Observations from using a continuous glucose monitor - Jessie Inchauspé

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:
Oats are often recommended to people with gestational diabetes, as @lilynicholsrdn told me.
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Unfortunately, most oat preparations spike our glucose levels wayyyyy too high and harm our body.
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If you do eat oats, remember to add protein and fat to them, to keep your glucose levels steady.
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But really, if you can, have a savoury breakfast and avoid anything that tastes sweet in the morning.

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:
On three occasions I’ve eaten the same cookies (PS it says one but it was more like 5) as a friend, and my glucose response was way higher than theirs. We can’t say much about this, and we can’t say whose metabolism is healthier, because we don’t know what our insulin responses were.⁣⠀
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Insulin is the hormone that puts glucose AWAY into our cells after we’ve digested something that turns into glucose. ⁣The bigger an insulin response, the closer to metabolic disease. ⠀
A low glucose response can indicate either than Jeff’s GI tract didn’t let any glucose through to his blood (kinda cool for Jeff!) OR that he has so much circulating insulin that he instantly put the glucose away into his fat cells. ⁣⠀
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My high glucose response could mean that I have very little circulating insulin (because I eat low carb most of the time), or that I have a ton of insulin but that there is no more place to put the glucose away. ⁣⠀

Takeaway: use glucose data to compare two meals that YOU have had - but comparing across people is pretty much impossible. ⁣⠀

 

[David PS]

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:
What is reactive hypoglycemia?
It consists of low glucose levels after 2-5 hours after eating.

What is a low level?
Normally, it is considered low if it is less than 60 mg/dL (3.3mmol/L).
Although we can experience symptoms even without our glucose getting that low.
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Symptoms include: Anxiety, blurred vision, brain fog, vertigo, fatigue, being "hungry", headache, palpitations, irritability, nausea, tremors, sweating, weakness, urgent appetite.
These symptoms are usually felt about 5 hours after eating or during the night/upon waking.
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What is the cause?
The most common cause is having too much insulin in the body (insulin resistance).
A high level of insulin carries too much glucose out of the bloodstream, causing glucose levels to plummet.
The traditional treatment of reactive hypoglycemia is to continue eating sugars and carbohydrates every few hours, so that the glucose rises again after each drop.

But here's the rub: This makes glucose spikes and crashes worse, and increases insulin resistance. Instead, to reverse this condition you should limit sugars and carbohydrates and follow these simple tricks...
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Reversing reactive hypoglycemia requires lowering insulin levels.
And for that, we must avoid glucose spikes, which make our body produce more insulin.
Fewer peaks, less hypoglycemia.

Read the 7 tricks to flatten your glucose curve.

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:

One of the greatest lies of our time… That fruit juice is healthy.⠀
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Fruit juice is in no way equivalent to eating a piece of fruit. The piece of fruit (like a full orange) has a lot of fibre in it. It will keep you full, and not send your blood glucose through the roof. You’ll be hard pressed to eat more than 2 oranges in a sitting (at least I am!) ⠀
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A glass of orange juice is just the sugar from 4 oranges, with none of the fibre. It’s as bad for your blood glucose as a glass of Coke. It will make you put on weight, increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, and for sure make you crash and crave more sweets in about an hour. ⠀
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Yes - it’s delicious, but it’s key to be aware that it’s not healthy… Indulge in fruit juice like you would indulge in a cookie ⠀

 

[David PS]

Just purchased halloween candy for the kids in the neighborhood.

 

[LadyRae]

Just purchased halloween candy for the kids in the neighborhood.
View attachment 44094

Looks like we should be eating that Halloween candy as we continue to canvas the neighborhood on foot. I have four kids and trick or treating is a big deal here. I always vacillate between restricting their candy consumption and then on the other hand just feeling like it's best to let them eat whatever they get as fast as they want.

 

[Zsazsa]

I just got fresh lab results and am very pleased with the improvement after mainly adopting 2 hacks since my latest test in March:

- ACV in at least 3 - 4 meals per week
- having a heavier lunch and then skipping dinner 3 - 4x per week

.HbA1c from 5.6 down to 5.4
.Triglycerids from 141 down to 96 mg/dL
.SDHEA up 64 points (mcg/dL)

 

[David PS]

🕸

 

[David PS]

Looks like we should be eating that Halloween candy as we continue to canvas the neighborhood on foot. I have four kids and trick or treating is a big deal here. I always vacillate between restricting their candy consumption and then on the other hand just feeling like it's best to let them eat whatever they get as fast as they want.

My plan is to have them eat a low carb meal before they go outside to collect their treats. I do not want then to begin the evening on an empty stomach.

 

[David PS]

I just got fresh lab results and am very pleased with the improvement after mainly adopting 2 hacks since my latest test in March:

- ACV in at least 3 - 4 meals per week
- having a heavier lunch and then skipping dinner 3 - 4x per week

.HbA1c from 5.6 down to 5.4
.Triglycerids from 141 down to 96 mg/dL
.SDHEA up 64 points (mcg/dL)

This is great that it is working for you. Jessie's hacks for reducing glucose spikes are easy to implement and I still get to have my sweets.

 

[Zsazsa]

This is great that it is working for you. Jessie's hacks for reducing glucose spikes are easy to implement and I still get to have my sweets.

Yes, I have dessert after lunch in most days.

 

[David PS]

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:

Which one is better? Candy or croissant? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Both croissants and candy have a lot of carbohydrates (sugars and starches) which turn into glucose as they are digested. ⠀⠀
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But you’ll notice the two glucose curves look way different. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The croissant curve is better! It overall spiked less high (and the higher the spike the worse for your blood vessels). It also didn’t crash back down as steeply as the candy curve. When our glucose drops quickly we are more likely to feel hungry and have cravings. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The fat (butter) in the croissants helped flatten their glucose spike. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In this case, croissants will keep you fuller longer than candy! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Source: « Circulating glucose levels modulate neural control for high-calorie foods in humans »⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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With this information, which would you choose or ?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

 

[LadyRae]

I had a few Tootsie pops last night, as we walked around for a couple hours trick-or-treating. They are sugar and palm oil, interestingly. Great sleep last night too.

 

[CastorTroy]

View attachment 44211

I think working out before is preferable. First it promotes insulin sensitivity. Second, that way you stimulate hGH and then IGF after the meal.

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:
A bánh mì sandwich spikes glucose more than a tuna and egg salad. Can you tell me why? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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why is steady glucose important?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Steady glucose less weight gain⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Studies have shown that a low glycemic diet helps people lose more weight and manage their weight over time than low fat diets. People lost more weight on a low-glycemic diet, even when they were able to eat ad libitum (as much as they wanted).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Sources⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Effect of the Glycemic Index of the Diet on Weight Loss, Modulation of Satiety, Inflammation, and Other Metabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Glycemic index and obesity"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
"Low glycaemic index or low glycaemic load diets for overweight and obesity."

Effect of the glycemic index of the diet on weight loss, modulation of satiety, inflammation, and other metabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT. Background: Low–glycemic index (GI) diets have been proven to have beneficial effects in such chronic conditions as type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart di

academic.oup.com

Glycemic index and obesity

ABSTRACT. Although weight loss can be achieved by any means of energy restriction, current dietary guidelines have not prevented weight regain or population-lev

academic.oup.com

Low glycaemic index or low glycaemic load diets for overweight and obesity

Obesity is increasingly prevalent, yet the nutritional management remains contentious. It has been suggested that low glycaemic index or load diets may stimulate greater weight loss than higher glycaemic index or load diets or other weight reduction diets.To ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[David PS]

I think working out before is preferable. First it promotes insulin sensitivity. Second, that way you stimulate hGH and then IGF after the meal.

I prefer working out before eating as well. Jessie is focused on minumizing the size of the postprandial glucose spike. Reading her hacks, she considers a 10 minute walk to be exercise. Technically it is exercise but I consider it to be merely movement. I think there would be less confusion if she calls a 10 minute walk or dancing to be movement. But the word 'exercise' is used in the literature and movement/exercise after diner has postive effects on glucose control, which is her goal.

Andrew Borror et al., "The effects of postprandial exercise on glucose control in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review," Sports Medicine 48, no. 6 (2018): 1479-1491, The Effects of Postprandial Exercise on Glucose Control in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review - Sports Medicine.

Jason MR Gill., "Moderate exercise and post-prandial metabolism: issues of dose-response," Journal of sports sciences 20, no. 12 (2002): 961-967, https://shapeamerica.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/026404102321011715.

Sheri R Colberg et al., "Postprandial walking is better for lowering the glycemic effect of dinner than pre-dinner exercise in type 2 diabetic individuals," Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 10, no. 6 (2009): 394-397, Postprandial Walking is Better for Lowering the Glycemic Effect of Dinner than Pre-Dinner Exercise in Type 2 Diabetic Individuals.

Timothy D Heden, "Postdinner resistance exercise improves postprandial risk factors more effectively than predinner resistance exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes," Journal of Applied Physiology 118, no. 5 (2015): 624-634, https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00917.2014.

 

[David PS]

Jessie's comments:
you can offset a glucose spike from a food by walking or working out after eating it ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A banana contains a large amount of sugar and starch. These will be converted to glucose during digestion, and will increase glucose levels.⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Here’s one way to reduce the glucose spike from eating something high in sugar:⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Physical activity! Graph 1: banana by itself (bigger spike) vs. graph 2: banana + exercise (smaller spike)⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Why? Because during a workout, your muscles will use the glucose from what you just ate for energy. ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Working out after eating a banana, a cookie, or any meal with carbs, will:⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
allow your muscles to use some of the sugar from the food for energy instead of storing it as fat⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
reduce the meal’s glucose spike⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A 2016 study found that when participants walked after meals the level of blood glucose was 12% lower than in those who went for a single walk each day.⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The study: “Advice to walk after meals is more effective for lowering postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus than advice that does not specify timing: a randomised crossover study” Diabetologia, 2016⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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why are steady glucose important?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Steady glucose steadier mood⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Unstable glucose levels are associated with lower quality of life and negative moods. Symptoms of unsteady glucose levels have been shown to closely mirror mental health symptoms, such as irritability and anxiety. Prolonged glucose variability may also be a risk factor for depression.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Goto, Sataro, Hisashi Naito, Takao Kaneko, Hae Young Chung, and Zsolt Radak. "Hormetic effects of regular exercise in aging: correlation with oxidative stress." Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 32, no. 5 (2007): 948-953, Canadian Science Publishing.

 

[David PS]

Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality