Can you find a Low Carb Diet that is Safe during Pregnancy?
Provided By:
www.eatandgrowyoung.net
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Low carb diet programs have become a very popular method for losing weight over the past decade. If you had been on a low carb diet program before you became pregnant, you might be wondering if it is safe to continue with your current plan during the course of your nine months. The answer is that it probably depends on the plan that you had been following. If you were using a program with extremely low carbohydrate content, you will probably need to beef up your carbs a bit during your pregnancy.
A deficiency in carbohydrate intake can affect the development and growth of your baby, since your body may not be able to burn energy as efficiently. A low carbohydrate diet can also be a problem during pregnancy if you find constipation to be an annoying side effect of your diet program. A health digestive system is essential for a comfortable pregnancy, so including fiber from whole grains and fruits can be an important part of your low carb diet during pregnancy.
The Advantage of a Low Carb Diet during Pregnancy
If you normally have a problem with low blood sugar, this can be exacerbated during a pregnancy. A
low carb diet during pregnancy can actually help to regulate your blood sugar levels. If you develop gestational diabetes during the later months of your pregnancy, your doctor might actually ask you to cut back on carbohydrate intake to help regulate this imbalance as well.
Talk to your Doctor about a Low Carb Diet during Pregnancy
If you are interested in possibly sticking with a variation of your low carb diet during your pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor about the safety of this plan. Many of the low carb programs like the Atkins and South Beach diets will recommend that you increase your carb intake somewhat during the course of your pregnancy. For example, the Atkins program suggests that if you become pregnant, you move immediately to the maintenance phase of the plan where carbs are more abundant.
If you are following a particular program, do your research to learn what that program recommends before talking to your doctor. And keep in mind, that the most important consideration during your pregnancy is the health of you and your baby. If you were following a low carb diet before your pregnancy as a part of your weight loss plan, you will be able to return to your program once your baby is born.
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