How to Lower Blood Sugar Levels During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a period of heavy physiological changes. If your body is not well prepared for managing these changes, the body may manifest its weakness in various ways, one of which is high blood sugar levels or gestational diabetes. If your pancreas is not prepared to produce enough insulin, which is a hormone which helps manage blood sugar levels, sugar levels in the blood increase.

What are the implications of high blood sugar during pregnancy?

Increased blood sugar levels may lead to various complications such as:

• Caesarean section

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• Induced labor

• Macrosomic baby, which could result in prolonged, painful labor and possible stress for the baby leading to shoulder dislocation etc.

• Perinatal death - baby dying at birth

• Neonatal hypoglycemia immediately post birth

• Baby at a higher risk of diabetes and obesity later in life

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For some women, gestational diabetes can be managed with changes in diet and physical activity alone, but, in other cases, medications including injecting insulin, may be needed in addition to diet and exercise. Since your diet is critical in managing blood sugar levels during pregnancy, it is important to be aware of what to eat and what to avoid.

How to lower blood sugar levels during pregnancy?

Below are some dietary tips to help you manage your blood sugar levels:

1. Choose complex carbohydrates

Opt for complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables with skin, salad before meals, whole pulses and grains like rajma, chole, kala chana, sprouts, bajra, dalia, whole wheat bread, roti with bran etc. The high fibre content in complex carbohydrates controls blood sugar levels. Almost 50% of the calories of your day's total energy requirement should come from complex carbohydrates.

2. Avoid high-fat foods

High fat increases blood sugar levels over a period of 6-10 hours. Though almost 25-30% of the day’s calories should come from fat but make sure the fat is healthy. You may consume extra virgin olive oil, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, a combination of mustard oil, ghee, and vegetable oils. High-fat foods like pizza and fried foods are good to taste but bad for your blood sugar levels and weight. They may contribute to further insulin resistance.

3. Go pro-protein

Protein does not increase your blood sugar levels immediately. Only 60% of protein gets converted to glucose in the next 4 hours which gives your body enough time to utilize excess glucose in the blood. Almost 20-25% of calories of your day’s energy should come from proteins. Proteins from eggs, freshwater fish, nuts, whole pulses, lean meat, pasteurized milk and milk products are all good options.

Include protein-rich snacks like sprouts salad, roasted homemade cottage cheese, fruit smoothie, milk, nuts, roasted chana, boiled pulse chaat, and boiled eggs to keep your blood sugar levels under control.

4. Say no to direct sugar

Since the level of sugar in the blood is high, it's best to avoid it from the outside. Sugar in any form- jaggery, honey, castor sugar, brown sugar etc. is only going to further increase your blood sugar levels. If you have sugar cravings, the best is to take fruit custard without sugar (the natural sweetness of fruits makes it taste amazing), apple or carrot kheer, 1-2 figs or 1-2 dates etc.

In case, you wish to have artificial sweeteners, you may consume stevia or sucralose in limited amounts. Avoid saccharin since it can be dangerous for the baby.

5. Consume lots of fluids

You should aim to consume at least 3 to 5 litres of fluids throughout the day. Consuming plenty of fluids will help you avoid dehydration and digest your food.

6. Stay physically active

Exercise helps in glucose utilization, it is important for you to stay physically active if you have not been advised bed rest. A normal 30-minute walk or swimming are some safe exercises. Always do a 5-10 minute warm up and cool down pre and post-exercise to avoid muscle injuries and soreness.

You can also adopt a healthier lifestyle during pregnancy with Mylo Pregnancy Care Routine which includes pregnancy yoga sessions, Garbha Sanskar sessions and consultation with gynecologists and health coaches. It can help you manage gestational diabetes and BP, reduce backache and leg swelling, boost energy levels and manage your weight trimester wise.

To stay healthy throughout your pregnancy and keep your baby from any harm, it's important to follow the above-mentioned tips and keep your blood sugar levels in control during pregnancy. Remember, prevention and intervention is better than cure.