During pregnancy various complications can occur, one of the most common is gestational diabetes. As with other types of diabetes, this disease is characterized by cells cannot properly assimilate glucose. Which produces high levels of this in the blood, which can cause serious health problems in both the mother and the future baby.
Some women suffer from gestational diabetes due to a hormonal problem. However, in most cases gestational diabetes can be prevented with a proper diet. The following tips will help you prevent this disease, so it is advisable to start with them even before you get pregnant. Do not wait to have the results of the first blood glucose test, avoid gestational diabetes and you will avoid complications in your pregnancy.
Diet in pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes
There are many factors that affect gestational diabetes, such as the age, previous pathologies, the weight of the pregnant woman or eating habits prior to pregnancy. In these cases, the doctor who controls the pregnancy or the midwife, are the ones who carry out a control of these factors, to be able to detect the appearance of diabetes as soon as possible, if it arises like that.
But between the follow-up medical appointments and the tests that occur during pregnancy, it usually takes several weeks. In this period, the complication may appear and it may take several days before it can be detected medically. Thus, you should not neglect your diet from the first moment of your pregnancy, so you can prevent this and other complications.
Food plays a fundamental role in pregnancy. Everything you eat directly affects your baby's development. Therefore, you must make sure that everything you eat is as healthy as possible so that the influence on the growth of your future child is positive. Eat well, varied, balanced, without starving but without eating unhealthy foods. These tips will help you.
The diet to prevent gestational diabetes
In order for your body to obtain all the necessary nutrients for the development of the pregnancy to be correct, you must follow a very varied diet. Don't eliminate any food, just choose those with less fat and be careful how you cook them. For the diet to be varied and balanced, it must contain:
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Fish, preferably fatty, rich in Omega3 fatty acids.
- Meats of all groups, always choosing the lean parts.
- Healthy fats, like olive oil or fresh avocado.
Several meals a day
Your body needs to maintain fat reserves throughout the day, so you must eat several small meals spread throughout the day. Breakfast is the most important meal, as it is the one that breaks the fast of the night. Eat a breakfast that includes fruits, dairy, cereals, and protein. In the most important meals of the day, be sure to have a serving of vegetables and another of animal protein, either meat or fish.
For the rest of the day, you should have 3 or 4 light snacksAt mid-morning and mid-afternoon you can have yogurt with nuts, for example. Before going to sleep, have an infusion with some cookies, yes, whenever possible choose products without sugar. The homemade oatmeal and banana cookies they are perfect to suppress the sweet tooth and are completely healthy.
Eat high-fiber foods
Fiber is the key in preventing gestational diabetes, because if the body gets enough fiber, it prevents alterations in sugar levels. Take whole grains, nuts, legumes, vegetables and fruits in quantity, since they are foods rich in fiber. On the other hand, maintaining a correct intestinal transit will help you prevent the dreaded hemorrhoids after childbirth.
In addition to following a rich, varied, balanced and moderate diet, exercising regularly will help you prevent gestational diabetes, as well as other complications in pregnancy. Stay active during this period and you can avoid this and other complications derived from being overweight and sedentary.