
Nearly 10% of pregnancies are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. A few months into my pregnancy, I got the dreadful news that I was diagnosed with diabetes. I cried inconsolably after hanging up. How could this happen? Is my baby going to be okay? Why me? After some pep talks with family and friends, I realized that it wasn’t the end of the world and my situation wasn’t all that bad. So I decided to take a proactive approach and do everything that I could do to manage my gestational diabetes for the sake of myself and my baby. In this article, I will discuss how to control gestational diabetes with food.
My Story
My OB referred me to a perinatologist (an OB that specializes in high-risk pregnancies). During my first visit, I met with the registered dietician nutritionist (RDN) and this is where I almost LOST IT.
The RDN was a very nice woman; however, I could not come to fathom the diet she wanted me to follow. More concerning to me was that this diet was supported by the American Diabetes Association. Never in my life had I ever questioned healthcare professionals or dietary standards put out. In my opinion, this suggested diet will push you to the point where you NEED insulin or medicine to manage gestational diabetes. Below is the American Diabetes Association’s list of “Diabetes Superfoods”:
Lets Talk Carbs
The body breaks down and converts carbohydrates (such as whole grains, beans, and fruit) into glucose, resulting in a rise in blood sugar levels. Yet, I was being advised to eat carbohydrates as part of a “healthy” and “balanced” diet. SAY WHAT? This made ZERO sense to me.
I felt as if the healthcare industry wanted to make the sick, sicker. By putting people on this diet, blood sugar levels spike to uncontrollable levels, resulting in a need of medicine for diabetes management. But what is their motive? Well my sweet friends, money talks. In 2012, the global diabetes market yielded $28.1 billion in sales, with $16.4 billion in the U.S. With the predicted increase in disease prevalence, global sales are expected to grow to $67.7 billion in 2022, with $38.8 billion in the U.S.
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