It is common for pregnant women to develop some loss of glucose tolerance during pregnancy. With the increase in circulating blood volume and metabolites, often the pancreas has a difficult time with the increased demands to supply insulin to help maintain proper blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is not uncommon for sugar levels to rise during pregnancy.
In about 10 to 20 percent of cases, a women will develop a condition know as gestational diabetes, in which blood sugar levels are too high. This condition requires careful medical monitoring and diet control. If it is not properly controlled, it can lead to problems for the mother or her baby.
Although you have not been classified as having gestational diabetes, it is a good idea for you to keep blood sugar levels within a safe range. Proper diet and daily exercise are important.
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes develops in women during pregnancy because the mother's body is not able to produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to break down sugar (glucose) to be used as energy. Without sufficient insulin the amount of sugar in the blood rises.
Here are some suggestions to help you maintain this goal:
Avoid sugar and foods high in sugar.During pregnancy, sugar is rapidly absorbed into the blood and requires a larger release of insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Sugar comes in many forms, and you should become familiar with how to identify it on a packaging label ingredient panel. If any of the forms appear near the top of the list, you should avoid that product. Eat unsweetened breakfast cereals and breads without added sugars. Avoid pies, cakes, cookies, sweetened yogurt, fruit drinks, sodas, candy, ice cream, syrup and any sugars such as honey, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, turbinado sugar, high fructose corn syrup and molasses.
It may be a good idea to drink vegetable juices such as tomato juice. Whole fruit is a better choice than fruit juice, because it contains fiber, which will help slow the absorption of sugar. Be sure to avoid fruit in syrup. Vegetables are a wonderful snack. They are very low in sugar.
Additional Self-help Tips
The most important part of treatment is to control blood sugar levels. Besides that, regular testing of blood sugar (glucose) levels, a carefully planned diet and regular exercise is also important.
A doctor or dietician can give advice about what and how much to eat. A meal plan will probably consist of a variety of foods including plenty of starchy fillers such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, and at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
It's important to limit consumption of sugary foods like cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. A diet that is low in fat is also desirable. This can be acheived by avoiding full-fat dairy products such as butter and cream, and limiting fatty meat, pies, sausages and burgers. Grilling, steaming or microwaving food rather than frying or roasting means less fat is added during cooking.
Gentle, regular exercise such as walking can help reduce blood sugar levels and promote a sense of well-being. A doctor or midwife can advise about suitable exercise during pregnancy.
Medicines
Despite making the above lifestyle changes, a few women's blood sugar levels remain too high, and they may need daily injections of insulin. The extra insulin will not cross the placenta and will not affect the baby. Any woman who needs to take insulin will be taught how to take it by her doctor or nurse.
It is possible to have too much insulin and this can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Common symptoms of this are weakness, shaking, hunger and sweating. For people taking insulin, it is a good idea to keep a snack handy at all times in case low blood sugar develops.
Prevention
To help reduce the risk of getting gestational diabetes, women should make healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and maintaining the correct weight for their height.
Bedtime snack:Fresh carrot sticks, 2 cups plain popcorn, 1 oz. low-fat cheese
In about 10 to 20 percent of cases, a women will develop a condition know as gestational diabetes, in which blood sugar levels are too high. This condition requires careful medical monitoring and diet control. If it is not properly controlled, it can lead to problems for the mother or her baby.
Although you have not been classified as having gestational diabetes, it is a good idea for you to keep blood sugar levels within a safe range. Proper diet and daily exercise are important.
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes develops in women during pregnancy because the mother's body is not able to produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that enables the body to break down sugar (glucose) to be used as energy. Without sufficient insulin the amount of sugar in the blood rises.
Here are some suggestions to help you maintain this goal:
Avoid sugar and foods high in sugar.During pregnancy, sugar is rapidly absorbed into the blood and requires a larger release of insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Sugar comes in many forms, and you should become familiar with how to identify it on a packaging label ingredient panel. If any of the forms appear near the top of the list, you should avoid that product. Eat unsweetened breakfast cereals and breads without added sugars. Avoid pies, cakes, cookies, sweetened yogurt, fruit drinks, sodas, candy, ice cream, syrup and any sugars such as honey, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, turbinado sugar, high fructose corn syrup and molasses.
It may be a good idea to drink vegetable juices such as tomato juice. Whole fruit is a better choice than fruit juice, because it contains fiber, which will help slow the absorption of sugar. Be sure to avoid fruit in syrup. Vegetables are a wonderful snack. They are very low in sugar.
Additional Self-help Tips
The most important part of treatment is to control blood sugar levels. Besides that, regular testing of blood sugar (glucose) levels, a carefully planned diet and regular exercise is also important.
A doctor or dietician can give advice about what and how much to eat. A meal plan will probably consist of a variety of foods including plenty of starchy fillers such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, and at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
It's important to limit consumption of sugary foods like cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. A diet that is low in fat is also desirable. This can be acheived by avoiding full-fat dairy products such as butter and cream, and limiting fatty meat, pies, sausages and burgers. Grilling, steaming or microwaving food rather than frying or roasting means less fat is added during cooking.
Gentle, regular exercise such as walking can help reduce blood sugar levels and promote a sense of well-being. A doctor or midwife can advise about suitable exercise during pregnancy.
Medicines
Despite making the above lifestyle changes, a few women's blood sugar levels remain too high, and they may need daily injections of insulin. The extra insulin will not cross the placenta and will not affect the baby. Any woman who needs to take insulin will be taught how to take it by her doctor or nurse.
It is possible to have too much insulin and this can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). Common symptoms of this are weakness, shaking, hunger and sweating. For people taking insulin, it is a good idea to keep a snack handy at all times in case low blood sugar develops.
Prevention
To help reduce the risk of getting gestational diabetes, women should make healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a balanced diet, taking regular exercise and maintaining the correct weight for their height.
Below is an example of a healthy daily diet that can help keep your blood sugars within a reasonable range:
Breakfast:1/2 cup orange juice, 3/4 cup oatmeal with 1/2 cup skim milk, 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 tsp. margarine
Morning snack:Yogurt smoothie made with 1 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 banana
Lunch:1 cup skim milk, salad with 1 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, 1/2 fresh tomato, 2 oz. water-packed tuna and 2 tbs. low-calorie Italian dressing, 1 bran muffin, 1/2 cup cantaloupe chunks
Lunch:1 cup skim milk, salad with 1 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, 1/2 fresh tomato, 2 oz. water-packed tuna and 2 tbs. low-calorie Italian dressing, 1 bran muffin, 1/2 cup cantaloupe chunks
Afternoon snack:6 whole-grain crackers with 1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1/2 sliced apple
Dinner:1 cup tossed salad with 1 tbsp. low-fat dressing, 3 oz. skinless chicken breast, 1 baked potato, 1/2 cup cooked broccoli, 1 piece corn bread, 1 cup skim milk, 1 fresh peach
Bedtime snack:Fresh carrot sticks, 2 cups plain popcorn, 1 oz. low-fat cheese
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