Your blood glucose levels are an indicator of your metabolic health. Using a CGM can help you to understand how your body responds to your diet, exercise, stress and sleep. Vively’s CGM data forms part of your Wellness Score. Read on to learn more.

Key takeaways

• Vively's Wellness Score is a comprehensive measure of metabolic health, considering factors such as diet, movement, stress levels, and sleep, as well as continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data.
• CGMs provide real-time glucose level data, offering insights into the impact of lifestyle choices on glucose levels and overall health.
• The Wellness Score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better metabolic health and more stable glucose responses.
• Improving the Wellness Score involves making changes to nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management, while monitoring CGM data to identify patterns and make necessary adjustments.

CGMs, or continuous glucose monitors, have become increasingly popular in recent years as people become more interested in their metabolic health. These devices provide real-time day to day data about blood glucose levels, which can be used to better understand how lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, stress, and sleep impact the body.

What is wellness?

The World Health Organisation defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Wellness, on the other hand, is a practice of regular healthy habits to sustain optimal physical and mental health outcomes, so you thrive rather than merely survive.

What is the Wellness Score?

The Vively app calculates a Wellness Score to summarise your insights. The Wellness Score takes into consideration four major health players: diet, movement, stress levels, and sleep. By combining these factors, along with your glucose data, the Wellness Score provides an overview of your general metabolic health.

The Wellness Score is an analysis of all your daily glucose calculations, logged meals, snacks, and drinks, as well as your lifestyle measures like exercise, sleep, heart rate, and stress.

The data outside of your CGM is gathered from your wearable devices and/or Apple Health or Google Fit (note: wearable devices are optional, not mandatory).

The score is provided between 0-100, with 100 being optimal. As a general rule, you want to aim for a stable and controlled glucose response. The better your score, the more likely you have regular healthy habits.

How do CGM devices work?

A CGM is a small sensor that is inserted onto the back of your arm that measures you glucose levels throughout the day. The glucose level reading is taken from your interstitial fluid (the fluid between your cells). This sensor then wirelessly transmits the data to your Vively app each time you scan.

CGMs are a fantastic motivational and insights tool to show you how your diet, exercise, stress and sleep impact your glucose levels in real-time. They give you instant feedback, helping to motivate you to make healthier choices and determine what lifestyle works for you.

How to interpret your CGM data and Wellness Score

Vively uses an evidence-based framework for integrating various data sources from wearables and devices such as CGMs, to create a holistic score.

A Wellness Score of:

• 100 means that you have excellent glucose responses, and your lifestyle factors are optimal (sleep, stress, exercise, HR etc)
• 80-90 means that you have a minimal glucose fluctuation, and your lifestyle factors are great
• 60-70 is moderate, indicating that you may need to pay attention to your food and lifestyle choices at times
• 50 and below is sub-optimal, indicating that you need to eliminate or minimise certain choices and seek extra support to analyse your glucose results as needed

Important factors when analysing your glucose levels include:

• How long you remain in the target range
• Your average blood glucose level
• How much variability there is (low variability is best)

Your blood glucose response is determined by carbohydrate absorption (quality, quantity and timing), the amount of insulin produced and glucagon secretion. The amount of protein, fibre, fats, body muscle mass, level of insulin resistance, internal and external stress, sleep quality and exercise will also impact your blood glucose levels.

Why blood glucose levels are important

Maintaining a healthy blood glucose range is important for good metabolic and cellular health. Stable blood glucose is a sign of good health and balance. Signs of metabolic fluctuations appear decades prior to disease being diagnosed.

Blood glucose levels are important for everyone as they play a vital role in maintaining overall health and wellbeing. Our blood glucose levels reflect the balance between glucose production, consumption, and storage. Proper regulation of blood glucose is essential for the optimal functioning of various organs and systems, including the brain, muscles, and immune system.

For individuals without diabetes, maintaining healthy blood glucose levels helps prevent the development of insulin resistance and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, well-regulated blood glucose levels can improve energy levels, cognitive function, and mood stability, while also supporting a healthy weight and reducing the risk of obesity.

Research has shown that long-term elevated blood glucose levels can contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases, kidney problems, and nerve damage, among other health issues.

How to improve your Wellness Score

Your Wellness Zone is within your control and can be improved by making changes to your eating, exercise, and lifestyle habits. Using a CGM can help you add or subtract various variables to see their effect on your glucose levels.

Here are some general tips to help you improve your wellness score:

• Nutrition: make healthy food choices by reducing your intake of processed and refined carbohydrates and adding more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Try to avoid foods that cause your glucose levels to spike, like sugary drinks and snacks.
• Exercise: exercise can help improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels. Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise into your daily routine, like brisk walking, cycling, weights or swimming.
• Sleep: getting enough quality sleep is essential for good metabolic health. Try to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night and establish a regular sleep schedule.
• Stress management: chronic stress can increase cortisol levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and higher blood glucose levels. Incorporate stress-reducing practices into your daily routine, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.
• CGM data: use the data from your CGM sensor to identify patterns in your glucose levels and make changes to your habits accordingly. For example, if you notice that your glucose levels are consistently high after a certain meal, try reducing the portion size or changing the type of food.

By making these changes and monitoring your progress with a CGM calculator and the Vively app, you can improve your wellness score and achieve better metabolic health outcomes. It's important to consult with your healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your lifestyle habits.

References

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health and well-being. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/major-themes/health-and-well-being#:~:text=The%20WHO%20constitution%20states%3A%20%22Health,of%20mental%20disorders%20or%20disabilities.

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