A doctors experience using Lumen and a CGM
I’ve been on a personal metabolic science journey for six weeks, concurrently experimenting with Lumen and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)!
Many of you have asked about the difference between a CGM and Lumen. They measure two different metabolic processes, which are crucial for understanding how our bodies process energy and how we can optimize our nutrition and health.
A CGM measures your blood sugar and how quickly your body raises or lowers your blood sugar (an indirect measure of insulin sensitivity or resistance)
Lumen measures what fuel source the mitochondria are using in any given breath.
Both equally inform you about metabolic efficiency! While Lumen’s strength is guiding your metabolism to burn fat at rest (hello six pack!), likewise, a CGM informs you about insulin resistance trends and enhances carbohydrate utilization awareness.
Why six weeks? I want to observe my body’s insulin sensitivity throughout the menstrual cycle.
Why? Because as a woman of reproductive age, hormonal fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone have tremendous metabolic impact.
Here are my observations after the first week.
Week 1 (Menstrual phase): Estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest at the start of menses. Women’s basal metabolic rate is at its lowest during this time, meaning we burn fewer calories at rest. I often experience fatigue and intentionally take it easy, ramping up exercise towards the end of menses and beyond for the next three weeks. My Lumen results are continuously variable. I find getting into a morning level 1 fat burn harder, even with evening carbohydrate restriction, and eating dinner earlier to lengthen my fast. My CGM readings were “LOW.” Often, I had a blood glucose level below 70 at rest but would notice a “SPIKE” level of 120-130, depending on the carbohydrate source and protein content of my meals. The most notable “SPIKE” occurred after eating my homemade sourdough bread with mashed avocado and walnut butter for breakfast. I expected a slower rise given healthy fats and the modest 7 grams of protein, but I experienced a very rapid climb to 130. I can’t say if this is worrisome; I felt OK. However, I observed more stable rise and fall patterns when I consumed at least 20-30 grams of protein before consuming my delicious sourdough bread. Say 80’s (before eating) to 110’s (after eating). Protein is a known insulin helper! Eating protein first primes the body for improved blood sugar control.
On a macro scale, my Lumen levels after eating to 3-5 depending on the carbohydrate content. My CGM has spiked to >150 with stress- next post about that, where I’ll delve into the impact of stress on blood glucose levels and metabolic health!
Lumen promotes carbohydrate cycling to enhance the mitochondria’s efficiency in using carbohydrate sources as energy immediately after consuming them instead of storing them as body fat. What I noticed, is that I have uncanny abilities at recovery from a glucose spike. My glucose may rise to 130 quickly without protein but also falls quickly due to my insulin sensitivity. I thank Lumen for coaching me towards metabolic efficiency.
Using the CGM, I discovered the correct way to consume carbohydrates without causing significant glucose spikes. For instance, whole grains, rice (which never spiked my glucose), many vegetables (any variety, including starchy squashes), and beans all produced favorable slow 20-30 point swings in my CGM. Adding these carbohydrate sources could be a valuable strategy for those looking to manage their blood sugar levels.
Remember, this is just my personal experience with blood glucose trends and Lumen results during the first week of my cycle. We’re all unique, with different genetic makeups and stress levels, and our bodies respond differently to stress and food. Our bodies process whole foods more effectively, and as a physician and metabolism enthusiast, I advocate for their consumption for health and longevity.
Stay tuned for my next post, where I’ll delve into the stress response, blood glucose levels, Lumen results, and tips for recognizing stress earlier than Lumen can show. I can’t wait to share more with you!
To Health!
Sincerely your metabolic team mate,
Dr. Erika La Vella, DO, FASMBS
Interested in trying Lumen? It is a subscription service and a breath analyzing device that will dramatically improve your body fat percentage. its not magic tool, it informs you what your macro nutrient target for the day should be by how well you use fat for fuel at rest. Carb cycling with data! Want to become a fat burning machine? Use Lumen! Discount code: ARTOFB at check out.
What CGM did I use? I used a “Stelo” by Dexacom. You simply order one to be shipped to your home. Fire the device into your arm and download the app. Its simple to use. Do I feel like I need this data constantly? No. 6 weeks has been sufficient enough experimentation to inform my choices. I don’t have insulin resistance or type 2 DM although if I notice any chronic metabolic changes, I will surely order another round of monitoring just to check in.