Gestational Diabetes and Healthy Eating
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According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 135,000 U.S. pregnant women, or more than four percent of all pregnant woman, are affected by gestational diabetes annually.
For pregnant women who are temporarily suffering from gestational diabetes, a healthy diet is one the best ways to have a healthy pregnancy and manage blood sugar.
If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor may recommend you meet with a diabetes educator or dietitian. At the end of this article, you will find sources to locate a diabetes educator in your area.
One of the best available resources on-line is a free 49-page booklet titled "Managing Gestational Diabetes: A Patient’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy." This booklet provides an extensive and overall look at gestational diabetes. It also provides a sample daily menu plan and daily record to write down your daily food intake, as wells as physical activity. The booklet is available at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/Managing_Gestational_D....
The following are some general healthy eating guidelines for women with gestational diabetes. However, the best healthy eating plan for you should be discussed and provided by your health care provider.
The goal of a gestational diabetes meal plan is to keep your blood glucose in a desired target range. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), your glucose target range when you are pregnant should be the following:
• First thing in the morning or fasting glucose level - No higher than 95
• One hour after eating - No higher than 140
• Two hours after eating - No higher than 120
Another thing to remember is you may be asked to take exact measurements of food. You may be limited to half a cup versus one full cup or half a bagel versus one whole bagel.
The most effective way to control gestational diabetes is by sticking to a healthy portion controlled meal plan. At times, measuring your food portions will feel tedious and difficult, but it is the best interest of your health and ultimately your baby’s health to stick to a healthy meal plan.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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Practicing prenatal yoga workouts can help a great deal in curing of all ailments arising out in course of pregnancy.
August 2, 2011 - 1:06amhttp://www.divinewellness.com/yoga/applications-of-yoga/yoga-for-women/y...
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