#88: Gestational Diabetes Part 2 With Lily Nichols [ed056d]
Post Time: 2025-07-29
When it comes to blood sugar management, one of the most critical factors is timing. Knowing how your body reacts to food consumption can make all the difference in maintaining healthy levels. Research suggests that monitoring blood sugar after eating 1 hour can provide valuable insights into its fluctuations.
Monitoring techniques are essential for individuals with diabetes or those who want to maintain optimal health. A glucometer, a small device used to measure glucose levels in blood samples, is an excellent tool for home testing. Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) also offer real-time tracking of glucose fluctuations throughout the day. These devices enable users to make informed dietary and lifestyle choices.
The Impact of Diet on Blood Sugar Levels: Choosing the Right Foods
Diet plays a significant role in regulating blood sugar levels. Consuming foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes can help stabilize glucose release into the bloodstream. Examples include:
- Oatmeal with nuts for breakfast
- Grilled chicken breast with quinoa and steamed broccoli for lunch
These high-fiber meals promote gradual absorption of sugar by the body.
On the other hand, foods low in fiber or made from refined sugars can cause blood glucose levels to spike rapidly. Limit your consumption of sugary drinks, white bread, pasta, rice cakes, crackers, cookies, muffins, pastry and processed snacks like chips and candy bars
The Role of Exercise in Blood Sugar Management: Timing is Everything
Exercise significantly influences blood sugar regulation by improving insulin sensitivity. Physical activity should be incorporated into daily routines to maintain optimal glucose control.
When planning workouts:
- Avoid eating 2-3 hours before exercise
- Opt for low-to-moderate intensity activities, such as brisk walking or cycling
Intense exercises can cause a temporary increase in blood sugar levels during and after physical exertion. For example,
Regular cardio sessions (50 minutes) increased insulin sensitivity by nearly 16% within just one week
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 wine and blood sugar 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: • blood sugar goals for diabetics Website - www.lilynicholsrdn.com ( • Instagram - @lilynicholsrdn ( • Lily's Books ( • Lily's Courses ( • fasting and nonfasting blood sugar levels 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 (