How to use a CGM to improve your health
Transforming Your Metabolic Health with a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
In an age where information abounds on the internet, we must take charge of our health and do our own testing to understand how our body reacts to different foods. Blood sugar is very personal; the same food can have totally different consequences for different people. For example, avocado toast may trigger a big glucose spike in one person but not in another.
The time of day, the season of the year we're in, whether we're outside or under artificial light, how well we slept, our stress levels, can all impact our blood sugar levels!
This is where glucose monitors come in- these are tools that help us know ourselves better and make informed decisions about our health.
One of my latest obsessions is Veri. Not only do they provide access to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), but they have also developed an exceptional app that empowers you to understand your body, make informed decisions, and transform your lifestyle habits for good.
Scientific Research: The Power of CGM
Scientific research supports the effectiveness of CGMs in improving glycemic control and optimizing metabolic health. These devices provide detailed data on your glucose patterns throughout the day, allowing you to identify trends, make informed decisions about your diet and lifestyle, and work with healthcare professionals to optimize your wellness.
What this means for you is that these devices will help you stabilize your blood sugar and improve how you feel!
For example, in a study published on Cureus in 2023, about "The Effectiveness of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Devices in Managing Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus," the results demonstrated that the adoption of CGM devices leads to significant improvements in glycemic control, as evidenced by a decrease in mean HbA1c levels from 11.21% to 7.04% and a reduction in average blood glucose levels from 286 mg/dl to 158 mg/dl.
Using a CGM can be a game-changer for everyone, not only people with diabetes; it can help women with gestational diabetes, people with insulin resistance, women with PCOS, and much more. Even people without any specific health condition. It is the best tool to improve your health, especially if associated with a powerful program!
The Veri Program: Transforming Lifestyle Habits
I recommend the Veri program to lots of my clients. It goes way beyond simply providing access to a continuous glucose monitor:
- Stage 1 of the program focuses on finding your baseline. The information is power. You'll benchmark several metrics to see where you are on the spectrum of metabolic health, so you have a starting point to improve.
- Stage 2 of the program identifies the foods that best suit you. You'll continue consuming your usual diet while learning to interpret your body's reactions to your food choices. This phase aims to rank these foods based on how well they align with your biochemistry.
- In Stage 3, you'll build on what you've learned by focusing on your diet. You'll learn to create a balanced, sustainable diet and feel confident that your nutrition choices support your best self.
- In Stage 4, you will concentrate on evidence-based strategies to enhance your metabolic health through lifestyle adjustments, including physical activity, sleep, and stress reduction.
Overcoming Obstacles: Simplifying Meal Logging
One of the challenges many of my clients face when using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is recording everything they eat every time. This task can become tedious over time and, unfortunately, lead some people to stop logging their meals altogether, making it difficult to track their progress and understand how certain foods affect their blood glucose levels.
That's why I'm excited to talk about Veri, an app that has tackled this problem brilliantly. What I love most about the Veri app is its AI-powered feature.
With Veri's AI-powered meal-logging feature, you only need to take a photo of your meal, and the app takes care of the rest. In a matter of seconds, Veri's AI analyzes the image and automatically recognizes the ingredients in your meal. This means you no longer have to spend time and energy typing a long list of foods or searching for nutritional information online. With a single photo, the app does all the work for you.
This feature not only saves time and effort but also makes the process of tracking your meals much easier and more accessible. You no longer have to worry about forgetting to log a meal or feel overwhelmed by keeping a detailed record of your eating habits. With Veri, you can easily track your food intake and get a clear picture of how your food choices affect your blood glucose levels without sacrificing your time or energy.
As a nutritionist who has worked with patients for years, I believe the Veri App is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to improve their health and wellness through blood glucose monitoring. Its innovative, user-centered approach makes it easier to make informed decisions about your diet and lifestyle and stay on the path to optimal health.
The Veri app is compatible with Freestyle Libre sensors, including the new Freestyle Libre 3, which is known for its efficiency and compact size.
Combining your Blood Sugar Data with your Sleep Data
If you have an Oura Ring to track your sleep, you're in luck! Veri and Oura ring sync together and you can click on the little 💤 and it will overlay your sleep stages and heart rate with your blood sugar graph!
Now you can more easily see if you woke up because you were laying on your sensor, or if it was potentially due to a blood sugar drop that drove a sympathetic response in your body (like increased heart rate, stress hormone release, and a subsequent rise in blood sugar!)
Get your CGM
In the US, you need a prescription to get a CGM. Some people may be able to get one from their doctor but most people may not qualify. If that's the case, Veri can take care of getting you the device.
In Canada, CGMs are available at Costco or online, which is super easy and convenient!
In Europe, you can buy yours directly from a pharmacy or online. So, no excuses not to boost your wellness!
If you already have a CGM, you can still purchase Veri's app, no matter where in the world you are! If you've only used the default Freestyle Libre app, I strongly recommend trying the Veri app to upgrade your CGM experience and unlock these incredibly helpful features!
Veri is offering a special discount to my community; use code DANI20 to access this exclusive offer and take the first step toward a healthier, more conscious life. With Veri, the power to transform your health is literally in your hands.
Get your CGM + app, or just the app here! (Remember to use the code DANI20 to save at checkout!)
