Nutrition Therapy

Some persons feel lightheaded and may faint when they become overly hungry. For them, eating four to six small meals a day and emphasizing low sugar foods can help. Some nutritionists also recommend a daily supplement of 200 micrograms of the picolinate form of chromium to help stabilize blood sugar. It takes at least two months to see any improvement with this therapy.

Visualization

This technique may be useful to someone who is prone to an extreme vasovagal response and who invariably faints upon seeing blood or experiencing some similar psychological trauma. Such a person might visualize a scenario in which he gains mastery over the automatic reaction by marshalling inner resources.

Self Treatment

You can usually prevent fainting by lying down with your head lower than the rest of your body, allowing blood to flow rapidly to the brain. If you cannot lie down, sit with your head lower than your heart, but don’t put it between your knees if you do faint in this position, you might fall on your head and sustain a serious injury. If you have bouts of orthostatic hypotension, always get out of bed gradually to avoid faintness. Sit on the side of the bed for a minute or two before slowly standing up. If you have been fasting and feel faint, drink a glass of orange juice or a soda with sugar in it. Some people require extra salt and fluids, especially during hot weather or a lengthy workout. If this applies to you, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water, juice, broth, or other clear fluids daily. You might try a sports drink that replaces the salt lost in perspiration; you may also need to add extra salt when you prepare food.

Other Causes of Fainting

Fainting can be a warning sign of a heart valve problem, a cardiac arrhythmia, or an impending stroke. All of these disorders warrant immediate medical attention. Sometimes, too, fainting episodes occur in the early stages of pregnancy.