fats; Caviar; Tofu. 

LIBERAL DIET: Add the following foods to the strict diet: 

FRUIT: (limit: one piece of fruit every four hours. No fruit juices.) Apples; Apricots; Blackberries (1/2 cup limit;) Blueberries (1/2 cup limit;) Boysenberries; Casaba melon (1 wedge limit;) Grapefruit; Honeydew melon (1 wedge limit;) Lemons; Limes; Nectarines; Oranges; Papaya; Peaches; Pears; Plums; Raspberries; Strawberries; Tangerines; Tomato juice; Tomato sauce or paste; V8 Juice. 

VEGETABLES:(remove limits from strict side) Add: Artichokes; Beets; Carrots; Onions; Peas; Pumpkin; Winter squash; Hubbard squash; Turnips; Rutabagas, Spaghetti squash. NUTS—(remove limits from strict side) Add: Cashews; Peanuts; Soy Nuts. 

DAIRY PRODUCTS: Whole, Non-fat, Low-fat milk and buttermilk, unsweetened yogurt, unsweetened nut milks DESSERTS Sugarless diet puddings (1/2 cup a day limit)

BREADS: Three slices a day of sugar-free white, whole wheat, sourdough or light rye. No more than two slices at one time. You can also have 3 small servings of sugar-free crackers. 

MISCELLANEOUS: Corn tortillas (2 only per day;) Carob powder; Flour (gluten or soy only;) Gravy made with gluten or soy flour only;) Popped popcorn (one cup only;) Sugar-free cereals (puffed rice, shredded wheat, oatmeal etc;) Wheat germ.

Foods to avoid for both liberal and strict diets:

Alcohol in the first 2 months (see Beverages), 

Baked beans, Refried beans,  Lima beans

Black-eyed peas (cow peas)

Potatoes

Corn 

Bananas 

Dried fruit  

Fruit juice

Barley

Rice

Pasta (all types) 

Flour Tortillas, Tamales. 

Sweets of any kind: Dextrose, maltose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, honey, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, cane or brown rice syrup, caloric sweeteners, agave and starches.. 

High cholesterol:

Avoid:

Cheese

Cream

Eggs-whole

Margarine-solid

Hollandaise sauce

Lunch meat (except turkey) 

Macadamia nuts

Processed meats and packaged foods

Substitutes:

Egg whites -Egg Beaters 

Margarine-liquid 

Meats-trim fat  

Nuts -dry roasted 

Oil-canola or olive 

Poultry-remove skin 

This diet is not meant to be used to make a medical diagnosis. Please consult your own physician before making any changes to your current diet, medications or treatment. Prior to commencing any diet R. Paul St. Amand M.D. recommends a basic work-up that includes a thyroid test, blood count, blood glucose screening and testing for any conditions that may mimic blood sugar abnormalities. 

http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/uploads/2/6/5/7/26574962/diets_for_hypoglycemia.pdf

GETTING STARTED

DR ST AMAND SAYS THAT FIBRO PATIENTS WITH HYPOGLYCEMIA ARE HIS SICKEST PATIENTS AND LITERALLY HAVE TO EAT THEIR WAY TO WELLNESS. http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/hypoglycemia.html

If you find that you are hypoglycemic or carbohydrate intolerant, you only need to follow this diet plan for 2 months in order to stabilize blood sugar levels. There are two hg diet food plans. The liberal diet is for maintaining weight. The strict diet is for weight loss. Both diet plans stabilize blood sugar equally effectively. 

If you feel that you need to lose weight, consider starting on the liberal diet, which provides more food choices and can make it easier to adjust to a new way of eating. You can always switch to the strict diet later to begin weight reduction. Weight loss is also possible on the liberal diet.

If you need to gain weight, eat foods from both the strict and liberal diets. Eat nuts, nut butters, full fat dairy, a piece of fruit every four hours,  the limit of 3 slices of bread and 2 corn tortillas per day. Add heavy cream to decaffeinated coffee, protein shakes and sugar free-caffeine free hot chocolate. Top foods with sour cream. If your weight continues to decline, Dr Congdon advises adding one serving of brown rice per day. After two months, you can begin adding higher calorie foods back into your diet. If you are losing too much weight, see your doctor.

Once sugar, starch, alcohol and caffeine have been completely eliminated from your diet, the 3 week period of eating only the foods on Dr St Amand’s hg diet foods list to see if you are hypoglycemic begins. If you have a reduction in symptoms during the first 3 weeks, you are hypoglycemic or carbohydrate intolerant. Remain on the diet for another 5 weeks to heal your pancreas and stabilize your blood sugar levels. 

There are a couple of ways to eliminate sugar, starch, alcohol and caffeine. They can be stopped all at once, which can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms or by reducing the daily intake for milder withdrawal symptoms. I recommend you consider taking one week to eliminate each one. Once you are no longer consuming sugar, starch, alcohol and caffeine, you can begin the HG diet.

HG DIET MEAL IDEAS

This is merely a guide to help get you started. More foods are available on the hg diet foods list. When reading food labels you only need to pay attention to the amount of sugar. 

Zero sugar is the best. Some foods have naturally occurring sugar, such as dairy, fruits and vegetables (including canned). For those foods, look for “no sugar added.” Pay particular attention to the word “or” with fruits and breads. You cannot consume all of them. You need to choose between them.

BREAKFAST 

Scrambles or omelette combinations

• Cheese and spinach
• Ham and cheese with onions (for strict use green onions)
• Mushrooms and bell pepper
• Spices: Salt & Pepper, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, hot pepper flakes

Fried eggs:

Add a side of fruit. Choose 1 of the following:

• ¼ slice of cantaloupe (strict and liberal) 
• 6 strawberries (strict. No limit on liberal)
• 
  

Add a side of sugar free toast (liberal diet only). Three piece per day limit and no more than 2 pieces at one meal:

• Sugar free white or
• Sugar free whole wheat or
• Sugar free sourdough or
• Sugar free light rye

Yogurt, unsweetened with ½ c blueberries (liberal diet only)

Breakfast burritos in cheese wraps 

Buy Folio Cheese Wraps (available at Walmart and on Amazon)

Make your own cheese wrap:

Modified from Hip2keto

Ingredients

3 slices cheese per wrap

Directions:

Melt 3 cheese slices in a skillet over medium low heat.
Pour onto parchment paper and spread into a circle with a wooden spoon.

Cool and fill or refrigerate.

Fill with:

• Scrambled eggs, avocado, cilantro
• Scrambled eggs, steamed spinach and mushrooms (liberal only)
• Scrambled eggs, sugar free chipotle sauce, diced green chilis 

Optional: Top with sour cream and chives

Cottage Cheese 

(limit 1/2 cup both strict and liberal diets)

 Side of fruit

1 cantaloup wedge (strict)

Top with fruit

½ cup blueberries or ½ cup blackberries or peaches (liberal diet only)

Sugar free cereals (liberal diet only)

• Puffed rice 
• Shredded wheat
• Pancakes/waffles-low carb mix (Carbquik-amazon) and sugar free syrup
• French toast-sugar free bread and sugar free syrup
• Atkins protein bars (avoid if high cholesterol)

Breakfast beverages

• Decaffeinated coffee (Coffee mate powder is allowed)
• Sugar free hot Cocoa (Wondercocoa and Numo skinny hot chocolate brands are hg approved. They have the same amount of caffeine as decaf coffee)
• V8 Original only-unsweetened (Liberal only)

LUNCH 

Chicken strips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Buy pre-sliced chicken breasts or slice them into strips yourself.

• Spread one tablespoon of avocado oil or spray to coat the bottom of a baking dish. 
• Place chicken strips side by side in a baking dish.
• Sprinkle chicken strips with Italian Seasoning to taste.
• Cover with foil and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, til 160 degrees.
• Remove foil and add a sprinkling of cheese (italian cheese blend or parmesan) to the top (optional).
• Cook for another 5 minutes if desired. 

TIP: Save extra chicken tenders to cut up and use in salads.

Sliders

• Form small slider size patties.

• Fry in a stove top skillet coated with avocado cooking spray or grill at 400 degrees on a Cuisinart Griddler sprayed with avocado oil. 

• Cook 4-6 minutes on each side. Internal temperature should be 140-160 degrees.

A sugar free bun is allowed on the Liberal diet. Only 2 slices of bread per meal and no more than a total of 3 slices per day. 

Not using bread? Try these burger topping ideas:

• cheddar cheese, pickle and a splash of lemon pepper 
• avocado and sour cream 
• Romaine, Iceberg lettuce or folio cheese wraps with sugar free condiments-ketchup and mustard, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, or Steak sauce 

Prefer veggie patties? Check ingredients for fillers that are not allowed such as rice.

Quesadilla with corn tortillas ( 2 corn tortillas per day on liberal diet only)

Cheddar and/or jack cheese, sugar free salsa, sour cream, cilantro.  

Cheese Wraps (liberal and strict diets)

Use deli lunch meat only (Processed packaged meat is high in sugar and can raise cholesterol). 

¼ c avocado

Cheese

Lettuce

Pepperoncinis

Spinach

Olives

Pickles

Cucumber

Tomato

Dairy Intolerant? Use the deli lunch meat as a wrap substitute. 

Egg Salad: 

Place 6 eggs in a saucepan. 

Fill with water to cover the eggs and heat on medium high. 

Bring to boil and keep at a rolling boil for 7 minutes. 

Turn off heat and let sit in hot water for another 7 minutes. (It’s still cooking)

Drain water. 

Line sink with paper towels. 

While the egg is still warm, tap and roll it on the counter. 

Hold and gently squeeze egg under running water to saturate the space between egg and shell for easy shelling.

Peel shell onto paper towel for easy clean up. 

Rinse and chop eggs. 

Place in a large storage container.

Stir in 3 tablespoons sugar free mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon mustard, salt, pepper and paprika to taste. 

For a slightly different flavor, add green onions, a squeeze of lemon (only 2 teaspoons per day on the strict diet) and a spoonful of dijon. 

Serve on sugar free bread (liberal) or over a bed of lettuce, topped with sugar free dressing (liberal and strict). 

Grilled Veggies:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
• Cut peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and zucchini into large pieces. 
• Place them on foil or parchment paper. 
• Drizzle with oil, salt to taste and Italian or other seasoning. 
• Bake for 30 minutes turning over once after 15 minutes (or until desired texture.)
• Top with shredded cheese(optional)

If you're too tired to cook, you can always have dinner leftovers for lunch. 

Fast Snacks

• Olives. Don’t underestimate the joy of popping large olives into your mouth!
• Cheese slices. Top with a drop of Grey Poupon (even pepperoncinis) and you won’t miss the bread.
• Pickle-one large per day.
• Popcorn-one cup per day (liberal diet only).
• Nut butter on a slice of sugar free toast (liberal diet only). 

10 minute snacks

• Vegetable platter- radish, celery, cucumber plate with sugar free dressing for dip.

• Steam fresh hg veggies and cheese: Sprinkle shredded 3 cheese Italian blend over a bowl of allowable vegetables with a touch of lemon pepper seasoning. Mix and microwave for 1 minute or the cheese is melted. Add leftover chicken or ham (optional)

• Hard cheese slices on sugar free baguette with dijon mustard and pepperoncinis. Option: broil on baking sheet until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. 

Salads

Great for lunch, snacks and dinner. With your imagination, salads can be flavorful with endless possibilities. All lettuce is hg approved.

• Chicken Salad: add leftover grilled chicken with sugar free ranch dressing

• Taco Salad: add leftover taco meat, lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, no sugar dressing

• Greek Salad: add pepperoncini, olives, blue cheese with low sugar blue cheese and Skinny Balsamic Vinaigrette or oil and vinegar dressing-all types are allowed.

Sugar free dressing: BoltHouse Farms, Walden Farms, Skinnygirl and Primal Kitchen.

Dinner 

• Taco Bowls (eliminate the taco shell)

• Kielbasa and sauerkraut (1 cup limit strict diet), topped with mustard and serve with green beans.

• Pork chops, fish, chicken or steak with steamed or baked asparagus or brussels sprouts and cauliflower rice (if buying pre made, make sure the cauliflower rice does not contain starch)

• Stir Fry: chicken or meatless, bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, water chestnuts, topped with sugar free soy sauce or coconut aminos, served over cauliflower rice.

• No sugar added spaghetti sauce served over zoodles or sauteed zucchini. (liberal diet only). I like RAO's Homemade Sensitive Formula Marinara Sauce: 0 sugar, 0 garlic, 0 onions.

Beverages:

• Crystal Light or Country Time flavored drinks (choose the flavors without caffeine/tea)
• Mineral water
• Club soda
• Caffeine free diet sodas
• V8 Original only (liberal)

NO alcohol the first 2 months. After that, you may be able to tolerate 1 alcoholic beverage per day. Hard alcohol, such as vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey, contain 0 carbs and 0 sugar.

Dessert Ideas:

• Sugar free chocolate pudding (liberal diet only- limit one due to corn starch)
• Sugar free no crust pumpkin pie (liberal diet only-modify the recipe to hg foods) 
• 1 cup popcorn (liberal only)  
• Sugar free popsicles 
• Sugar free jello
• No crust sugar free cheesecake (modify the recipe to hg foods) 

CONSIDER DOUBLING YOUR RECIPES AND FREEZE A PORTION FOR LEFTOVERS FOR WHEN YOU ARE TOO SYMPTOMATIC TO COOK.

FOR HG DIET RECIPES

https://www.facebook.com/fibrogone #lynnshgkitcen

How to add foods back in your diet 

Once you have followed the hg diet perfectly for 8 weeks, you can begin adding in foods that are still on the low glycemic index. For example, instead of adding white rice, add brown rice or quinoa instead. 

What low carb foods have you missed the most over the past two months? Choose one food or ingredient and add it back into your diet once only. 

If you do not become symptomatic within 48 hours, you are tolerating it. You can repeat the process with another food or ingredient, tracking your symptoms.

If you were following the strict diet, consider adding in foods from only the liberal diet before adding foods that are not on Dr St Amand's foods list.