As many of you don't know, I was a gestational diabetic while I was pregnant with Haley. For anyone out there who was as well, you know how terrible it is to crave peanut butter ice cream and NOT eat the entire pint (yeah it's bad). Well, I don't know how things work up here in NJ, but in SC where I lived when I was pregnant, if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you have to go to a few diabetes ed. classes. There, I learned that you have a decent chance of developing type 2 diabetes if you don't lose your baby weight (also depending on your pre-disposition to getting it in the first place), which is an additional reason why I am so bent on losing weight. WELL… looks like I MAY have been a little late.
I recently took my blood sugar, something I have done intermittently since delivering, and got an abnormally high reading (uh-oh!). Since then, I have been monitoring my blood sugar and it appears to me that I have (hopefully) pre-diabetes (as opposed to full-fledged type 2). Big deal? Well, kind of. Devastated? Eh, sort of. Defeated? Absolutely not! Although I am thoroughly disappointed (helloooo, I LOVE to bake!), I am deciding to take a positive approach.
Essentially, good eating habits for diabetics means almost no carbs (boooo!). The good side? Well a low carb, high protein diet combined with my new (and effective!) work-out routine means hello wedding weight loss! ALSO, coming to terms with my lifestyle change (not diet) will mean that I will, hopefully, maintain to good weight for the rest of my life. Now, just hope I keep this positive outlook. On the more honest side, it is bad, and I'm hoping that I have only pre-diabetes and that with diet and exercise I can treat it.
So, how do you know if you are at risk? Well you can click here to look at common risk factors. Also, feel free to browse the website for more information! I am promoting Diabetes awareness, since I am very thankful that I became aware of my possible condition very early. As long as diabetes is caught early and addressed properly from the beginning, the effects will be minimal.
I will be going to the doctor's tomorrow morning for a general check-up and to have blood tests ordered to confirm my suspicions. Hopefully everything will work out for the best, I think it will. I promise to keep this updated as soon as I find out what's really going on. The hardest part will be keeping to the diet. I am already quickly learning what I should and should not eat based on my readings after meals. Interested? Click here for a chart on glucose levels. (my highest this week: 216, lowest: 98)
I know that I am not the only person on earth with diabetes.
United States
In 2005, people with diabetes were estimated to account for 7% of the US population, or approximately 20.8 million people.Rates of diabetes are increasing worldwide. At least 171 million people currently have diabetes, and this figure is likely to more than double to 366 million by 2030. The top 10 countries, in numbers of people with diabetes, are currently India, China, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, Italy, and Bangladesh. The greatest percentage increase in rates of diabetes will occur in Africa over the next 20 years. However, at least 80% of people in Africa with diabetes are undiagnosed, and many in their 30s to 60s will die from diabetes there. Of these 20.8 million people, 14.6 million have a diagnosis of diabetes, and diabetes is undiagnosed in another 6.2 million. Approximately 5-10% have type 1 diabetes, 90-95% have type 2 diabetes, and 1-5% have other types. Additionally, an estimated 54 million people have pre-diabetes.Pre-diabetes, as defined by the American Diabetes Association, is that state in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It is presumed that most persons with elevated glucose levels approaching the level needed for the diagnosis of diabetes will subsequently progress to diabetes.
So, I have decided to post a few links for recipie websites/ recipies that I am particularly interested in trying. Hope you enjoy! (anyone out there with some others to offer, please pass them along!)
Well, until next time everyone! Happy momming!
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