📈 Exploring the Impact of Foods on My Health with a CGM! 🍏📉

Last week, I embarked on a fascinating journey of self-discovery using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). 🌐 This tiny device has become my nutrition companion, helping me unravel the mysteries of how the food I eat and my lifestyle influence my health. This is the 3rd CGM trial I've undertaken in the past couple of years, allowing me to keep check on my wellbeing. 🤔✨

Excitingly, my blood sugar control has generally been within the healthy range of 4 - 6 mmol/L. 📊

Along the way, I've stumbled upon some interesting findings:

🌙 Late Dinners & In-Between Snacking: Eating dinner late and the time between meals affect my response. So, I'm tweaking my eating schedule for a healthier balance.

🥖🍝 Bread & Pasta: Surprisingly, staples like bread and pasta don't cause big spikes for me. It's all about understanding what works for your body!

😓 Stress & Spikes: Stress seems to give my blood sugar a little kick ... it's not all about the food! Managing stress and adding things to promote self-care, such as a daily yoga practice, will be a focus going forwards.

🌱 Next Up: Microgreens Experiment! 🌿 Over the next week, I'll be playing around with adding microgreens at different stages of my meals to see if they help stabilise my glucose response. 🥗 Excited to see the results!

Why Consider a Blood Glucose Trial?

👁‍🗨 Personalised Nutrition Insights:

Understand how specific foods impact YOUR blood glucose levels. Your body is unique, and this trial can help tailor your diet to your needs.

🚦 Risk Assessment and Prevention:

Catch early signs of insulin resistance or impaired glucose metabolism to prevent conditions like type 2 diabetes.

⚖️ Health and Weight Management:

Optimise your diet for weight management, consistent energy levels, and overall well-being.

🏋️ Optimising Physical Performance:

For fitness enthusiasts, monitor blood glucose levels to fine-tune nutrition for better endurance and recovery.

Frequency & Approach:

📆 Testing Schedule:

Kickstart with an initial assessment, monitoring regularly over a few weeks. Adjust based on your goals—whether it's quarterly, bi-annually, or as needed.

Choosing Personal vs. Formal Trials:

👤 Personal Trial:

Accessible and tailored to your real-life context. Perfect for personalising your diet based on your unique preferences.

🔍 Formal Study Participation:

Contribute to scientific knowledge under more controlled conditions. Great for those who want to impact broader research. A good example is Zoe

Considerations for Formal Trials:

👨‍⚖️ Ethical Approval: Ensure adherence to ethical guidelines and approval from research ethics boards.

📘 Structured Protocols: Formal trials follow protocols for consistent and reliable data.

🌐 Research Contribution: Contribute to the broader scientific understanding of nutrition and metabolic health.

Conclusion:

Embarking on a blood glucose trial, whether personal or formal, can be a game-changer for your health journey. Use the insights gained to make informed choices, promote well-being, and potentially prevent metabolic conditions. Always consult with healthcare professionals or researchers for guidance on interpreting results. 🩺💡 #BloodGlucoseJourney #HealthDiscovery #NutritionInsights