My journey with a glucose monitor: how tracking blood sugar changed my life.

Hello! I am Ulrika, a freshly 49-year-old ordinary person who loves to exercise and mostly eats healthily, but sometimes allows herself small indulgences. When I was offered the chance to use a glucose monitor, it felt like an exciting challenge. I wanted to see how my blood sugar behaves day to day. I started using the monitor on February 24 and finished on March 27.

First steps with the glucose monitor

Having lived a healthier and more active lifestyle for the past five years, I was confident that my blood sugar was fine since I follow a daily meal plan. During the month, I logged my meals and observed how my blood sugar responded.

The impact of diet on blood sugar

In the first week, I allowed myself different foods, including sweets, although that’s not my daily habit. To my surprise, chocolate did not raise my blood sugar much: before eating it was 5.3 mmol/L and after eating 7 mmol/L. I also noticed that breakfast, such as a salmon sandwich, raised my blood sugar from 3.9 mmol/L to 6.4 mmol/L, but within a few hours it dropped very low again. A snack of cottage cheese with cocoa helped bring it back to normal.

The impact of physical activity

I also tested how physical activity affects blood sugar: if I ate and went for a walk 30 minutes later, blood sugar dropped too low. However, if I walked in the morning on an empty stomach, it rose to 6.3 mmol/L. While training at the gym, my blood sugar was often too low, especially if a longer time had passed since the last meal, sometimes dropping to 3.3 mmol/L. This shows that physical activity significantly affects blood sugar levels.

Foods that affected blood sugar

I noticed that certain foods raised my blood sugar very high, so I cut them out of my menu. These included foods high in calories, carbohydrates, or fat: rice, whole grain bread, rice cakes, crispbread, dried fruits, oatmeal, pancakes, bread, ciabatta, banana, apple, crispy chicken, wraps, French fries, and pea soup. After removing these foods, my blood sugar stayed more stable.

Changes in well-being and weight loss

When my blood sugar went very low or very high, I didn’t always notice changes in how I felt. Rarely, when it dropped too low, I felt dizzy, which passed after eating some nuts. The glucose monitor also contributed to weight loss: after cutting out certain foods, I felt full for longer and consumed fewer calories during the day. My energy levels were also more stable — previous fatigue spells during the day disappeared, and I felt more energetic and active.

Ongoing journey

Since I wasn’t able to test all foods within a month, my journey with the glucose monitor continues. I believe blood sugar plays a big role in our lives, and with a glucose monitor it’s possible to identify which foods suit your body best.

Conclusion

Using a glucose monitor gave me valuable insights into my body’s reactions to different foods and activities. This experience helped me make more informed choices in diet and exercise, improving my overall health and well-being.

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