Preventing and Managing Gestational Diabetes

Did you know that regular cardiovascular exercise can help to prevent and manage Gestational Diabetes?

There are some risk factors that are out of our control:
-Family history of type II diabetes
-GDM in previous pregnancies
-Age (35+ years)
-Ethnicity: Aboriginal, South or East Asian, African American, Hispanic

So let's look at the risk factors we CAN control:
-Obesity   
-Excessive maternal weight gain
-A diet high in simple carbohydrates
-A sedentary lifestyle
-Lifestyle induced high blood pressure

Participating in cardiovascular exercise up to 4 days a week can help reduce your chances of developing gestational diabetes by decreasing blood pressure, promoting healthy weight gain, and regulating blood sugar levels.  Exercise is also used as a tool for managing gestational diabetes. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Walk to and from work or park farther from your office
-Go for a walk or to the gym on your after work
-Join a prenatal fitness class
-Swim at your local pool

We recommend completing a PARmed-X for Pregnancy form with your healthcare provider prior to beginning or resuming a fitness routine.  It is full of helpful information.  Click here for a copy of this form.