立冬: 金盞香 / Beginning of winter: Daffodils bloom
I was very sad to discover that teas (unsweetened) could actually cause a spike in my blood sugar level! Didn’t conventional wisdom say that teas are good for you?
Since my hospitalization in January, tea has become a dear friend.
It can get lonely here in Japan with the language barrier, weekends and nighttimes for the family. But continuous learning keeps me in good company. So I first started to learn Japanese chado and got interested in all other Eastern teas, especially Chinese teas.
Not only am I now taking Japanese language lessons, learning to improve cooking, I have been busy exploring different tea leaves in solitary. To search for the right teas that suit me.
Reading the leaves, looking very deeply into a single piece of leaf has been my solace. With teas, I have been able to take a peek at my past. My paternal grandparents hailed from Fujian - the birthplace of white, black, Oolong, flower teas.
Tea bridges my curiosity from culture, history, language, to nature, philosophy, and spirituality. Furthering my understanding of the human-nature connection.
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But… I have been noticing unusual spikes in my Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) that I have been wearing on my arm. The goal is to keep my blood sugar level to between 80-200 mg/dL.
Anything above (and below) for a long period of time will again deviate my HbA1C levels - blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months.
The spikes are happening after my tea tasting sessions. These aren’t even sweetened teas. And I wasn’t even overly-binge drinking with 2-3 x 120 ml gaiwan per day at max.
So I’m reading into the tea-diabetes connection more closely.
WebMD mentioned that caffeine (in teas and coffees) can make it harder for those with Type-2 diabetes to keep blood sugar in check.
Caffeine raises stress hormones, including adrenaline, preventing cells from processing as much sugar. It may also keep your body from making as much insulin.
So, yes, I’m in a bit of a shock but will continue to track and monitor.
For today, I settled with just a morning cup of matcha, while relying on hot water to keep me warm in this cold Wintry day.
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This is also new to me, what caffeine can do to blood sugar levels! There's mystery there to dig.
I didn't know that. One thing I also realised is that caffeine impedes iron absorption so I can't take it with meals like I used to. 😢