Out of total curiosity, I jumped at the chance to take part in a group event, where about 30 of us signed up to use a Continuous Glucose Monitor, and share information on our experiences each day. Jack Black Mindstore kindly negotiated us a very beneficial group rate with NutriSense, who provide an App, and nutritionist support to set you on your way.
I’m not diabetic, but I am very interested in how well my body copes with different foods. I am aware that if you eat processed food, or sugary stuff, you get a glucose spike, which translates almost straight into fat if you don’t burn it off immediately. My Mum was a Type 2 Diabetic, so given my family history, I want to stay well clear of T2D, which is definitely bad news. Not only because it creates so many potential complications, but in the current pandemic, it puts you at higher risk of being badly affected by Covid…. As I am over 60, a bit overweight (despite my best efforts), I am obviously in a risk zone.
Please Note: I have no medical experience, this article is my personal view only. It you have any personal health concerns, I recommend that you take professional advice.
Setting It Up
NutriSense normally provide the CGM devices as part of their package, but given we were in the UK, we bought these directly ourselves from Freestyle Libre in the UK.
I had real problems with my phone sensor, and needed quite a bit of support from the NutriSense team. To start with, I had to use my husband’s phone because it obviously has a stronger NFC sensor than mine. Then you also need to check that you have allowed the NutriSense app permissions to see the sensor! I finally got my phone working as well. Fortunately the NutriSense data is held on their systems, so by changing phones after Day 2, I didn’t lose any of my information.
Comparing App Monitors and a Glucose Meter
One of my fellow participants had also downloaded the free App provided by Freestyle Libre. This was enlightening as I discovered, that for me, the NutriSense app showed higher values, by between 10-20 points, but they are happy to reset as you require, depending on what other things you are baselining against. Note: If you change phones with the Librelink app, you lose the history, it is only on your phone… As commented earlier, with NutriSense you keep your data.
I have had a hand held Blood Glucose Meter (BGM) from CareSens, which monitors both Blood Glucose and Ketones, for a couple of years
I decided to benchmark, all 3 monitors. The lowest of all was the CareSens, then the Freestyle Librelink, then the NutriSense. After week 1, the very helpful staff at NutriSense, reset the levels down by 10mg/DL, which brought things more in line. There is a time delay between what the handheld monitor picks up, and what the CGM picks up, as they operate differently, but even allowing for that there was a difference. The methods of measurement are different. The BGM works directly on your blood, at that precise moment. The CGM uses interstitial fluid, so it can take 20 minutes to react.
Were I using this regularly, I would recommend choosing the app that suits you best, and just comparing within the same app.
NutriSense App
The NutrSense App is very comprehensive, and easy to use. Effectively it is a full lifestyle monitor. You can add in what food you have eaten, it’s breakdown, protein carbs etc, ketones, what exercise you have taken, number of steps. You can include your weight, body fat percentage etc. There is an education centre explaining how everything works, e.g. Blood Glucose, understanding trends, health basics etc. You also have a Message facility to get help from the NutriSense staff, if you need it.
The information you get is clear and understandable. You can see the individual blood meter readings, as numbers and also on a graph. If you have added additional information, such as meals, drinks etc, you can see how your food has affected your blood glucose levels.
or you can see it as a graph. That very large peak in the middle was caused by 2 slices of bread, ham, cheese and a little pickle. Wow, who would have thought there would be such a big reaction? Not me, for sure!
As you can see the information is clear and easy to read.
Freestyle Libre App
This does exactly what it says on the tin. It gives you the essential information needed to manage your diabetes, particularly if your glucose levels are below recommended levels, or rising too fast. It is clear and easy to read, and gives you a specific measurement of your glucose readings at that time, and also shows how they have changed over time. If you are diabetic, this is essential. It downloads really fast, and gives you a large reading, with an arrow showing if it is staying the same, increasing or reducing. You have also the ability to add a note, food, exercise, insulin…
It also has an option to send the information to your health care provider, or a family member, who can monitor it at the same time.
What it is not, is a lifestyle management system as NutriSense is. It is an essential support system. That said the graphs are easy to read and informative. You can work out the time when an event happened, and work it back manually. This is designed for long term use, allowing you to understand you averages over several months, enabling a good conversation with your doctor or diabetic nurse. But you don’t get the interactive support / information that NutriSense provides.
My Experiments
- As mentioned earlier, I showed a huge spike at lunchtime on 18 July. What caused it? Was it the bread, the pickle or the coffee. So on 19 July, I tried a large mug of coffee in the morning. No impact at all – so it wasn’t the coffee. On another day, I tried the bread, ham no pickle, a slight rise, but well within normal range. Finally I tried a spoonful of pickle with my cheese – spike, so it is something in the pickle I am sensitive too. Pity, because I am rather fond of it.
- What I though was a fairly healthy meal of roast pork, sausage stuffing, veg (including carrots), a little apple sauce and gravy, gave me a spike, although it cleared quite quickly and had no long term effects – see below. I tested separately the cold pork & sausage stuffing the next day, so it definitely wasn’t that!
- I discovered the CGM highlights the rise in glucose, far earlier than I would have tested using a Glucose Meter. I generally allowed 90 minutes, but the CGM shows differences within an hour, and often at 90 minutes the spike has gone.
What I have discovered
I sort of knew I was pretty sensitive to carbs, but what this has shown me, is that I am extremely sensitive to some carbs! So far, white bread is a big no/no…
It has also encouraged me to look at what I am eating, day in, day out, and to recognise which foods cause me problems.
- If I stay relatively low carb, my levels are pretty static, and at a very healthy level.
- I am unlikely to ever eat a starchy breakfast of cereal with a glass of healthy fruit juice again. Not even my winter favourite of porridge oats made with water and no sugar, let alone a sugary processed bowl of flakes…
- While wine did not cause an instant spike, what it did was raise my average levels a bit, and keep them high into the next day, making me more sensitive to carbs in general. (I suppose it’s obvious, while your liver is processing alcohol, it isn’t doing its normal job, demonstrating very clearly why alcohol should be a treat, rather than a daily occurrence!)
Wearing a CGM didn’t cause me a problem. I was aware of it, but no more than that. I was worried about it falling off, so I used hypoallergenic tape for 2 days – mistake – I was allergic to the tape! Cue red weals and blisters! It was so itchy… So if I was wearing one on a daily basis, I would probably purchase a band to ensure it stayed in place, because I often caught it on a door frame etc.
How did everyone else get on?
As a group, there was just about total positive feedback.
- NutriSense gave us a one-off zoom meeting to make sure we all got going well, which was very helpful. I think only one person had trouble with the sensor, although we all took a wee while to get used to the app. (For me it was scanning using my phone which I mentioned above, but once I had sorted that out, it was easy)
- It was good being able to do it as a group, because sharing all our experiences was interesting, and so we didn’t feel – am I the only one doing this?
- In general, most of us were in good health, and were viewing the experience as something to help us tailor our lifestyles in future, so we all had different experiments to try for us as individuals.
- The NutriSense staff were knowledgeable and helpful, and because we were all asking different questions, sharing the feedback was very valuable.
- Many of us enjoyed the experience so much, we are willing to have another shot later in the year!
Summary
- For a diabetic, the CGM is amazing. Several people I have spoken to, say it has been a life changer and makes things so much easier. It is so simple to use, even young children can manage it. The LibreLink App provides you with the information essential to live your life, manage your diabetes and have a specific conversation with your healthcare provider. In the UK, it is now prescribed if required, under the NHS free, and the app is also free. However, if you want to self source it, the cost will be around £110 a month, so not cheap, but for the research benefits into your own personal health, it is invaluable.
- As someone who is looking to the future, and trying to ‘future proof’ my lifestyle, a trial period on the NutriSense app really makes sense. The nutrition help you get is great. Even after a few days on the monitor, I found myself being very focused on ‘Do I really want to eat that?’ There’s no hiding from the monitor, or the NutriSense nutritionist… I have already learned about some foods which cause spikes, and other ones which I cope with pretty well. Essentially if it comes fresh, and I cook it myself, it seems fine, albeit some things I have to be careful of quantities, but if it has come from a shop pre-made, or a factory, then watch out!
- I will certainly have another shot with a CGM in a few months time – maybe over the Christmas / New Year period to protect me from the worst excesses! I am determined to keep myself out of T2D, so I think it will become an essential management tool for me, just to keep things in check. In the meantime my Blood Glucose Monitor will let me do some random testing.
- It has just been announced in the UK, that there is to be a renewed effort to make us as a country less obese. In my opinion, the CGM is an invaluable tool, to help. Imagine the scenario below. If you use a CGM to identify the foods that are bad for you, it will help improve your health. But if you continue operating blind, then it is difficult to break out of the vicous circle.
Any views?
Please leave me a comment below.
And as mentioned earlier Please Note: I have no medical experience, this article is my personal view only. It you have any personal health concerns, I recommend that you take professional advice.