Originally published May 29 2008
High Blood Sugar Contributes to Pregnancy Complications
by Ella Andersen
(NaturalNews) Type II diabetes is a devastating and debilitating malady that afflicts millions of people in the United States. Add diabetes to pregnancy, and you get a very dangerous situation that could result in premature births, high birth weight, and even death. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that increasing blood sugar levels, which can lead to gestational diabetes, may result in high birth weight or the need for a cesarean section, even though blood sugar levels are not high enough to indicate gestational diabetes. This means that regardless of the non-presence of full-blown gestational diabetes, high blood sugar is still a huge problem. This study buttresses the fact that eating less grains and refined sugars is a good way to ensure optimal health in the mother as well as the young child.
Additionally, insulin resistance is a big problem in our society, and is a direct cause for the spike of type II diabetes among U.S. citizens today. Sugar in every supermarket staple, fast food chains at every corner, refined grains and sugars in every food item: these are all contributing factors to the high blood sugar/high insulin resistance problem, and ultimately, gestational diabetes. Misinformation on nutrition during pregnancy propagates this problem of high blood sugar, diabetes and insulin resistance during and after pregnancy. Limiting grains and non-fibrous carbohydrates is crucial in order to prevent high blood sugar in pregnant women.
The complications this study referred to are specifically tricky. High birth weight in a child can present difficulties for the rest of its life, predisposing it to obesity and the diabetes its mother carried. These littlest of victims deserve the ability to be born healthy and well; however, because of lack of education, many mothers fail to provide such care. C-sections pose their own set of risks as well. Improper performance of the procedure, death of mother and baby, infection, etc., are all risks of C-sections: though, if all goes well, the negative effects of the surgery are not as great.
While good nutrition during pregnancy (think vegetables, healthy [saturated] fats, healthful meats) renders a healthy child, the reality is most pregnant women are not getting adequate nutrition and exercise. �Eating for two, exercising for none,� is the tune of the average 21st century mother. Late nights with a quart of ice cream is seen as normal, but what this study shows is that more discipline and education in prenatal and maternal nutrition is desperately need to correct this problem.
Although the investigators could not decide upon or discern a specific way to treat this gray area for high blood sugar in pregnant women, it is probably best because they would try and treat the symptoms with drugs and insulin shots rather than looking at the overall diet and correcting the problem that way. A pesticide-free, hormone-free, organic based diet will yield a healthy mother and a healthy child. Gary Null, in his book Get Healthy Now! A Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment and Healthy Living, describes the proper diet pregnant women should follow.
�Eating properly means selecting unprocessed or minimally processed foods... Pesticide-free fare is better for everyone, of course, but vitally important for young children and fetuses...� Natural is indeed best for mother and child, and will provide the essential nutrients needed for healthy pregnancy. Small, nutrient-dense meals with exercise would greatly assist in helping mother and child achieve and maintain lower blood sugar and thus ensure greater health. These are the basics of life that need to be revisited: do not overeat, exercise, breath clean air, etc.
In the end, pregnancy difficulties such as high blood sugar and gestational diabetes will continue to be a problem until steps are take to prevent their occurrence through diet and exercise.
Sources:
1. (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106...)
2. Null, Gary. Get Healthy Now! A Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment and Healthy Living. Hushion House. 1999
About the author
Ella Andersen is a college student who intensely researchs topics on health and nutrition. In college, she is furthering her love of nutrition by pursuing a degree in clinical dietetics.
She also runs her own blog:
http://www.snhbw.blogspot.com
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