(Also, be sure to check out: http://help.reset360.com/en/articles/4436036-glucose-meter-readings)
Dr. Sara shares on Facebook, these FAQs she receives about her device:
Here’s a summary of the common Q&As from the previous post about Continuous Glucose Monitoring. Save this post for reference. Keep in mind that blood sugar is just one signaling pathway, and it involves many factors other than food, as I’ve described in all my books and the preceding post.
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CGM Device: There are 3 CGM manufacturers in the US: Abbott, Dexcom, and Medtronics. I've been wearing Abbott Freestyle Libre for the past 18 months.
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You need a prescription. I have patients who have purchased on eBay.
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The alternative is to purchase a glucometer with test strips, the ones where you need to prick your finger several times a day. Find them in any pharmacy or on Amazon. Experiment, run tests as I did with foods. The point is to discover your personalized response.
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How long do I wear the CGM? I take a few days off in between sensors because my glucose is a flat line 98% of the time, and I love a hot soak in a tub full of Epson salts. But I like to wear one when I’m testing new recipes for my upcoming book, experimenting with new foods (eaten as test foods, by themselves), or traveling.
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Testing foods: I test foods containing 50 grams of carb, and if I get a big glucose spike, I next try 25 grams. I test each food 3-5x, and only after I had a good sleep of 7-8.5 hours.
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Some suggested my results show that Keto is the way to go. Maybe, at least short-term 6-12 months. I’m not a fan of eliminating healthy carbs, so it’s more a matter of identifying which carbs work for a person. For example, I can eat squash, pumpkin, and parsnips, which are quite carby vegetables.
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Fasting Glucose Level Guidelines in insulin-sensitive people: Optimal = 70 to 86 mg/dL. Some papers use 85, others >86
Standard medical guidelines state “Normal” < 100 mg/dL, Prediabetes = 100 to 125 mg/dL and Diabetes > 126 mg/dL
Optimal Postprandial Glucose Level Guidelines: 2 hour postprandial< 115 mg/dL. Again, standard medical less than 140 mg/dL 2 hours after a meal
HOMA-IR (insulin resistance test) = 1 or less
Check out these recent posts on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=761205504429884
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She shares on Instagram this:
She shares about this Instagram post on Facebook also:
"I posted the other day about my continuous glucose monitor on Instagram and one of the questions I was asked was, “What foods surprised you the most?” Love this Q because I was SHOCKED by some of the healthy food that jacked up my blood sugar and kept it high for hours. Examples: legumes. I had chickpeas or kidney beans or black beans every day and then the #cgm showed me it was triggering a high post-prandial glucose response that persisted for more than 2 hours, which is the cutoff I used. Açaí bowl = disaster. Apples = nightmare. I can get away with apples if slathered in macadamia nut butter. Several detox powders are surprisingly bad for me in terms of blood sugar. Grapes cranked my blood sugar to 180s (I’m usually stable in the 80s most of the time), and that’s something many continuous glucose monitor (CGM) wearers have noticed, including @peterattiamd — other culprit foods for me include pasta, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and bananas. In the past 4 years, there have been incredibly important scientific publications in this area showing there is no ideal diet for everyone, instead, we need to personalize diet to the individual and see what is your personal post-meal glucose response. Of course, other factors are important too such as perceived stress, activity level, and fitness, microbiome, metabolomics. Genetics matter less than you may realize—it’s complicated. But I can tell you my CGM has done more to change my eating habits in real-time than any other intervention, prescription, or lifestyle. I have completely reversed my prediabetes in the past 18 months of wearing one."
(Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this email is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Sara Gottfried, MD, our Scientific Advisor, or medical staff of our manufacturer's team. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or another healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. If you do not currently have a physician, you may find a local practitioner in your area here: https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner)