A Few Blessings of Gestational Diabetes

Making healthy eating habits is a constant battle. First we are battling our taste buds. Next we are battling manufacturers and what they put in foods, or even food recalls because of contamination. Eating out can be difficult because you are never going to eat as healthy as you would at home because restaurants have to turn a profit!  They just aren't going to use organic products because they would have to charge you a small fortune to eat at their restaurant. We are battling busy schedules, budgets, reading labels...you name it! Throw children into that mix and it is an overwhelming maze of solutions.  Over the years, I have become more and more picky about what I eat. I had gestational diabetes with my second pregnancy which was challenging, but actually ended up being a huge blessing because it taught me the importance of a balanced diet. I ate so many salads when I was pregnant and breastfeeding, and now my son loves to eat salads! He eats about one a day! It really was a wake up call for me that I needed to make exercise and healthy eating choices a priority in my life.  Not that I was that terrible of an eater, but I definitely had room for improvement.  These are some of the adjustments i made...

#1. Start the day off right! Do not eat boxed cereals...They aren't good for you. Instead I typically have two of the following:

These Two:
Organic Oatmeal (either steel cut or old fashioned oats) with cinnamon, chia seed, shredded unsweetened coconut, coconut sugar (tiny amount to sweeten), berries or apples, and 1/3 of a banana chopped, and almond milk

1 scrambled egg (with pepper, turmeric), topped with avocado and salsa

Or These Two:
Smoothie made with a cup of dark greens, frozen pineapple, frozen mango, 1/3 banana, frozen berries, a little bit of chopped cucumber, chia, hemp seed, almond butter, organic pea protein powder unsweetened from Trader Joes, almond milk.

Avocado Toast--1/2 of an avocado on toasted Ezekiel bread, with a little bit of butter, salt and pepper

#2. Eat 2 healthy snacks a day at least. One in between breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner.

#3. Eat 4 servings of veggies and 3 servings of fruit each day. I usually eat 2 dark green salads a day. One at lunch and one at dinner.

#4. Instead of regular pasta, we use Pow! lentil pasta and mix in a little bit of Trader Joes quinoa pasta.  Everyone in our family likes it! Lentil pasta is very high in fiber and protein which keeps us fuller longer.

#5. Every meal is balanced. I have my veggies, fruit, protein, carbs for all of my meals, instead of being carb heavy which is what I used to do.

#6. Avoid boxed crackers, cookies, chips, etc. And if you are craving one of these things, eat one if they are already in the house.  If not, the self control needs to kick in when you are at the store.... I like making homemade popcorn at home because it is amazingly good and filling! You'll never miss the chips.

#7. Limit sugars. Craving something sweet? Drink tea.  Sometimes I just want something sweet in the afternoon and I've found if I make tea and sit and enjoy it outside I'm refreshed and I have forgotten all about the cookie... (I usually add almond milk and a bit of honey)

#8. Still craving something sweet? Keep a dark chocolate bar on hand. I'll sometimes have a little square or two and that helps with sugar cravings too. Make sure the chocolate is not high in sugar though!

#9. Exercise! When my kids were really little, I had zero time to myself to exercise. So my solution was to wake up and do it right away. I honestly complained all of the time about having to exercise so early, but a little 30 minute video and I was feeling great!  Now I still do videos, but I've also added running in. There is no greater feeling then about an hour after you are done running. You will feel cleansed from the inside out!

#10. Go to the doctor every year for your check up! And if necessary, take your Hemoglobin A1C test every year! You will see the fruit of your labor when your numbers drop from making healthy choices! It is great accountability.


Put simply: exercise, eat wholesome, balanced meals, limit or avoid if possible: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, etc. And most importantly, be thankful to God for every day! We are not entitled to any day of life. Each day is a gift. God deserves our best efforts in all things, especially our hearts and our bodies. "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16