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Pregnant Type 1: Carb Question

abysimons

Member
Messages
22
Hi,
I keep getting told that the brain needs 100g of carbs a day by the dietician at the hospital when i tell her about low carb eating. Is this really true? She says for the brain to function it needs 100g a day.

100g is a lot! I probably eat around 40-50g a day.

Anyone shed any light on this? Is this just the NHS speak?

Thanks,

Aby
 
Well if it did we wouldn't have survived to the 21st century. Its not carbs per se, but glucose and you get that from protein and fat.
 
It's actually glucose the brain needs... not carbohydrates as such. You can get glucose from both carbohydrates and protein. So as long you have a mix of the two in your diet, then the brain is getting the glucose it needs. I do notice when I hypo my brain is the first to suffer. My endo said that is the case as well and it is also the last to recover from a hypo.... lack of glucose.
 

I think you're pregnant?

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/carbs-and-pregnancy.108256/

If you're referring to that, then studies have suggested that a minimum of 100g carbs a day is advisable in pregnancy because there have been suggestions that less can cause cognitive issues.
 
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Yes i am pregnant so am trying to follow what they the NHS folk say but it's so hard to eat carbs, inject insulin and have levels lower than 7 post meals. I have given myself a phobia of carbs i think! But having to eat more for the next 5 months so baby can get some. Thanks for the messages. x
 
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@abysimons Your DSN should be able to help with your levels. You may need to increase your basal and ratios. That's very, very normal in pregnancy. You'll also probably find you need to inject even more in advance of meals so the insulin can get working. I had to inject 45 mins before my breakfast in the later part of pregnancy.

There's no need to have a fear of carbs. They're recommended both for pregnancy and for breastfeeding I expect that's what the dietician had in mind. I saw a dietician during pregnancy and she was very helpful. I also found my DSN invaluable.

If you do get highs after meals, don't panic. As your pregnancy progresses, you will get a few more of those. Just do a correction dose (if you're confident doing so)

I ate approx 180g carbs during pregnancy, spread over the day, including snacks

If you need help with balancing your carbs and insulin, do speak to your DSN. They're there to help I'm sure you read the link to the study in your previous thread. It's really not worth the risk of eating very low carb in pregnancy.
 
... Just to second what Azure posted - everything I read suggested low carb isn't great in pregnancy - so though pre pregnancy I was lower carb (not super low - more like 100g ish carb per day - some days 80g, some days 120g) - I'm now also moralise 180g carbs per day.... I'm nearly 12 weeks so this has been easy to cover with insulin as I'm super insulin sensitive at the mo and can have 20/30g "free" carbs at least a couple of times a day.... but I am nervous about dosing for the extra carbs once the insulin resistance kicks in... but I guess I'll just cautiously correct lots!
 
If it's any reassurance @-Artemis- the hypo stage gradually changes into 'normal-ish' then into insulin resistance which slowly increases, so you have a chance to adjust your basal and mealtime ratios gradually
 
azure said:
If it's any reassurance @-Artemis- the hypo stage gradually changes into 'normal-ish' then into insulin resistance which slowly increases, so you have a chance to adjust your basal and mealtime ratios gradually
Click to expand...

It is!
 
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