CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) is life changing! Without a doubt it is the best thing I have ever done for my health. I am not diabetic, but based on my readings, I have changed my diet and I have become much more educated. I now understand what various food items do to my glucose level. I pay attention to ingredients and I am less likely to go to restaurants. When I started, 17% of the time I was outside of my target of < 140. Now I am in the target range 99% of the time. 

What do I eat? I am not eating a non-sustainable wack-o-genic diet that eliminates everything good. I eat a Mediterranean diet that is based on vegetables, fish, nuts, fruits, limited carbs, and minimal sugar that is easy to follow. Other than low glycemic index fruit, I have eliminated sugar from my diet and I don't miss it. More of my calories come from protein and vegetables. For breakfast I have yogurt sweetened with Allulose, nuts, Blackberries, Blueberries, and Strawberries. My glucose briefly goes up a little but comes back down quickly. For lunch I will have a salad with a hardboiled egg, salmon, chick peas, and tomatoes dressed with Olive oil and vinegar. Dinner is varied, but typically not a huge amount of pasta, fried food, potatoes, or rice. I make keto Ice cream with yogurt and Allulose which is a satisfying dessert.

I am a walking experiment. I eat something and within 30 min I start to see results. If I see something increase my glucose level too much I either avoid it or I make sure to eat some protein and fat before it to slow the absorption. I can also go for a walk after the meal to quickly bring down the level. It is easy to avoid things that result in pain. Eating substances that cause metabolic harm can be difficult to avoid because there isn't any immediate feedback, and we frequently don't even know there is a problem. By the time we experience the actual health consequences, like a heart attack or stroke, the injury has been done. Glucose monitoring provides instant feedback; Like a pain response to metabolic injury. I understand what I am eating and my metabolic response to it. What I have learned is something I can use for the rest of my life, and I can pass this information on to family and friends.

Interesting Youtube videos. Both of these guys have many very useful videos.

Glucose Intolerance and Uric Acid. Ben Bikman, PhD

Fat and Insulin Resistance. Ben Bikman, PhD

The Worst Food For Dementia. Richard Johnson, MD

Uric Acid and insulin Resistance Ben Bikman, PhD

How? Maintain a diet with significant amounts of sugar that causes inulin resistance. Simple, and almost everybody is doing it!  Metabolic Syndrome is a pandemic. It affected 1% of the US adult population in 1980 and now affects 30%. It is becoming common in children. It is basically obesity and Insulin resistance. 

Eating fructose, being obese, and not exercising are key components to developing it. Simple dietary and life style changes can prevent it. Monitoring my blood sugar continuously was the big breakthrough. I started investigating insulin resistance with a passion and realized that I knew almost nothing about healthy diets.

In one month I have gained knowledge that will help me for the rest of my life. It has been life changing and unbelievably educational.

I was skeptical at first when a friend who is not diabetic told me about CGM. 

Dexcom Stelo. It is a small device that is applied to the skin and is worn for two weeks It is waterproof and painless. It continuously monitors your blood glucose level. Yes it does have a super thin needle that goes through the skin, however, there is an automatic applicator that is simple to use and painless. If you were told it was just a sticky pad, you would not question it. The device sends data to an app on your smartphone. Linking the app to the device involves taking a picture of the code on the device and the rest is automatic. The cost ends up being about $100/month and does not require a prescription and the cost can be covered with funds from an HSA. Basically, you go to the Dexcom Stelo website, buy the device, and they send it in the mail. Once you get it, it takes about 30 minutes before you are seeing results on your phone. The photos all show it applied to the arm, but you can put it anyplace that isn't in the way of clothing or activity.

So far I am loving Allulose. It is a natural sugar that is structurally similar to fructose. Not as sweet as table sugar but no weird taste.

This minor structural change is a game-changer. Fructose is a metabolic disaster that increases insulin resistance, promotes fatty liver,  increases Uric Acid, and increase inflammation. Fructose is a major component of table Sugar (Sucrose), Honey, Corn Syrup, and Fruits. It releases Dopamine, promotes hunger and triggers the foraging response. Fructose has also been linked to the development of Dementia. There is no upside to consuming Fructose.

Interesting video on Youtube by Ben Bikman, PhD and another one

Allulose stimulates the hormone GLP-1. This hormone decreases gastric emptying, which decreases hunger and reduces the rise of glucose after a meal. It increases the removal of glucose from blood by muscle and increases metabolic activity of mitochondria.  Finally, it decreases the release of glucose into the blood by Glucagon. It is the only no-calorie sweetener that does not affect the gut microbiome; The gut microbiome plays an important role in human health and influences the development of chronic diseases ranging from metabolic disease to gastrointestinal disorders and colorectal cancer(source).

Allulose that I am currently using. I compared it to Allulose + Monkfruit and didn't taste a difference