HEALTHIER YOU: Healthy for the holidays
November 19, 2018 by Las Vegas Black Image Magazine
Filed under Health
Healthy for the holidays
BY DR. ANNETTE MAYES, OB/GYN
DR. ANNETTE MAYE
Happy Thanksgiving month! November may be a time to begin feeling the holiday spirit, but it is also American Diabetes Month. As we plan our holiday meals, we must also be mindful of our health.
Pregnant women, especially, may feel an urge to overeat and consume more sugar than normal. Mothers-to-be must watch their intake of certain foods that can contribute to weight gain and gestational diabetes, which is the result of hormonal changes during pregnancy. Women who are overweight when they get pregnant, or who gain too much weight during their pregnancy, are most likely to suffer from gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes risk factors include:
- Overweight
- Over the age of 25.
- Had Gestational Diabetes during a past pregnancy.
- Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
- Have a family history of Type 2 diabetes.
- Have polycystic ovary syndrome.
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are conditions that can occur in non- pregnant women. Type 1 diabetes tends to occur in children and teens and is thought to be related to viral, autoimmune and genetic factors. There is no cure, however there is a treatment and healthy eating enhances the treatment. Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults and is related to lifestyle and nutrition.
Type 2 diabetes risk factors include:
- Overweight
- Age 45 or older
- Have a parent or sibling with the condition
- Aren’t physically active
- Have had gestational diabetes
- Have pre-diabetes
- Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides
- Have African American/Hispanic or Latino American, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Asian American ancestry.
I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. Preventive measures — such as eating healthy and getting 30 to 45 minutes of exercise each day — can improve overall health.
For additional information, contact the Las Vegas All Women’s Care Offices at (702)522-9640. Or visit us at 700 Shadow Lane No. 165 (1st floor) in Las Vegas.
