How should a "diabetic mother" eat? -- Dietary care strategies for gestational diabetes

In recent years, with the changes in people's lifestyles and eating habits, the incidence of gestational diabetes has been increasing. During pregnancy, pregnant women's sensitivity to insulin decreases. If they have bad eating habits, they are more likely to induce gestational diabetes. If blood sugar is not well controlled during pregnancy, it will affect the health of the mother and the newborn. So how should pregnant mothers eat to stay healthy? The following is a dietary care guide for gestational diabetes.

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1. Causes of gestational diabetes

1.1 Obesity

Obesity is not formed overnight. Obese patients have more fat cells in their bodies, reduced insulin sensitivity, increased pancreatic islet load, and pancreatic islet damage. Naturally, blood sugar cannot be effectively controlled. Women who take excessive nutritional supplements after pregnancy and cannot control their weight are likely to develop diabetes.

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1.2 Endocrine factors

After pregnancy, the endocrine system of pregnant women will undergo drastic changes, and the level of hormone secretion will also increase. Although placental lactogen, thyroid hormone, steroid hormones, etc. are beneficial to the fetus, they have an antagonistic effect on insulin. If pregnant women have endocrine disorders, they are at risk of developing diabetes.

1.3 Genetic causes

Factors such as region and family history can also increase the risk of diabetes in pregnant women, because the incidence of gestational diabetes varies among pregnant women in different continents, races, and countries. If it is further subdivided, it may be more representative. Pregnant women with a family history are also more likely to develop the disease, which may be related to economic, environmental, and cultural factors.

2. The hazards of gestational diabetes

2.1 Harm to the mother

2.1.1 High blood sugar can easily cause high blood pressure in pregnant women, leading to gestational hypertension, commonly known as "gestational hypertension". "gestational hypertension" is like a bomb that can induce preeclampsia and threaten the lives of the mother and fetus.

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2.1.2 High blood sugar can cause excessive amniotic fluid in pregnant women. Because of excessive amniotic fluid, the activity of the fetus in the uterus will increase, which can easily lead to malposition of the fetus and excessive uterine pressure, which can easily lead to premature birth.

2.1.3 Sugar is a favorite of bacteria. High blood sugar will increase the risk of infection in pregnant women. For example, vaginitis caused by Candida albicans can cause intrauterine infection and even endanger the safety of the fetus if not treated in time.

2.1.4 Pregnant women with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies, and after pregnancy, the incidence of type 2 diabetes increases with the woman's age.

1.1 Harm to the fetus

2.2.1 High blood sugar levels during pregnancy can affect the normal differentiation of fetal tissue cells, leading to fetal malformations and, in severe cases, miscarriage. During the development of the infant's lungs, the production of fetal alveolar surfactant is inhibited due to elevated blood sugar levels, affecting lung development.

2.2.2 The baby is kept in a "honey pot" for a long time, and the more it "eats", the fatter it gets. Therefore, the fetus will become larger and larger and become a giant baby, which brings great difficulties to the mother's normal delivery.

2.2.3 Newborns born to pregnant women with diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to develop respiratory distress syndrome, leading to difficulty breathing.

2.2.4 Fetuses of pregnant women with gestational diabetes will generally experience hypoglycemia after birth, and severe hypoglycemia can cause convulsions in infants.

2.2.5 Newborns born to pregnant women with diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes as they grow older.

2.2.6 If gestational diabetes is not treated, it may lead to fetal death.

2. Dietary care for gestational diabetes

3.1 1. Pay attention to the balance between diet and exercise, and control blood sugar

Balancing eating and exercise means choosing high-quality protein, controlling fat intake, increasing the intake of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and doing some aerobic exercise, such as walking, aerobics, swimming, yoga, etc. Follow the principle of from less to more, from light to heavy, from sparse to dense, which can effectively control blood sugar and reduce insulin usage.

3.2 Staple food quantity and fine food matching

Common staple foods on the daily table include rice, porridge, bread, steamed buns, etc. Most of them are refined carbohydrates. These foods can cause a sharp increase in blood sugar after a meal and are not suitable for pregnant women with gestational diabetes. In order to avoid high blood sugar after a meal, pregnant women can add coarse grains such as red rice, black rice, millet, oats, beans, etc. to their diet, but be careful. In order to prevent poor taste, indigestion, and not eating whole grains for a long time, the recommended ratio of rice to coarse grains is 8:2. The amount of staple food should be determined according to the height, weight, physical strength, activity, gestational age, single or double pregnancy, etc. of the pregnant woman. Under normal circumstances, the amount of staple food for a meal is about the size of a fist.

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3.3 Eat more vegetables, drink enough water, and eat more varieties and colors

Fresh vegetables are rich in various nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamins and trace elements needed by pregnant women. Eating vegetables can increase satiety and delay the digestion and absorption of food, which is very helpful in maintaining stable blood sugar after meals. Many pregnant women with gestational diabetes mistakenly believe that eating fruit will cause blood sugar to rise, so they don't eat it. In fact, for pregnant women with gestational diabetes, fruit is not a taboo. During the period when blood sugar is stable, pregnant women should eat fruits with medium and low GI values, and control the daily intake to about 200-250 grams. You can choose 2 or more kinds of fruits, which can make the nutrition more balanced and promote appetite. It is recommended to eat fruit every morning and afternoon.

3.4. Eat poultry, eggs and livestock meat regularly, and less processed meat.

High-quality animal protein is very important for the development of the fetal brain and retina. Eggs are also a nutritious and nutritious food. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes should not eat fatty meat, pickled, smoked, or braised foods. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes should eat 200-250 grams of meat and eggs every day, including 50 grams per egg, 75 grams of fish and shrimp, and 75 grams of lean pork or chicken.

3.5 Have milk and beans every day, and choose snacks and meals reasonably

Pregnant women with gestational diabetes should eat 300-500 grams of dairy products a day. They can choose pure milk or sugar-free yogurt. Pregnant women with lactose intolerance can choose sugar-free yogurt. In addition, pregnant women with gestational diabetes should eat 20 grams of soybeans every day. Nuts are rich in oil, high-quality protein, amino acids, vitamins and trace elements, which have a good promoting effect on the development of fetal brain nerve cells. It is recommended that pregnant women with gestational diabetes eat a small amount of nuts every day, not more than 25 grams, which can be eaten as a snack in the morning or afternoon.

3.6 Eat a light diet with less oil, salt and sugar

Pregnant women with gestational diabetes should eat a light diet with less salt, avoid eating fatty meat, animal skin, or cooking with too much oil, such as deep-frying or braising, because too much oil will reduce insulin sensitivity. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women with gestational diabetes use less oil and stir-fry quickly when cooking, 25-30 grams per day, preferably olive oil or rapeseed oil. In addition, pregnant women with gestational diabetes should also pay attention to less salt and less sugar in their diet. The daily salt intake should not exceed 6 grams. There are about 6 grams of salt in the cap of a beer bottle. Also, be careful not to eat sugary snacks.

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3.7 Eat regularly and in order

The diet should be regular, and "3+3" should be achieved, that is, six meals a day, with three small meals between the three meals. Because vegetables contain a lot of crude fiber, you can eat vegetables first, and then eat meat and staple food, which can reduce the intake of staple food. Eating small meals frequently and eating more meals frequently can keep blood sugar in a relatively stable state throughout the day, and there will be no severe high blood sugar, which is very beneficial for pregnant women with gestational diabetes.

3.8 Self-management and regular personalized nutrition guidance.

The knowledge and self-management skills of gestational diabetes are issues that pregnant women with gestational diabetes need to pay attention to. Nutritious diet, reasonable cooking, exercise management and blood sugar monitoring should be regarded as basic skills, combining self-behavior management with the prevention and treatment of hypoglycemia.

Conclusion

Although people's living standards are constantly improving, pregnancy is also a special period that requires nutritional supplements, but you must pay attention to scientific nutritional supplements, a reasonable diet, and not excessive nutrition, otherwise it will induce gestational diabetes, which will not only harm the health of the mother, but also the health of the fetus. It doesn't matter if you have gestational diabetes. If you control your diet scientifically, you can control blood sugar stability and minimize the harm of diabetes to pregnant women and fetuses. I hope that after reading the above content, it will be helpful to you.