WHAT IS GD KITCHEN?

GD Kitchen is a digital resource for people experiencing gestational diabetes. We offer two informational products, GD Basics 101 and Glucose Meter Tips + Tricks with Diary Templates, as well as two monthly subscriptions: the Recipe Membership and the Full Membership.

Cristina Sciarra, GD Kitchen founder, recipe developer, and mom who had gestational diabetes

WELCOME!

Hi! I'm Cristina. I had gestational diabetes while pregnant with my son.

I was overwhelmed from morning (fasting number!) 'til night (bedtime snack!). I'd never heard of GDM before, and honestly, I felt kind of embarrassed by the diagnosis.

I went searching for resources, but found few. There didn't seem to be a clear answer for why some women develop GD, and others don’t. Or why one woman could eat a banana, but I could not.

I also found a dearth of recipes that a) sounded delicious and b) would definitely not spike my blood sugar. So, I started writing my own. I recorded the tricks and tips that helped me along the way, made me feel more in control, and less afraid.

My GD Kitchen - Gestational Diabetes Meal

MY QUALIFICATIONS:

I studied English Literature & Creative Writing at The George Washington University, then attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, before completing an MFA in Fiction Writing from The New School.

The Roaming Kitchen followed: an (award-winning) food blog where I wrote and tested a new recipe each week. (It’s dormant now, but the archives are full!) My recipes appeared in People Magazine, Cup of Jo, Buzzfeed, InStyle, and Harper’s Bazaar, among other publications. I also wrote thirty-five original recipes for Food52’s book Ice Cream and Friends.

With my cooking background and nutritional knowledge, I assumed adjusting my diet for GD would be really straightforward. Oof, was I wrong.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

I created GD Kitchen to be the resource I wish I’d had. I want your experience to be clearer, less stressful, and more delicious than mine was. Pregnancy is hard enough without a restrictive diet and extra fears for your baby.

I understand if you feel discouraged right now; it's not fair that you have to deal with this complication. And I know it can feel all-encompassing. But! The joy that comes after eclipses the GD. And I promise--it does come to and end.

In the meantime: I did the research, and put it all in one place, so that future women–YOU!–would have an easier time than I did. Welcome to GD Kitchen.

MEET THE TEAM:

Rachael Sullivan, DO, FACOOG

Rachael Sullivan has been a board certified OB/GYN for seven years. She currently lives, and practices medicine, in East Texas. Dr. Sullivan earned her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University, graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pennsylvania in 2012, and completed her OB/GYN residency training in Columbus, OH.

Her focus is general obstetrics, where she sees a large volume of gestational diabetes patients. She also practices general gynecology, with a focus on minimally invasive and robotic surgery.

Personally, she is married, and has two children. She and her family especially love spending time together on the lake, going to Disney World, and traveling. She is an avid runner, having completed multiple marathons, and looks forward to participating in the Boston Marathon this year.

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Jamie Askey, RN

Jamie has been a registered nurse since 2011. Nine of her twelve years in the medical field have been specifically dedicated to women's health.

Jamie has a passion for helping people, especially on the topics of health and nutrition education. In 2021, she became a Macro Nutrition Coach and opened her business, Fit Nurse Nutrition. Now, she pairs her experience and expertise a nurse with nutritional knowledge, in order to enable her clients to reach their health and fitness goals.

She loves teaching people how to fuel their bodies, in order to look and feel their best, and feels blessed to have been a part of some incredible transformations and health journeys over the past two years. Specifically, her medical background allows her to provide specialized coaching and care, to those clients with disease processes and diagnosis that sometimes make reaching weight loss and health goals more difficult than the general population.

She can be reached via email at [email protected], on Instagram at @fit.nurse.etx, or through Facebook at Fit Nurse Nutrition Community.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information, including but not limited to texts, graphics, recipes, images and other material contained on this website, either free or paid posts, programs or eBooks, are for informational purposes only. I am not, nor am I holding myself out to be, a doctor/physician, nurse, physician’s assistant, advanced practice nurse or any other medical professional (“Medical Provider”), or any type of mental health provider, registered dietician or licensed nutritionist. I am not providing health care, medical or nutritional therapy services, or attempting to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any physical, mental or emotional issue, disease or condition. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, medical or nutritional therapy services, or treatment. You agree and acknowledge that I am not providing medical advice or mental health advice or services in any way. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Do not start or stop taking any medications without speaking to your own Medical Provider or mental health provider. If you have or suspect you have a medical or mental health problem, contact your Medical Provider promptly. The information contained on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The contents of our website are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose any medical condition, replace the advice of a healthcare professional, or provide any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The products featured on our website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your physician and follow all safety instructions before using any nutritional plan or information, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have any unique or special medical conditions.

WHAT IS GD KITCHEN?

WELCOME!

MY QUALIFICATIONS:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

MEET THE TEAM:

Access Our Free Recipes Here!