"So if you’re relatively healthy and your goal is to just learn about yourself, then they can help prompt ideas of different things you can try. So maybe it's trying that same meal after a workout or before workouts to see how that differs, or changing a meal time around or experimenting with different types of carbohydrates. So there's a lot of things that someone might not think of that they can learn a lot about themselves and we all have different, unique responses in our glucose values and that’s one of the most interesting things, there’s no one-size-fits-all,” explained Kara Collier, RDN, Director of Nutrition at NutriSense.
NutriSense offers continuous glucose monitors that are worn on the back of the arm for two weeks, which allow users to see their glucose levels in real time, 24/7.
“This is an extremely meaningful metric that’s coming from your body and not somebody else's that can drive your decisions on personalized nutrition and those other facts of life like exercise and stress,” said Collier.
While many understand how consuming sugary foods can impact blood sugar levels, studies show that people have a high variability in the response to identical meals, suggesting that universal dietary recommendations may have limited utility.
“We’re a compilation of genetics, epigenetics and microbiome and because of that, we have different responses,” explained Collier.
In addition to the CGM devices and the accompanying app, NutriSense also provides free dietician support to help users interpret their data, suggest 'experiments,’ and offer up solutions.
“Our primary objective is to help anybody on the spectrum of metabolic health,” said Collier. “Metabolic health can either be a super healthy insulin-sensitive person, or on the other end of the spectrum, a type 2 diabetic with multiple chronic conditions. So, anywhere you're at on the spectrum, we want to help you to optimize your nutrition, exercise, stress and sleep to improve your metabolic health. How we’re accomplishing that is using continuous glucose monitors plus human expertise to drive these appropriate and personalized behavior changes.”
To learn more about this burgeoning area of personalized nutrition, listen to the NutraCast.
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NutraCast is a podcast that focuses on insights from inside the nutrition industry. It is a production by NutraIngredients-USA. Music by Kevin Macleod.
