Continuous Glucose Monitors for Women’s Health

Today I’m going to talk to you about an incredible tool: the continuous glucose monitor. It can be used to learn more about your metabolic health, catch blood sugar issues early, and optimize your health.

What is a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)?

A continuous glucose monitor, CGM for short, is a biosensor that tracks your blood sugar in real-time. The sensor is worn on the back of the upper arm or stomach and sends glucose data to an app. Each sensor lasts one or two weeks and then needs to be replaced.

Use the provided applicator to easily apply the sensor to your arm. The sensor contains a needle, and although it looks scary, there is virtually no pain with proper insertion. The needle allows a small filament to enter the interstitial fluid below the skin, where it measures glucose to estimate blood levels.

Why Use a CGM?

The health risks of unbalanced blood sugar are undeniable. When we experience blood sugar spikes and dips, called high glycemic variability, which is linked to an increased risk for metabolic disease.

Instead, we want low glycemic variability throughout the day to promote optimal health. We want our blood sugar to look like gently rolling hills instead of mountainous peaks and valleys.

Suppose you are just having your fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C checked annually. In that case, it’s possible to be experiencing higher glycemic variability that is missed by these screening tools.

Blood sugar primarily responds to carbohydrate foods, especially processed options made from sugar or flour. Since each of us responds differently to the food we eat, using a CGM helps you personalize your diet. Some of us may tolerate white rice or sweet potatoes just fine, while others may need to reduce the serving size, pair these foods with more fat and protein, or choose other options.

In addition, a CGM can help you correlate symptoms you may be experiencing to what your blood sugar is doing.

Short-term symptoms of blood sugar dysregulation may include:

• • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Brain fog
  • Irritability
  • Cravings
  • Increased belly fat
  • Feeling “hangry” (hungry + angry)

When dysregulation or high blood sugar persists over time, it leads to metabolic changes that pave the way for:

• • Insulin resistance
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Cancer

In addition, blood sugar and sex hormones affect each other. Estrogen promotes insulin sensitivity (i.e., insulin does a better job of shuttling sugar from the blood into cells). Whereas progesterone may increase insulin resistance (i.e., the cells don’t hear insulin’s signal, and it’s harder to lower blood sugar after meals).

So, if you are a cycling woman, you may notice you tolerate carbohydrates better during the first half of your cycle than the second half.

Blood sugar will also affect how you experience perimenopause. We naturally become more insulin resistant as our body calibrates to hormonal changes during this life phase. If you work to stabilize blood sugar during perimenopause, your hormones will feel more stable, and you’ll likely experience fewer symptoms.

Who Benefits from Using a CGM?

CGMs are frequently used by people with diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) where highs and lows are very dangerous and potentially deadly.

However, CGMs are increasingly used by people without diabetes to increase their understanding of their bodies, personalize dietary approaches, and optimize health. It’s possible to catch patterns or imbalances before they become a chronic problem.

You may benefit from using a CGM for a month or two if you have the following:

• • Changes in metabolism or weight gain
  • Rapidly aging skin
  • PCOS – polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • Infertility
  • Significant perimenopause symptoms
  • PMS – premenstrual syndrome
  • Changes in memory and cognitive function

I also want to talk about who CGMs may not be for. Skip the CGM if you:

• • Have an eating disorder or a history of one
  • Are easily obsessed with numbers (calories, weight) and perfection around food
  • Feel stressed out by tracking food, steps, or other health data

In these cases, consider focusing on intuitive eating and learning to trust your body. Work with your integrative practitioner for personalized care.

Getting Started with CGMs