Would You Benefit from a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

Let's begin with insulin.

Most people think of insulin as the hormone that lowers blood sugar, but I like to think of it as the body's storage manager. Its job is to collect the glucose floating around in your bloodstream after a meal and put it where it belongs.

Think of it like us moms after Christmas morning. We walk through the house collecting the abundance of toys scattered everywhere, finding each one a proper place. That's insulin's job—tidying up the mess after you've eaten.

Its first stop is your muscles and liver.

There, insulin stores glucose as glycogen, a form of stored energy your body can easily access later. But just like the toy bins in your house, those storage spaces eventually become full.

So what happens next?

Your liver says, "Well...I guess we need another storage room."

When your muscles and liver have stored all the glycogen they can hold, excess glucose remains in the bloodstream. Your liver then begins converting some of that extra glucose into fat through a completely normal process called de novo lipogenesis. (Yes...I had to look that one up too!)

Here's the simplified version.

The liver breaks glucose into tiny building blocks called acetyl-CoA. Think of them as little Lego® bricks. It snaps thousands of these blocks together to build fatty acids.

But here's another problem: fat can't travel through your bloodstream by itself.

So your liver packages three fatty acids together with one glycerol molecule to create a triglyceride.

Ta-da!

Now we have a form of fat that can be packaged for delivery.

Your liver loads these triglycerides into tiny transport vehicles called very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). Think of them as little delivery trucks traveling through your bloodstream, dropping triglycerides off at fat cells, where they're stored for later use.

If you're thinking, "Wait...my body actually turns excess sugar into fat?"

The answer is yes.

That's not a design flaw—it's exactly how your body is supposed to work. The problem isn't that your body is broken. The problem is that many of us are asking it to store far more energy than it was designed to handle on a regular basis.

So Why Do We Run Into Trouble?

Before you swear off carbohydrates forever, let's be clear.

Carbohydrates are not the enemy.

Fruit contains carbohydrates.Beans contain carbohydrates.Whole grains contain carbohydrates.Vegetables contain carbohydrates.

These foods also contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and countless nutrients that support good health.

The issue isn't carbohydrates themselves.

The issue is that many of us eat more carbohydrate—and more calories overall—than our bodies consistently need. Modern life makes it incredibly easy to do.

Over time, our storage system starts working overtime.

When the Storage Manager Never Gets a Break

In the beginning, your pancreas is a superstar.

It keeps producing more and more insulin to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. From the outside, everything looks normal. Your fasting glucose may be normal. Your A1c may even be normal.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, your pancreas is working overtime.

Eventually, though, your cells begin responding less effectively to insulin. This is called insulin resistance.

Your pancreas doesn't give up—it simply makes even more insulin.

For many people, triglycerides begin creeping upward long before blood sugar becomes abnormal. Your waistline may slowly increase, your body becomes less efficient at burning stored fat, and you may notice you're hungry more often or feel like you need to snack every few hours.

By the time your fasting glucose finally starts climbing, insulin has often been elevated for years.

This Is Why I Like Continuous Glucose Monitors

If you're one of those rare individuals who checks your fasting blood sugar every morning (I know...you're probably a glutton for punishment!), an elevated number may be one of the first signs that your metabolism is struggling.

But by that point, elevated insulin and triglycerides may have already been present for years.

This is exactly why I've worn a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) myself, and why I often recommend patients wear one—even if it's only for a couple of weeks.

A CGM lets you see something no annual lab test can show.

You get to watch, in real time, how your body responds to the foods you eat, your workouts, stress, poor sleep, and even that "healthy" smoothie you thought was doing you favors.

It's personalized information.

And in my experience, nothing motivates healthy change quite like seeing your own data.

Can't Afford a CGM?

A CGM is an excellent educational tool, but it's certainly not the only way to monitor your metabolic health.

Start with a few simple measurements.

• Measure your waist-to-hip ratio by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference. Aim for less than 0.85 for women and less than 0.90 for men.

• Know your blood pressure. Ideally, it should be below 120/80 mmHg.

• Ask your healthcare provider about your fasting triglycerides, fasting glucose, and A1c. Together, these numbers can provide valuable clues about your metabolic health.

The Bottom Line

A continuous glucose monitor isn't just for people with diabetes.

For many people, it's one of the best educational tools available. It helps you understand how your body responds to food, exercise, stress, and sleep, allowing you to make informed choices based on your own physiology—not someone else's.

After all, you can't improve what you don't measure.