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In the previous few years, I’ve seen an rising variety of wellness and health influencers yap about fixing their metabolisms. For some, meaning hawking dietary supplements like Foodology’s Coleology Cutting Jelly, NAD+ tablets for enhancing insulin sensitivity, or powders that declare to “stability your hormones.” Proper now, my TikTok FYP is filled with ladies speaking in regards to the viral Korean Switch-On diet — a seemingly brutal routine of intermittent fasting, protein shakes, and tofu. An weight problems researcher purportedly designed the weight loss program, which is able to “reset your metabolism.”
It’s simple to scroll previous these weight loss program fads. What strikes me is the verbiage. “Optimizing your metabolism.” What’s even the objective behind that? And the place my alarm bells begin ringing is when the algorithm mixes in a video of an influencer speaking about optimizing their metabolism utilizing steady glucose screens (CGMs).
CGMs are tiny wearable gadgets that measure glucose ranges within the interstitial fluid simply beneath your pores and skin. They’re life-saving gadgets for diabetics, and now that they’re available over the counter, they are often useful instruments for people with prediabetes and Kind 2 diabetics who aren’t depending on insulin. Their usefulness right here is plain.
A bigger query — and one I’ve been investigating for over a yr — is whether or not there are tangible advantages for individuals who aren’t diabetic or prediabetic. I’ll be doing a deep dive into that quickly, however proper now, let me let you know how utilizing CGMs this previous yr almost wrecked my relationship with meals.
I believe lots about meals earlier than any vacation. Some years, that’s all I take into consideration. However not in a enjoyable, “Oh, I can’t watch for a chew of stuffing or pumpkin pie!” sort of method. Suppose extra of a hellish “What’s going to I permit myself to eat?” or “Is there a race I can join to mitigate the harm?”
I hardly assume I’m alone in that. Whether or not it’s for weight reduction or to handle a situation, anybody on a weight loss program will let you know that vacation feasts is usually a main supply of hysteria. Partaking within the deliciousness can set off waves of guilt, notably in the event you wrestle to handle parts. Private self-discipline isn’t all the time a superb factor, both. I’ll always remember the damage look on my mother’s face once I declined a slice of the Junior’s cheesecake she’d purchased simply for me one Christmas.
I wore a CGM to Thanksgiving dinner final yr. My family had been curious, however cautiously supportive. However I seen I used to be reluctant to eat sure meals, conscious of how they may spike my glucose. Usually, I get pleasure from mashed potatoes with gravy. I love Ocean Spray canned cranberry jelly with my whole being. Candy potato casserole with marshmallows is wonderful. To make my partner really feel welcome, my Korean household had even baked a pretzel salad — an unholy Southern concoction of Cool Whip, cream cheese, frozen strawberries, crushed pretzels in butter, and Jell-O. (Sure, my in-laws insist it’s a “salad” and serve it as an entree, not a dessert.)
As a substitute of heaping my plate with my favorites, I had a half plate of precise salad, dressing on the facet, 1 / 4 plate of protein, and a single slice of canned cranberry jelly. I nursed half a glass of wine your entire night time. When my aunt despaired, prodding me to eat extra, I checked two separate CGM apps to see if I might swing a second plate. I argued with myself in my head. Possibly I might? I’d run my customary Turkey Trot that morning, and though I’d handled myself to one in every of Wawa’s Gobbler Bowls after, it had solely price 620 energy and induced a modest glucose spike. I’d walked into dinner with a borderline low glucose stage. Possibly I might supply to run an errand and sneak in a 10-15 minute stroll earlier than leaving?
Then, within the morning, I wouldn’t must rationalize a less-than-favorable abstract as a “vacation one-off.” I might safely say I’d had a “wholesome” Thanksgiving. Docs usually advocate loading up your plate with leafy greens, prioritizing protein and fiber, and limiting processed sugars. All issues I did. I’d been coaching recurrently and ran a 5K that morning. Strolling after meals has been proven in analysis to spice up your metabolism considerably. Limiting alcohol is nice.
I had half a second plate, largely to appease my aunt, and left half my dessert. My glucose charts appeared good on the finish of the night time. I resolved to do higher at Christmas. True to my phrase, I did the identical actual factor a month later. And on my birthday. For the latter, I didn’t let myself eat cake.
A yr later, I’ve had time to replicate. On the floor, I crushed the vacations final yr. In actuality, I didn’t get pleasure from a single chew. I didn’t respect the hassle my household had put right into a home-cooked meal. I don’t even keep in mind a lot of the time I spent with my family members — my mind was too preoccupied with my glucose ranges. And for what? In spite of everything these months, was my metabolism actually optimized?
Satirically, after shedding about 15 kilos pre-CGM testing, I began gaining weight. I discovered myself skipping meals, notably breakfast, extra usually. It was irritating to disclaim myself the occasional dessert or after-dinner snack and nonetheless get up with higher-than-ideal glucose ranges. I discovered methods to keep away from consuming out or socializing. It wasn’t till my working efficiency began actually tanking that I spotted I used to be relapsing into previous disordered consuming habits — ones I’d labored so onerous to kick and had returned so stealthily. Issues weren’t including up. I arrange a health care provider’s appointment quickly after. Two months and several other assessments later, we’re nonetheless attempting to determine why my metabolism isn’t working because it ought to and tips on how to handle it.
This isn’t a categorical dismissal of CGMs. Like all wearable, they’re a instrument. I wholeheartedly consider that many individuals — notably self-quantifying nerds and other people embarking on life-style adjustments — might discover them useful. Arguably, that I’m working with my physician to discover a profitable therapy is a constructive end result.
We’ve got to assume critically about when, how, and by whom these instruments are used. CGMs might assist many non-diabetics. They will even inevitably hurt some individuals. It’s why I reacted so viscerally when, earlier this yr, well being secretary RFK Jr. steered that each American ought to make use of wearables, particularly highlighting CGMs as a way of “taking accountability” over their well being. The sense that these devices are backed by scientific analysis provides one other layer of complexity. Sure, there’s a robust scientific foundation. Sure, CGMs could be highly effective instruments. However they aren’t a panacea for any and each metabolic challenge.
I’m fortunate and self-aware sufficient to acknowledge when the instruments are utilizing me. And but, it nonetheless took me months to appreciate that I’m not somebody who can healthily use CGMs throughout holidays. That, for me, optimizing my metabolism isn’t one thing I can simply do with a gadget. That every one my experience on this house doesn’t make me resistant to well being anxiousness.
By the point you learn this, I’ll have already run a Turkey trot and eaten Thanksgiving dinner. I gained’t have worn a CGM. I think I’ll have struggled a bit when loading my plate. However, I’m additionally hopeful that I’ll have eaten two slices of my canned cranberry jelly and loved each chew.
