Gestational Diabetes Diet

What Does Gestational Diabetes Mean for a Mother's Diet?

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that only occurs in pregnant women who were previously undiagnosed with diabetes, typically midway through pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes do produce the correct amount of insulin however; the insulin is not utilized correctly by the body because of the numerous fluctuations in the types and quantities of hormones being produced as a result of the pregnancy itself. This condition is known as insulin resistance. Therefore, the onset of gestational diabetes in pregnant women necessitates the alteration of their diets in order to naturally maintain healthy blood glucose levels throughout their pregnancy.

The Benefit of a Gestational Diabetes Diet

Adopting a Gestational diabetes diet allows a mother to use the food she eats as an advantage. There are several risk factors and complications associated with untreated gestational diabetes for both the mother and her child. The baby may suffer from several birth abnormalities including having an excessive birth weight or developing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Other complications include being born with respiratory problems and even death either during pregnancy or during infancy. After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the probability that the mother will suffer from gestational diabetes during another subsequent pregnancy is high. Moreover, the mother’s risk for developing Type II diabetes after her pregnancy is also increased after the onset of gestational diabetes during pregnancy. There are several steps a mother diagnosed with gestational diabetes can take during her pregnancy to offset the numerous risks and complications associated with the disease as well as lessen the likelihood of developing Type II diabetes later in life. Follow these simple gestational diabetes diet tips in order to effectively manage gestational diabetes through a natural and healthy food diet.

• Maintain a consistent amount of meals and snacks eaten per day throughout your pregnancy.
• Lessen the intake of carbohydrates during breakfast as this is the time of day when insulin resistance is greatest.
• Maintain a consistent amount of carbohydrates in your body, especially those high in fiber.
• Eat a large variety of foods in order to insure the intake of an adequate amount of nutrients for you and your baby.
• Avoid foods that are high in sugars and fats as well as caffeine and alcohol.

Please keep in mind that this article on a Gestational Diabetes Diet is intended solely as an informational document; consult a licensed physician before making any decisions regarding the management of individual cases of diabetes.

Source: “Nutrition Basics for Women with Gestational Diabetes”
Diabetic Mommy Online Magazine

http://www.diabeticmommy.com/34-gestational-diabetes-diet.html

Diabetic Seniors Team

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