I’ve always been fascinated by the science of food and how it impacts our energy, mood and long-term health. So recently, I decided to run a little experiment on myself: I wore a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) for two weeks to see what was really happening inside my body when I ate, moved and even experienced stress. The results were fascinating, and I walked away with some powerful lessons about glucose, lifestyle and how little tweaks can make a big difference.

1. Why Glucose Matters
Glucose is the body’s primary source of energy, fuelling the activity in every cell, especially the brain and muscles. Even if you have minimal added sugar in your diet, your body breaks down carbohydrates (and sometimes protein) into glucose. In fact, your body can even make glucose on its own through a process called gluconeogenesis.
To keep you running smoothly, your body works hard to keep glucose in a healthy range. After eating, glucose rises and insulin is released to shuttle it into cells where it can be used or stored. But when your diet is high in added sugars or ultra-processed foods, the excess glucose can push your system into frequent spikes. Over time, this makes the balancing act harder, leading to insulin resistance, a key driver of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic issues.
These swings don’t just affect long-term health, they can cause short-term crashes in energy, mood, and focus. On top of that, repeated spikes and crashes drive inflammation in the body, which not only raises the risk of chronic disease but also impacts brain health. Inflammation is linked to lower resilience, poorer sleep and more unstable moods, the very things many of us are trying to improve day to day.
2. Why I Tried a CGM
I didn’t try a CGM because of a medical issue, my blood tests show I have good glucose control. Like many people, I wanted to understand my body better. I already ate well, exercised and looked after myself, but I was curious:
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Could I optimise my energy and focus?
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Could I reduce those sneaky cravings?
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Could I make my mood even steadier?
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Would the “hacks” I’d read about actually work for me?
With all this in mind, I wanted to see how my own lifestyle stacked up and whether I could make improvements in the way I felt day-to-day.
While CGMs were once only for people with diabetes, they’re now becoming more accessible for anyone interested in health optimisation. And the truth is, balancing glucose isn’t just about preventing diabetes: it impacts cravings, constant hunger, fatigue, brain fog, skin, hormones, sleep and even long-term risks like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, fatty liver and cancer.
3. What It’s Like to Wear a CGM
Surprisingly easy! Applying the device didn’t hurt, and once it was on, I barely noticed it. The monitor paired with my phone through an app, which gave me real-time glucose feedback.
The only annoyance? The device sometimes unpaired from the app, and I had to reconnect it. That made me think about how frustrating it must be for people with diabetes who rely on these devices every day.
I wore it for 14 days and set my target range at 3.9–7.8 mmol/L (tighter than the diabetic range, but ideal for someone healthy). I was pleased to see that I spent all my time within range (with one exception, see below), a great sign of metabolic health.
Average daily pattern over 14 day period

4. Food + Lifestyle Hacks I Tested
I wanted to put some popular glucose-balancing hacks to the test. Here’s what I tried:
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Pre-cooking and cooling carbs (rice/pasta): Cooling and reheating creates resistant starch, which blunts glucose spikes. I saw a small improvement, but it would likely be more significant for someone with spikier glucose.
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Brown rice vs white rice: Brown rice led to a steadier response thanks to the extra fibre.
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Vinaigrette before meals: Having vinegar and veg first did help flatten spikes.
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Sweet vs savoury breakfast: Sweet breakfasts triggered more fluctuations, while savoury (eggs, veg, avocado) kept me fuller and steadier.
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Alcohol: Caused minor spikes for me, especially on an empty stomach, however I remained in range. Protein and healthy fats beforehand reduced spikes.
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Daily Blend: Adding it to carb-heavy meals noticeably softened spikes, thanks to its mix of fibre, protein and healthy fats.
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Movement after meals: A short walk or even light activity (eg house cleaning) made a measurable difference in how quickly glucose returned to baseline.
5. What Surprised Me Most
The biggest spike I experienced wasn’t from food at all, it was from stress. During a particularly stressful online meeting, my glucose shot up to 9 mmol/L. On reflection, what precipitated this meeting contributed to the spike: rushing, hungry, eating a light snack quickly before the meeting.
Stress can spike glucose just as much as food. Sometimes even more.
This was a huge reminder that stress hormones like cortisol can trigger the liver to dump glucose into the bloodstream, preparing the body for ‘fight or flight’. It showed me how important it is to eat well before stressful events, to create calm (no rushing!), to move when possible, and support recovery afterward. It reminded me of a past life where I was often rushing from meeting to meeting…no wonder I was highly stressed and reaching for comfort foods!
Average pattern at 3 hour intervals over 14 day period

6. What I Changed (and What I Didn’t)
This experiment didn’t completely change my diet, it mostly validated that my eating style (plenty of fibre, protein, and wholefoods) supports stable glucose. But it did give me a few new tools:
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I’m more conscious of adding protein or healthy fats with carbs.
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I’ve leaned more into savoury breakfasts to set me up for the day.
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I use little hacks like vinegar, cooled carbs or movement to support balance.
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If I’m going to have something sweet (and I do!) then having it after a balanced meal is best, this helps to absorb the glucose spike.
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Most importantly, I now think about stress as a glucose disruptor.

Great example of a quick and simple savoury breakfast: Toasted sourdough, cottage cheese mixed with grated courgette, lemon juice/zest, chopped mint and olive oil topped with spring onions and Daily Blend.
7. Final Thoughts
Blood sugar isn’t something most of us think about unless we’re facing a diagnosis, but it’s at the core of how we feel, think and show up each day. Stable glucose = stable energy, stable cravings, and yes, a more stable mood.
Wearing a CGM was empowering. For me, it was like turning on a light switch. It gave me real-time feedback and turned abstract science into lived experience. It gave me insight, but more importantly, it gave me tools to feel better, every day.
Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come not from big overhauls, but from consistent daily efforts and paying closer attention to the small signals our bodies are already giving us.
My main takeaways:
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Prioritise wholefoods and plants: My wholefood and plant forward diet already supports great glucose control.
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Food combinations matter (protein + fat with carbs is powerful).
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The order of food matters (veg + vinegar first, carbs last).
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Little hacks do make a difference, are not hard to incorporate into your daily life and are worth implementing.
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Stress can be just as impactful as sugar.
This was my personal experiment, not a prescription. But it reinforced how powerful it is to be curious, pay attention and make small, sustainable shifts.
And the best part? It reminded me why Daily Blend fits so seamlessly into this approach. It’s one simple, daily habit that helps buffer glucose spikes, nourish the gut and support long-term health.
With love, AM