But seriously, I think this sort of adds to the pile of evidence that even small amounts of exercise on a regular basis has marked health impacts.
I'm a Type 1 diabetic so I have the benefit of a sensor that continuously tells me my blood glucose, so I can see the difference between when I'm walking on a daily basis to and from the office, and when I'm working from home. Same breakfast, very different blood glucose averages on those days.
It is worth noting that exercise of almost any kind causes my insulin to potentiate, so that is part of why my glucose levels are lower. But I wouldn't be surprised to hear that my over all insulin sensitivity is higher on walking days (as I gather from this study) which helps to drive my lower glucose numbers.
The most popular ones are the Dexcom sensors and then the Freestyle Libre. Unfortunately you need a prescription for both in the US. Otherwise, if you'd like to monitor your blood sugar, you'll have to do it via a blood glucose meter and just space out your testing. You can buy those over the counter at any pharmacy/superstore and they're relatively cheap.
If you end up buying a blood glucose meter, the best way to get a good idea of your blood sugar movement in your body (if there is any) would be testing at several times throughout the day after specific events (like eating and/or exercising). Waking up (for fasting glucose), pre-meal (to get a baseline), post-meal several times (15 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours). I would also experiment with how it reacts to different types of food and beverages. For example, try drinking a glass of orange juice and testing 5-15 minutes after. Some non-diabetics still experience very small blood sugar spikes from liquid carb sources.
If you're only mildly curious and don't wish to invest much then you might consider urine test strips. Very cheap, but the reading is also very vague also. However, they will let you know if you have a problem or not.
I use the Medtronic Guardian Plus because it ties into my insulin pump which then regulates how much background insulin to give me. Dexcom, as mentioned in another comment, is a standalone sensor that doesn't tie directly into a pump.
All sensors that I know of are invasive though, so they have to be replaced every 7-10 days, which requires a needle and other things to cover it.
You could also just buy a glucometer (though you'd need a prescription for the test strips, at least in the US) than test once or twice a day and keep a log.
> I use the Medtronic Guardian Plus because it ties into my insulin pump which then regulates how much background insulin to give me.
Oh, so we are finally over that hurdle. Last time I checked there were some liability concerns that prevented manufacturers from closing the loop – the user had to input the numbers.
Sounds like a great combination of devices. How does your HbA1c compare on your current regimen? Do you also self-monitor, and if you do, have you tested your post-exercise levels? I have a number of patients who would benefit greatly from this setup. Thank you for sharing.
I think they all need to break your skin in order to test.
I'm not aware of any continuous monitors that don't need some blood to work. I anyone is I would be interested.
This machinery is quite finely tuned to an existence that involves a lot of walking, running, jumping, lifting, etc. Deviations from the active lifestyle are obviously going to have negative impacts of various kinds.
But seriously, I think this sort of adds to the pile of evidence that even small amounts of exercise on a regular basis has marked health impacts.
I'm a Type 1 diabetic so I have the benefit of a sensor that continuously tells me my blood glucose, so I can see the difference between when I'm walking on a daily basis to and from the office, and when I'm working from home. Same breakfast, very different blood glucose averages on those days.
It is worth noting that exercise of almost any kind causes my insulin to potentiate, so that is part of why my glucose levels are lower. But I wouldn't be surprised to hear that my over all insulin sensitivity is higher on walking days (as I gather from this study) which helps to drive my lower glucose numbers.