I was diagnosed with GD about 2 weeks ago, meaning I failed the 3 hour glucose test. I went to the nutritionist Monday and got my monitor. All my glucose readings have been normal! I just wanted to say, some nutritionists will totally give you inaccurate/outdated information!

GD is a CARBOHYDRATE problem and secondarily a sugar problem!!!

Most Americans eat way too many carbs! I know I definitely craved them in my first trimester!

If you have been diagnosed with this and want to avoid complications and medicine I highly recommend looking into a ketogenic diet. There is also inaccurate information with regards to this, nutritional ketosis is NOT the same as ketoacidosis! You will probably get talked to about the dangers of a ketogenic diet, but it's because of this misunderstanding! Pregnancy is actually a natural state of ketosis and the babies brain uses ketones for fuel much more than glucose anyways! (Disclaimer here: I am not a certified nutritionist or an MD, but I do have a PhD in Neuroscience)

Lily Nichols is a pre-natal nutritionist worth learning from. Of course not all nutritionists still believe the outdated we need 175 grams of carbohydrates/day but many do!

If you want to improve your glucose levels also start exercising multiple days/week (even just 15 minutes/time is helpful) and try to go on at least short walks after your meals.

Also, if you are feeling hungry then you should probably eat, but it is definitely ok to not eat 3 meals and snacks 2-3 times/day (another outdated suggestion)! If you don't really have any fasting time (2 hours doesn't count) your glucose levels are not going to get cleared from your blood. Why we're often told to snack before bed is beyond me, but it won't help your glucose for the majority of people!

Basic dietary changes -

Instead of bread/crackers/rice/pasta/potatoes/other grains: wrap food with lettuce, use cauliflower (can be used to make 'rice', 'mashed potatoes', pizza crust), zucchini noodles, use cheese as 'bread', use mushrooms as a 'bun'

Use hemp seeds and/or chia seeds (seeds are your friend) in whole fat plain (low fat usually has ADDED sugars) yogurt instead of yogurt that comes with fruit (plus usually way too much sugar) and add your own fresh fruit

Eat eggs or above yogurt for breakfast. Most cereals/granola/oatmeals are not that healthy and will raise your glucose

Eat berries for fruit and limit other fruits as they tend to be higher in sugar and lower in nutrients

Eat lots of avocado

Vegetables, vegetables, vegetables!!!

Kale, spinach, arugula, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, green beans, celery, snow peas, asparagus, zucchini, cabbage!

If you don't like vegetables, find ways to creatively add them to something you do like! Every little bit helps!

Apple cider vinegar and cinnamon are also helpful glucose regulators - add where you can!

Drink water or plain tea only. Juice and soda are basically terrible. Add lemon and berries and/or cucumber and mint for flavoring if needed!