Ah, the holidays! Homemade candy, fudge, fruit cake, pies, and other goodies make the season special. Most people make losing weight their New Year’s resolutions because they’ve gained weight in December. It isn’t the end of the world to put on a couple of pounds in most cases, but if you’re pregnant, too many holiday treats can harm you and your baby. Eagle’s Landing OB/GYN wants you to enjoy your holidays, but we also want to caution you on the dangers of too much sugar.
Sugar and Heart Health
Even if you aren’t pregnant, sugar can damage your heart. Too much sugar triggers your body to release more insulin, and this excess insulin has a negative effect on your arteries. Your arteries will thicken and stiffen because the excess insulin is causing inflammation. Unfortunately, this long-term damage of excess sugar consumption can cause heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks and heart failure, and an increased risk of strokes. This danger is for everyone, not just women who are pregnant, so keep the sugar consumption at bay over the holidays, no matter hard it is to do so.
Sugar and Your Unborn Child
Excess sugar can also have a negative effect on your unborn child. A recent study examined the effect of excess sugar intake on pregnant women and found the added sugar can affect your baby’s brain function. The women in the study got their sugar from many different sources, including beverages. The study found that the higher the sugar intake the more damage to the unborn child’s cognitive function after they were born during their informative childhood years. Don’t think that diet sodas can help. The study also found that diet sodas had the same negative effect on early childhood development.
Sugar and the Holidays
This does not mean you cannot enjoy some of your favorite holiday treats, but you must consider how much sugar you are actually consuming each day. By tracking your sugar intake, you can gauge when it’s safe to enjoy a piece of that homemade fudge or part of a candy cane, just find out how much sugar is in a serving of each holiday yummy. On days where you know you’ll enjoy a sugary dessert, such as after Christmas dinner, limit your sugar intake throughout the day to avoid excess sugar intake.
Happy holidays to one and all from Eagles Landing OB/GYN in Stockbridge, GA. We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
