Continuous Glucose Monitors
What is continuous glucose monitoring?
Continuous glucose monitoring automatically tracks blood glucose levels, also called blood sugar, throughout the day and night. You can see your glucose level anytime at a glance. You can also review how your glucose changes over a few hours or days to see trends. Seeing glucose levels in real time can help you make more informed decisions throughout the day about how to balance your food, physical activity, and medicines.
How does a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) work?
A CGM works through a tiny sensor inserted under your skin, usually on your belly or arm. The sensor measures your interstitial glucose level, which is the glucose found in the fluid between the cells. The sensor tests glucose every few minutes. A transmitter wirelessly sends the information to a monitor.
The monitor may be part of an insulin pump or a separate device, which you might carry in a pocket or purse. Some CGMs
Continuous glucose monitoring automatically tracks blood glucose levels, also called blood sugar, throughout the day and night. You can see your glucose level anytime at a glance. You can also review how your glucose changes over a few hours or days to see trends. Seeing glucose levels in real time can help you make more informed decisions throughout the day about how to balance your food, physical activity, and medicines.
How does a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) work?
A CGM works through a tiny sensor inserted under your skin, usually on your belly or arm. The sensor measures your interstitial glucose level, which is the glucose found in the fluid between the cells. The sensor tests glucose every few minutes. A transmitter wirelessly sends the information to a monitor.
The monitor may be part of an insulin pump or a separate device, which you might carry in a pocket or purse. Some CGMs
My experiences using a CGM
Every 3 months, I wear a glucose monitor to assist with my own learning of the glucose response to the foods I eat.
I have also used CGM data to assist with determining which foods are best suited to the paddling events and the distances I am paddling.
3 months prior to a long distance paddle, I start to work on my diet and aim to be in "nutritional ketosis" during periods of the day. This enables me to exercise in a period of ketosis and to optimise "fat" as my fuel source for my long distance paddles
Some of the self testing I have also completed on myself using CGM data include:
1. What is my glucose response to real food compared to food that includes inflammatory oils such as sunflower oils and canola oil?
2. What is my glucose response to high intensity exercise compared to low intensity exercise?
3. What is my glucose response to exercise and/ or food following a night of drinking alcohol?
4. What is my glucose response to milk in my coffee compared to cream in my coffee?
5. What is my glucose response to eating prior to exercise compared to eating following exercise?
6. How does my menstrual cycle effect my glucose response and how do hormone responses during menopause effect glucose response?
By completing this testing on myself, I have learned how each food individually affects my ability to move glucose out of my system quicker so I am not constantly asking my pancreas to produce insulin.
My ultimate aim to to save my brain from becoming insulin resistant, but in the mean time, through my learning using the CGM I have been able to shift some of the excess weight I was carrying, whilst also improving my mental health and the added bonus was I started to win the long distance races I participated in due to my body becoming" fat adapted"
I have placed below some of the graphs I use to teach my BrainFit participants. These graphs are from my own data
I have also used CGM data to assist with determining which foods are best suited to the paddling events and the distances I am paddling.
3 months prior to a long distance paddle, I start to work on my diet and aim to be in "nutritional ketosis" during periods of the day. This enables me to exercise in a period of ketosis and to optimise "fat" as my fuel source for my long distance paddles
Some of the self testing I have also completed on myself using CGM data include:
1. What is my glucose response to real food compared to food that includes inflammatory oils such as sunflower oils and canola oil?
2. What is my glucose response to high intensity exercise compared to low intensity exercise?
3. What is my glucose response to exercise and/ or food following a night of drinking alcohol?
4. What is my glucose response to milk in my coffee compared to cream in my coffee?
5. What is my glucose response to eating prior to exercise compared to eating following exercise?
6. How does my menstrual cycle effect my glucose response and how do hormone responses during menopause effect glucose response?
By completing this testing on myself, I have learned how each food individually affects my ability to move glucose out of my system quicker so I am not constantly asking my pancreas to produce insulin.
My ultimate aim to to save my brain from becoming insulin resistant, but in the mean time, through my learning using the CGM I have been able to shift some of the excess weight I was carrying, whilst also improving my mental health and the added bonus was I started to win the long distance races I participated in due to my body becoming" fat adapted"
I have placed below some of the graphs I use to teach my BrainFit participants. These graphs are from my own data
Ordering a Continuous Glucose Monitor
There are a number of sites to order a CGM from and some health funds may offer a rebate for a CGM. Please email Brodie prior to ordering a CGM so you can receive instructions on how to order the most appropriate CGM for your purposes.
Before ordering your CGM, make sure your phone is compatible with the LibreLink App.
www.freestylelibre.com.au/products.html
Before ordering your CGM, make sure your phone is compatible with the LibreLink App.
www.freestylelibre.com.au/products.html
Recording Your Data
Once you have your CGM fitted, remember you can wear it swimming, showering and for your sport. It will remain active for 2 weeks.
Remember to place some additional elastaplast over it, to prevent it coming unstuck with accidental knocks and try to place it on the arm you are less likely to sleep on.
You can scan and learn your real time data as often as possible.
It's a great way to view the nearly instant reaction to food and exercise.
Remember to record details such as what you ate, whether you were exercising and what type of exercise.
It can also be interesting to record stressful events.
These notes will all download into your LibreView file when you are ready to download your data
Remember to place some additional elastaplast over it, to prevent it coming unstuck with accidental knocks and try to place it on the arm you are less likely to sleep on.
You can scan and learn your real time data as often as possible.
It's a great way to view the nearly instant reaction to food and exercise.
Remember to record details such as what you ate, whether you were exercising and what type of exercise.
It can also be interesting to record stressful events.
These notes will all download into your LibreView file when you are ready to download your data
Understanding Your Glucose Monitor Data
The following links are short easy to listen to podcasts on Spotify that you can listen to in your car or whilst walking that will help you understand the benefits of glucose monitoring .
One the podcasts also points out the benefits of sharing your data and discussing it with others so you can visualise how a “ one size fits all “ approach to diet and stress does not work.
Dr Molly Malouf’s 7 Tips to Using CGMS ( 10 minutes)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xsBHogtkpCdFfzUler8sF?si=5HeHJow4Tiio3NJxAwEmSA&utm_source=native-share-menu
Diet Doctor CGMS and Metabolic Health
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qRHNKfW6cvXxw5mF05am9?si=jnWVyWF_RiGCZ4ClfNedbg&utm_source=native-share-menu
High Vibe and Healthy with Fran Dargaville Nutritionist: Lessons from Tracking my Blood Sugars with a CGM
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RCW6A7KKwPZwLnIEfj6eL?si=30c31b775b9a49c9
Following Set Meal Plans
People often ask for prescribed meal plans or purchase these meal plans from dietary advice sites.
Before spending money on a set meal plan, I would highly recommend that you go through your current data with myself, or the group first so you can learn what to avoid in a "meal plan”
It is hard people waste money on meal plans that work for a while,then end up causing you more stress when they stop working
Learning your individual response to food and stress and sleep disturbance is a good way to then know how to modify a meal plan you may choose
Group ZOOM Sessions
Joining a group Zoom session is a great way to help you learn that eating a one size fits all meal plan does not necessarily work for all bodies. Being able to view the same foods eaten by 2 or more people and discussing their individual results to stress, sleep disturbances, medications, food and exercise is a great way to learn how to individualise your lifestyle habits.
Group Zoom session are held every 4 to 8 weeks to assist people who are new to wearing a CGM and to help them learn how to interpret their data
Group Zoom Sessions are free for BrainFit Members
Downloading your data
To download your data, you need to enter you Libre Link login and password in the Libre View Site
https://www2.libreview.com/chooseCountryLanguage
I have attached my own data so you can see the format that the data . Please feel free to downlaod my own data below:
Once you have downloaded the records, Please send your data through to myself, Brodie via email on [email protected]. so as I can then help you to understand your results
One the podcasts also points out the benefits of sharing your data and discussing it with others so you can visualise how a “ one size fits all “ approach to diet and stress does not work.
Dr Molly Malouf’s 7 Tips to Using CGMS ( 10 minutes)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xsBHogtkpCdFfzUler8sF?si=5HeHJow4Tiio3NJxAwEmSA&utm_source=native-share-menu
Diet Doctor CGMS and Metabolic Health
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qRHNKfW6cvXxw5mF05am9?si=jnWVyWF_RiGCZ4ClfNedbg&utm_source=native-share-menu
High Vibe and Healthy with Fran Dargaville Nutritionist: Lessons from Tracking my Blood Sugars with a CGM
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4RCW6A7KKwPZwLnIEfj6eL?si=30c31b775b9a49c9
Following Set Meal Plans
People often ask for prescribed meal plans or purchase these meal plans from dietary advice sites.
Before spending money on a set meal plan, I would highly recommend that you go through your current data with myself, or the group first so you can learn what to avoid in a "meal plan”
It is hard people waste money on meal plans that work for a while,then end up causing you more stress when they stop working
Learning your individual response to food and stress and sleep disturbance is a good way to then know how to modify a meal plan you may choose
Group ZOOM Sessions
Joining a group Zoom session is a great way to help you learn that eating a one size fits all meal plan does not necessarily work for all bodies. Being able to view the same foods eaten by 2 or more people and discussing their individual results to stress, sleep disturbances, medications, food and exercise is a great way to learn how to individualise your lifestyle habits.
Group Zoom session are held every 4 to 8 weeks to assist people who are new to wearing a CGM and to help them learn how to interpret their data
Group Zoom Sessions are free for BrainFit Members
Downloading your data
To download your data, you need to enter you Libre Link login and password in the Libre View Site
https://www2.libreview.com/chooseCountryLanguage
I have attached my own data so you can see the format that the data . Please feel free to downlaod my own data below:
Once you have downloaded the records, Please send your data through to myself, Brodie via email on [email protected]. so as I can then help you to understand your results
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