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How to bring back the joy of food if you’re living with type 2 diabetes
Living with type 2 diabetes can be challenging, but the FreeStyle Libre 2 system can help you reignite your passion for food
Receiving a type 2 diagnosis may feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t mean you need to miss out on having great food or say “no” to all the things you love.
A simple to use FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus glucose monitoring sensor can help make it easier to live with type 2 diabetes, because you can monitor your glucose levels continuously and identify which foods work well for you and which ones don’t for improved metabolic control. So, you can live life on your own terms allowing you to feel confident managing your diabetes1.
The number one continuous glucose monitoring sensor worldwide2 backed by cutting -edge scientific research is designed to provide useful and reliable glucose insights to support people living with diabetes, so you can make healthy diet and lifestyle choices3. That means you’ll still be able to enjoy your favourites without feeling guilty. You can continue to enjoy a positive relationship with food and live your best life.
A small sensor with a lot to say
The great thing is you can manage your diabetes through food. For instance, eating your veggies and proteins first, followed by carbohydrates, can help steady your sugar levels4. Also, by eating healthily and increasing activity, some people will avoid or delay the need to take medication for diabetes5. Equally, there are plenty of easy and delicious ingredient swaps (see below for a few handy suggestions), that can help, too.
The FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensor allows you to understand where your glucose levels are– and where they’re heading – with a quick glance at your smartphone6,7. It will enable you to see how what you eat can affect your sugar levels and discover patterns, as well as learn which foods have a low impact on them, so you can make tweaks to what you’re eating accordingly. After all, the better informed you are about your glucose levels, the better food choices you can make.
Better still, the sensor is small and discreet8, it doesn’t involve any finger pricks9, and you can wear it while bathing, swimming10 or doing any other form of exercise. In fact, each one can last up to 15 days, which is longer than any other glucose sensor on the market. Plus, connecting the sensor to your smartphone6 is a cinch. You just need to launch the app, tap ‘find my sensor’, and within the hour, the sensor will adjust and start monitoring your glucose in real-time.
So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your food and enjoy your life with the FreeStyle Libre 2 system.
“It was a complete revelation to me. For the first time in my life with diabetes, I could see what was happening in my body. How the food I ate and exercise I did would affect my glucose levels, and various other information that was now available to help me manage my diabetes 24/7, 365 days a year.”
Ken, a FreeStyle Libre user
Simple swaps to help you avoid glucose spikes
Having a curry or a stir-fry? Try cauliflower rice in place of regular white rice
If you enjoy comforting mashed potatoes, try mashed kohlrabi as an alternative
For a snack, you can switch potato crisps for homemade parmesan crisps
Need a show-stopping side? Use parsnips to make a gratin instead of potatoes
Images are for illustrative purposes only. Not actual patients or data.
1. Fokkert, M. BMJ Open Diab Res Care (2019): https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000809.
2. Data on file, Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc. Based on the number of users worldwide for the FreeStyle Libre portfolio compared to the number of users for other leading personal use sensor-based glucose monitoring systems.
3. As per their health care professional advice.
4. Shukla, A. P., et al. (2015). Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels. Diabetes care, 38(7), e98–e99 https://doi.org/10.2337/dc15-0429.
5. NHS, April, 2021, Healthy eating with diabetes, last accessed March 17, 2023 https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-services/diabetes-endocrinology/diabetes-patient-information/healthy-eating-diabetes.
6. The FreeStyle LibreLink app is only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems. Please check the website for more information about device compatibility before using the app. Use of FreeStyle LibreLink may require registration with LibreView.
7. Glucose readings are automatically displayed in the app only when the smartphone and sensor are connected and in range.
8. Data on File, Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc.
9. Finger pricks are required if glucose readings do not match symptoms or expectations.
10 Sensor is water-resistant in up to 1m (3ft) of water. Do not immerse longer than 30 mins.
© 2024 Abbott. The sensor housing, FreeStyle, Libre, and related brand marks are marks of Abott. ADC-100087 V1.0 10/24