Guest guest Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Hello friends, Where to begin? Well I am vegan, 33 yr old and 18 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child. Last week I took my 1 hour glucose test and was told that I have full gestational diabetes. I was borderline with gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy but made some changes with my diet and did okay. I have an appointment with a dietician and a nurse Tuesday morning. I am scared, worried and just plain irritated. I have a 12 yr old diabetic beagle who gets insulin shots twice a day so I am not worried about testing my blood etc... because I'e been doing that for my little Beagle for 4 years. I am more worried about the nurse and dietician challenging my vegan diet/lifestyle. I have 2 great books that I bought during my last pregancy " A Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes " and " The Whole Foods Diabetic Cookbook " . So that has been helping. I am worried that the nurse may prescribe animal based insulin and encourage those horrible artifical sweetners. Normally I can stand my ground on my beliefs but I can just see them trying to pull the whole " you need to do this for your baby " Right now I just start crying over the littlest things (yeah, I know it's because I'm pregnant) okay I am tearing up right now... I need some advice/support on how I should deal with this. I switched my sweetners to agave and stevia. I am really struggling with decreasing the amount of fruit I eat because that's all I seem to crave when pregnant and I love love fruit! I have limited my bread and pasta amounts too. I only eat 100% ww bread made from freshly ground wheat berries. Oh so good! What else can I do? Oh I've been trying to take a 15 minute walk a day too. Thanks for listening... Now I need to go cry again.... Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Best of luck with it all. I know that telling the medical profession that you will think about and/or consider their advice is many want to hear. You've seen the research and the proof (you) and know what is best. You made the decision to become vegan, afterall. Be firm or passive at the meeting. Selective listening should become a habit for all vegetarians Cassie " life's a garden, dig it! " Sent from my iPhone On Aug 29, 2008, at 12:25 PM, " christinepensa " <christinepensa wrote: Hello friends, Where to begin? Well I am vegan, 33 yr old and 18 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child. Last week I took my 1 hour glucose test and was told that I have full gestational diabetes. I was borderline with gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy but made some changes with my diet and did okay. I have an appointment with a dietician and a nurse Tuesday morning. I am scared, worried and just plain irritated. I have a 12 yr old diabetic beagle who gets insulin shots twice a day so I am not worried about testing my blood etc... because I'e been doing that for my little Beagle for 4 years. I am more worried about the nurse and dietician challenging my vegan diet/lifestyle. I have 2 great books that I bought during my last pregancy " A Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes " and " The Whole Foods Diabetic Cookbook " . So that has been helping. I am worried that the nurse may prescribe animal based insulin and encourage those horrible artifical sweetners. Normally I can stand my ground on my beliefs but I can just see them trying to pull the whole " you need to do this for your baby " Right now I just start crying over the littlest things (yeah, I know it's because I'm pregnant) okay I am tearing up right now... I need some advice/support on how I should deal with this. I switched my sweetners to agave and stevia. I am really struggling with decreasing the amount of fruit I eat because that's all I seem to crave when pregnant and I love love fruit! I have limited my bread and pasta amounts too. I only eat 100% ww bread made from freshly ground wheat berries. Oh so good! What else can I do? Oh I've been trying to take a 15 minute walk a day too. Thanks for listening... Now I need to go cry again.... Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 , " christinepensa " <christinepensa wrote: > > Hello friends, > So sorry about the G. D. diagnosis. I had it with both of my children and I am diabetic now (you have to watch yourself, gestational diabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes). Stay away from fruit juice. No orange juice, apple juice, etc. They are yummy but will jack your sugar numbers threw the roof. Try to keep your complex carbs down. Carbs are a diabetics enemy and love. Not saying starve yourself but if you watch these things, you can possibly get away with not having to take any meds or insulin at all. Everything that grows from the ground is a carb. Fruits and veggies are the good carbs though. Eat what you like but watch for bananas, avocados, winter squash. They will raise your blood sugar more then other simple carbs. As for your complex carbs..pasta, bread, etc. Do not eliminate it all together but make conscience decisions on how and when you eat them. Try not to eat too many carbs at night..it can sit overnight..liver and pancreas working in overdrive..and you will have high numbers in the morning. Follow the diabetic diet (check out american diabetes online) and adapt it to your vegan diet. I remember hearing something about tofu and blood sugar but do not remember right now...i will try to find out what it is later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Hi Christine, Congrats on your pregnancy! Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.pcrm.org) has a book, " Dr. Neal Barnard's program for reversing diabetes " . He's had great success with reversing diabetes with a vegan diet. Maybe take a copy of the book with you to your next appt. I've taken Dr. Fuhrman's disease-proof your child with me to the pediatrician's office, though luckily our pedi's have been very supportive of a vegan diet for my son. ~Audrey fruit Audrey Quick ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Certified Health Educator Certified Health Coach 516-670-9694 <http://www.healthy-quicks./> www.healthy-quicks.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Juice Plus+...Fruits, Veggies, and Berries...whole food nutrition in capsules, chewables, or gummies...proven to be good preventive health for the busy family...a great health decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Check out PCRM's excellent website and program: http://www.pcrm.org/health/diabetes/index.html Read Dr. Neal Barnard's book, " Dr. Neal Barnard's Program Program for Reversing Diabetes. You will be VERY encouraged! - Alan , " christinepensa " <christinepensa wrote: > > Hello friends, > > Where to begin? Well I am vegan, 33 yr old and 18 weeks pregnant > with our 3rd child. Last week I took my 1 hour glucose test and was > told that I have full gestational diabetes. I was borderline with > gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy but made some changes > with my diet and did okay. I have an appointment with a dietician > and a nurse Tuesday morning. I am scared, worried and just plain > irritated. I have a 12 yr old diabetic beagle who gets insulin shots > twice a day so I am not worried about testing my blood etc... because > I'e been doing that for my little Beagle for 4 years. I am more > worried about the nurse and dietician challenging my vegan > diet/lifestyle. I have 2 great books that I bought during my last > pregancy " A Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes " and " The Whole Foods > Diabetic Cookbook " . So that has been helping. I am worried that the > nurse may prescribe animal based insulin and encourage those horrible > artifical sweetners. Normally I can stand my ground on my beliefs but > I can just see them trying to pull the whole " you need to do this for > your baby " Right now I just start crying over the littlest things > (yeah, I know it's because I'm pregnant) okay I am tearing up right > now... > > I need some advice/support on how I should deal with this. I > switched my sweetners to agave and stevia. I am really struggling > with decreasing the amount of fruit I eat because that's all I seem > to crave when pregnant and I love love fruit! I have limited my bread > and pasta amounts too. I only eat 100% ww bread made from freshly > ground wheat berries. Oh so good! What else can I do? Oh I've been > trying to take a 15 minute walk a day too. > > Thanks for listening... Now I need to go cry again.... > > Christine > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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