What’s REALLY Affecting Our Blood Sugar? (It’s More Than Just Food)
Blood sugars aren’t just about what we eat. Stress, sleep, exercise, even coffee, can throw off our numbers. Today, We’re Covering: The surprising factors that raise or lower blood sugar How to track beyond food for better control What to...
The episode, word for word
Hey, welcome back to Our Best T1D Year! I'm Neil Greathouse, and if you've got 5 minutes, you've got time for this podcast, whether you're making coffee, waiting on hold with customer service, or staring at your CGM wondering, "What in the world is happening right now?!"
Because let's be real, sometimes our blood sugars make zero sense. We counted the carbs, we took the insulin, and yet somehow, we're skyrocketing to 250 or dropping like a rock.
So today, we're talking about the secret blood sugar influencers, the things affecting us that aren't just food.
When we think about why our blood sugar moves, we usually blame one thing: Food.
And yeah, food matters a lot. But if it were the only factor, diabetes would be way easier to manage.
The truth? Blood sugar is a lot like the stock market, dozens of things influence it at once.
So if we're only tracking carbs and insulin, we're missing half the picture.
Let's break down the real culprits that throw off our numbers:
1⃣ Stress Blood Sugar Spike
Ever had a work deadline, an argument, or watched your sports team lose and suddenly your BG is sky-high?
That's cortisol at work, stress hormones push up blood sugar.
Solution: If we see a spike without food, it might be stress, not carbs.
2⃣ Exercise Drop... or Spike?!
Cardio usually drops BG, but weightlifting can spike it.
Why? Exercise makes insulin work faster, but intense workouts release adrenaline (which raises BG).
Solution: Write down how different workouts impact us.
3⃣ Sleep (or Lack of It) Insulin Resistance
Ever notice after a bad night's sleep, your BG runs higher all day?
Less sleep = more insulin resistance.
Solution: Log how many hours we sleep vs. how our BG acts the next day.
4⃣ Hormones The Monthly Mystery
Menstrual cycles mess with insulin sensitivity. Some weeks, we need way more insulin, other times, way less.
Solution: If cycles are predictable, we can adjust ahead of time.
5⃣ Caffeine The Sneaky Spiker
Black coffee has zero carbs, yet for some people, it spikes blood sugar.
Why? Caffeine triggers adrenaline, which raises BG.
Solution: Track coffee intake vs. blood sugar to see if it's a factor.
The more we track, the more we understand what's really going on.
If our numbers feel random, it's not because we're failing, it's because blood sugar isn't just about food.
And that's why tracking one extra thing besides carbs this week can help us crack the code.
Because we're not doing a bad job, we're doing a difficult job. And the more clues we collect, the better we get.
A huge thank you to Risely Health! We've partnered together to give you a free One Sheet Journal, the exact tool that's helped so many people (myself included).
To get yours, go to yourbestt1dyear.com or hit the link in my bio on Instagram or TikTok.
New episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so if you haven't yet, hit subscribe so you don't miss what's next.
Alright, see you in the next episode. Remember, we got this! Nobody remembers easy, what we're doing is pretty much incredible. I'm excited to hear about Our Best T1D Year Ever.
12 - March 12
This is the script as read on the mic, lightly tidied for reading. Education, not medical advice. Talk to your care team before you change anything about your insulin.