Gestational Diabetes and Preconception Nutrition

I’ve had the opportunity to connect with some awesome people lately – the movers and shakers in the online health community. These are people who, like me, are passionate about helping you live a super healthy life.

Lisa from Fertility Friday is one of those people.

Her podcast and website are a fantastic resource for all things related to fertility, particularly if you’re interested in learning more about the fertility awareness method.

We recently sat down to discuss how real food nutrition plays a crucial role in a healthy pregnancy, especially for women who’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

We also chatted about preconception nutrition, prenatal nutrition myths (like these), controversy around ketosis in pregnancy, and why balancing your macronutrients is so important.

If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, grab a pen and paper.

This one’s brimming with actionable takeaways!

Check out our interview, HERE or on iTunes.

Gestational diabetes and preconception nutrition topics we discuss:

• The impact that gestational diabetes has on the baby not only during pregnancy but throughout the child’s life
• The connection between untreated gestational diabetes and obesity in children
• Early signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes
• Why identifying gestational diabetes early is important to reduce complications during pregnancy (and the simple first trimester blood test that can screen for it)
• What are the risk factors for developing gestational diabetes during your pregnancy?
• Is there a link between gestational diabetes and infertility?
• Why it is important for all women to work towards stabilizing their blood sugar both during pregnancy and on a day-to-day basis
• The role that insulin resistance plays in gestational diabetes and pregnancy
• How to manage gestational diabetes through a real food diet without medication
• How the gestational diabetes diet I suggest differs from conventional advice (and why a lower carb, real food diet during pregnancy is both safe and effective)
• Why there is so much controversy over ketones in pregnancy and my answer to the question: Is ketosis safe during pregnancy?
• Nutritional recommendations for women both before and during pregnancy
• How to manage food cravings and hunger through a real food diet
• The important role that healthy fats play in stabilizing blood sugar levels throughout the day

Listen to the full interview HERE!

If you enjoyed the topics we covered in this interview, you’ll probably like my book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.

What’s been most surprising since the launch of this book is how many women without gestational diabetes are loving it!

Good prenatal nutrition matters, no matter what.

But don’t take my word for it…

Definitely recommend this book for any woman who is expecting, even if they don’t have GDM!” – Ana Johnson, RD, CDE

In my opinion, EVERY pregnant woman should have this book, even if not gestational diabetic, because the nutritional rules contained in this book can help anyone to have a healthier pregnancy. I will recommend this to all my friends!” – Bethany Kerr

As a result of following the advice in this book, I have kept my blood sugar steady and my doctor is happy! Whether you have an official diagnosis of GD or not, following this author’s protocol is perfect for any pregnant woman. We all want to do the best for ourselves and our new little ones. This is a great way to start! Thank you!” – Amelia Dodson

This book is fantastic! It simply and clearly breaks down your diagnosis and then tells you what to do to control your blood sugar. The diet is extremely reasonable to follow and does not make you feel deprived. The diet is very nurturing for pregnant women and is clearly set forth with examples and some recipes.” – T. Hill

Do you have a question related to prenatal nutrition or gestational diabetes that you want me to cover in a future blog post or interview? Leave a suggestion in the comments!

Until next week,
Lily

PS – If you’ve just gotten diagnosed with gestational diabetes, be sure to grab your FREE copy of “5 Key Steps to Managing Your Blood Sugar, Naturally” via the box below.

Also, I’m creating an online course to teach you everything you need to know to manage your gestational diabetes with real food. You’ll be the first to know when it’s available (and be eligible for an exclusive insiders-only offer) if you’re on that list!