#88: Gestational Diabetes Part 2 With Lily Nichols [ddf0d6]

The Sugar Regulator: Understanding Insulin's Role what causes blood sugar drop in Blood Sugar Management

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels. When we eat, our body breaks down sugar blood levels carbohydrates into glucose, which then enters the bloodstream and causes an increase in blood sugar levels. To counteract this rise, insulin is released from the pancreas to facilitate the uptake of glucose by cells throughout the body.

Maintaining Balance: The Importance of Consistency in Blood Sugar Control

Consistency is key when it comes to managing blood sugar levels. Eating at regular intervals and including a balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates in each meal can help keep insulin sensitivity high. Research has shown that maintaining stable blood sugar levels throughout the day can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Regulating Ranges: The Ideal Blood Sugar Levels for Optimal Health

While individual blood sugar ranges may vary depending on factors like age and medical history, most healthy adults aim to keep their fasting glucose levels below 100 mg/dL. To put this into perspective, a study found that individuals with fasting glucose levels between 80-99 mg/dL had the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease.

Insulin's Impact: Understanding the Connection Between A1C and Blood Sugar

The A1C test measures average blood sugar control over two to three months by tracking hemoglobin molecules in red blood cells. An A1C level below 7% is generally considered a healthy indicator, but this may vary for individuals with diabetes or other medical conditions.

Managing the Spike: How Insulin Helps Prevent Blood Sugar Fluctuations

When we consume sugary foods and drinks, our body releases insulin to process the excess glucose in the bloodstream. However, if we overconsume these substances regularly, it can lead to a state of insulin resistance where cells become less responsive to insulin.

Insulin Imbalance: The Risks Associated with can stress raise fasting blood sugar Neglecting Blood Sugar Control

Neglecting blood sugar control can have serious consequences for our overall health and well-being. Research has linked high blood sugar levels over time to an increased risk of complications such as kidney damage, vision impairment, and nerve damage.

Stabilizing Levels: Tips for Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Through Lifestyle Changes

Incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can help improve insulin sensitivity by increasing glucose uptake in the muscles. For example, a study found that regular aerobic exercise improved insulin sensitivity in individuals with type 2 diabetes within just six weeks of consistent training.

Breaking Down Barriers: Understanding and Managing Low Blood Sugar Episodes

Low blood sugar episodes, also known as hypoglycemia, occur when our glucose levels drop below normal. Symptoms may include shakiness, dizziness, sweating, hunger pangs, irritability or anxiety and heart palpitations if the symptoms worsen.

Insulin Insights: How Diet Plays a Role in Blood Sugar Regulation

Incorporating foods with low glycemic indexes (GI) into our diet can help regulate blood sugar levels. For instance, vegetables like broccoli have a GI of 10 compared to white bread's value of over 70.

The body relies on insulin to control the amount of glucose present in our bloodstream after each meal and at night while we sleep

This is the second part of our two-part series all about Gestational Diabetes with Lily Nichols RDN. In this episode, we do an overview of testing options and discuss some of the lesser-known nuances of normal pregnancy metabolism - getting into some fascinating details around low blood sugars, continuous glucose monitors, and nutritive ketosis in pregnancy. We then discuss the conventional dietary recommendations and how they are insufficient and outdated and discuss the method of blood sugar management that Lily recommends to her clients to achieve the best outcomes. Also discussed is how this diagnosis of gestational diabetes can really come to wreck birth plans, even when it may not be applicable anymore - and how one can manage that best with their provider. Here we go! RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE: • Learn more from Lily Nichols: • Website - www.lilynicholsrdn.com ( • Instagram - @lilynicholsrdn ( • Lily's Books ( • Lily's Courses ( • Lily's article on Breakfast Mistakes ( • Lily's article on CGM Experiment Part 1 ( & Part 2 ( • Healthy as a Mother Episode #87: Gestational Diabetes Part 1 with Lily Nichols ( • Healthy As A Mother Episode #13: Baby Brain Support in Pregnancy with Ari Calhoun ( • Evidence-Based Birth Episodes on Big Babies • • Stay Connected With Us: Healthy As A Mother: www.healthyasamother.com ( Instagram: @healthyasamotherpodcast ( Dr. Leah: www.womanhoodwellness.com ( Instagram: @drleahgordon ( Dr. Morgan: www.milkmedicine.com ( Instagram: @morganmacdermott (