Cortisol and IF

newbies
science
fasting
#1

Hi Everyone ,
I’m new to this forum but have been living a keto lifestyle for three years and maintaining my ideal weight. I’ve recently started to gain weight even though my carb intake is below 30g. I test my blood ketones most days and can account for fluctuations when they occur. However I’ve noted recently a spike in blood sugar when I wake up in the mornings that I cannot explain.
I’m not into physical exercise except walking, I eat one to two meals a day (16/8) . My feeding window is usually 2pm - 10pm. Blood sugar this morning was 121 mg/dl my normal fasting blood sugar is 75-80 mg/dl. Yesterday I had 4oz cream cheese for lunch on the run, coffee with heavy cream and 8 oz of pork belly with spinach for dinner. I love reading the advice from the group , so let me know what you think. Am i causing my cortisol to spike ? Thanks.

(matt ) #2

Cortisol is a stress hormone. Has your stress increased? What makes you think its cortisol?

Are you sick or injured? That will raise your BG as well.

(Diane) #3

Dehydration can also affect blood test results.

#4

Grasping at straws here… Stress level remains constant on the job (moderate/high), no recent increase . No injury.

#5

Hmmm… I’ll increase my fluids. Thanks

(Trish) #6

could be dawn phenomenon https://idmprogram.com/dawn-phenomenon-t2d-8/
Perhaps test at bedtime to establish a baseline.

#7

Very interesting article, thank you !!

(Trish) #8

You’re very welcome :smile:

(matt ) #9

Hoping you didn’t acquire dawn phenomenon. I have never heard of it just showing up instantly like that.

I have it and its rather frustrating to go to bed in the low 80s and wake up to 115.

(Trish) #10

If I remember correctly, you can test for dawn phenomenon by testing BG at bedtime, then again in the wee hours say 2 or 3 ish and then again upon rising. If it’s low at bedtime and equal overnight but higher in the morning apparently that would be a positive result. That may have been in that article I referenced bit I’m not sure. I read so much stuff about all of this it’s sometimes hard to keep it all straight.

#11

Not sure if this is it but you certainly gave me something to look into. I’ll start testing at nights.

#12

No the testing protocol was not in the article. Thanks this helps.

(Trish) #13

It will just suck if you have to set your alarm for 2 am just to poke yourself, but if you’re like me you’ll be up then peeing anyway LOL :wink:

#14

You were so spot on!!! Here is another article. i so love this forum:smile::smile::smile:

(Trish) #15

Yup. I referenced that one for someone else on another thread too LOL. I’m slowly working my way dr. Fung’s multitude of articles. It’s a process lol. Glad you got it figured out. :smile:

(Mark Rhodes) #16

dehydration can also cause cortisol. It’s theorized that cortisol raises insulin not the dehydration

(Diane) #17

Good to know, and thanks for sharing the link!

(Mark Rhodes) #18

I’m trying to drink more water after reading this but I find the more frequent trips to the restroom likely mean I am sufficiently hydrated!

#19

I have no idea what IM means.

I looked it up in this glossary. WIKI: Acronyms

No luck.

IWPWUFA*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*I Wish People Would Use Fewer Acronyms.

(Consensus is Politics) #20

I hate to tell you this, but that swing in blood sugar is within the margin of error for a BG testing device. Those devices are allowed a 20% error in readings. So if your BG was indeed say, 100, and the testing device can be off as much as 20%, that’s plus or minus 20 points. So the range between two test strips taken at the same time could read 80, and the next can read 120. Indeed, a 40 point difference is considered accurate enough.

I gave my doctor an annoyed look when he told me the BG meter was only that accurate. He said it doesn’t matter, as we are only interested in seeing long term trends in your BG anyway.

sigh