Kara Collier: Continuous Glucose Monitoring To Inspire Behavior Modification, Disease Protection, and Health Optimization

Kara is the co-founder and Director of Nutrition for NutriSense, a full-service health education company specializing in the cutting edge health and medical technology of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). What was previously a surgical procedure to implant a sensor is now a simple patch on the arm that delivers real-time glucose values to your smartphone. This amazing technology transcends the minimal insights offered by a one-time fasting blood glucose value obtained during a routine blood test. Regulating glucose (and consequently, insulin production) over a lifetime is believed to be one of the most important ways to steer clear of epidemic metabolic disease and improve your health and well-being. In this show, Kara will describe the three key blood glucose attributes that are critical to health. Besides striving for a fasting blood glucose value under 100 (Kara wants to see you under 90!), it’s also important to have a tight glucose variability and a strong ability to quickly lower post-prandial (after a meal) glucose back to your baseline in a short time. Perhaps the greatest attribute of Apps like NutriSense is the power and motivation it gives to the user to promote behavior modification. When users apply a patch for a two-week journey into the glucose values, they have a Registered Dietician coach at their service to guide them with 1:1 support. In this show, we discuss some amazing insights provided by the App. Kara reacted quite differently to bananas versus sweet potatoes. Indeed, our genetic particulars and perhaps our gut microbiome goes far beyond the guessing game of the glycemic index and helps you make the best choices. Mia Moore used the CGM to facilitate a remarkable improvement in glucose in only two weeks. Coming on the heels of extreme work hours and less activity, she put the patch and went on a two-week hiking binge and increased daily fasting and ancestral-aligned meals. She moved from a pre-diabetic reading at the doctor’s office (during a hectic work period of less activity) into the exceptional metabolic health category with extremely tight glucose regulation and post-prandial glucose control. I noticed an extreme glucose spike in conjunction with workouts, which is actually expected and desirable. I also obtained the insight that combining high intensity sprint workouts with extensive daily fasting and carnivore-ish low carb intake at meals with being in the advanced age groups while trying to perform these magnificent sprinting/high jump workouts could represent an excess of stressors. Kara provides an excellent description of the so-called, “metabolic insulin resistance” experienced by superfit, low-carb intake athletes. The body produces insulin so minimally that cells become desensitized to insulin signaling. This is not a disease pattern like a high carb, inactive person developing pathological insulin resistance, but there is an argument for strategic intake of nutrient-dense carbohydrates, especially in conjunction with workouts and especially for older dudes trying to push and sometimes exceed their athletic capabilities with tough workouts. Relatedly, you may have noticed the @CarnivoreMD Dr. Paul Saladino touting his strategic binges of honey (technically carnivore, after all) to fine tune insulin sensitivity. If you have concerns about your glucose levels and consequent disease risk factors, getting a CGM going is absolutely essential. If you are metabolically healthy and just looking to optimize your food choices, exercise routines, and insulin sensitivity, you will love the self-quantification and accumulation of insights that you can carry with you over the long term. Enjoy a fascinating show with Kara and learn more about her operation at NutriSense.ioTIMESTAMPS:You can get a patch sensor to put onto your arm for continuous glucose monitoring with a read out directly into your smartphone. [01:35]How did Kara get involved? She saw the need to address metabolic health from an early stage. [05:50]When using these monitors, you get support from dietitians and educational personnel. [07:42]Glucose is influenced by eating carbs or not, and  also your activity level, stress, sleep…all these factors.  People respond to food uniquely. [11:07]There's a lot of research to show that microbiome composition is a primary determinant of those various glycemic responses. [14:29]What are the goals and main things we are looking for? How high is the glucose getting? [17:11]The connection of glucose levels and cardiovascular is really strong. [23:42]If we have a bunch of fat in a standard American meal, it slows down digestion. Then glucose takes a long time to go through the system. [25:07]The damage is worse on the longest lasting cells and tissues in the body. [29:48]Is there any concern about not getting these occasional glucose spikes? [32:14]For people on a low carb diet, there can be a problem because your body says, “I’m not getting enough carbs, so I have to increase the glucose I make.” [34:42]It’s important to look for a strategy where there is strategic inclusion of carbohydrates to fine tune that insulin sensitivity. [37:42]Sometimes when we’re putting too much stress on our body, then trying to fast, we might see some glucose increase. [41:38]Going on walks after a meal or walking in a fasted state is one of the easiest ways to make a quick turnaround.  [43:34]Our brains are hardwired to want instant gratification. [45:54]After an argument, the glucose spiked high because of the fight or flight response. [48:45]If you are feeling crappy after a particular meal, it indicates that the glucose is circulating around and the insulin is coming and it’s taking too long to get back to feeling normal. [50:11]Without this glucose monitor on your arm, you can still learn a lot from journaling how you feel. What you ate. Which components of my meals are making me feel cruddy. The time of day you are eating makes a difference. [51:09]There is a decided difference among the foods and how they are processed.  [53:14]It might take one to three months to gather all the insights you want on your health journey. [55:34]The people who are using NutriSense present a lot of data.  What are the trends from the client demographic? [56:17]For some many years, we have been told to eat carbs (Standard American Diet). The new information we have now needs to become common practice before it’s too late. [57:44]What does it cost to get started with NutriSense? 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