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Gestational Diabetes UK

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what to eat

99 whippy ice cream

Ice cream

12th June 202112th June 2021 Jo Paterson 8385 Views coffee, coolers, food recommendations, frozen yoghurt, frozen yogurt, ice cream, ice lollies, iced drinks, lollies, milkshakes, slushies, Tango Ice Blast, what to eat

Ice cream, ice lollies, frozen yogurt, milkshakes & iced drinks Can we eat ice cream, ice lollies and frozen yogurt

Easter

1st April 202122nd April 2021 Jo Paterson 1080 Views chocolate, chocolate peanut butter cups, Easter, hot cross buns, lemon curd, mint sauce, what to eat

Gestational Diabetes Easter Happy Easter! It’s time to start planning your Gestational Diabetes Easter! To help you with a few

Best breads

14th March 20202nd May 2021 Jo Paterson 6670 Views bagels, bread, food recommendations, Lidl high protein rolls, protein bread, protein rolls, rolls, sandwich thins, thins, what to eat, wraps

The best bread for gestational diabetes, updated for 2020 Most of us love bread and with so many different types

Soup

12th November 201924th January 2020 Jo Paterson 2136 Views food recommendations, recipes, soup, what to eat

It’s cold outside and you want something warm and filling. You know a salad just isn’t going to cut it,

Greek yogurt with sliced strawberries, blueberries and seeds

Yogurts

15th June 20194th June 2021 Jo Paterson 3630 Views food pairing, food recommendations, what to eat, yoghurt, yogurt

The best yogurts for gestational diabetes (*updated for 2019) Yogurt can be a great and quick breakfast, snack or ‘dessert’

gestational diabetes breakfast

Gestational diabetes breakfast

9th March 201928th March 2021 Jo Paterson 13168 Views food recommendations, GD food pairing, what to eat

Breakfast – the worst meal of the day for most With gestational diabetes, breakfast is usually the hardest meal of

Gestational diabetes lunch

9th March 201928th March 2021 Jo Paterson 6682 Views food recommendations, GD food pairing, lunches, lunchtime, packed lunch, re-heating, what to eat

Gestational diabetes lunch ideas Looking for some gestational diabetes lunch inspiration, then this post is for you! Whether it’s lunch

gestational diabetes meals

Gestational diabetes meals

9th March 2019 Jo Paterson 7765 Views fish, food, food recommendations, what to eat

Gestational diabetes meals If you need help with ideas and inspiration for gestational diabetes meals, then hopefully this post should

gestational diabetes snacks

Gestational diabetes snacks

9th March 20194th June 2021 Jo Paterson 10544 Views food recommendations, snacks, what to eat

To help keep blood sugar levels nice and stable, it’s advisable to incorporate gestational diabetes snacks between meals. This can

low carb chocolate lava cake

Gestational diabetes desserts

9th March 2019 Jo Paterson 8291 Views cakes, cream, desserts, food recommendations, fruit, puddings, what to eat

With gestational diabetes desserts may be off the menu, or so you may have thought, but in this post I

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2 new recipes on their way, but which would you pi

2 new recipes on their way, but which would you pick?

Vegan Sausage Hotpot or Lancashire (Lamb) Hotpot?

#JosGDRecipes #GDUKMums #GestationalDiabetesUK #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes

Hi everyone 👋🏻 That’s me back after a lo

Hi everyone 👋🏻

That’s me back after a lovely half term holiday break with my family. We went to the Isle of Skye again, back to a lovely house in Elgol and had a wonderful week away doing all the things we love ❤️
🌊 beach combing for seaglass, shells, pebbles & crabs
🛥 a boat trip (I highly recommend the @mistyisleboat trip from Elgol if the weather permits. My boys loved it, we saw lots of huge seal pups and the scenery is absolutely beautiful)
🦅 loads of Birdwatching
🦦 🐮 🦌 Spotting lots of local wildlife like my beautiful otter that I managed to catch on camera (we were super lucky!) and highland coos
🛍 shopping for random holiday tat!
🍦 ice cream
🔥 toasting marshmallows and making s’mores on the hill

Now I’m back I’m going to be working hard to share some of my favourite cold weather family recipes, so I wanted to ask, what’s your favourite winter comfort food dish?

Comment below ⬇️

#JosGDRecipes #GeststionalDiabetesUK #GDUKMums #IsleOfSkye #Elgol

Hands up who’s been caught out by the sugar-free

Hands up who’s been caught out by the sugar-free sweets?
💩💩💩😰😱🥴💩💩💩💨💨💨

If you’ve not tried them, then I warn you now… stick to 2 or 3 individual sweets MaX!!!

TRUST ME! 😉
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/sugar-free/

#diabeticproblems #sugarfreesweets #sugarfreecandy #gestationaldiabetes #gestationaldiabetesdiet #gestationaldiabetessucks

Chaffles ⠀ These chaffles are the perfect low ca

Chaffles
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These chaffles are the perfect low carb cheesy savoury bread substitute. Especially useful if you want a bigger filling lunch and want a substitute for a sandwich to go with a bag of crisps at lunchtime
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Chaffles or ‘cheese waffles’ are a low carb waffle that are a bit of a craze in the *keto diet world and are basically a waffle made from egg and mozzarella
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I find chaffles are particularly good at being a bread substitute for a low carb sandwich and I’ve tweaked my own recipe to make a lovely savoury chaffle which serves this purpose well
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If you’re looking for a sweet waffle recipe, my coconut flour flaxseed waffles are a much better alternative
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A basic chaffle recipe is made with 1 egg and grated mozzarella cheese. I prefer my chaffles to have a bit more substance and flavour to them and so I achieve this by adding a small amount of ground almonds, baking powder and some herbs
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You can tweak this recipe to suit your tastes, it works very well with different herbs and spices
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Due to the ingredients used, these chaffles are self-paired and pack such a high protein and fat punch that they will actually help pair other carbs eaten with them, such as a bag of crisps, or fruit! Perfect for a filling lunch
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Here I’ve sandwiched 2 chaffles with mayo, lettuce leaves, tomato, ham & cheese 🧀 🍅 🥬 but you can fill them with any of your favourite sandwich fillings!
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/chaffles/
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*Whilst chaffles are a keto recipe, I do not recommend following a full keto diet in pregnancy unless you have a good understanding of the impact of ketosis in pregnancy. The idea of this recipe is to eat it alongside a small serving of carbs. Please see my post on ketones if you would like to read more about this www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/ketones/
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#todaysmealonthewall #mealonthewall #josgdrecipes #chaffles #chafflesandwich #chafflesandwiches #cheesewaffles #cheesewafflesandwich #garlicandherbchaffles #garlicandherbchaffle #gestationaldiabeteslunch #gestationaldiabeteslunchideas #diabeticlunch #diabeticlunchideas #diabeticpregnancy #type2pregnancy #pregnantdiabetic #gduk

Gestational Diabetes UK is lighting this candle to

Gestational Diabetes UK is lighting this candle to join the #waveoflight2021 for all the babies that we hold in our hearts but not in our arms💞🕯

Gestational Diabetes UK will support members from TTC, through pregnancy, birth and beyond WHATEVER the outcomes. We will never turn away a post about a baby who has been born sleeping, nor will we censor or demand a trigger warning to be added because baby loss is mentioned. We are there to help and support ALL those who want a place to post about GD in pregnancy, birth & beyond which will sometimes include posts on baby loss, with mothers needing support around what to do following a loss, or because they want their turn of sharing their birth story of their GD baby (all this information is contained within our Facebook group rules, in the pinned posts & announcements for all to see & read on joining so should not come as a surprise)

I refuse to shy away from mentioning baby & child loss and will continue to raise awareness on this matter
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#stillbornbutstillborn #alwaysinmyheart #neverforgotten #yourenotalone #1in4 #Im1in4 #babylossawareness #infantlossawareness #breakthesilence #miscarriage #blaw #blaw2021 #blawweek #blawmonth #waveoflight #babyloss #babylossawarenessweek #babylossawarenessmonth #stillbirth #stillbirthawareness #bornsleeping #pregnancylossawareness #angelbaby #angelbabies #childloss #lifeafterloss #miscarriagematters #GDUKMums #notjustbigbabies

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟖. 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞
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Where possible, going for a walk or being as ‘active’ as possible for around 30 minutes after eating can help lower blood glucose levels SIGNIFICANTLY
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This does not have to be a brisk walk, even a comfortable stroll will be beneficial or a favourite is having a boogie around the house!
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Exercising has an insulin-like effect on your cells so will assist in lowering blood glucose levels! 🧘🏾🚴🏼‍♀️🚶🏼‍♀️💃🏻
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟕. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲
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Staying well hydrated is very important during pregnancy & even more so if you have diabetes whilst pregnant. Drinking water doesn’t directly lower blood sugar levels, but it does flush excess sugar out of your system. Staying hydrated will help control & stabilise blood sugar levels therefore is a major part of a good gestational diabetes diet
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Ideally you should be drinking around 3 litres (10 -12 glasses) at least, a day. You will need to drink even more during warmer weather or if you are exercising
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I recommend drinking a glass of water with AND in between every meal and snack during the day 💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧💧
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(If you struggle to drink plain water, try no added sugar diluting squash or flavoured waters instead, but look for ones which are zero or extremely low in carbs or they will increase blood glucose levels)
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For more info on suitable drinks, take a look @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/drinks/
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟔. 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝 & 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐠
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Eating plenty of green vegetables & salad does 2 things. It fills you up so that you don’t feel hungry and it also provides you with important fibre, nutrients, vitamins & minerals
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Vegetables are actually a third type of carbohydrate known as fibrous carbohydrates. These play an important role in the gestational diabetes diet as they keep the digestive system running well, but it’s important to make informed choices when selecting salad & vegetables as some starchy or sweet ones may still raise blood sugar levels too high
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Check out the next 2 images ➡️to see higher and lower carb vegetables & salad so that you can make better choices & not unknowingly add too many extra carbs onto your plate!
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟓. 𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛
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Carbs are a tricky thing for diabetics to tolerate. Gestational diabetes is defined as carbohydrate intolerance!
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This is because a high amount (90-100%) of carbohydrate turns into glucose, raising blood glucose levels. They are however, important as they provide the body with energy
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If you are confused about carbs, then don’t worry, we have a whole page dedicated to explaining carbs @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/carbs/
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Carbs can be found in many different foods. Naturally occurring carbs include fruit, vegetables, milk, honey, nuts, grains, seeds & legumes
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There are 2 main types of carbs:
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1. Simple – Sugar or glucose is a simple carbohydrate. Sugar is naturally occurring in many foods, forming fructose in fruit, lactose in milk & sucrose in granulated sugar
2. Complex – Starch is a complex carbohydrate made of sugar units bonded together. Starch occurs naturally in vegetables, grains, cooked dried beans & peas. When a complex carb is refined, it is processed & much of the fibre & goodness is stripped away. Unrefined carbs are therefore, carbs which are in their natural state & contain much more goodness
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Choose small amounts of unrefined complex starchy carbs to eat at every meal
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You will find certain carbs are tolerated better than others and this varies from person to person. Trial & error with starchy carbs is the best approach at the start, so try different ones & keep a food diary alongside your readings. Start with small amounts paired well & tweak as necessary (see next image ➡️ for a simple guide)
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟒. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐬
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Fat I hear you cry?! Yes fat! But good, natural fats such as monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats which include omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids
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These fats improve blood cholesterol levels & can decrease your risk of heart disease. They also play an important role in the development of the brain, eyes & nervous system of your growing baby essential for baby’s growth
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Taking things one step further, I also find that full fat dairy products & animal fats which are saturated fats, go a long way to helping a good gestational diabetes diet and this will be controversial to most people as for many years saturated fats have been the bad fat that should be avoided. However, recent research has challenged that saturated fats now may be no worse than other ‘healthy’ fats
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There will always be a battle between fat v’s sugar. I’m not suggesting you live on transfats, high fat takeaways or products containing hydrogenated vegetable oil for the rest of the pregnancy, but introducing ‘good’ natural fats into the diet, rather than fat free or diet alternatives which are filled with refined carbs & sugar, will help control blood sugar levels
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Unless you need to follow a low fat/fat free diet for OTHER medical requirements unrelated to GD, then opt for plenty of natural fats to help pair your carbs
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟑. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧
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Protein is an essential building block for the body’s cells. It has a vital role during pregnancy because it helps your baby to grow & develop normally
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50% of protein turns to glucose in 2 – 4 hours so protein is a ‘safe food’ on a gestational diabetes diet. Use protein for food pairing to help tolerate carbs better & slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream
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Good sources of protein are: meat, poultry, game, fish, eggs, tofu, Quorn, nuts, yogurt, hummus, cheese, seeds, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, beans, soya milk
🥩 🥓🍗 🐟 🍤🥚 🥜 🌰🧀🥛
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟐. ‘𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫’ 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬
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90 – 100% of carbs eaten turn into glucose & this happens rapidly, within 15 mins – 2 hours. Whereas with proteins & fats, much less turn into glucose over a much longer period of time
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By eating plenty of protein with any carbohydrates & some natural fats, the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream & gastric emptying is slowed down
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This is where the term ‘food pairing’ has evolved from with regards to the gestational diabetes diet. When eating carbs, if you ‘pair’ them with protein & natural fat you will achieve lower blood glucose levels
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eg. A green apple eaten on its own will spike levels higher & faster than a green apple eaten with peanut butter (which contains protein & fats) 🍏 + 🥜 = 👍🏻
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Or a piece of wholemeal toast with some margarine alone will spike levels higher and faster than a piece of wholemeal toast which is ‘paired’ with butter & eggs
🍞 + 🧈 + 🍳 = 👍🏻
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Moral of the story, Never Eat A Naked Carb!
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If you are struggling to understand food pairing, I have a post which explains this in more detail @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/what-is-food-pairing/
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨 𝟏. 𝐄𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧
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Ideally we want blood sugar levels which look (if we were to draw a picture) like rolling hills, rather than huge spikes & crashes. The best way to achieve good control over levels is to choose sensible foods & to eat little amounts often. Aiming for 3 meals & 3 snacks a day
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Avoiding to eat is something that many mothers do when they are first diagnosed with gestational diabetes as they are unsure or too scared over what to eat. This can actually have a detrimental effect on blood sugar levels. If a meal or snack is missed then blood sugar levels can drop low & when this happens the liver dumps glucose into the bloodstream to give us energy & keep us going.
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The glucose can raise our levels high then when eating our next meal, as levels are higher than they should be, they raise even higher. Following a big spike in levels, the body will signal the pancreas to produce insulin, but with gestational diabetes we may not be able to produce enough insulin or hormones block our body from using the insulin we have produced. Sometimes the body will overproduce insulin & cause a big crash in levels, which is the start of roller coaster blood sugar levels.
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The other problem with missing meals or snacks, is that when we do eventually eat, we may eat too much in one go and large amounts of food in one go are very hard to tolerate. When a large amount of food is eaten we need to use more insulin to process the sugar in that food. It is much easier to tolerate small amounts regularly
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More in next post ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK

Back to basics: 𝟴 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥

Back to basics: 𝟴 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀
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I created the 8 Golden Rules as a way to break down the things you need to think about each time you eat to help make following the advice easier
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I know this may seem like a lot to think about & remember, but before long it will become second nature, you will automatically start to plan & prepare your food this way
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An obvious start to a good gestational diabetes diet is to eliminate sugar from the diet. At the moment, your body can no longer process sugar the way it used to so it is important to stop adding sugar into or onto anything. No more adding sugar to drinks, no sprinkling sugar onto anything. Cutting back the amount of sugar in a cup of tea or coffee is not sufficient, you really need to stop adding any additional sugar into your diet
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Unfortunately, sugar is not just found in sugary & sweet things so cutting out sugar, sweets & cakes is not enough for a good gestational diabetes diet
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Sugar hides in many foods & drinks and comes in many different forms!
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The next step to working on a good gestational diabetes diet is looking at carbs. Gestational diabetes is actually defined as a ‘carbohydrate intolerance’ so this is where we focus the next step after cutting out the sugars
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Carbs turn into sugar in the bloodstream, this is why they become as problematic as sugar itself. However, there are different types of carbs & they are processed at different rates. Therefore we have to understand the different types of carbs & the impact the different types have on blood sugar levels
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Detail in next posts ➡️
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#8GoldenRules #GestationalDiabetesDiet
#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDietaryAdvice #Jos8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb #DiabetesInPregnancy #PregnantDiabetic #Type2Pregnancy #MODYPregnancy #PregnancyDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesSucks #DiagnosedWithGestationalDiabetes #Diabetes #GDDiagnosis #GestationalDiabetesMeals #RealFoodForGD #RealFoodForGestationalDiabetes #JustEatRealFood #LCHF #LowCarb #LowerBloodSugarLevels #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GDUK #GestationalDiabetesMealPlan #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetesUK
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Testing blood glucose levels [BGLs] Capillary tes

Testing blood glucose levels [BGLs]

Capillary testing (finger pricking/poking) of BGLs is ONLY A GUIDE

If you test every finger, one after another you will get different results (as shown in this video of me testing)

As annoying as this is, blood glucose monitors are the quickest, easiest & most cost effective way to get an idea of what’s happening with your BGLs

Pregnant women with diabetes are usually asked to test their BGLs multiple times a day as it is important to monitor them to see the impact on the growing baby and to be able to tweak the diet & medication as necessary. This is different to people with diabetes who are NOT pregnant. So don’t compare with your your friend Dan who has Type 1 or Aunty Shilpa who has Type 2.

I understand that having a device that is not 100% accurate and can give different readings each time it is used can be frustrating, as the levels we report/record can be the difference between remaining diet controlled, or being advised to take medications to help lower levels. However it’s important to remember that your diabetes team will be looking at trends, not just the odd high.

Here’s a few important things to remember:
🩸 always wash hands in just warm water before testing (soaps, sanitisers & wipes can all contain ingredients that can cause false high readings)
🩸 only re-test if you are surprised with the result ie. it is much higher or lower than expected and then record ALL the results. Recording only the ‘best’ results for your diabetes team to see can mean that they are not gaining an accurate picture as to what your BGLs are doing, so it’s important to record them all (just write the reason for re-testing)
🩸 try to use the same few fingers for consistency, but rotating the fingers so that they do not become too sore or lose sensitivity
🩸 where possible try to use a new lancet each time you test (this helps look after your fingers as lancet needle becomes more blunt after every use and it also helps prevent contamination)

#GDUKMums #GD #GDM #diabetesinpregnancy #pregnancydiabetes #bloodtesting #bloodsugar #bloodglucose #GestationalDiabetesUK

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GD Basics

Diagnosis GD Basics

Gestational Diabetes Misdiagnosis

5th June 20215th June 2021 Jo Paterson

The big question, is gestational diabetes misdiagnosis possible? YES. Gestational diabetes misdiagnosis can happen. However, since setting up my Facebook

Blood sugar levels Featured Posts GD Basics

High fasting levels

5th August 202015th August 2020 Jo Paterson

Blood sugar levels GD Basics

Blood sugar levels, when do you test yours?

16th June 201912th May 2021 Jo Paterson

Birth GD Basics

Gestational diabetes birth

27th March 20198th April 2019 Jo Paterson

GD Basics GD Diet

Shopping List

4th May 201820th February 2019 Jo Paterson

GD Basics GD Diet

What is food pairing?

18th December 201617th May 2021 Jo Paterson

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