Category: sensors

In part 1 we discussed my personal formula to handle 80% of my sugar issues, now let’s get it to 20%.

(St + Fas + Fa) = 20%

Stress

The body’s stress response is a massive hormonal release. As result, there is an increase in glucose levels in the blood. However, the body is not good at managing all the sugar, if the stress becomes chronic. On a personal level, I have tested with CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) the effects of my stress on my glucose level. For me, even keto food when I am stressed keeps my glucose levels higher for longer.

The good news is we don’t have to rely just on anecdotal data, plenty of research is done on this subject.

. The effect of stress on glycemic control in people with diabetes may be related to a direct effect of stress hormones on blood glucose levels and an indirect effect of stress on patient behaviors related to diabetes treatment and monitoring and meal and exercise plans. 

1.
Marcovecchio ML, Chiarelli F. The Effects of Acute and Chronic Stress on Diabetes ControlA Presentation from the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) New Inroads to Child Health (NICHe) Conference on Stress Response and Child Health in Heraklion, Crete, Greece, 18 to 20 May 2012. Science Signaling. 2012;5(247). doi:10.1126/scisignal.2003508

There is also animal model studies that provide better direct data

Stress affects metabolic activity via the stimulation of a variety of hormones that can result in elevated blood glucose levels. In patients with diabetes, due to a relative or absolute lack of insulin, stress-induced increases in glucose cannot be properly metabolized

Stress affects metabolic activity via the stimulation of a variety of hormones that can result in elevated blood glucose levels. In patients with diabetes, due to a relative or absolute lack of insulin, stress-induced increases in glucose cannot be properly metabolized

Fasting

You know something work when you have millions of anecdotal evidence and scientific literature confirming the findings. Fasting is one of those rare activities that almost always work.

Fasting is important to trigger the immune system response to clear your body of dead cells, and decreases sugar level.

Intermittent fasting diets have certain therapeutic effects on blood glucose and lipids in patients with metabolic syndrome and significantly improve insulin resistance. It may be considered as an auxiliary treatment to prevent the occurrence and development of chronic diseases.

1.
Yuan X, Wang J, Yang S, et al. Effect of Intermittent Fasting Diet on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Impaired Glucose and Lipid Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Zhou HD, ed. International Journal of Endocrinology. 2022;2022:1-9. doi:10.1155/2022/6999907

Fat

This is where it gets controversial, so always consult your doctor for her recommendation. We know that fat’s direct impact on blood sugar levels is low compared to protein and carbs; however, fat is also associated with increased insulin resistance.

For me, eating a high-fat diet like avocado, and coconut oil-based food with vegetables like celery stabilizes my blood sugar for long period.

The relationship between dietary fat and glucose metabolism has been recognized for at least 60 years.

1.
Lichtenstein AH, Schwab US. Relationship of dietary fat to glucose metabolism. Atherosclerosis. 2000;150(2):227-243. doi:10.1016/s0021-9150(99)00504-3

Given that fat doesn’t spike my blood sugar level, I can reverse its bad effects by fasting, and that it’s yummy, I incorporate it into my formula. It has the added benefit of mental clarity and more sustained energy. But that’s a topic for another day.

Hopefully, my personal formulaic protocol was useful to you. I have tried my best to provide the relevant research here. Feel free to leave a comment if you need further references for any topics.

Next, I will share with you what supplements I add to my protocol to provide me mental clarity and keep my blood-sugar level consistent.

(Disclaimer below is my personal experience, please talk to your doctor before making any changes, period.)

It’s the end of 2022, and I have been dealing with blood sugar issues for a few years now. A random test showed my blood sugar to be 260. Since then I have tried everything to control it. But only recently I have been successful.

Here is my formula for success:

(Br + Exr + Zc) = 80%

(St+ Fas + Fa) = 20%

Before you dismiss this as nonsense, know that this is just a shorthand from my notes.

Here is what it all means.

Br – Breathing

I have had many wrong starts, but in the end, I realized no matter what procedure I use, I have to give my body the ability to “relax” first. To me this is non-negotiable. It really allows you to build proper habits that you don’t lose after a week.

You don’t have to rely on anecdotal, I would research it in the following way:

1. Go deep into the mechanics of breathing – Detailed Dr. Jack Feldman discussion (youtube link)
2. Explore the relationship between sugar and breathing

To explore this relationship, you have to look at breathing in the context of stress reduction. Here is one study you can start with. The conclusion is simple, combine breathing with other measures you take to control stress

1. Hegde SV, Adhikari P, Subbalakshmi NK, Nandini M, Rao GM, D’Souza V. Diaphragmatic breathing exercise as a therapeutic intervention for control of oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2012;18(3):151-153. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2012.04.002

Even if the direct impact of breathing on sugar was not there, for me it’s a vital first step to prepare your mind to play this game. You need all the tools necessary to support yourself emotionally, to fight diabetes.

Here is a clear study that explores the relationship between breathing and emotion.

“The connectivity and an emerging literature support a link between breathing, emotion, and cognition that is becoming experimentally tractable” 1. Ashhad S, Kam K, Del Negro CA, Feldman JL. Breathing Rhythm and Pattern and Their Influence on Emotion. Annual Review of Neuroscience. 2022;45(1):223-247. doi:10.1146/annurev-neuro-090121-014424

Exr – Exercise

For this topic, I really don’t think any discussion is needed. Exercise will change your life. I will quote the American Diabetes Association website directly here

Physical activity can lower your blood sugar up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin.

1.
Blood Sugar and Exercise | ADA. Diabetes.org. Published 2022. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/fitness/getting-started-safely/blood-glucose-and-exercise#:~:text=Physical%20activity%20can%20lower%20your,see%20the%20benefits%20of%20activity.

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Zc – Zero Carb

Ok, we can not go exactly to zero carbs, but when your sugar is high, carbs would not help you. This can simply be seen in a Continous Glucose Monitor (CGM). Not much research is needed. For me, the effect of a sandwich is more than 2 hours of high glucose. If you have a CGM you should check this one out yourself.

The worse part, that I have seen, the effects of high-carb last almost a whole day sometimes.

Bringing it all together

So back to the formula. The shorthand formula for me says if I do these three things right 80% of my problem is solved. Now you might be different, but my suggestion would be to talk to your doctor, get a CGM, go deep on the research and take action.

Let’s end with a node to the future:

In the future, we should be able to create our own formulas that reflect our best health but also build sensors to measure them accurately. CGM (Continous Glucose Monitors) are far along. You can get really good data from them. However, in near future, we should be able to not only measure glucose but also correlate it directly with our diet, supplement, and medicine we take. Moreover, our subjective feeling of well-being has to play a big role.

Next will explore the other 20%.