Celiac With Gestational Diabetes

[celiacdutch]

My wife just tested positive for gestational diabetes. She is 31 weeks pregnant and a celiac. She tested negative for GD with our first son. She is going to a dietician this Weds for help on a meal plan. Does anyone know of some good gluten-free recipes that are no sugar added?

Thanks

[cyberprof]

My wife just tested positive for gestational diabetes. She is 31 weeks pregnant and a celiac. She tested negative for GD with our first son. She is going to a dietician this Weds for help on a meal plan. Does anyone know of some good gluten-free recipes that are no sugar added?

Thanks

I have a cookbook that has many recipes with diabetic adjustments (no-sugar, reduced carb). It's called the Wheat Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults by Connie Sarros.

~Laura

[missy'smom]

I had gestational diabetes and contolled it by diet alone. I had write down all my results and show them to my doctor regularly to show them that I was keeping it under control, otherwise they would pull the plug and I would have to take insulin. My numbers after the fasting glucose tolerance test were off the charts. It was hard work but I have such a fear of needles I didn't want to have to give myself insulin injections on top of finger pricks. Sugar isn't necessarily your worst enemy. Refined carbohydrates and fats are have to be monitored too. I had to have VERY little fat and very small portions of things like white rice and breads in order to keep my blood sugar under control. Lean protein, non-fat dairy and fiber, like cruciferous veg. raw or cooked till stiil having a little crunch to them were very important. I literally counted and measured my portions every time I ate, according to the charts they gave me. I took them and started as if those were the only foods in the world and said OK, what can I make with these. My meals were very simple. I didn't have any sweets but I felt better and I never really missed them. I decided that it was only three months, I could survive. It's not the right decision for everyone but it can be done.

[GFinNC]

I'm 26 weeks pregnant and need to be tested for GD. Is the Glucola gluten-free? I'm a bit worried about drinking the stuff because I don't eat a lot of sugar normally and have heard horror stories that I'll get very sick from it.

[GFGF]

Hi Missy's mom,

I am almost 30 weeks pregnant with my first at 36 yrs old. I was just diagnosed w GD with my 1 hour coming back at 295 after fasting! I am finger pricking and trying to manage my diet, but very confused about what to eat for the GD and baby. I'm not getting great results with my BG and I'm scared that I might be Type 1. My endo put this in my head. The stress from it is probably not helping the BG levels. Anyway, I'm really struggling with finding good charts on low GI, esp. gluten-free options. Can you offer any links to charts/lists that may help? Is there a good way to approach this? I'm thinking of really cutting carbs unless they are super low GI and then testing others after I'm in control, but the diet my dietician gave me says I have to be sure to eat certain things for the baby and has starch listed and a requirement for a minimum of 180 carbs per day. I feel trapped. I don't want to cause baby and I damage with high BG, but I don't want to remove vital nutrients he may need, either.

Did your diabetes go away? What are my chances of having it stay due to Celiac and Hypothyroidism?

Thank you for any help you can offer. This has put me on an emotional roller coaster.

[missy'smom]

Hi Gluten-free Casein-free,

I have alot of advice, what happened with me after the pregnancy and links/resource for you. I've got a busy schedule today and tomorrow so will add you to my to do list and get back to you in a couple days. I'll really try to tomorrow.

[missy'smom]

Hi Missy's mom,

I am almost 30 weeks pregnant with my first at 36 yrs old. I was just diagnosed w GD with my 1 hour coming back at 295 after fasting! I am finger pricking and trying to manage my diet, but very confused about what to eat for the GD and baby. I'm not getting great results with my BG and I'm scared that I might be Type 1. My endo put this in my head. The stress from it is probably not helping the BG levels. Anyway, I'm really struggling with finding good charts on low GI, esp. gluten-free options. Can you offer any links to charts/lists that may help? Is there a good way to approach this? I'm thinking of really cutting carbs unless they are super low GI and then testing others after I'm in control, but the diet my dietician gave me says I have to be sure to eat certain things for the baby and has starch listed and a requirement for a minimum of 180 carbs per day. I feel trapped. I don't want to cause baby and I damage with high BG, but I don't want to remove vital nutrients he may need, either.

Did your diabetes go away? What are my chances of having it stay due to Celiac and Hypothyroidism?

Thank you for any help you can offer. This has put me on an emotional roller coaster.

Test often! At the very least, 2 hrs. after every meal everyday. This will give you important info about how your body responds to what you eat so that you can make adjustments if necessary. I currently use a form from this site. Open Original Shared Link Click on daily glucose tracker and print them out. Write down what you eat, how much and when you eat it and your BG numbers. Actually measure your carbs with measuring cups-level measures not rounded ones. They should have given you lists from the American Diabetes Association. They will list for example 1/2 c. of potatoes are about 15g carb. That will give you a starting point. Also refer to package labels. I measure my carbs EVERY time I eat. Portion control is key. I stick to one source of carb per meal, that makes it easier to measure and figure out. If you eat the same meal and vary the amount of carb and test, you'll see what a difference in your BG the amounts make. Being gluten-free doesn't have to complicate it, it can actually make it simpler. Stick with simple unprocessed foods as much as possible. I have refered to the glycemic index sometimes but my meter reading is the deciding factor. There are some foods that are low glycemic but they don't work for me so I don't eat them. Here is one resource for GI. Open Original Shared Link Zero sugar, honey etc. and fruits will spike your BG up too. Check package labels on processed meats for sugars. I currently eat those that have raw cane sugar in the ingredients and 0 or 1 g. sugars per serving in the nutrition info. box. Not more than that. The first bite of food is always protein for me. I'm not a doctor and can't recommend what you should eat for the pregnancy but you and the baby will be better off if your BG is under control. Limiting carbs definitely makes a difference in BG. Many follow low-carb diets with success. Stress, as you pointed out, and as I recently witnessed by some recent BG readings on my meter, does make BG go up. Physical activity helps it go down, even gentle stretching, which I do every evening after dinner while I'm watching TV. I have some light hand weights that I use to do simple things to use my arm muscles.

If your endo suspect type 1, I wouldn't dismiss it. But don't let it freak you out. I recently demanded to be re-tested and my 1 hour was 247 going higher even the 2nd hour. I am recently diagnosed with type2/insulin resistance. I believe it never went away. My doc. also suspects that I had it even before the pregnancy. After delivery I mentioned it to every doc. I had and they all said, oh that usually goes away, you're fine. They were wrong. I also suspect it might be type1 not 2. So my advice is that you keep checking your BG for a while after delivery.

As for insulin, I no longer see it as something to be saved as a last resort. It can be an important tool and for me now I am going to ask that it be started sooner than later so that I can save what function my pancreas has left. It's not a bad thing or a measure of your success or failure if you need insulin. Sometimes our bodies just don't make enough and that's not our fault. Even with insulin though, dietary management is important and can help with better control.

Here is another resource:

Open Original Shared Link

We aren't at the mercy of this disease or the medical system. There's alot we can do to have control over our bodies.

I'm not an expert. I am still re-learning how to live with this disease. It sounds like you have some good instincts, trust them.

[GFGF]

Test often! At the very least, 2 hrs. after every meal everyday. This will give you important info about how your body responds to what you eat so that you can make adjustments if necessary. I currently use a form from this site. Open Original Shared Link Click on daily glucose tracker and print them out. Write down what you eat, how much and when you eat it and your BG numbers. Actually measure your carbs with measuring cups-level measures not rounded ones. They should have given you lists from the American Diabetes Association. They will list for example 1/2 c. of potatoes are about 15g carb. That will give you a starting point. Also refer to package labels. I measure my carbs EVERY time I eat. Portion control is key. I stick to one source of carb per meal, that makes it easier to measure and figure out. If you eat the same meal and vary the amount of carb and test, you'll see what a difference in your BG the amounts make. Being gluten-free doesn't have to complicate it, it can actually make it simpler. Stick with simple unprocessed foods as much as possible. I have refered to the glycemic index sometimes but my meter reading is the deciding factor. There are some foods that are low glycemic but they don't work for me so I don't eat them. Here is one resource for GI. Open Original Shared Link Zero sugar, honey etc. and fruits will spike your BG up too. Check package labels on processed meats for sugars. I currently eat those that have raw cane sugar in the ingredients and 0 or 1 g. sugars per serving in the nutrition info. box. Not more than that. The first bite of food is always protein for me. I'm not a doctor and can't recommend what you should eat for the pregnancy but you and the baby will be better off if your BG is under control. Limiting carbs definitely makes a difference in BG. Many follow low-carb diets with success. Stress, as you pointed out, and as I recently witnessed by some recent BG readings on my meter, does make BG go up. Physical activity helps it go down, even gentle stretching, which I do every evening after dinner while I'm watching TV. I have some light hand weights that I use to do simple things to use my arm muscles.

If your endo suspect type 1, I wouldn't dismiss it. But don't let it freak you out. I recently demanded to be re-tested and my 1 hour was 247 going higher even the 2nd hour. I am recently diagnosed with type2/insulin resistance. I believe it never went away. My doc. also suspects that I had it even before the pregnancy. After delivery I mentioned it to every doc. I had and they all said, oh that usually goes away, you're fine. They were wrong. I also suspect it might be type1 not 2. So my advice is that you keep checking your BG for a while after delivery.

As for insulin, I no longer see it as something to be saved as a last resort. It can be an important tool and for me now I am going to ask that it be started sooner than later so that I can save what function my pancreas has left. It's not a bad thing or a measure of your success or failure if you need insulin. Sometimes our bodies just don't make enough and that's not our fault. Even with insulin though, dietary management is important and can help with better control.

Here is another resource:

Open Original Shared Link

We aren't at the mercy of this disease or the medical system. There's alot we can do to have control over our bodies.

I'm not an expert. I am still re-learning how to live with this disease. It sounds like you have some good instincts, trust them.

WOW! THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAST AND THOROUGH RESPONSE. I WILL CHECK OUT THE LINKS.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DIABETES. Does your baby have any problems from it all?

I really appreciate your advice

GFGF

[Juliebove]

Hi!

My GD was diagnosed early on. I suspect I was really type 2 then. I was diagnosed with type 2 at about a year after I had the baby. But by the time I was diagnosed, I had complications of diabetes. Such as nerve damage to the feet, legs and stomach. This is why I think I had it for a while.

My daughter is 10 now. I started on insulin last year. If you do need it, it's not such a big deal. I didn't need it while pregnant, and back then for some reason I found my blood sugar very easy to control. I also developed a thyroid problem and was often hyperthyroid which I think can cause blood sugar to be lower than normal.

When I was pregnant, my diet was mainly vegetarian. Would have been fully vegetarian, but I found myself having to dine out at times and it was just easier to eat meat often times when we dined out. I did not know of my food allergies back then and I don't have celiac so gluten wasn't an issue for me then.

I did eat a lot of beans. That was a big source of carbs for me. I often made chili or bean tacos. I love Mexican food but was living on Cape Cod on the time and the selection of Mexican foods wasn't so great. So I made do with what I could find. I did eat some rice. Not a lot. Mainly mixed in with other things. Like soup. I ate potatoes.

One thing I learned to do if I was cooking or preparing food for more than myself, was to do it up in a square or rectangular casserole type dish. Then I could cut the food into squares and more easily estimate the carb count.

My biggest problem was with fruit. I hate fruit but was told I really needed to eat it for the sake of the baby. I counted my fruit as a starch as it is so high in carbs. I ate it as a snack, when I could force myself to. I found most of the time I could manage a piece of fruit leather by eating it a bite at a time. A piece of whole fruit just seemed too daunting to me, although I realize most people like it.

I assume you are taking a prenatal or some other form of vitamin? If so, you will be getting plenty of nutritents from that. If you eat a wide variety of vegetables and enough protein, your diet won't be lacking so much from cutting the carbs. Dieticians seem to hate low carb diets, but... Most of us diabetics find that we simply can not eat as many carbs as they tell us to. If we do, we have high blood sugar. And if you have high blood sugar while pregnant, they will put you on insulin right away.

You might also try some exercise after you eat. I always went to the mall or a large store after a meal and just walked around. Or just walked around the block. This can help keep your blood sugar stable.

Good luck!

[missy'smom]

WOW! THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAST AND THOROUGH RESPONSE. I WILL CHECK OUT THE LINKS.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR DIABETES. Does your baby have any problems from it all?

I really appreciate your advice

GFGF

With undiagnosed/unconrolled GD there is the risk that the baby will be large and cause difficulty with delivery. He was a fairly normal weight-7 lb. 14 oz. and no complications. He's 10 now.

You may want to test at hours 2 and 3 with brown rice. It can give you a nice low reading on the second hour with a slight rise again the 3rd hour. That's because it's more slowly digested. Generally, I've found that the longer the grain of rice the less impact it has on BG. Even brown rice comes in a variety of lengths. That's my experience anyway.