CGMs For Pregnant Women With Type 1 Diabetes Are Officially Awesome

CGMs for Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes are Officially Awesome

I went on my first continuous glucose monitor back in 2007, when the Dexcom system was known as the “STS” and the duration for a sensor was only three days. It also wasn’t waterproof, so I had to stick these giant saran wrap-looking shower patches over the transmitter when I bathed. And it wasn’t “dose your insulin” accurate but more “yeah, you have some bouncy blood sugars” kind of accurate.
But despite being cumbersome, it was the first glimpse I’d ever had into a streaming video version of my blood sugars – leaps and bounds better than the snapshots I was receiving from my finger sticks. I was instantly hooked on the data. It made me feel safe. And it made me feel like I had a chance at controlling this beast of a disease.
When I became pregnant with my daughter in 2009, I was already on the Dexcom Seven Plus and it was AWESOME compared to that first iteration of Dexcom. I used the data to help warn me of those epic first trimester hypos and also relied on the information to help me change my basal rates as the pregnancy-induced insulin resistance kicked in. My A1C stayed under 6.6% for my entire first pregnancy, and my daughter was born healthy, happy, and with a ton of hair. (Happy and healthy related to my hard work … the hair was just a fluke.)
Fast-forward six years to 2015, when I became pregnant with my son. This time, I was using the Dexcom G4 (the G5 was available but my endo-at-the-time preferred the data output from the G4 model) and the numbers on my Dexcom receiver were in line with my finger sticks. I was able to keep my numbers tight Continue reading

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Cinnamon and Blood Sugar: Implications for Diabetes

For people with diabetes, abnormally high blood sugar is an extremely significant challenge. Unless well controlled, high blood sugar leads to many health complications, including kidney and nerve damage, problems with your bones and joints, teeth infections and heart disease (1).
There are many medications to help combat high blood sugar – but they come with their own side effects.
As a result, many people look for ways to lower blood sugar naturally, with the help of various foods and their diets. One ingredient that can help with this is the spice cinnamon.
For that matter, you may have already heard about cinnamon and blood sugar. In this post, I will show you why the relationship is so important.
What is Cinnamon?
As you are probably aware, cinnamon is a common kitchen spice and already has a key place in modern diets. For example, it is often used with cinnamon rolls and is an especially prevalent flavor in the colder months.
Cinnamon is also frequently used as part of healthy hot drinks, like turmeric golden milk and as an addition to coffee or tea. I’ve also seen it used in keto dessert recipes and in fat bombs – so it makes for a highly versatile spice.
Cinnamon itself is actually the inner bark from a handful of trees in the Cinnamomum genus. The bark is dried and minimally processed before being sold in either stick or powder form.
There are two main types of cinnamon to consider.
The first is Cassia cinnamon, which comes from the species Cinnamomum cassia. This is the most common type of cinnamon and also the least expensive.
The other type if Ceylon cinna Continue reading

30 Days Of Superfoods: Slash Your Diabetes Risk With Cinnamon

Welcome to 30 Days of Superfoods, Prevention's 30-day challenge to incorporate more healthy fuel into your diet all November long. Superfoods have myriad benefits, from boosting your immune system and fortifying your body to warding off disease and even managing menopause. Here's what, why, and how to incorporate more cinnamon into your diet—starting today!
This warm spice can do more than add an extra dose of cozy sweetness to your cooking. Cinnamon contains polyphenol compounds that are thought to help with glucose control. In fact, research shows that eating 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon daily can make cells more sensitive to the hormone insulin. As a result, your body won’t have to produce as much insulin to move glucose from your blood into your cells. That can promote steadier blood sugar levels and help fight insulin resistance—which can help keep type 2 diabetes at bay.
(Find out how to stop the craving cycle before it starts and burn fat around the clock with the naturally sweet, salty, and satisfying meals in Eat Clean, Lose Weight & Love Every Bite.)
MORE: This Everyday Hygiene Habit Could Up Your Risk For Diabetes
HOW TO USE CINNAMON
You know that a sprinkle of cinnamon is delicious in sweet foods. But it can also be a flavor booster for savory foods like meat, pork, winter squash, or tomato sauce. And don’t forget drinks! Stir cinnamon into coffee, tea, or lattes for extra flavor—without the added sugar or calories.
This apple pie smoothie is happiness in a glass:
CINNAMON RECIPES WE’RE CRAZY ABOUT
Apple Cinnamon Cookie Bites
apple-cinnamon-cookie-bites- Continue reading

This Everyday Hygiene Habit Could Up Your Risk For Diabetes

Back away from the mouthwash.
A just-published study in the journal Nitric Oxide found people who use over-the-counter mouthwash twice daily were 50% more likely to develop diabetes or prediabetes than those who use mouthwash once a day or not at all.
Yes, that sounds nuts. But experts say there’s a likely explanation. And, like so many other things these days, it seems to revolve around the helpful bacteria that live inside our bodies.
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Some “oral microbes” seem to play a beneficial role in metabolic health, says study author Kaumudi Joshipura, ScD, an adjunct professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.
MORE: I Mailed My Poop To A Company That Promised To Analyze My Gut Health, And Here’s What Happened
"Many bacteria in the mouth are able to metabolize nitrate into nitrite, which is then swallowed into the gastrointestinal tract, and then converted to nitric oxide,” she explains. Nitric oxide (NO) is “an important signaling molecule,” that helps regulate your metabolism, energy balance, and your body’s insulin levels, she says. Insulin helps keep your blood sugar levels in check so when it malfunctions, type 2 diabetes can result.
If you like making your own products, check out this easy DIY shampoo recipe:
What’s the problem with mouthwash?
Nearly all commonly used mouthwash formulas include some kind of antibacterial ingredient that kills bacteria, Joshipura says. These antiba Continue reading

Can Silicon Valley Cure Diabetes With Low Carbs And High Tech?

Imagine a treatment for Type 2 diabetes that requires neither surgery, medication nor calorie restriction, but rather relies on adherence to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, tracked by regular finger-stick checks of blood chemistry and guided remotely by a team of physicians, coaches and algorithms.
That’s the premise of Virta Health, a San Francisco-based digital health company formed in 2014 and launched officially today, with $37M in the bank from investors including Dr. Robert Kocher of Venrock. The kickoff follows Tuesday’s publication of the results of an uncontrolled clinical study of several hundred patients in Indiana, who will be treated and followed for two years; the just-published data--an interim report of sorts--represent the first 10 weeks of study, sponsored by Virta.
(Disclosure: I am Chief Medical Officer of a genomics data management company, DNAnexus, and do not have a personal, professional or financial relationship with Virta Health; I trained in endocrinology and have previously written about therapeutic approaches to diabetes, including surgery and prevention.)
The number of patients with A1c levels below 6.5% (a measure of diabetic control) increased from 52/262 when the study began to 147/262 after 10 weeks. The majority of patients had one or more diabetes medications reduced or eliminated by the end of the study, and the average patient lost 7.2% of his or her starting weight. 90% of patients who started the study remained enrolled after 10 weeks. Finally, the average beta-hydroxybutyrate level (a measure of degree of dietary carbohydrate Continue reading