Find Out What’s Happening Under The Surface
Thankfully, these days it’s relatively easy to find out what is going on under the surface! With this valuable information we can make the changes we need to prevent and even reverse blood sugar related conditions.
Here are some ways to see what’s going on under the surface:
Ask for a Hemoglobin A1C test even if you have no family history of diabetes. This test measures how much glucose is attached to the hemoglobin in your blood, and will show your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. The CDC says that a normal A1C is below 5.7%, anything between 5.7% - 6.4% indicates pre-diabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes. But “normal” these days doesn’t necessarily mean optimal, and there are many in the medical community who think an optimal A1C is below 5%. This number gives plenty of buffer between yourself and a pre-diabetes diagnosis.
Another test I recommend is a fasting glucose test. According to the CDC a fasting blood sugar of 99 mg/dL or lower is considered “normal,” 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates pre-diabetes, and 126 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes. But once again, “normal” isn’t necessarily what we should be aiming for. Dr. Mark Hyman says that fasting blood sugar should be less than 85 mg/dL, because at 99 mg/dL one could easily already be experiencing insulin resistance.
When I first had these tests done my A1C was 5.1% and my fasting glucose was 100 mg/dL. I knew based on my fasting glucose that I was dangerously close to a pre-diabetes diagnosis.
I decided to take things into my own hands and I looked into something called a Continuous Glucose Monitor, or CGM.
A CGM is a painless sensor that looks like a little disc and adheres to your skin with adhesive. A tiny (painless!) thread goes into your skin. This device allows you to track your glucose levels in real time. This sensor lasts about two weeks, and to get a reading you just hold your phone up to it with your CGM’s app!
At first, my fasting glucose numbers were regularly as high as 95-100 and would spike wildly after meals.
I found out very quickly what foods spiked my blood sugar and what foods kept it stable. I became obsessed with fine tuning what I was eating and I took copious notes. I learned that eating some greens before my eggs and grain in the morning would allow my blood sugar to stay below 100. If I skipped the greens my blood sugar would soar to 140 and take a while to come down. Big difference, and great payoff for just adding some fiber before my meal!
It was amazing to check my CGM after every meal and write down what those foods did to my system.
After eating this way for two weeks my CGM showed some impressive results. My fasting glucose was between 70-80 and my postprandial (after meal) numbers were consistently under 100.
Six months later I went in to get retested with my doctor. My A1C was down to 4.8% and my fasting glucose was between 70-80. It was all lifestyle: Consistent exercise, eating food that didn’t create spikes and swings, and good old-fashioned sleep! (It turns out sleep is an amazing side-effect of eating well and being healthy in general, and it works powerfully alongside your body to keep blood sugar low.)
Seeing these dramatic results, even after significant negative processes have set in, was empowering. Just knowing how dramatically our lifestyle can affect our health makes me want to continue to take care of my body, even when it’s hard, because the payoff is worth it!
If you currently struggle with high blood sugar issues, no fear! In most cases even advanced high blood-sugar related conditions can be reversed. Your doctor can prescribe you a CGM and your insurance should cover it!
If you have normal blood sugar levels and want to optimize your blood sugar/A1C health you can purchase these powerful little devices online. I buy this one. Check out the video I made on how to apply it, etc.
If you wonder why all this matters, please check out my blog post, What Sugar Is Doing to Our Body And Brain. I explain how chronically high-blood sugar can affect our health. It is sobering stuff, but the good news is, it is greatly in our control!
Every day we get to set the trajectory for our future health.
I’m rooting for you!
In Freedom,
Sarah Grace
