Written by Kara Collier
During acute illness, our body ramps up its immune defenses by releasing an array of hormones including glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Similar to the stress response, we produce more glucose and the body becomes slightly less sensitive to insulin action.
This is an important and necessary response but unfortunately results in higher glucose values. You may see elevated glucose before, during, and shortly after a cold or flu. While much of this is out of our control, it becomes even more important to monitor our dietary intake to optimize our glucose response.
For more insight or specific questions, ask your health coach!