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Gestational Diabetes…How Can We Help?
By Louise Bastarache, CNM, NP, MS
There is a dramatic increase in the number of women who develop gestational diabetes in pregnancy. I have noticed this trend in the past five years in my practice. Gestational diabetes occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy when it becomes increasingly difficult for the body to break down the glucose needed to fuel the cells. Insulin is the hormone that allows the glucose into the cells. In pregnancy, due to the hormones from the placenta, there is some “resistance” that occurs and the glucose, commonly called sugar, builds up in the blood instead of going into the cells.
For the majority of pregnant women this does not become a problem because their body can produce more insulin to facilitate a normal amount of sugar circulating in the blood. However, due to dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles, we are seeing an increase of pregnancy with insulin resistance, i.e. gestational diabetes, and often this disease transforms into Type 2 diabetes later as these women age.
The good news is that achieving normal blood sugar levels is possible without the use of medication for the majority of women. To do so, we need to take control of our food choices and our daily activity level.
Here are some healthy guidelines everyone can follow:
Walking is the best form of low impact aerobic exercise for pregnancy. Walk 2 miles per day, at least 5 days per week. Regular physical activity lowers blood sugar because the contracting muscles help the transportation of the glucose into the cells and exercise uses calories that will be used for fuel rather than be stored as body fat.
Avoid Refined Sugars, such as candy, cookies, and cakes and try fresh fruit instead. Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup from your diet by reading the nutrition labels on products.
Eat 3 meals and 3 snacks evenly throughout the day but watch serving sizes. Remember to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day.
Increase dietary fiber by adding seeds, whole grains, 5 vegetables per day, and berries to your diet.
Manage your “glycemic index” by eating whole grains, fresh fruit, vegetables and legumes and focus on reducing saturated fat and eating good healthy fats instead. By regularly eating this way and exercising, you will have a normal blood sugar and maintain a healthy weight.
Louise Bastarache, CNM, NP, MS
Wareham Nurse Midwives…
Empowering Women to Birth NATURALLY
Wareham Nurse Midwives, PC
332 Main Street
Wareham, MA
If you would like to make an appointment or for more information, please call (508)295-3088.
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