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| As Powerful as Insulin |
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The hormonal shifts of pregnancy are a challenge for
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maintaining healthy blood glucose levels. Up to 1 in 8
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women will develop gestational diabetes during their
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pregnancies, increasing risks for themselves and for
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their babies. Researchers at the University of Southern
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California School of Medicine found something amaz-
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ing. They looked at women who had already devel-
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oped gestational diabetes. Their fasting blood glucose
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levels were high enough to require insulin. Half of the
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women got the recommended insulin. The other half got
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personal trainers. Which would you rather have? Trainers
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supervised women in a simple exercise bike program. The re-
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sult? Aerobic exercise was equally effective to insulin in pregnant
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women. Blood glucose measurements were statistically the same in both groups. Simple
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exercise is a prescription-strength way to decreases blood sugar peaks and to decrease
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blood sugar swings. And fetal heart rate tracings suggested that the babies in the studies
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liked the exercise as well.....continued - Previous articles by Dr. Greene
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Alan Greene M.D., FAAP
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