Who Needs a Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan?

Statistics have shown that roughly five percent of pregnant women may develop gestational diabetes, a condition in which a woman who doesn’t suffer from diabetes, suddenly becomes diabetic during and usually in the second half of her pregnancy.

When something like this happens, blood sugar monitoring should be done regularly to avoid any complications that may arise during labor.

How Effective is a Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan?

When a woman develops mild gestational diabetes, it is important that a proper diabetic meal plan is implemented with the help of a professional nutritionist to help control blood sugar levels. If the diabetes is allowed to progress into a stronger condition, insulin therapy may need to be introduced to help lower blood sugar levels.

How do you Design a Great Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan?

There is tons of information on designing a diabetic meal plan, but you should always take care to make sure that you get a balanced combination of carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins.

Because it’s not only you that is being affected by Gestational diabetes, but also your unborn baby, you should really seek out professional help to make sure that you are both getting all of the nutrients you need, while keeping your blood sugar levels in check at the same time.

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

A good majority of the time, there are no symptoms, or very mild. These can include:

Weight loss – even though you are eating more!
Blurred vision
Nausea and vomiting
Increased thirst and Urination
Increased infections, particularly of the bladder and vagina.
Fatigue
Raised blood sugar, which will generally stabilize after the birth

Causes of Gestational Diabetes.

If you are carrying extra weight prior to becoming pregnant
If you have a family history of Diabetes Type 2
If you fall into the category of ‘Pre-Diabetes’ which is raised Blood Sugar, but not high enough to be classed ‘Diabetic’ (Read More about Pre-Diabetes)
Women over the age of 25 are more at risk.
If you have previously given birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds.
If you have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
If you are a Pacific Islander, Hispanic, African American or American Indian.
You have given birth to a stillborn baby in the past.

A Sample Diabetes Meal Plan

If you are brainstorming for ideas for the meal plan, here are some tips:

Breakfast
Get yourself some starchy vegetables along with whole wheat bread, drink some milk to get a good intake of protein. If you want, you may also add a bagel spread with a teaspoon of jam.

Lunch
You can grab a sandwich made with whole wheat bread with two ounces of protein-rich meat, such as roasted turkey, lean roast beef, or fresh tuna. You can use a tablespoon of salad dressing or mayonnaise along with your sandwich for flavor. Finally, add a cup of nonfat yogurt or some milk to get your dairy requirement for this meal.

Dinner
You may want to get more protein and having some grilled chicken or salmon (approximately three ounces) would be a great start. Next, you’ll want to get your carbohydrate of choice, with suggestions of either a cup of pasta or large baked potato and to this add a cup of steamed asparagus or some tossed salad with low-fat salad dressing.

Lastly, for dessert, you can enjoy a cup of fresh apricots, melons, or other fruit.

Snacks!
If you feel hungry, you may want to get some snacks like whole wheat crackers or tortilla chips to help tide you over between meals. If you choose to go this route, just remember to keep the snacks small, so that your gestational diabetes meal plan is effective while at the same time enjoyable!

Type 2 diabetes meal plan

Do you have type II diabetes and looking for a great type II diabetes meal plan, one that is good and healthy for not only you but also your family?

Type II diabetes meal plans have been around for years and were designed so that people who have diabetes can still enjoy family meals and gatherings all while knowing that you were eating healthy so that you could maintain your diabetes and blood glucose at the same time.

Type II diabetics face a tough road because they have to watch everything that they eat due to having to be dependent on insulin normally twice a day. Type II diabetics have to watch everything that they do from the time they get up in the morning until the time they go to bed, what type of clothes they wear, shoes they wear, what they eat and make sure that they take all of their medications and insulin in order to maintain their diabetes. For diabetics it can be difficult going to a family gathering or even eating out enjoying time with your family and loved ones not being sure what the food is cooked with or how it is prepared but with the Type II diabetes meal plan you can take your own meals to the family gatherings so that you don’t feel left out and can still enjoy yourself.

Type II diabetes meal plans come in a wide variety of choices, there are meal plans that consist of daily meals from breakfast to supper, meal plans that just offer ideas for breakfast, lunch or supper you can decide which one is the best. If you are a diabetic and are looking for a great way to focus on your diet and health why not check out a meal plan catered just for diabetics?

Type 2 Diabetes Meal plan, does it have to be blah?

Type 2 diabetes meal plan, does it really have to be so blah? Did you realize that most people who have diabetes don’t even realize that they can have all the great foods that normal, healthy people can have just within moderation, reading labels and without all the extra additives?

Most diabetic patients think that the day they get told they have diabetes, that there life comes to a screeching halt when it doesn’t have to. Type 2 diabetes may seem and sound like such a drag but you really can just change a few minor things and still be in control.

Type 2 Diabetes Meal plan normally means that one is required to take insulin and monitor their blood glucose level more closely than a regular diabetic, generally 2-3 times a day. A type 2 diabetes meal plan can look like a regular meal plan just with a few minor changes added to it. For example, a type 2 diabetes meal plan may have 2% milk or fat free in place of whole milk, it may have whole wheat bread in place of white bread or grilled chicken instead of fried chicken.

Diabetics can have the same foods just within moderation and careful watching. Where a healthy person can eat baked potatoes and French fries, a diabetic can only have half a baked potato without all the extra salt and butter. A normal person may be able to have regular soft drinks when a diabetic may just be limited to diet.

For someone who is new to diabetes they may need a type 2 diabetes meal planner at first to help them get everything under control but soon after they learn all the tricks of the trade and how to read labels more efficiently and carefully will soon learn that they can throw their planner away and be able to make a type 2 diabetes meal plan from scratch without help!