Diabetes occurs when your body doesn’t produce insulin enough to cope with the rising amount of glucose level in blood. Gestational diabetes is a clinical condition where the level of sugar present in the blood of a pregnant woman becomes exceptionally high. While gestational diabetes is common among women and it generally goes away after she gives birth to the baby, in some rare cases gestational diabetes doesn’t get cured unless proper treatment is provided. Gestational diabetes is not only dangerous for the pregnant woman, it is equally dangerous for the unborn child as well. So it is extremely important for any pregnant woman to control their blood sugar levels. In this article I will discuss the basics of a perfect diet plan for gestational diabetes.
A diet plan for gestational diabetes should be one which contains just the right amount of carbohydrates in addition to proteins and fats. You should not consume more than the required amount of carbohydrates-remember, carbohydrates actually increase the blood sugar level of a person and you are consuming carbohydrates just so that your blood sugar level doesn’t fall below the normal mark. Ideally, you should have at least 3-4 meals a day; even better, if you can have food every two or three hours. One thing you need to keep in mind that whatever maybe your eating schedule, you must never skip a single meal. Foods such as breads, pasta, potatoes, rice, fruit, vegetables, sugar and sweets contain plenty of carbohydrates. In addition, you can also have 1-3 snacks per day!
One important thing that you must know regarding carbohydrate intake is: the amount of carbohydrates you consume should be the same throughout the day and everyday. This is to keep your blood sugar level consistently at a normal level. Also, you will need to keep a watch on the amount of calories you are consuming per day. For this you can use a calorie chart. If you see that you are consuming more than the recommended number of calories, then you should immediately adjust your diet to reduce the calorie intake.
Always avoid foods and drinks that contain products such as sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses, jellies, jams as they can actually increase your blood sugar level.
Blood testing is an important part in the life of a pregnant woman suffering from gestational diabetes. Check your blood regularly to see if the level of cholesterol or blood lipids is above the normal level. If you cannot afford to do regular blood testing, test your blood at least once in a year. If you would like more tips about diet plan for gestational diabetes, [adrotate banner=”16″]