What I learned from wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitor for 2 weeks.
Apr 30, 2022I'm a health and fitness gal by trade, so when Nutrisense offered to let me test out their CGM, I jumped at the chance to explore this new technology.
Application can be a little intimidating, but honestly I didn't even feel the tiny needle go into the back of my arm - check my Instagram stories to see those videos - @thethyroidtrainer. As someone who gets their blood drawn every six weeks and also gave birth - this was a nothing.
You download their app on your phone and it syncs with the device so you are getting real time blood sugar data every time you hover your phone over the sensor. I tried to do this once every 4 hours and the app sends you reminders as well. I highly recommend wearing short sleeves and loose clothing rather than tight-fitting, long-sleeves, but you can make either work.
You also get a free dietician while you're using the CGM. I was paired up with Marie and she was a wealth of information, guiding me on how best to break my fast each morning (hint: always protein first) and tips to get my glucose back to normal after a big meal. One of the best ways to do this is by going for a walk. Post dinner stroll anyone?
It was really interesting to see the data in real time - I could watch my blood sugar skyrocket after drinking an oat milk latte and was surprised to see that when I drank wine with dinner, it had very little effect.
What surprised me the most was how much stress levels affected my levels. Any time I could feel myself getting stressed out - heart racing, tightness in stomach - my blood sugar levels rose. Scientifically what's happening in our bodies is that our fight or flight is being activated and in turn our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline. While acute stress is completely normal and something we really can't avoid, chronic stress is where problems like inflammation begin. In order to decrease stress and in turn let blood sugar levels return to normal, I recommend breath work or meditation, I even took a CBD gummy - when in California, right?
Overall, my CGM confirmed a lot of things for me:
1. I eat very well and my blood sugar levels are pretty stable throughout the day
2. Eating protein first thing in the morning and at each meal is key to keeping levels stable
3. If you want to have sugar or some sort of dessert, eat it after a meal and not on it's own
4. Exercise is a key part to keep blood sugar levels stable
5. Stress has serious negative impacts on the body and part of our wellness plan should include a stress reducing habits
I would highly recommend using one if you are pre-diabetic and need to reduce your blood sugar levels, having trouble losing weight even though you eat healthy - the CGM can help you get a better picture of how your body reacts to certain foods, or you are a health nerd like me and want to try it out.
Nutrisense is offering $25 off using my link below
