Unluckily, diabetes runs in the family. My maternal grandmother died of complications from diabetes, my maternal aunts and uncles are diabetics, and yes -my mom is diabetic. It's no surprise that I am also a diabetic and most probably, my two older sisters are diabetics waiting to happen too.
We are a clan of good cooks. My mom, my aunts, my sisters and I are all good in cooking, whether it's pasta, traditional Filipino dishes or desserts. Now, there's this belief, "When you love to cook, you love to EAT" -- and EATING is what our clan does best. ;-)
Obviously, our love for food is the main reason why our blood sugar is up the roof. We also have poor self control when it comes to controlling our appetite for carbohydrates and sugar. My cousins are all pasta addicts while I have a major weakness for anything S-W-E-E-T. Cake, ice cream, candies, chocolates, these are all staple food in my party list -- and I consider desserts as my "weekly" self reward.
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| Dear Lord, I am craving for this right now... |
Upon knowing that I am pregnant to our second child, my husband demanded that I see an endocrinologist/diabetologist to ensure that I am not suffering from gestational diabetes like in my previous pregnancy four years ago. You see, my husband dislike the idea of spending money on blood glucose test strips and insulin injections - plus me whining. He hated the fact that he would need to constantly remind me to check my blood glucose, inject insulin and CONTROL my sugar cravings.
November of last year, my OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) revealed that I have GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus). I've been advised by my diabetologist that my blood sugar is way above normal, so I was instructed to 1) "control" my sugar cravings, 2) get a dietitian to plan my meals and 3) inject insulin for my glucose intolerance.
So for someone who's addicted to sugar, how am I "controlling" my sugar cravings?
Here are some of the tips I am currently following:
- Eat breakfast. You see, I usually don't eat breakfast even when I was not yet pregnant. I always skip this meal since I am too lazy to wake up early to prepare my food. But then my dietitian advised that eating hearty breakfast will help curb food cravings during the day.
- More water. Sometimes when I feel hungry, it's actually just my body asking for water, not food. So before I open the fridge for snacks, I drink water and wait a few minutes. Often, my cravings just vanish.
- Munch on fruits. Since I am diabetic, I am only allowed to eat fruits in moderation. I eat a maximum of 5 grapes, or one small banana, or half an apple for a snack. For women with no GDM, munching on fruits is the healthier alternative than finishing a jar of cookies.
- Be busy to keep your mind off that food. When that chocolate bar or that lovely blueberry cheesecake is tempting me to have a bite, I try to walk away or just think of something else. Changing the scenery helps in keeping my mind off that dessert -- it's not a piece of cake, but it helps.
- Get support. My husband's emotional support helps me a lot when it comes to curbing my appetite for sweets. Though it sometimes ends up in me crying and him giving in to my pleadings, the feeling of having someone understands what I'm going through gives me less emotional stress.
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| Halo-halo |
When I really really need to eat "that" something, and I've tried every thing I can think of to get it off my head, I simply give in. After all, it is never advisable for a pregnant woman to feel deprived. ;-) BUT, when I give in to that irresistible taste of creamy halo-halo or sweet slice of sans rival, I make sure that it's a tad smaller than the usual serving. It's okay to surrender to our cravings, but never over do it.