People with Diabetes Archives

Transforming Diabetes Care in the United Kingdom: Shaping the Future through Technology, Data, and Partnerships

In the United Kingdom, diabetes technology has rapidly advanced over the past two decades, with platforms like Glooko playing a central role in simplifying care and management.

In honor of Diabetes Week U.K. (9 June to 15), we’re taking a look at the state of diabetes, technology designed to better manage the condition, and the outlook on the evolution of diabetes care and technology.

The State of Diabetes in the United Kingdom

Diabetes is a significant public health concern in the U.K. According to Diabetes U.K., more than 5.8 million people are currently living with the condition. Of these, approximately 4.6 million have been diagnosed and an estimated 1.3 million people may be living with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

Of those diagnosed with diabetes in the U.K., Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90% of cases. While risk factors for Type 1 diabetes include family history and the presence of other autoimmune conditions, Type 2 diabetes risk is heightened obesity, family history, a history of gestational diabetes, specific medications, and other factors.

To address the growing prevalence of diabetes and support those affected, the National Health Service (NHS) offers various education programs aimed at empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage their diabetes effectively, improve health outcomes, and reduce the risk of complications.

For individuals with Type 2 diabetes, programs like DESMOND (Diabetes Education and Self-Management for Ongoing and Newly Diagnosed) and the X-PERT Diabetes Programme provide education on managing the condition through lifestyle changes and self-monitoring. For those with Type 1 diabetes, the DAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating) program offers guidance on insulin management and dietary considerations and Digibete helps young people, families, and communities better manage Type 1 diabetes. Additionally, the VICTOR program is designed for adults with Type 2 diabetes who are on insulin therapy and focuses on adjusting insulin doses in response to routine changes.

Diabetes Technology Today

In the U.K., diabetes technology is advancing quickly with Glooko helping streamline data management across compatible diabetes and health monitoring devices, including:

Hybrid closed loop (HCL) systems, which combine continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with insulin pumps to automatically adjust insulin delivery based on real-time data.
Devices like Tandem t:slim X2 require cable downloads, while mylife Loop powered by CamAPS® FX and Omnipod® 5 use cloud-to-cloud integration.
CGMs provide glucose trends and alerts and are often compatible with pumps and cloud platforms.
Abbott FreeStyle Libre CGMs data can be seen within Glooko through the upload of data from HCL-compatible insulin pumps.
Fitness and health monitoring apps can track steps, weight, and blood pressure.
Smart pens and connected pens allow for remote or in-clinic dose tracking.

Transforming Diabetes Care in the United Kingdom with Glooko

Across the country, more than 85,000 people living with diabetes use Glooko’s digital health platform to manage their diabetes and more than 500 clinics are using Glooko to provide better care to their patients.*

Through our data*, we identified key metrics for time in range for people with Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes in the U.K. using Glooko during 2024.

Type	Time In Range (TIR) \| 3.9-10 mmol/l	Time in Tight Range (TITR) \| 3.9-7.8 mmol/l
Type 1 Diabetes	64%	41%
Type 2 Diabetes	58%	34%
Gestational Diabetes	74%	50%

Today, there is an increased interest in TITR and TIR as a result of the recent technology available for managing diabetes. The Glooko diabetes data management platform helps healthcare providers monitor TIR and TITR to improve glycemic outcomes for people living with diabetes, bringing data from multiple devices into one platform with comprehensive charts and graphs. It ensures consistent data access — even without connected devices — and meets high standards for data protection, including GDPR compliance, to support safe, effective, and standardised diabetes care.

The Future of Diabetes Care in the United Kingdom

The future of diabetes care in the U.K. lies in advancing technology and deeper collaboration. Recent key developments include moving towards fully closed loop systems, integrating AI-enabled personalized insights, and aligning diabetes management with weight loss medications. Continued innovation will help provide more tailored, effective treatment options for people living with diabetes.

Progress also depends on strong partnerships with leading diabetes organisations like the Diabetes Technology Network (DTN-UK) and Diabetes National Networking Forums (NNF).

By showcasing technologies such as hybrid closed loop systems at local events from these leading organisations and through initiatives like our Academy program, a collaboration between Glooko and the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists(ABCD)/DTN-UK providing free education for medical professionals in the U.K., we help educate, support, and empower both clinicians and people living with diabetes across the country.

*Internal Glooko data; based on active Glooko users that synced during 2024

New Glooko Web 25.1 and Mobile 6.11 Release Enhances Reporting and Security

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting healthcare providers and people living with diabetes, we’re excited to share the latest enhancements and features now available in Glooko Web 25.1 and Mobile 6.11. These updates are designed to streamline workflows, improve patient engagement and security, and provide care teams with more robust tools to manage diabetes care effectively.

Patient Notes and Medications in Week View

Care teams and people living with diabetes can now view notes and medication entries added to the Glooko Mobile and Web App directly in Week View, both online and in PDF reports. These entries appear in a new collapsible “Events” section below each day, making it easier to contextualize trends in glucose data and treatment behaviors.

Streamlined Week View PDF Reports

In our new release, Week View PDFs are now cleaner and more efficient. Sections without data will be automatically hidden, allowing more patient data over a few days to fit on each page.

The glucose and statistics sections will always remain, and a single, comprehensive legend will now appear at the end of the report.

Smarter Defaults in the PDF Wizard for Hybrid Closed Loop Systems

Designed to streamline reporting workflows and help care teams quickly access the most meaningful insights, the Glooko PDF Wizard now automatically pre-selects the most relevant reports, including Summary, Week, Daily, and Devices, when a patient uses a Hybrid Closed Loop System like Omnipod® 5, Tandem t:slim X2 with Control-IQ technology, or mylife Loop powered by CamAPS® FX.

Care teams can still customize the selections as needed.

Enhanced Security in the Glooko Mobile App

At Glooko, we’re committed to the security and safety of our platform users.

People living with diabetes, including those under age 18, can now manage their login credentials (email and password) through a new Login Security section in the Glooko Mobile App’s Account Settings. We’ve also expanded support for two-factor authentication (2FA) to users to ensure an extra layer of protection.

Explore More Updates

For more detailed information about the new features designed to simplify diabetes management, be sure to check out the full release notes on the Glooko Support Center.

From Clinic to Innovation: Guiding Glooko’s Future in Diabetes Management

As healthcare providers, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in diabetes management. Technological advances — from remote patient monitoring to artificial intelligence — have dramatically reshaped patient care. Yet, amid these innovations, a crucial element often remains overlooked: the voices of clinicians and people with diabetes.

In my new expanded role as Chief Medical and Strategy Officer at Glooko, I am excited about the opportunity to transition from direct patient care into a broader role where I can continue to make a significant impact on diabetes management and improve the lives of people with diabetes. I believe my firsthand clinical experience positions me uniquely to guide Glooko’s innovation efforts, ensuring we build tools that genuinely meet the needs of clinicians and people with diabetes alike.

In my nearly two decades as a pediatric endocrinologist, I’ve observed the profound potential—and the challenges—of integrating digital solutions into daily diabetes management. Clinicians routinely manage a complex array of tasks: reviewing glucose data from continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) or meters, adjusting insulin regimens, coaching patients on lifestyle, documenting clinical decisions, and coordinating across care teams. With a single person’s CGM device generating up to 288 data points per day, ¹ clinicians managing numerous people with diabetes face overwhelming workloads.

Individuals with diabetes echo similar concerns. Many describe data fatigue from constant management and analysis of their glucose levels. As one person stated, „The data is overwhelming; without clear insights and simpler ways to interpret it, it’s just noise.“

Although this wealth of data is invaluable, it contributes significantly to clinician burnout, and burn out among people with diabetes. Alarmingly, half to two-thirds of clinicians experience burnout, driven largely by bureaucratic tasks, extended working hours, and the sheer volume of data management.^2,3

Individuals with diabetes also report significant stress from managing their condition daily. Every glucose reading can feel like a pass or fail test. Effective technological integration could alleviate such emotional burdens by making data actionable, intuitive, and less intrusive.

At Glooko, we recognize that technology alone is not sufficient—it must seamlessly integrate into clinician workflows. Clinicians offer essential insights into behaviors of individuals, adherence barriers, and preferences. Unfortunately, many digital diabetes solutions miss the mark due to inadequate clinician input, leading to underutilization—only about 40% see active clinical use.⁴ Glooko addresses this by ensuring clinician insights directly shape our technology, streamlining workflow integration through interoperability with electronic health records (EHRs).

In a similar vein, simplicity and intuitive user experiences are paramount for people with diabetes to properly leverage diabetes management technologies. If the technology is complicated, it just becomes another barrier.

Today, our connected care platform exemplifies this integrated approach, merging patient-generated data with clinical decision-making tools. Evidence demonstrates connected care significantly improves diabetes outcomes, with reductions in HbA1c levels of up to 1.5% and fewer hypoglycemic events.⁵ Glooko enables clinicians to swiftly identify high-risk trends and proactively manage care for people with diabetes.

Tomorrow, AI-driven predictive analytics within Glooko could transform diabetes management by forecasting hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events, facilitating timely, preventive interventions. Automating routine data analysis tasks can reduce clinicians’ documentation burdens by approximately 30%,^6,7 significantly alleviating stress and freeing clinicians to focus more deeply on clinical interactions. For people with diabetes, this can provide a significant improvement in their overall diabetes management.

I believe Glooko has immense potential, especially through advanced analytics and decision support. For instance, we could empower clinicians to shift from generalized treatment plans to highly personalized management strategies, grounded in timely data.

Innovation that is guided by those on the frontlines of care — people with diabetes and their care providers — is critical for meaningful advancements that can truly move the needle in diabetes care. In my role, I am dedicated to ensuring our solutions enhance workflows, support better outcomes, and ultimately bring a human-centric approach to diabetes management.

Together, we will define the future of diabetes care, directly addressing challenges clinicians face and improving the lives of those we treat. Here’s to a bright future ahead!

1. Speakman, ASHP. 2. Hammes et al., Endocrine News; Medscape Endocrinologist Lifestyle Report, 2022. 3. Batta et al., BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 4. Shah et al., J. Diabetes Sci Technol., 2023.5. Su et al., J. Med Internet Res., 2023. 6. AMA Digital Health Report. 7. Sidharthan et al., Scientific Reports, 2025.

The Power of Food Logging: A Smarter Way to Manage Diabetes with Glooko

Food and nutrition play a vital role in achieving a healthy lifestyle. This is particularly important in diabetes management, especially for people living with Type 2 diabetes.

In the Glooko Mobile App available on the App Store and Google Play Store, people living with diabetes can easily log what they eat at home or while on the go using our food tracking feature, a popular functionality that always receives praise from our users.

Through our integration with the world’s largest dietitian-verified grocery database of more than 1 million items from over 46,000 grocery brands, users of the Glooko Mobile App can accurately track their meals and snacks in a variety of ways and create a personal log to better understand how food and nutrition impacts their diabetes.

Glooko offers many options for logging food intake:

Search the largest grocery database on the planet: Easily find and add generic or branded foods by typing the name into the app. Learn how to use this feature…
Use the innovative voice capture capability: Simply speak the name of a food item to log it in Glooko. Find out how to use the voice capture feature…
Scan barcodes: Use a smartphone camera to scan packaged food barcodes to instantly access nutritional information and effortlessly add to the app’s log. See how to use the barcode scanner functionality…

By viewing food and nutrition data, including carbohydrates, calories, fats, and proteins, alongside insights from their connected diabetes and health monitoring devices, medications, and insulin, users can uncover trends and make smarter food choices. Since people don’t need to log into multiple platforms to manage both their diabetes and nutrition data, we’ve recently seen an increase in food logging frequency and more tracking of localized food items around the world.

More ways to eat smart and track more effectively using the Glooko Mobile App

To better serve the diverse needs of users around the globe, Glooko has localized food items searchable in German, French, Spanish, Italian, UK English, and US English to support people living with diabetes in these regions.

Frequent users can also save time by creating custom food entries for their favorite meals — perfect for quick re-logging of their go-to foods.

Glooko Mobile App users can complement their food logging with quick notes using free text or the dropdown menu option to provide details like miscalculated carbs, overeating, dining out, or skipped meals. These notes help communicate important context to their healthcare team who can provide more information dietary or medication recommendations as needed.

Share nutrition data with healthcare providers

While we’ve really focused on the benefits of food tracking for people living with diabetes, healthcare providers and care teams also benefit from this feature. They can view this logged nutrition data alongside their patients’ other health data in Glooko to have a more comprehensive view of everything affecting their patients’ diabetes.

The evolution of our food tracker

Glooko plans on further innovating its app to provide advanced food analysis tools, including micronutrients, more photos, and easier logging, and personalized nutrition insights with real-time feedback on how specific food choices directly impact a person’s health. An advanced, data-driven approach will empower people living with diabetes to make even timely, smarter, and more informed decisions about their health.

Download the Glooko Mobile App today

Ready to take diabetes management to the next level? Download the Glooko Mobile App from the App Store or Google Play Store and start logging food, tracking health data, and uncovering insights that support better living with diabetes.* *Not all product features are available in all countries.

*Not all product features are available in all countries.

Design a New Resistance Exercise Program With Glooko’s Resident Fitness Expert!

Welcome back to my blog. I hope you’ve read my previous blog post on how to increase your daily physical activity and how to design an aerobic exercise program. In the previous post, I talked about how to design a new aerobic exercise program for yourself. This time, I’m going to discuss the benefits of adding resistance exercise to your exercise routine. I will explain some of the benefits of resistance exercise and will give you some tips on how to design and stick to your program.

*Just remember that before you start any exercise program, it’s always important to ask your healthcare provider to make sure you are medically cleared to exercise.

What is resistance exercise?

Resistance exercise, also called weight lifting or strength training is a mode of exercise in which you will use a form of resistance (body weight, elastic bands, weights) to build strength and increase muscle mass.

Benefits:

Resistance exercise is beneficial for many reasons. As we age, we lose muscle mass and bone density and research has shown that resistance exercise can help prevent the loss of both muscle and bone.

Additionally, since muscle tissue is sensitive to insulin, research also shows that by building more muscle mass and increasing insulin sensitivity, most individuals with diabetes can better manage their blood glucose.

There is also evidence that indicates adding resistance exercise and improving muscular health can be beneficial in helping us maintain independence in performing activities of daily living, preventing the risk of falls and injuries, and the risk of other age-related chronic conditions.

Programming:

Starting a resistance exercise program on your own can seem challenging, but by being aware of key factors and knowing how to address them, you can set yourself up for success. Here are important things to consider and how to approach them when beginning your resistance exercise program:

Mode: You can choose between free weights (such as dumbbells and barbells), weight machines, resistance bands, or simply your bodyweight. It’s best to start with weight machines if you have access to the gym. Resistance bands and bodyweight exercises are also excellent options to start with and learn the movements especially if you don’t want to go to a gym.
Intensity: For adjusting intensity, you need to determine your movements, weights, sets, repetitions, and rest period:
- Movement selection: It’s always best to choose movements that involve more than one joint such as squat, deadlift, push up, row, and shoulder press. There are lots of variations to these exercises. For the start, let’s stay away from free weights (dumbbells and barbells) and instead do bodyweights (meaning use your own body weight as resistance), resistance bands, or weight machines.For bodyweight movements like squats and push-ups, your body weight provides the resistance. Focus on proper form and technique before adding external weight or resistance. If using resistance bands, choose bands with a level of resistance to match your current strength level. Start with a lighter band and gradually progress to heavier ones as you get stronger. If using weight machines, pay attention to how to load, unload, and adjust the machine for optimal body positioning.
- Weight selection, sets, repetitions, and rest period: You can load your movements by adding weights, choosing different body positions, or using different bands. The more you load the movement (meaning the more you add resistance), the lower the number of repetitions. And you should always feel challenged towards the end of the repetitions in each set. For example when doing 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions, when you get to the 7th or 8th repetition in each set, you should feel that it gets noticeably more challenging. That’s how you know you have chosen the right amount of weights!
  
  If it’s the first time doing resistance exercise, start with bodyweight movements, and bands and aim at doing 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions regardless of how hard it feels. As you get better at doing the movements and learn the technique, you can start using machines, free weights, or heavier bands and follow the rule above to choose the right amount of weights. When choosing machines and free weights, you can start with 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions and work your way up to 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions or 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Remember the lower the number of repetitions, the heavier the weights.
  
  Also, you need to rest for 30 to 90 seconds between each set.
Frequency: Start off with 1-2 times per week and aim at increasing it to 3 times per week.
Duration: Always aim at completing about 8-10 exercises (3 sets of 8-10 reps) that cover major muscle groups in each session.
Progression and variation:
- Progression and variations are two key elements to help you get stronger, build muscle mass, and help keep you motivated. You can do this by:
  - Changing the order of exercises you do
  - Doing different exercise variations (for example, if you’ve been doing barbell back squats, switch to front squats)
  - Changing the number of sets, repetitions, and weights
  - Choosing between machines, free weights, bodyweights, or resistance bands
Exercise form and technique: Exercise form is crucial when doing resistance exercise. That’s why it’s recommended that beginners start with bodyweight exercises and resistance bands to learn and master movements first. Multi-joint movements such as squat, deadlift, shoulder press, chest press, and row all need practice. Never rush to begin loading your movements. If you are not sure of your technique, join a local gym and ask for a free personal training session. You can also use online resources such as this exercise library from American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Best Practices

Adherence is crucial to the success of any exercise program. Here are some valuable tips to help you stick to your new resistance exercise routine:

Pay attention to your form. Proper form and technique are important to avoid injury. One of the reasons people drop out of exercise programs is experiencing pain or injuries. So, make sure that you learn the proper forms and techniques with minimal loads before loading your movements. You can watch yourself in the mirror or even film yourself to see your form later.
Make it fun: Choose exercises and variations that you enjoy. If you like what you’re doing, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Prevent excessive muscle soreness. Pay attention to how your body responds after each workout. Some soreness is normal, especially when starting a new program or increasing intensity. However, excessive soreness that interferes with daily activities is a sign that you may have progressed too quickly. And let’s face it, excessive muscle soreness after exercise is not fun! You can avoid this by progressing slowly. For example, if your goal is to do 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions, increase the weights only when you can complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions without feeling excessive fatigue or soreness the day after.
Allow for recovery: Give your muscles time to recover between workouts. Adequate rest is essential for muscle repair and growth, as well as reducing soreness.
Be patient and realistic: Understand that progress takes time. Avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your own journey.
Reward yourself: Celebrate your achievements, both big and small. Rewards can help reinforce positive behavior.
Overcome barriers: Identify potential obstacles and develop strategies to overcome them. Whether it’s lack of time, motivation, or resources, having a plan in place can help.
Monitor your blood glucose. Remember to monitor your blood glucose before, during (if possible), and after an exercise session to learn how your body reacts to your new exercise routine. Take a look at this resource from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and see how you can get started safely with exercise while monitoring your blood glucose.
One way to keep track of your blood glucose is to download and use the Glooko app. You can also connect and sync your activity tracker app, including iHealth, Fitbit, or Strava, to Glooko. This way, you can see both your blood glucose and activity data in one place. This way, you can always review your own data and determine what works best for you.

Now, it’s time for you to start creating your resistance exercise program using the guidance above. I hope this information can help you in your journey to lead a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Yours in Health and Fitness,

Sanaz Nosrat, PhD, CSCS, ACE PT

MKT-0493 01

Tips for Better Diabetes Management When Travelling

Welcome to a new series from Nurse Amanda full of useful health tips for people with diabetes! I’ve been a registered children’s nurse for over 23 years and I’ve had a special interest in diabetes for over 11 years.

To kick off this new series, our first blog post will cover travel. With school out for the summer, you may have a holiday booked. I certainly look forward to the family holiday every year. However, living with diabetes and organising a holiday is not just about what clothes to pack, it’s a whole load more. Diabetes also needs to be planned for during vacations.

TRAVEL TIPS

Set an alarm on the Glooko® Mobile App to remind you to order your consumables and GP prescription well in advance.
Take double the amount of equipment you need and carry it in your hand luggage. If you are travelling with a partner, split the equipment between both bags, just in case one gets lost. Sometimes airlines will permit extra luggage if they are contacted prior to arriving at the airport.
Always wear some form of diabetes I.D. to alert others to your chronic condition.
Make sure you have adequate travel insurance and the company has been made aware that you have diabetes.
You can ask for a customs letter from your health care team to help you through security with your insulin and pen needles.
Always carry some hypo treatment and be prepared to test your blood glucose more regularly. You could use a Bluetooth enabled blood glucose meter (BGM) to sync your results with Glooko for your care team to support you whilst you are away.
If you use an insulin pump to manage your diabetes, some companies can provide a holiday pump service, so you can take a spare insulin pump with you. There’s no harm in asking. If this is needed, you can login to your Glooko account and see your latest device settings to programme the spare pump. Don’t forget to take your back up insulin pens as well!
You can keep an eye on your glucose control through the recently redesigned Glooko® Mobile App.
Track your food during your holiday with the Glooko Mobile App on your phone so you can see how different foods affect your diabetes.
You may have a change in your activity levels. You can also track these within the Glooko ® Mobile App to review how it affects your glucose control.

You also need to think about what kind of holiday it is. Will it be warm or cold?

TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN HEAT

Please note, not everyone with diabetes will react the same to weather changes or changes in physical activity. Although some find heat can increase the sensitivity of insulin resulting in hypos, it is not always the case. Experiment how your body responds to heat changes and be fully prepared. You can keep a log of your symptoms in the Notes section of the Glooko app and also log any physical activity.

Keep your insulin and meter as cool as you can without freezing it so the insulin does not get damaged.
Store spare insulin in a cold or cool place. Most hotels have a fridge.
If you are using an insulin pump, consider changing the insulin cartridge more regularly than at home, especially if your blood glucose is rising.
Keep your pump and insulin out of the sun as much as possible. Consider using an insulin cooler bag.
Your cannula may not stick as well being in and out of the pool or the suncream formula, so consider some form of extra adhesive.

COLD WEATHER TRAVEL TIPS

Keep your BGM close to your body as much as possible to keep it warm.
Add some extra wrapping around your BGM and insulin.
If you’re sleeping in tents or somewhere cold at night, make sure your BGM is in bed with you next to your body. Be careful not to roll on it and cause damage.
If the insulin has frozen or does not look clear with specks or lumps in it, throw it away and open a new vial.

Another worry may be if you are travelling across time zones and treating your diabetes with an insulin pump and basal settings. To alleviate anxiety, try these tips.

TIPS FOR TRAVELLING ACROSS TIME ZONES

A time zone change of up to four hours can be managed by adjusting the insulin pump’s clock to the new destination time.

Time zone changes of four hours or more can be managed by adjusting the insulin pump’s clock by four hours before you board the plane. After a couple of days, you can change it to the destination time. On return, use the same method to revert back to your home local time. You can also set reminders in the Glooko app to alert you to change the time.

Remember to check blood glucose levels more frequently whilst doing this and treat any short-term complications accordingly.

I hope you follow my tips for a better diabetes management experience while travelling.

And most of all, enjoy your holiday!

Amanda Stoney, RN (CHILD), BSc (HONS), Specialist Practitioner, PG Certificate

MKT-0482 01

Design A New Aerobic Exercise Program with Glooko’s Resident Fitness Expert

Welcome back to Glooko’s blog on exercise and physical activity.

I hope by now you’ve read my previous blog post on how to increase your daily physical activity. In that post, I shared why daily activities are important for our health and suggested some tips on how to incorporate them into your routine. This time around, I’m going to discuss the benefits of adding structured aerobic exercise into your life and give you some tips on how to design and stick to your program.

Before you start any exercise program, it’s always important to ask your healthcare provider to make sure you are medically cleared to exercise.

WHAT IS AEROBIC EXERCISE?

“Aerobic exercise,” also referred to as “cardio” or “cardiorespiratory exercise” is any rhythmic, repeated movement that is performed for at least 5 minutes. Some examples include brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, bicycling, the use of an elliptical machine, water aerobics and a step class.

Aerobic exercise has numerous benefits for you whether you’re a person living with diabetes or any other related chronic conditions, or living without any chronic condition. According to the CDC and WHO, these benefits include having better glycemic control, easier weight management, prevention of heart disease and high blood pressure, a better blood lipid profile (think of your cholesterol, LDL and HDL), and better sleep and mood.

DESIGN YOUR AEROBIC EXERCISE PROGRAM

So, how should you start? Here are four important variables that you can modify to design your aerobic exercise program.

Mode: This is the type of exercise you can do. I know “walking” is a popular form of aerobic exercise, but not everyone needs to start with that. You might like the elliptical machine in the gym better than walking. Or you might prefer a dance class at your local gym, while another person might prefer water aerobics. Pick an exercise and see if you like it. You can mix them up as well and have a variety of activities that you can pick from when you want to work out.
Duration: Now it’s time to decide how many minutes you want to do the activity. You can start with 10 minutes and increase that over time. Aim to finally achieve 30 minutes of this activity in each session. How do you gradually increase the duration of your activity? Here is an example: after completing three sessions of aerobic activity, you can increase the duration of the fourth session by 3 to 5 minutes. Keep on doing this until you reach your 30-minute goal.
Frequency: This is the number of times you need to repeat this activity during the week. You can start with once per week and increase that gradually to 3 to 5 times per week.
Intensity: It’s also important to decide at what intensity you want to work out. Aerobic exercise can be performed in low, moderate or high (vigorous) intensities. One way to determine the intensity of your exercise is to purchase a heart rate monitor or a fitness tracker, many of which are compatible with the Glooko® Mobile App. The other way you can determine the intensity of your workouts is with a talk test. When you are at a low to moderate intensity, you will be able to carry a conversation, but won’t be able to sing. When at a high (vigorous) intensity, you can’t say more than a few words without pausing to catch a breath. So what intensity should you start with? It’s always better to start with low to moderate intensity. You will enjoy your moderate intensity workouts more and chances are you will stick to them as well!

You now have four main variables of mode, duration, frequency and intensity to modify and design your workouts. It’s important to emphasize that it’s always better to increase the duration and frequency of your activity first, and if you like, you can then increase the intensity. Always remember to increase these variables gradually. This way, you are more likely to adhere to your exercise program and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries will be lower.

HOW DO I STICK TO MY NEW AEROBIC EXERCISE PROGRAM?

It’s time now for some tips to help you adhere to your new aerobic exercise program.

Make it fun. Choose an activity that’s fun for you. Exercising should not be boring, uncomfortable, or painful. It’s possible to enjoy an exercise program and still reap the benefits.
“No pain, No gain” is a myth. Exercise doesn’t have to be painful to be beneficial. Most people don’t enjoy higher exercise intensities and feel too uncomfortable while doing it. If you are one of those people, remember that you can stick to moderate intensity and still get all the benefits. Research from Sports Medicine shows that low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise is more enjoyable than high intensity aerobic exercise, especially if you are new to the exercise program.
Start slow. I know it might be exciting to go all out at the beginning, or to test your abilities to see how intense or how long you can work out, but It’s safer and more enjoyable if you start slow and let your body adapt and get used to the exercise program gradually.
Spread out your workouts. You can complete a 30-minute workout in one session or spread it out during the day. For example, you can go for a brisk walk three times per day each time for 10 minutes rather than completing a 30-minute walk at once.
Consider doing low-impact activities. If you have any issues with your feet, such as peripheral neuropathy, or if you experience pain in your joints from time to time, it would be safer and more beneficial if you choose non-weight bearing aerobic exercises like swimming or bicycling. Always wear comfortable shoes and inspect your feet after each workout for any potential irritated spots.
This is a long-term goal. Although you might experience positive changes in mood and energy levels immediately after each session (which is great!), you need to stick to your program for a couple of months at least and make it an essential part of your new healthier routine to experience most of the benefits of aerobic exercise.
Be kind to yourself. It’s possible that you may miss some of your planned exercise sessions, become frustrated and even decide you want to stop exercising altogether. Just remember that this is a lifestyle change and everything can’t be perfect all the time. Be kind to yourself and get back to your plan every time you relapse. It will eventually become easier to stick to your exercise plans.
Monitor your blood glucose. Be sure to monitor your blood glucose before, during (if possible), and after an exercise session to learn how your body reacts to your new exercise routine. Take a look at this helpful information from the American Diabetes Association and see how you can get started safely with exercise while monitoring your blood glucose. Don’t forget to use the newly redesigned Glooko app to sync your blood glucose data and track your aerobic exercise routine. This way, you can always look back at your health data and find out what works best for you.

It’s time for you to start creating your aerobic exercise program using the above guide. I hope this information can help you in your journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Yours in Health and Fitness,

Sanaz Nosrat, PhD, CSCS, ACE PT

MKT-0466

Glooko Launches Sleek New Mobile App Design to Make Diabetes Management Easier

Today, we launched a sleek new look to the Glooko® Mobile App, which makes it easier for users with diabetes to navigate, organize their data in one place and share their data with their doctor and extended care team. We’ve also streamlined data visualization, so users can seamlessly view all their data at once.

The modern look and feel of the Home screen allows for quick access to the user’s most used actions, including seeing glucose trends, logging medication, and tracking food and exercise.

For new mobile app users getting started with Glooko, we’ve simplified the onboarding process and customized it to fit individual goals.

From easily connecting to their clinics and sharing reports with their care team to using the Quick Add slider to conveniently add food, insulin and exercise, the free Glooko Mobile App, available in the App Store and Google Play Store, goes where people with diabetes go.

Wondering what went into the redesign of our digital health app? We sat down with some of the Glooko team members, including Director of Product Design Amanda Martin, Product Designer Ben Stone and Product Manager Chase Sutton, who worked behind-the-scenes to learn more about the process.

What were the goals and motivation behind the Glooko Home screen’s new look? How did you decide what features to highlight in the Home screen?

While we always take into account feedback from our users, our team performed extensive research and interviews to see what opportunities existed for changes in the app that would result in the greatest improvements. Through this, we landed on focusing our efforts mostly on the Home screen, the onboarding process for new users, and modernizing the user experience.

In this high-impact space, we reimagined how to display insights for users through side-by-side and detailed charts and graphs with all the pertinent data, including its sources, in one place. We added Quick Add buttons for easily tracking food, insulin, medication and other actions important to people with diabetes.

Through our interviews, we learned that users like to feel connected to their doctors and care teams and view that as a major benefit of Glooko. We wanted our users to have a direct link to them, so we added to the Home screen an easy way to reach and share data with them.

We also learned that we needed to improve the onboarding experience by making it quicker to get started and sync diabetes devices. This process was a hurdle for users in the past and we sought to simplify it in the redesign. There’s now a space on the Home screen for new users who are looking to get started with Glooko.

What are some of the main takeaways from the redesign of the Glooko Mobile App? How will this help current and new users?

For both current and new users of Glooko, the updated navigation on the Home screen helps users access key features more efficiently as the older version had many features tucked away and hard to discover. We put popular features, like food logging and sharing data with care teams, front and center on the Home screen—all available with one scroll and featuring the latest synced data.

For new users, we really wanted to give them an easy onboarding experience. We learned that the earlier version of the Glooko app’s onboarding was somewhat complicated and could be viewed as a turn off for people just joining and looking to take full advantage of our digital health app.

The reimagined onboarding is guided and shows new users what to do in a very organized, “bite-sized” way that allows them to easily complete it at their own pace.

What’s the new onboarding process like? Is it easier and does it have less steps for new users?

We learned through our interviews that the onboarding process definitely needed an overhaul. Users would go to the first step of syncing their device and then never went any further with the process as they found it too difficult. Our takeaway was that we needed to get new users to the Home screen right away.

In the new process, users now start on the Home screen and can complete the onboarding tracker, which includes syncing their device, tracking their insulin and completing their Glooko profile, in any order and timeframe. Users now get to experience all the features of Glooko right out of the gate!

How did you take feedback from people living with diabetes when making these changes that improve the experience of the Glooko Mobile App?

Connecting with users and hearing from them is incredibly important to our design process.

We have a human-centered design team, so it was integral that we talked to actual Glooko users to hear their feedback. We took what we learned and brought sketches and concepts for improving the Glooko Mobile App back to them. It’s a cycle that we go through all the time, but one that we really valued in this project.

Our team had some great conversations during this process with users who synced once to those who were very active in the app and constantly logging food. Each user group who provided us with feedback helped inform our decisions in the redesign.

We also used insights from data in the app to verify our theories around user engagement during these interviews.

What’s some of the feedback you’ve received from test users on the new look?

They’ve all been very excited about the improvements to the Glooko Mobile App.

We’ve received the most feedback about the modern look and feel, responsiveness and colors. Users are also pleased with the personalized way the data is displayed, whether it’s a continuous glucose meter, blood glucose meter or other compatible device.

The simplified, consistent and clean approach to the new experience will continue to resonate with our users—new and existing.

What other changes will be coming in the future to the Glooko Mobile App?

We have an ambitious and exciting roadmap for the mobile app, and much of it is focused on data.

We want users to better understand their overall health, so we’re looking to develop innovative and detailed charts and graphs to enable the next-generation of diabetes insights. These new data insights will give people with diabetes and their care teams the ability to make smarter decisions to improve their health.

Additionally, we’ll introduce personalized nudges that will help encourage behavior change and guide users to better lifestyle decisions in the coming future.

While all these future upgrades are very exciting, we’re giving both people with diabetes and their doctors the ability to see the power of Glooko and what connected care really is in our new reimagined version today.

The Glooko app is now available in the App Store and Google Play Store.

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Time to Move More! The Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity from Glooko’s Resident Fitness Expert

Welcome to a new blog series from Glooko focused on the benefits of physical activity and how to incorporate more movement into your daily life. While we’ll focus on physical activity and fitness for people with diabetes, everything I share can be enjoyed by anyone.

So, who am I? I’m Sanaz Nosrat, a clinical research scientist at Glooko. I have a PhD in exercise science with multiple certifications from the American Council on Exercise and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I also have multiple years of experience as both an exercise science researcher and personal trainer.

I’m hoping this new blog series will help you live a more active lifestyle. So, get ready to join me on a fun journey towards a healthier and happier you!

Wondering how you can get started with being more physically active today?

You have probably heard many times that physical activity benefits your health. Maybe you are wondering how to become more physically active without making significant changes to your daily routine. Or perhaps you have already started being more physically active, but are unsure how to keep it up.

This month, I’ll share the benefits of physical activity and handy tricks to incorporate more movement into your daily life.

WHAT IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

Think about physical activity as any movement you do during the day. It can be something as simple as standing up for a couple of minutes after an hour of sitting. It can be walking to the bus or subway station, or even taking a few stairs instead of taking the elevator.

“Physical activity” is not structured or programmed like “exercise,” which makes it easier to incorporate it into your daily life, especially if you are struggling with following a strict exercise program or going to the gym several times per week. Of course, both exercise and physical activity have multiple health benefits.

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Physical activity has several benefits for everyone, including people living with diabetes.

Research has shown that increased physical activity during the day (such as adding walking to your routine) can positively impact body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and resting heart rate. Interestingly, research has also shown that daily activities can positively impact how we internally process carbohydrates.

Think about it this way: the more you move during the day instead of just sitting down, the more you increase your daily caloric deficit, which can help with better blood glucose and weight management.

Below are some steps you can take to increase your daily physical activity.

Start small. Try to add any physical activity you can afford to your day, but don’t rush it. If you just started being more physically active, think about doing 10 minutes each day for the first couple of weeks. You can even break it down into 2 minutes of walking around your home for every hour of sitting. You can also go for 5 to 10 minutes of walking each day whenever it’s feasible for you to take a break.
Be creative. Everyone is different, and we all have specific daily routines. Use your creativity and find what activity—whether it’s walking, standing, stretching, doing work around the house, climbing stairs, grocery shopping, dancing to your favorite music—works best for you.
Ask friends or family to join you. It’s always good to have some support, especially if you feel less motivated to do the activity you want to do. By doing this, others around you will also benefit from being physically active, so it’s a win-win!
Use an activity tracker. Using an activity tracker as simple as a pedometer, a device that counts steps, can help you increase your physical activity. Research has shown that users increased their physical activity level by 26.9% after using a pedometer for 18 weeks. There are also several apps, including some that the Glooko digital health app is compatible with, that you can download on your phone to track your physical activity and steps.
Don’t postpone it. We all have been there. It’s always tempting to postpone tasks for later in the day. Once you have less energy and feel tired, it will be harder to complete that task. Try doing some physical activity whenever you feel more energetic during the day. As you get used to being more active, you’ll realize that physical activity can actually make you feel more energetic and even happier.
Have fun! Making it fun is one of the most important things in this process. We are more likely to stick to and continue the activities that we like compared to things that we don’t like even knowing that both benefit our health. So, get moving and make it fun!
Monitor your blood glucose. Monitor your blood glucose before and after a bout of physical activity. This way, you will know your numbers, and more importantly, you can track how physical activity impacts your blood glucose.

One way to keep track of your blood glucose is to download and use the Glooko app. You can also connect and sync your activity tracker app, including iHealth, Fitbit, or Strava, to Glooko. This way, you can see both your blood glucose and activity data in one place.

In order to reap the benefits of physical activity, you can incorporate more daily movements like the ones I shared above into your life. Don’t be afraid of trying new things and see what works best for you!

You got this! Now, let’s all do some quick physical activity, shall we?

Yours in Health and Fitness,
Sanaz Nosrat, PhD, CSCS, ACE PT

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Insulet’s Omnipod 5 Compatible with Glooko

Glooko is excited to share that our digital health platform for people with diabetes and related chronic conditions is compatible in the United States with Insulet Corporation’s Omnipod® 5 Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) System.

The automated insulin delivery system, which is composed of the Omnipod 5 App, the Pod and has Dexcom® G6 Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) System integration, received FDA clearance for use by individuals ages 2 and older with type 1 diabetes in 2022.

As the first tubeless AID system with smartphone control* in the U.S., Omnipod 5 integrates with the Dexcom G6 CGM System to automatically adjust insulin, help protect against highs and lows in glucose levels**, and simplify life for people with diabetes. The system’s innovative Pod uses SmartAdjust™ technology that continuously and automatically regulates insulin delivery based on a patient’s customized Target Glucose.

“With the many benefits provided by the Omnipod 5, we’re thrilled it’s compatible and available to Glooko users in the U.S.,” said David Conn, Glooko’s Executive Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances. “Our partnership with Insulet allowed us to be compatible from launch with this innovative new AID system designed for people looking to better manage their diabetes.”

Through our integration with Insulet, patients using the Omnipod 5 can connect their system to Glooko and upload their data from home via a cloud connection, expediting the time spent with healthcare providers. Healthcare providers can review the data uploaded and view standardized, comprehensive reports in the Glooko dashboard to help gain insights and make decisions to optimize care.

“The team at Insulet appreciates the support Glooko provided to make the launch of the Omnipod 5 possible and successful,” said Dr. Trang Ly, MBBS, FRACP, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Medical Director, Insulet. “This System has been life-changing for so many people living with type I diabetes and we look forward to continuing to see its impact.”

Along with the Omnipod 5, the Glooko platform is also compatible with Insulet Corporation’s Omnipod DASH®.

At Glooko, we’re continuously increasing the number of devices that are compatible with our digital health platform, and over 3 million users around the globe have benefited in managing their health with our tools. We’re currently compatible with a majority of global diabetes and health monitoring devices on the market, which gives patients and their healthcare providers flexibility in managing their diabetes and related chronic conditions.

*For a list of compatible smartphone devices visit omnipod.com/compatibility

**Study in 240 people with T1D aged 6 – 70 years involving 2 weeks standard diabetes therapy followed by 3 months Omnipod 5 use in Automated Mode. Average time with high blood glucose in adults/adolescents and children, standard therapy vs. 3-month Omnipod 5: 32.4% vs. 24.7%; 45.3% vs. 30.2%. Median time with low blood glucose in adults/adolescents and children, standard therapy vs. 3-mo Omnipod 5: 2.0% vs. 1.1%; 1.4% vs. 1.5%. Brown et al. Diabetes Care (2021).

Study in 80 people with T1D aged 2 – 5.9 years involving 2 weeks standard diabetes therapy followed by 3 months Omnipod 5 use in Automated Mode. Average time in Target Glucose range (from CGM) for standard therapy vs Omnipod 5 = 57.2% vs. 68.1%. Average time in Target Glucose range (12AM -< 6AM) from CGM in standard therapy vs. Omnipod 5 = 58.2% vs 81.0%. Average A1c in standard therapy vs. Omnipod 5 = 7.4% vs. 6.9%. Median time with low blood glucose from CGM: standard therapy = 3.43% vs. 2.46%. Sherr JL, et al. Diabetes Care (2022).

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Glooko Blog

Kategorie: People with Diabetes