ZOE NUTRITION NEW THREAD- anyone want to join in?

[LisaLovedUp]

I've started a new thread as my previous one was titled for techie stuff.
If anyone is fairly new to this please join in and we can share!

I am now on Day 4. All tests done and now recording my food each day. It takes me ages as my phone is slow (needs replacing) and some things I eat aren't listed (it relies a lot on packaged foods.)

eg yesterday I made a veggie curry and the only options were branded readymade ones so I just had to pick one I felt was close enough, rather than itemise every veggie in the one I made.

I noticed this as some 'negative' feedback on another platform.

Has everyone/anyone done the advanced health questionnaire? I started it but gave up. I felt it was more for their data gathering (which is fine to an extent) but also very intrusive and I didn't want to give my personal medical history when it may not be 100% safe from hackers.

I'm going to feedback on this to them.

My blood sugar readings so far are in the 4 - 5.4 range mainly although on a couple of mornings it was below 4. The highest was 7.3 after a sweet dessert ( a one-off for me - out with friends) plus ice cream.

Any tips from more experienced users welcome!

Oh God, yes!

Drink lots with them.

BTW the instructions say eat within 15 minutes.

When I fed back (haha) that I'd taken about 20-25 mins I was told that was fine and you can take 90 minutes.

Something else to tell them in feedback.

Really? That's a bugger as I'd been following/ signed up to those for months and didn't know.

@LisaLovedUp I didn't take any notice and didn't realise until after I ordered. And I've been listening to those podcasts for a couple of years!!! Bugger indeed.

Is it really buried in the small print?

I've given my referral code to someone who is going to use it- so will they be able to use the discount as they get the podcasts too.

I did see a mention of a discount code when I signed up but it didn't say check your email/podcast etc for the code. I did wonder where there were codes at the time.

How much discount is it?

#LisaLovedUp I can't remember. They mention it at the end of the podcasts, or at least in some of them. I noticed after I signed up, do have decided to forget about it. Otherwise I'd be annoyed every time I listen 😜

Wish I had found this thread earlier. I’ve been on the waiting list for months and have finally been able to sign up and pre order my kit for February. I had no idea I could use a referral code or get a discount….

Second set of muffins done. I can't wait to eat some vegetables...

well done!

That's how I felt too.

I wanted a 'real meal' and TBH I felt a bit weird for the rest of the day as I'd missed out on any real protein/nutrition for 2 meals.

@SierraSapphire I don't really think you can improve your basic blood sugar response much physically. Interestingly, my glucose response is as bad with allegedly "slow release" carbs like oatmeal and brown rice as it is with white bread and actual sugar.

But I am learning a lot about how to manage it with different choices, order of eating things, balancing with extra fibre and protein and how even a 15 minute walk around the block shortly after eating can hugely flatten glucose spikes. Fruit mostly scores OK for me, add some greek yoghurt and a few nuts or seeds and I score well.

@MsRinky Can I join you with that?!

My highest readings have been with one, yes just one, slice of gluten free bread (supposedly the 'healthiest' with seeds in) and also brown rice.

Today I had smashed avocado and grilled mushrooms on 1 slice of bread and the BG was almost to 8. My pre-eating readings are usually 4.5 or so.

I made a kedgeree with brown rice and the reading was as high as if I'd had something very sweet.

The only up side is that my readings come down pretty fast to the 4.5 mark.

Bananas are also a shocker.

I tend to do low-carb anyway but it's a bit disappointing to see that even the high fibre sorts are doing this.

@MsRinky Have you got that feedback from your tests or your own monitoring?

My monitor is coming to an end any day now, and I've not tested as much as I could.

I have tried some fat/ protein before bread (nut butter) but it didn't make a huge difference, and in 'real life' I don't know how that would work because we don't usually eat part of a main meal ahead of the rest of it.

what kind of glucose score are you getting with your carbs if you are happy to share?

Thanks for the response @MsRinky - I did wonder whether that would be the case. I listened to the Zoe podcast about food ordering and time of the day (and I think they mentioned apple cider vinegar, which I already do). I also take berberine, which has a similar action to metformin in reducing blood sugar, for other health reasons so I'm keen to know whether that makes a difference too.

My monitoring when I was wearing the glucose meter had big spikes pushing 10 for bread, rice, pasta, porridge. About a year ago I had a HbAC1 reading that was (just) into pre-diabetic range, but my last two checks of that have been back in the normal range (I cut back on carbs and upped my exercise to do that). I have PCOS as well, so big link to insulin resistance.

I'm going to give it a couple of months eating according to my Zoe scores - which for me means that I'm still having an average of around 90g net carbs and 30g of fibre a day, see how I feel (and if my weight has budged at all) and then have another couple of weeks wearing a glucose meter to see if things really have evened out. Because this feels a lot more sustainable for me than doing proper low carb has done in the past.

worst bit will be pulling the plaster off.

@LisaLovedUp

I'm such a coward about pulling off plasters, that I soaked mine in veg oil and left it for a few hours to dissolve the glue so the plaster just slides off

Thanks so much for that @MsRinky

I hope you find it helps.

I think in a normal day I usually do about 50gms carbs (that's not counting root veg just things like bread, rice, oats). Although potatoes have set it as high as a sweet desert.

Unfortunately I am gluten intolerant and many of the bread subs are very highly processed. I eat lentil pasta which may be healthier but is still very starchy.

Thanks for the tip!

I didn't watch mine all that closely but did see big spikes after anything carby. I do tend to eat low carb when I can get myself in the zone, but I always struggle as have a sweet tooth.

A couple of high-ish carb meals that surprised me by not spiking were a smoothie/protein shake made with a whole banana, and a spiced lentil soup with homemade low carb bread (and plenty of butter).

I haven't looked up the carb levels, I'd just normally steer clear of bananas and lentils when I'm following a low carb diet. Only ate the low carb bread as I had it frozen and wanted to see the impact on my blood sugar. I've since added it to my recipes and it came up as green so I figure it's okay for me.

I think like a PP I will wait for my results and give it a while on plan then try the glucose meter again

@LisaLovedUp You're right, it's not ridiculously expensive when you consider the tests it includes and the insights you get.

@SallySailor Thank you so much for this info!

Just signed up - begin in Feb - can't wait. 😃

I'm really not seeing any big spikes so far. I've never gone higher than 7.2 (after lunch of tuna pasta and blueberries). Even with the muffins, I only went up to 8.

I'm not in the habit of eating early in the day as have been doing the Zoe IF study for the last 3-4 w. I'm keen to see how my glucose responds to different foods. Are others seeing big swings in glucose?

But aren't they 'big' spikes?

what is your reading first thing in the morning pre-food?

This is something I asked Zoe chat about. They didn't quite get what I asked - which is like you are saying- ie what is a big spike?

They left me a link and it showed that a spike is anything above 1.9 over your 'fasting score' - a few hours after the previous meal.

Your 'non-spikes' are higher than mine.

The highest I've gone (knowingly) was 7.9 and that was after a simple roast chicken dinner with 1 potato and son home made gravy. I reckon the gravy pushed it up as well as the spud, as I make it with the chicken juices and cornflour.

I went up to the high 6s with the muffins as far as I recall.

So, anyone please correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think a big spike is two or more above your fasting reading.

Interesting effects of exercise today.

My readings were hovering around 4.6 pre breakfast. Next score was around 5.6 (boiled egg and 3 oat cakes.)

Lunch- not a lot today so I had a small banana and a tiny bit of plain yoghurt.
Shot up to 6.9 (it's the banana.)

Did a brisk 30-35 minute walk and down to 3.9

A whole 3 points lower with a moderate bit of exercise.

That's exactly what I was asking in a roundabout way @LisaLovedUp.

Like, what actually IS a big spike? As it is still 'in range' and goes back down quickly it doesn't feel like a spike. I'm running around 5.1mmol average so maybe this is a big spike.

Having done today's lesson I am still pretty unclear about whether the ultimate goal is to bring my glucose spikes down 'flatten the curve', or whether the my goal is to reduce the total time my glucose is elevated, ie. Bring down average mmol. I'm sure it will all become clear...

I get you!

I think the goal is to flatten the curve. That's what seems to pop up on the blurb as you move along the app.

So, they talk about changing your diet so you don't get spikes.

Like you, I thought anything under 7.9 (I have read elsewhere that, after food, anything up to 7.9 is okay) BUT what seems to matter (as well) is how much your BG is raised above your average.

My daily average is showing around 4.6 (you can see your average every day on the app.)

So my 7.9 was a massive spike (for me) even though that is considered within the normal range.

The other thing that they think is valid is how long the spike takes to flatten.
So something that looks like the Matterhorn is okay, (up then down fast) and something that looks like a rolling hill with a low gradient is bad.

Eek - I've just had a HUMONGOUS spike - from 4.6 most of the morning (fasting) when I was out - I got home and had a jacket potato, beans and cheese. The BG score shot up to 9!

I added the cheese to try and help flatten the curve too 🤷‍♀️

I'll be gutted if jacket potatoes are a no no 🥴