Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) increases both short and long-term health risks for mother and child, and also predisposes women to type 2 diabetes later on in life.
GDM self-management requires complex behavioural adjustments; women from low socio economic and immigrant backgrounds may find it challenging to understand all of the requirements necessary for managing their GDM effectively.
Understanding Gestational Diabetes: Key Points to Know
Gestational diabetes is a specific type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy in women who do not have pre-existing diabetes. It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, a hormone that acts as a key to allow blood sugar into the cells for energy.
Here are some essential facts about gestational diabetes:
Symptoms
Gestational diabetes often presents with mild or no symptoms. However, some women may experience increased thirst or more frequent urination.
Causes
During pregnancy, hormonal changes can disrupt the normal functioning of insulin, leading to gestational diabetes. Genetic factors and being overweight (having a BMI greater than 25) can also contribute to its development.
Diagnosis
Typically, pregnant individuals undergo screening for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy to detect any abnormal blood sugar levels.
Risks
Untreated gestational diabetes can pose risks to the baby, including premature birth and stillbirth. Although gestational diabetes usually resolves after childbirth, individuals who have had it are at higher risk of developing diabetes later in life.
Additionally, babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes have an increased risk of being large (weighing 9 pounds or more), which can complicate delivery and lead to respiratory and other health issues.
Treatment
Managing gestational diabetes involves following a healthy eating plan and engaging in physical activity. If these lifestyle measures do not effectively control blood glucose levels, insulin may be necessary.
Keeping blood sugar levels within the target range is crucial to ensure the well-being of both the mother and the baby, as it can help prevent complications during delivery. After childbirth, blood sugar levels typically return to normal.
However, individuals with a history of gestational diabetes should undergo more frequent testing for changes in blood sugar levels due to their increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
By understanding gestational diabetes and effectively managing it, expectant mothers can promote their own health and that of their baby, reducing the potential challenges associated with this condition.
Gestational Diabetes Self-Care
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
Prevent gestational diabetes by eating healthily during gestation. Your obstetrician will conduct an oral glucose tolerance test between 24th and 28th weeks of gestation to assess your blood sugar and see if it’s too high or not.
Your doctor or dietitian will work with you to create a meal plan tailored specifically to your lifestyle and food preferences. A balanced diet comprising proteins, fats, and carbohydrates will be the key to managing gestational diabetes effectively.
Keep away from foods high in added sugars such as cakes, cookies and candy; focus instead on fruits with healthy fats such as apples and peanut butter as good alternatives.
Keep your diet well-rounded by including starches like potatoes, corn and peas – these foods provide essential energy and fiber to the body. Pair them with non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, greens and mushrooms; meat, fish, tofu and beans also are key parts of a nutritious diet plan.
2. Exercise Regularly
Gestational diabetes is caused by pregnancy hormones, but you have some control over factors like age and family history to reduce gestational diabetes risk. Maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in physical activity regularly are both key ways to lowering gestational diabetes risks.
Exercise can help reduce blood sugar levels by stimulating muscle cells to take in glucose more readily, and making insulin more efficient in your body. Furthermore, regular physical activity may also lower your risk of pregnancy-related complications like preeclamsia.
Speak to your healthcare provider about what types of physical activity are safe for you and the amount of exercise you should get daily.
Moderate forms of activity such as walking and prenatal aerobics classes tend to be recommended; one study found resistance training particularly effective at mitigating symptoms associated with GDM; this type of workout engages large muscle groups to overcome an external resistance such as weights.
3. Check Your Blood Sugar
Gestational Diabetes affects approximately 7 percent of pregnancies. Diagnosis typically takes place in the middle trimester between 24th and 28th week. Untreated gestational diabetes can result in complications for mother and baby, making lifelong treatment essential.
Mothers with high blood sugar levels increase their chances of giving birth to a large baby (macrosomia), with higher birth canal risks or requiring cesarean section delivery, as well as having higher chances of obesity and type 2 diabetes later on in life.
If gestational diabetes is present, regular checks of your blood sugar and an eating regimen that restricts carbohydrates will be necessary.
Speak to your healthcare provider regarding frequency and quantity; additionally, consider meeting with a registered dietician who specializes in diabetes for tips on safe gestational nutrition practices as well as managing eating habits during gestation.
4. Talk to Your Health Care Provider
Gestational diabetes can pose severe risks for its untreated mothers and babies; however, most pregnant people diagnosed with gestational diabetes experience healthy pregnancies and births. An in-vitro blood test to diagnose gestational diabetes typically takes place between 24 and 28 weeks gestation.
This test measures blood glucose levels before and after drinking a special solution containing sugar; it is the most reliable screening test for gestational diabetes.
Women gestating diabetes are at an increased risk for cesarean birth, as high blood sugar levels could prevent their baby from breathing during gestation. If gestational diabetes progresses to full gestation, cesarean section may become necessary as high blood sugar levels could impede breathing for both mother and baby during delivery.
Gestational diabetes increases your risk for Type 2 diabetes later on, so speak to your health care provider about obtaining referrals to lifestyle change programs that offer support in helping you lose weight and prevent Type 2 diabetes in a group setting.
These are offered throughout Minnesota by Juniper, U of M Extension, the YMCA, and community organizations.
How Can Exercise and Physical Activity Benefit Individuals With Asperger Syndrome?
Asperger Syndrome, also referred to as high-functioning autism or HFA, is a developmental disability affecting social interaction and communication. While medication and behavioral therapy cannot cure it, they can help manage symptoms. Recently, researchers are turning towards exercise as another possible therapy option for those living with autism; many studies demonstrate its many advantages – including improved social skills and mood enhancement.
Exercise boosts happiness levels in the body by stimulating endorphin release from your brain. These compounds interact with receptors throughout your body to relieve pain and promote overall well-being, raising one’s state of happiness while potentially increasing empathy towards others.
Exercise also promotes cognitive functioning, decreases challenging behaviors and enhances motor functions – providing benefits across many aspects of health.
Individuals living with AS are typically hypersensitive to environmental elements like light and sound, as well as difficulty controlling their motor movements or having poor coordination.
One study showed that children who participated in a 12-week structured physical activity program experienced significant gains in social, communication and motor performance skills as well as increased motor performance due to safe social interactions encouraged through nonverbal communication as well as horseback riding, group play activities and running/jogging programs used during exercise sessions.
Studies have revealed the positive outcomes associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), such as reduced obesity rates and cardiovascular disease rates, enhanced cognitive performance, social competence, self-regulation emotional functioning and adaptive behavior, as well as decreased aggression levels and frequency of stereotypic behaviors (Bahrami et al. 2012; Levinson & Reid 1993).
However, most individuals with autism have low to nonexistent MVPA levels compared to typically developing individuals. This may be attributed to various factors including reduced recreational and sporting activity participation rates as well as more sedentary behavior.
Establishing the habit of regular physical exercise can be difficult for many. The key is to start slowly and build up to more intense workouts as your comfort grows. Consult your physician prior to undertaking any fitness regimen, especially if you have health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
There are various ways you can incorporate exercise into your daily life. From joining a fitness class or performing exercises at home with equipment like resistance bands and yoga mats, to exercising with friends or family members – exercise can become enjoyable when done regularly! Finding an exercise program you enjoy and sticking with it are both key aspects.
How Can Mindfulness Practices Benefit Individuals With Asperger Syndrome?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. Chris Mitchell provides this practical handbook on mindfulness practices which can aid those living with Asperger syndrome with daily challenges such as negative thought patterns and sensory sensitivities. Furthermore, mindfulness may help build better social-emotional skills, reduce anxiety levels and enhance central coherence.
Asperger syndrome can make it challenging to maintain a clear sense of themselves in social situations, leading to anxiety or behavioral issues. Mindfulness practices may help ease an over-active and distracting mind so it’s easier for an Aspie to stay present with what’s happening right now.
Asperger syndrome patients can utilize mindfulness practices to overcome some of the difficulties they often have in social situations, including being unable to read nonverbal cues and pick up on other people’s body language. Mindfulnes
s practices also may reduce sensory overload which is a common symptom for those on the autistic spectrum. Researchers believe these benefits are due to reduced stress response from mindfulness practices which in turn has an overall beneficial effect on physical and mental health issues.
Meditation requires regular practice to be effective; whether sitting, walking, or even standing still! Not only will mindfulness help with anxiety and social-emotional concerns, it can also enhance attention, memory, decision making abilities and tolerance to pain – which may be particularly relevant for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Asperger syndrome is a lifelong condition that can be managed using various therapies. Speech and language therapy is excellent at aiding communication and managing emotions, while occupational therapy teaches important life skills such as dressing or social interactions with peers. Psychotherapy may also prove helpful in understanding emotional reactions and learning coping mechanisms in order to better control one’s situation.
Mindfulness has proven itself beneficial for people living with Asperger syndrome, helping to decrease anxiety levels, enhance concentration and boost aspects of cognitive functioning such as attention (Chesin et al 2016; Hofmann and Gomez 2017).
Meditation does not fully explain why it produces these benefits in people with Asperger syndrome, yet research does indicate it could work through a different mechanism than other therapies such as relaxation.
Therefore, it is key that individuals experiment with various interventions, while being open to the possibility that each may work differently for each person.
By trying various options and being willing to explore what might work for each person individually, an individual may eventually discover what best serves their needs. Though research on mindfulness continues apace, it should not be seen as a replacement for professional medical advice if one experiences any health-related concerns.
