LIVE LIFE WELL
Testing - 1, 2, 3 — To Spike, or Not To Spike
Edited April 20, 2026 See my addition below.
I just got a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
It is my latest experiment on myself. For those of you who don’t know what a CGM is, it is a little device about the size of a thick quarter that you wear on the back of your upper arm. And it measures your glucose levels on a, yes, continual basis.
Why, you may be asking?
Most of the 15 clients I am currently coaching have type 2 diabetes, the others are pre-diabetic..
Some of those mentioned above wear CGM’s, and I want to better understand the devices.
Diabetes runs in my family on my father’s side. My great grandmother even went blind from it.
I am a pre-diabetic, even though I eat pretty healthy most of the time.
I am insatiably curious. And I love data.
I had wanted a CGM for a few years, but when I had checked into them before, CGM’s were really expensive and by prescription only. Recently I found out about an over-the-counter CGM that is affordable, easy-to-use, and painless.
A Bit about High Blood Sugars
It’s not just what you eat or drink that can raise your blood sugar. Other things like stress, strenuous exercise, and poor sleep can too.
Blood sugar spikes, ones that raise quickly and sharply, then drop the same way, are particularly concerning and problematic.
Chronic blood sugar spikes can lead to nerve damage, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, organ damage due to reduced blood flow from damaged blood vessels (eyes, kidneys, heart, brain, etc.), insulin resistance, and weight gain.
Short term blood sugar spikes and crashes can leave one feeling hangry, craving sweets, fatigued, low on energy, and brain foggy.
Not a pretty picture. Not what you probably wanted to hear.
Many people are told ~
Once a diabetic, always a diabetic. All you can do is try to manage it. (Not true! Most Type 2 diabetes has been shown to be reversible. And I have seen this at the clinical level.)
Fat makes you fat.
Calories in, calories out method of weight management.
Eat according to the Food Pyramid (although this has recently been replaced by the USDA’s My Plate).
Eat by the 80/20 rule where one eats nutritious healthy food 80% of the time, and allow indulges in sweets, processed foods, junk food, and alcohol 20% of the time.
What really helps…
Knowledge. “Knowledge is power". Attributed to Sir Francis Bacon in 1597.
Take action with that knowledge you gain, wherever it comes from. The body was designed to heal.
Eat nutrient-dense, unprocessed or mostly unprocessed food, plenty of movement, quality sleep, good stress reduction/management, and
lots of expresso martinis and wedding cake.
What I have learned from 10 days of CGM use so far:
That piece of gluten-free cake left over from Easter caused a huge spike. My blood sugar level went above 200 mg/dL, but I don’t know how high because the CGM I have only measures between 70-200 mg/dL.
The small cup of SO Salted Caramel ice cream caused another large spike even with plenty of protein and fiber in my gut.
A 5 ounce glass of red wine, which I drank over a 2-hour period, caused a moderate spike in the middle of the night, which was probably due to the wine causing its customary cortisol spike. Which is a big reason why alcohol disrupts sleep.
The CGM is changing the way I eat because I see in real time how what I eat affects my body.
My CGM has demonstrated to me that the 80/20 rules is total garbage.
Consider working with me if you are interested in help —
I support adults with pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and metabolic issues lower their blood sugar, lose weight, and regain energy through sustainable lifestyle changes.
You can book a complimentary 20-minute Intro Call to explore this.
Anyway, I consider getting a CGM is one of the best things I have done for my health in a long time. I highly recommend them.
Addition to original post: I was remiss in saying what brand of CGM I am using - Lingo by Abbott. It costs $49 for 14 days, or $89 for 28 days. However, I have a few 50% off codes. Reply if you are interested.
