Glucose level alerts with new alarms
However, the one thing that has helped me and many of my clients over the past couple of months to control and understand our glucose levels before, during and after exercise, is the FreeStyle Libre 2 system.
Why? Well, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system not only provides continuous, visual information on the direction of our glucose levels with a scan, but it now also includes optional alarms◊, to alert us when glucose levels are dropping below or rising above a certain level!
Customisable low and high glucose alarms that work for you
How do the glucose alarms benefit me when training?
Well … firstly, if I am alerted that my glucose levels are dropping during a training session (common during aerobic exercise for me!), this allows me to act quickly before they drop even lower, stopping or correcting if I need to.
What’s also great is that the target glucose level for the alarm to sound can be adjusted, meaning my glucose levels don’t have to be low for the alarm to sound. For example, when I am at home, I have my low glucose alarm set at 4mmol/L, but when I am out on a run, I change this to 5mmol/L. That way, if my glucose level drops to 5mmol (before feeling hypo), I can correct slightly if needed or stop.
The same applies for the high glucose alarm. When I am at home, I have this set at 8mmol/L to catch any rises, but when running, I prefer to have this at 10mmol/L, as I feel more comfortable running around 8mmol/L.
However, I understand everyone is different and we all have different goals regarding target ranges, which is why the FreeStyle Libre 2 system is so awesome, as it can be adjusted to what WE feel comfortable with.
Adjusting food intake to manage my glucose levels during exercise
In terms of how I control my glucose levels during exercise, it all depends on:
1. What my glucose levels are before
2. What food I had prior to training
3. How much bolus insulin I have on board from my prior meal
For me, if my levels are dropping fast during exercise, something that the FreeStyle Libre 2 system lets me know about, I tend to have a couple of fruit pastilles to catch the drop quickly, followed by slower acting carbohydrates to work through the workout (slow release).
My favourite are rice cakes! I find starting a workout in range, having a rice cake before training helps me to avoid dropping, and if I am a little higher, sometimes I don’t need this, as the exercise itself brings me down. Sometimes I also find sipping on coconut water through a workout helps to keep my glucose levels above water too, if I am prone to drop!
A reminder to keep an eye on my glucose levels
When I am focusing on my exercise during my training session, sometimes it can be easy for me to forget to scan and check my glucose levels when I am so busy, but the FreeStyle Libre 2 system not only informs me when I am going up or down, but it also PROMPTS me to check thanks to the alarms! When I get a high or low notification, I want to know exactly what my glucose reading is and what I need to do to stop the rise or fall in its tracks.
So, if you are in the process of getting back into training, but a little apprehensive about glucose levels when exercising, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system can be an incredibly useful tool to keep even more up-to-date with the direction that your glucose levels are going in, to help to avoid those surprising highs and lows mid-training.
Vanessa Haydock lives with Type 1 diabetes and is a FreeStyle Libre ambassador. If you’d like more tips from Vanessa, find her on Instagram @diabetic_health_coach_ or check out her website
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