‘A Simple Gadget Restored My Energy!’ How a Continuous Glucose Monitor Helped One Women Get Her Life Back
Stephanie Jackson, 53, shares how this easy tool helped her headaches and more
“For years, I lived with what felt like a perpetual headache,” recalls Stephanie Jackson, 53. “Every day I figured there was some reason: sinus issues from tree pollen or a bad night of sleep thanks to menopause, which I was discovering felt like puberty on steroids. As a result, I lived in a constant state of brain fog. Many days, staring at the spreadsheets on my work computer, my concentration and clarity seemed shot.
“If I’m being honest, my health felt shot too. I was overweight and had been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. I sensed diabetes was on the horizon. Plus, I’d endured a number of surgeries: to remove my uterus, thyroid and tonsils. I joked that I was leaving this earth one piece at a time.”
An easy solution
“Then my company offered employees a chance to test out a Lingo CGM (continuous glucose monitor) to see how it impacted our health. Much like the FreeStyle Libre device used by diabetics, it’s a sensor worn on the back of the arm that tracks blood-sugar levels on a minute-by-minute basis so people can learn how their bodies work and how to better manage blood sugar. (The sensor has a filament, about as thick as three eyelashes, that painlessly inserts into skin.) Curious, I signed up for the 12-week program.
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“The first week I watched the data appear on my smart phone app in a state of shock and awe. My blood-sugar levels looked like a roller-coaster ride. It was eye opening. I had no idea how much my food choices were affecting my energy. The air-popped popcorn I’d always thought was so healthy wasn’t actually good for my body. It caused my blood sugar to shoot right up to 160—above the normal range. Then it would crash, causing me to grab a quick, unhealthy snack to get some energy back.
“After that first week, I started making healthier swaps. Instead of popcorn, I reached for nuts, roasted chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs and pumpkin seeds. I learned oatmeal also spiked my blood sugar. So I mixed it with Premier Protein shakes instead of water. Big improvement.
“Another insight: I learned to eat foods in the optimal order—protein first, then healthy fat and fiber, and carbs last—for steady blood-sugar levels. There was no deprivation. I could still enjoy holiday cookies, but I discovered I would feel better if I ate protein first. The benefits were almost immediate!
“It sounds funny, but I actually liked having a little ‘tattletale’ on my arm that told me what my food was doing to me.
“The Lingo app also coached me through different challenges, like giving up alcohol for a week or eating more fiber-rich veggies. Plus, fewer spikes and drops meant needing to eat fewer calories to pull myself out of an energy slump.
“This little detective work brought so much self discovery. Next, I realized my intense gym workouts were stressing my system so much they were causing my hormones and blood sugar to go haywire. So I relaxed and peppered little bits of movement into my day—taking a 10-minute walk after meals or using my ski machine for a few minutes between work calls.
“Those easy sessions became the secret to feeling even better and shedding some weight in the form of inflammation and swelling. The switch took the stress out of finding time to get to the gym. My husband got healthier following my habits too.
“As a bonus, I learned to better manage my mood and chill out once I noticed how much stress sent my blood sugar soaring. Everything really was connected.
“Through it all, I learned about my body and how to feel better overall. My energy rose and my chronic headaches lifted quickly. They were apparently just from unsteady blood sugar. Who knew!”’
Energy that soars
“As things leveled off, the positive impact on my sleep was phenomenal. It was like having a newborn baby who finally started sleeping. I’d wake up at 6 am and think, Wow, did I make it through the whole night?!
“Suddenly, I felt refreshed, energized and mentally sharp. Completing work tasks and interacting with clients became easier. I never wanted to go back!
“Today, I’m happy to report that my energy and cognition have improved so significantly, I’m now studying for the GRE test to go back to grad school. That never would have happened before. The future looks bright!”
The science behind the story: Understanding glucose monitors
They make healthy easy: A whopping 90% of Americans don’t see blood sugar as relevant to their health, despite its profound impact on energy, mood, mental clarity, metabolism and disease prevention. The good news: “If you can measure it, you can improve it,” says Sara Gottfried Szal, M.D.
Even nondiabetics use them: For years, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) were used only by diabetics with a prescription, but now this tool is available over-the-counter at any drugstore to anyone. One popular brand, Abbott’s Lingo has a starting cost of $49 and syncs to a smart phone app. “It’s like having a nutritionist in the palm of your hand,” one health expert said. Using a CGM for even a short time—as little as 1 to 3 weeks—can provide lifelong insights to help you improve your overall health, energy and weight.
Prefer a low-tech approach? If you’re looking for a way that doesn’t require the use of a smart phone, you can check your blood-sugar levels using an inexpensive over-the-counter glucose monitor to test a finger prick’s worth of blood. Dr. Szal recommends testing upon waking and again after dinner to see how your body responds to certain foods. Optimal ranges should be between 70 and 99 mg/dL.
More high-tech health tools to try
Tech-based gadgets and wearables provide women with up-to-the-minute data to help guide their best health decisions. You can buy many devices using Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) funds. Here, three popular options to consider.
Oura ring
The Gen 3 ring tracks sleep and hormone flux to help better manage menopause. It even monitors body temperature to pinpoint hot flashes.
WHOOP band
This bracelet tracks heart health and exercise recovery, helping you know when to push your body and when you need pampering.
Lumen handheld
This tracker works like a metabolic Breathalyzer to measure if you are burning fat or carbs to better guide food choices.
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