March 6, 2023
Garmin ambassador and Dexcom warrior Tiana Cooks pairs her Dexcom G6 along with her Garmin Venu 2S to intently monitor her glucose ranges whereas she trains.
For folks with diabetes, having the ability to rapidly view glucose ranges shouldn’t be solely handy — it’s important.
“I must maintain my glucose in a sure vary to really feel like my greatest self and to have the ability to keep alive,” says Garmin ambassador Tiana Cooks, who was identified with Sort 1 diabetes in 2014. Cooks makes use of a Dexcom G6 Steady Glucose Monitor (CGM) that pairs with the Dexcom app on her Garmin smartwatch1 to have the ability to monitor her ranges just by glancing at her wrist. This integration makes the robust days simpler, says Cooks, however you don’t must take our phrase for it. Under, Cooks solutions a number of questions on how the pairing of her Garmin smartwatch along with her glucose monitor has modified her life.
Which Garmin smartwatch do you may have? What are your favourite options?
I exploit the Venu® 2S! I really like this watch. Battery life, coronary heart price monitoring2 and Physique Battery™ vitality monitoring are a number of of my favourite options. As a result of I’m always charging my insulin pump, cellphone and different gadgets, it’s good to have one much less merchandise to fret about. I can sleep with the watch on without having to take it off for charging, which is a win.
What does it imply for you to have the ability to test your glucose ranges with only a look at your wrist? What was the method for checking them beforehand?
Dwelling with diabetes implies that I must know the place my glucose ranges are all day every single day. It means I must maintain my glucose in a sure vary to really feel like my greatest self and to have the ability to keep alive. The best vary for me is anyplace from 80 to 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Once I was first identified, I used to prick my finger seven to 9 instances every day to check my blood glucose. Now that I’ve the Dexcom G6, I’m able to monitor my glucose without having to prick my finger. The Dexcom G6 is a steady glucose monitor; it makes use of BLUETOOTH® to ship the readings to my cellphone and my watch. Each time I must test my glucose, it is so simple as trying down at my wrist. I’m so grateful for my Garmin! Accessing know-how is one thing I’ll by no means take without any consideration.
Do you monitor your glucose ranges intently throughout an exercise? What different metrics do you wish to pay shut consideration to?
Throughout an exercise is once I discover my glucose is probably the most unpredictable and quickly altering. So as to train, I would like to concentrate to what number of carbs I’m consuming, how a lot insulin I consumption and the depth of the exercise. These items all have the flexibility to influence my exercise and my glucose ranges. With my Garmin smartwatch, I’m able to see how a lot vitality I’m exerting throughout an exercise, which is useful in predicting the place my glucose ranges would possibly go.
Why is it necessary to have the ability to see the pattern course of your glucose ranges in addition to the 3-hour historical past?
With the ability to see the pattern and course of the place my glucose is heading has enabled me to spend extra days laughing, exploring and being energetic with out having to cease and deal with my glucose after it’s too late. Correcting my glucose earlier than my physique begins to really feel horrible has saved me a number of stress and offered me a number of freedom.
Are you able to converse to what it was like coaching for a marathon and having diabetes? How did your watch and the Dexcom integration influence your coaching?
Coaching for a marathon is hard. Coaching for a marathon with diabetes is even harder. My physique burns glucose when I’m energetic, inflicting my glucose to pattern on the decrease aspect. With the Dexcom and Garmin integration, I’m able to monitor and eat carbs as wanted whereas not needing to cease coaching to test my numbers. There are days when diabetes will get difficult and giving up looks as if the most suitable choice, however the integration makes these robust days simpler.
Fascinated by studying extra about Tiana Cooks? Comply with her Instagram account right here. Able to get arrange along with your Dexcom by yourself Garmin smartwatch? Study extra right here.
1The Dexcom apps on Join IQ™ are just for secondary show of information from the Dexcom CGM System and are for passive monitoring functions solely. The Dexcom apps on Join IQ should not supposed to interchange the Dexcom CGM System, nor substitute self-monitoring practices as suggested by a doctor. All therapeutic choices, together with these concerning calculating insulin or different drug doses, shouldn’t be based mostly on knowledge displayed within the Dexcom apps on Join IQ.
2See Garmin.com/ataccuracy
Dexcom G6 and Dexcom G5 Cell are registered emblems of Dexcom, Inc. within the U.S., and could also be registered in different nations.
The Bluetooth phrase mark and logos are registered emblems owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is below license.