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Diabetes Awareness Month

diabetes awareness month

Diabetes Awareness

Diabetes Awareness Month

11th November 201618th February 2019 Jo Paterson 514 Views14th November, Diabetes Awareness Month, Eyes on diabetes, National Diabetes Day, raise awareness, World Diabetes Day

November – Diabetes Awareness Month World Diabetes Day, 14th November ‘Eyes on Diabetes’ The theme of World Diabetes Day 2016

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Raspberry Leaf Tea ☕️ 🍃 ⠀ RLT can be take

Raspberry Leaf Tea ☕️ 🍃
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RLT can be taken in capsule, tablet or tea form.
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𝙍𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙛 𝙩𝙚𝙖 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙇𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙜𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜
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2 cups of RLT daily from the last 3 mnths > last 6 wks of pregnancy can assist in the preparation for birth by increasing the strength of the myometrium, facilitating an easier birth. This is especially relevant in cases of straightforward & uncomplicated births, although the use of RLT has been reported to shorten labour, to reduce complications & to decrease the incidence of both pre- & post-term births. It has also been noted that the use of RLT results in reduced incidences of artificial rupture of the membranes & making the use of caesarean forceps or vacuum births less likely (Mills et al, 2006; Palmer, 2000; Parsons et al, 1999)
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Tablets can be difficult to break down in a weak digestive system. However, if preferred two 400mg tablets can be taken with meals up to 3 x daily during the last trimester.
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𝙍𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣 & 𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨.
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Red raspberry leaves contain the phytochemical fragarine, which is the active constituent responsible for toning the muscles of the uterus. The leaves also contain organic iron, which is easily absorbed by the body, helping to prevent anaemia (Campion, 1996).
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The astringency of the leaves is due to the tannin content, which helps prevent haemorrhage, as well as toning & strengthening the tissues of the reproductive organs & preventing bleeding gums, a common feature of pregnancy.
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Raspberry leaves as well as the fruit contain many valuable vitamins needed during pregnancy. As well as containing iron, they are rich in vitamins A, C, B, E, calcium, manganese & magnesium. Magnesium particularly contributes to the strengthening of the uterine muscles.
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Consult your midwife if you would like to find out if RLT is suitable for you to use in your pregnancy.
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#RaspberryLeaf #RaspberryLeafTea

The dos and don’t s of testing blood sugars…

The dos and don’t s of testing blood sugars…

Do:
💦 wash your hands well in warm water
💨 dry your hands properly
🩸use a new lancet each time
✋🏿 test the edge/side of your finger, just below the edge of your nail
🤚🏿 rotate the test site each time you test to avoid repeat damage to your fingers
📝 keep a record of your readings (if you do not have an app which syncs with your hospital)
🚮 dispose of your lancet & test strip in a hygienic way (ideally a sharps bin if you have been provided one. If you haven’t you could ask for one, or use an old bottle with a cap, or old test strip pot)
👩🏽‍⚕️ take your readings to your diabetes appointments (if you do not have an app which syncs with your hospital)
❓ ask for help if you are having difficulties with testing your blood sugar levels
🧴 apply a good moisturiser at bedtime to allow your skin to repair overnight

Don’t s:
🧴 use hand soaps, sanitisers, baby wipes, washing up liquid, or moisturisers just before testing, if you do they must be thoroughly washed off due to residues which may cause inaccurate readings
👎🏻 prick your thumbs or fingers on the fleshy pads (where your fingerprint is found) as this can cause long term loss of sensitivity in your fingers
🩸 reuse your lancet. The more it is reused the more blunt it becomes, causing more damage to your skin and can contaminate your skin & give inaccurate readings and risk of infection
🩸🩸 keep retesting levels over & over within minutes of each other. Only retest if you think the first reading is inaccurate, remembering that finger pricking is just a guide and levels may be slightly different every time you test
😨 panic if the reading is over your target. You will more than likely get over target readings at some point. That’s OK! This is why we’re monitoring levels, to identify patterns so that we can make adjustments and best manage our blood sugar levels
😰 worry about sharing your blood sugar levels with your diabetes team. They are there to help support you, not judge you or ‘tell you off’
🤐 sit at home struggling to test blood sugar levels. If you have any difficulties, then just ask for help

#GDUKMums

Coming soon… My Protein Flapjack Recipe I’ve

Coming soon… My Protein Flapjack Recipe

I’ve been playing with this recipe for a couple of weeks now, but I think I’ve nailed it 🎯

No protein powder or supplements and no added sugar. These delicious sweet, sticky, crumbly flapjacks are packed with REAL FOOD… roasted nuts, seeds, quinoa, oats, coconut, apricot & goji berries. The perfect snack, or crumble over yoghurt like granola. Oh and they’re also gluten-free and vegan! 🫶🏻

#ProteinFlapjack #ProteinFlapjacks #ProteinGranola #ProteinGranolaBars
#TodaysMealOnTheWall #MealOnTheWall #JosGDRecipes #JosLowCarbKitchen #JosKitchen #JosGDKitchen #JosLowCarbRecipes #GestationalDiabetesUK #GDUKMums

Symptoms of gestational diabetes… ⠀ It is very

Symptoms of gestational diabetes…
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It is very common for NO symptoms to be present with gestational diabetes and this is why many ladies feel that they can’t possibly have gestational diabetes after receiving a positive result and struggle to come to terms with the diagnosis
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Some women may experience some symptoms such as:
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🤕Headaches
😶‍🌫️Blurred vision
🥵Feeling thirsty
😵‍💫Feeling shaky or unsteady
🤢Nauseous when needing to eat
🥴Urinating more frequently
🥱Tiredness
🤒Recurrent infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) and thrush
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You will notice that many of these symptoms are common during pregnancy and so it is hard to determine if they are due to gestational diabetes or just pregnancy itself until a glucose tolerance test is performed or blood glucose levels are monitored
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If you have any of the above symptoms you should enquire about being tested for gestational diabetes 📞👩🏽‍⚕️
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Read more @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/diagnosing-gestational-diabetes/
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#GDUK #GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetesUK #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #GDPregnancy #DiabeticPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #DiabetesInPregnancy #PlusSizePregnancy #GeriatricPregnancy #SlimmingWorldPregnancy #UKPregnancy #HighRiskPregnancy #GlucoseToleranceTest #GDDiagnosis #GTT #BloodGlucose #BloodSugar #BloodGlucoseLevels #BloodSugarLevels #Pregnancy #PregnancyProblems #GD #GDM #TestsInPregnancy #UnderstandingGestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesAwareness

Loaded potatoes, for when you can tolerate potato

Loaded potatoes, for when you can tolerate potato not too badly but you need to pair it well, then load them up!!!

1. Bake your potatoes (aim for a potato no bigger than a clenched fist 👊🏻)
2. Once cooked, cut in half, scoop out the middle, pop the potato skin shells back in the oven after brushing with a little olive oil & season.
3. Mash the potato with a little butter or oil, season and set aside.
4. Then prepare your fillings! And add them to the mashed potato
5. Once the potato skins are lovely and crisp, flip over and load them! Pop them back in the oven or under the grill if you want the filling to be more melted, or crisp 🤤

Here are pictures of my cooked spicy chorizo, cheese, spring onion & sour cream and Tuna melt (tuna mayonnaise with cheese & spring onion)

Have fun with this one, just remember to pack those potatoes with plenty of protein & natural fats which will help make the potato more tolerable (serve with a big green salad or green vegetables)

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#LoadedPotato #LoadedPotatoes
#GDUK #GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetesUK #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #GDPregnancy #DiabeticPregnancy #DiabetesInPregnancy #Type2Pregnancy #Type1Pregnancy #PlusSizePregnancy #HighRiskPregnancy #GlucoseToleranceTest #GDDiagnosis #BloodGlucose #BloodSugar #BloodGlucoseLevels #BloodSugarLevels
#TodaysMealOnTheWall #MealOnTheWall #JosGDRecipes #JosLowCarbKitchen #JosKitchen #JosGDKitchen #JosLowCarbRecipes

IS THIS YOU? 🙋🏻‍♀️ ⠀ Tag a friend be

IS THIS YOU? 🙋🏻‍♀️
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Tag a friend below who may be displaying signs of being prangry ⬇️
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Oh and if they’ve got GD, send them our way so we can help with their pranger 😘

You really shouldn’t be hungry on a GD diet as there’s LOADS you can eat! If you feel like you don’t know what is safe to eat, then get scrolling through my Instagram and the GD UK website!

No need to be PRANGRY!

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#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #HangryandPregnant #Prangry #PregnantandHangry #Hangry #Hungry #GestationalDiabetes #pregnancy #pregnant #PregnancyDiabetes #MumToBe #PregnantMummy #Preggo #Preggers #MamaToBe #InstaPregnancy #BabyOnBoard #PregnantLife #BellyBump #FutureMama #Mother #Mummy #Mama #MummyToBe #BabyOnTheWay #Bump #DiabeticPregnancy #Mom

It’s the weekend so a great time to get batch co

It’s the weekend so a great time to get batch cooking these delicious breakfast burritos for the freezer
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When you need a protein packed breakfast on the go, and don’t have time for cooking every morning then this is the perfect solution
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Make up batches of these breakfast burritos, fold, wrap & freeze. You just need to pop them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or oven for 20 mins to reheat when you want them. Perfect while you’re busy getting ready for work or the school run!
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There’s so many different flavour options to choose from! Here I’ve made a selection of different flavours:
🥓 Egg, bacon & sausage
🥚 Chorizo & cheese
🌶 Cheesy chilli bean with avocado
🍄 Vegan mushroom, scrambled tofu & beans
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On the recipe I share a table comparing different tortilla wraps so you can choose the lower carb option to suit you best, or there is a recipe for flour-free wraps which are great if wraps are a problem for your blood sugars
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Check out my breakfast burrito recipe in the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk and why not get batch cooking for the rest of the week today!
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#BreakfastBurritos #LowCarbBreakfast #JosGDRecipes #MealOnTheWall #JosGDKitchen #JosLowCarbKitchen
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

Friday night takeaway? 🍕🥘🍗🍟🍔🍜
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Many will still have a treat of a takeaway with gestational diabetes and why not? As long as it’s not everyday then it’s one treat that you can adapt and still enjoy without causing high blood sugar levels.
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Making the right choices with the type of takeaway you choose and sticking to my 8 golden rules will help you make better choices when it comes to having a night off cooking and getting a treat but it’s all about being careful with your choices.
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Many Indian or Chinese dishes contain added sugar. There’s the obvious ones to avoid such as sweet & sour, plum, hoisin, sweet chilli & BBQ sauce etc. and be very careful with a takeaway carb overload!
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Be wary of dishes you perhaps didn’t expect having added sugar, like korma and butter chicken, crispy seaweed etc.
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If in doubt then ASK 💬 many restaurants & takeaways will happily make the dishes without the added sugar in them for you, but if you don’t ask you don’t get!
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The reason I’m sharing this post is that depending on what your diabetes team advises, you may try some takeaways and be led to believe that they give you even better results than your healthy GD food cooked from scratch⁉️
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But actually, it all comes down to WHEN you are advised to test your blood sugar levels & the TARGETS used.
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For many meals, a one hour post meal test will give a good indication as to whether you are tolerating a dish or not, however there’s a big exception to this and that’s food exactly like this!
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𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 and so that lovely low reading you got at one hour may be BEFORE your levels spike!
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This is due to the very high fat content of these types of meals.
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With this in mind it is worth testing your blood sugars at 1hr AND 2hrs post meal.
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If you don’t have a target for these times then the gold standard target to use are the NICE guidelines:
• <7.8 after 1 hr
• <6.4 after 2 hrs

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#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GD #Takeaway #FastFood #GestationalDiabetesDiet #8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #DiabetesInPregnancy #GestationalDiabetesSucks #Diabetes #TestingBloodSugar

If I had a pound for every time I’ve seen or hea

If I had a pound for every time I’ve seen or heard someone say “I’ve got to be induced because I’m on insulin” and “I’ve been told I’ll be on a sliding scale [variable rate insulin infusion] during labour because I’m on insulin”, I’d be rich £££
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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 ‘𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’ and therefore should not be used as reason for elective delivery before 40+6 weeks (𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘌, 𝘕𝘎3 - 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘐𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦)
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A study between 2010 – 2012 in Vienna comparing maternal and fetal outcomes in 100 insulin-controlled gestational diabetes patients found that induction of labour at 38 weeks did not significantly reduce the rate of large for gestational age babies compared to induction at 40 weeks. Still, they found a higher rate of neonatal hypoglycemia. It, therefore, questions the benefit of earlier induction of labour in insulin-controlled women with gestational diabetes who have good glycaemic control
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“we would favor routine induction of labor at 40 weeks of gestation until studies are published which document a clear advantage of earlier delivery. In women with a LGA [large gestational age] fetus, inadequate metabolic control, or overt diabetes, we would emphasize a more individual approach.“ Worda K 𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭. (2017)
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“The poorly controlled GDM with a PGDM phenotype (elevated BMI, marked insulin resistance as manifested by insulin requirements, polyhydramnios and increased fetal abdominal circumference) should likely be managed more conservatively with consideration towards earlier induction. Conversely, the “low risk” well-controlled primiparous GDM patient with an unfavourable cervix is likely to benefit from expectant management. Although commonly used by practitioners, the distinction between insulin-treated and diet-treated GDM pregnancies should not necessarily be the sole criterion used when deciding on timing of delivery.“ Berger H, Melamed N. (2014)
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Read more @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/induction/

Some of us, no matter how well we eat, how well we

Some of us, no matter how well we eat, how well we pair our small serving of carbs with a ton of protein, fat & veggies, how much water we drown the sugars out with, or how much exercise we do after eating, will still not achieve below target blood sugar levels and that’s OKAY. But we need to understand what this can result in if we don’t try to control these high blood sugar levels (GD isn’t 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 about growing a big baby)
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Too many times I see people putting pressure on themselves to remain ‘diet-controlled’ because they believe taking Metformin or insulin will mean they will not be able to have the birth they want.
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🆁🅴🅼🅸🅽🅳🅴🆁: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.
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If this means taking medication and/or insulin to achieve safer blood sugar levels, then please don’t avoid medical advice which will help control blood sugars.
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You can still achieve the birth you want!
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Read my post on gestational diabetes birth and ensure you make informed decisions around gestational diabetes birth
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes-birth/
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#ControlTheCauseToGetWhatYouWant #DontBuryYourHeadInTheSand #InsulinDoesNotMeanInduction
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#GDUK #GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetesUK #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #GDPregnancy #DiabeticPregnancy #DiabetesInPregnancy #Type2Pregnancy #InsulinResistanceInPregnancy #HighRiskPregnancy #GestationalDiabetesBirth #BirthChoices #GlucoseToleranceTest #GDDiagnosis #BloodGlucose #BloodSugar #BloodGlucoseLevels #BloodSugarLevels #InformedConsent #InformedChoice #InformedDecisionMaking #BirthPlans #PositiveBirth #GDBirth

Have you entered yet???

On Monday I launched a
🅱🅰🅽🅺 🅷🅾🅻🅸🅳🅰🆈 🅶🅸🆅🅴🅰🆆🅰🆈 - 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗚𝗗 𝗨𝗞 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!
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I’m giving 5 lucky people the chance to win a Silver Gestational Diabetes UK Recipe Subscription! This includes online access to ALL GD UK recipes and 7-day Meal Plans
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To enter, all you have to do is:
1) FOLLOW @gestational_diabetes_uk 👈🏻
2) LIKE this post 👍🏻
3) TAG a friend in the comments and let me know what your favourite meal is 🍽
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Enter as many times as you like. Each entry must be on a separate comment 💬
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Ts&Cs apply:
The winner will be contacted by @gestational_diabetes_uk. The winners will be chosen at random. Winners will receive ONE month’s access to the Silver Gestational Diabetes UK Recipe Subscription for FREE. The competition closes on the 9th May 2022. If there is no response within 24 hours new winners will be chosen. You must be 18 years or over to enter. This prize cannot be exchanged for cash. In order to be entered into the competition, you must follow @gestational_diabetes_uk Instagram account, like the post and tag a friend. Enter as many times as you like. Each entry must be on a separate comment. Please note: winners will need to provide an email address in order to set up access to the online recipe subscription. Existing GD UK Recipe Subscribers can enter to win one month’s Silver subscription free of charge. This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administrated by, or associated with Meta or Instagram.
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#GDUKGiveaway
#GDUK #GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetesUK #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GestationalDiabetes #JosGDRecipes #JosGDKitchen #MealOnTheWall #LowCarbRecipes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #GDPregnancy #DiabeticPregnancy #DiabetesInPregnancy #PlusSizePregnancy #SlimmingWorldPregnancy #GlucoseToleranceTest #GDDiagnosis #BloodGlucose #BloodSugar #BloodGlucoseLevels #BloodSugarLevels #LowCarb #Keto #LCHF #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #RealFoodForGD #Competition #Giveaway

My last hack isn’t so much of a hack but essenti

My last hack isn’t so much of a hack but essential to the GD diet
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GD FOOD PAIRING!
🥔+🍤
🍚+🍗
🍞+🍳
🍏+🧀
🍫+🥜
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#GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb
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Eating fat & protein alongside your serving of carbs slows down the release of glucose into the bloodstream and slows gastric emptying
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Lots of ladies ask what macros (what ratio of carbs/protein/fat) they should aim for on the GD diet, but unfortunately we’re dealing with a hormonal beast when it comes to GD! I often refer to gestational diabetes as ‘diabetes hormonal big sister’ And one thing that causes a big problem is that not all carbs are equal, and this can seem worse during pregnancy🤰🏾
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Each pregnant mother tolerates different carbs differently 🤰🏾🤰🏻🤰🏼🤰🏽🤰🏿🤰
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So whereas as I may tolerate rice really well and really struggle with bread. You may be the complete opposite?! It can also be different in one pregnancy to a subsequent GD pregnancy!
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It is for this reason I do not advocate ‘carb counting’ as a way to manage your BG levels in diabetic pregnancy
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If you are told to eat set amounts of carbs per snack and meal, you are led to believe that you ‘should’ be able to tolerate anything within those carb limits. But for most unfortunately it is not as simple as that (which you will find after eating & testing)
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Just because something is within your carb limits DOES NOT mean you will achieve optimal BG levels, but it also does not mean you necessarily need meds/insulin OR increased doses to be able to tolerate it either
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Try out different carbs in small servings (aiming to stick to one main carb source), eat it with plenty of protein & good natural fats #thisisGDFoodpairing adding plenty of green veg & salad for additional fibre and see how YOU get on. A majority will find certain carbs they can eat more of, or with less protein & fat than a more tricky carb, and some carbs no matter how well they pair they cannot tolerate
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Please note: if you find you are struggling to tolerate most carbs even well-paired it is then that you may need to introduce meds/insulin or increase doses. Many women will not be able to diet-control alone and that’s absolutely OK! ❤️

Hack No6. Change the order you eat! Eat your veggi

Hack No6. Change the order you eat! Eat your veggies, then protein & fats first, then your starchy carbs LAST
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By eating the starchy carbs last, it can reduce the postprandial spike in glucose levels compared to eating the food altogether (crazy right?!)
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A small study published in Diabetes Care in July 2015, by Alpana P. Shukla et al, ‘Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels’ found that postmeal glucose levels were 73% lower when vegetables & protein were consumed first, before carbohydrate
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To read this study, please go to the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk go to the post on Carbs and look for the link ‘Study on Food Order Eaten’

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Hack No5. Freeze your bread before toasting ⠀ (o

Hack No5. Freeze your bread before toasting
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(or freeze your bread, defrost and eat - although I’m personally not keen on this as I find it doesn’t taste the same, whereas toasting frozen bread makes toast ‘as normal’) 🍞
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A study in May 2008, The impact of freezing and toasting on the glycaemic response of white bread, Burton. P, Lightowler HJ, found that “freezing and defrosting, toasting from fresh, and toasting following freezing and defrosting, favourably altered the glucose response of the breads.” With the biggest benefit seen from bread which was frozen, defrosted, then toasted 👍🏻
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Hack No4. Rinse your rice in water thoroughly to r

Hack No4. Rinse your rice in water thoroughly to remove as much starch as possible
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Cooking rice straight out of the packet means lots of the starch is left for the rice to cook in
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Starch turns into sugar in the body, so rinsing rice until the water runs clear removes as much starch as possible (and also means your rice won’t be as sticky)
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Obviously this hack is for those of you cooking raw rice. Please do not attempt to rinse your microwave packet of rice 😬
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Rice yet again is another type of carb that gives lower blood glucose when eaten cold or cooked, chilled and reheated ⚠️ although pregnant women may wish to avoid reheating rice as this can cause food poisoning due to bacteria found in rice called bacillus cereus 🦠

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