The hormonal shifts of pregnancy are a challenge for maintaining
healthy blood glucose levels. Up to 1 in 8 women will develop
gestational diabetes during their pregnancies, increasing risks
for themselves and for their babies. Researchers at the
University of Southern California School of Medicine found
something amazing. They looked at women who had already
developed gestational diabetes. Their fasting blood glucose
levels were high enough to require insulin. Half of the women
got the recommended insulin. The other half got personal
trainers. Which would you rather have? Trainers supervised women
in a simple exercise bike program. The result? Aerobic exercise
was equally effective to insulin in pregnant women. Blood
glucose measurements were statistically the same in both groups.
Simple exercise is a prescription-strength way to decreases
blood sugar peaks and to decrease blood sugar swings. And fetal
heart rate tracings suggested that the babies in the studies
liked the exercise as well. Three 20-minute se