The Top 10 Things to Know As You Begin Level2
Sep. 01 2021
Hey there! It’s so nice to see you here on the Level2 app. Your presence means you are taking control of your type 2 diabetes. It means you’re prioritizing your health and ready to work with Level2 to undo type 2. Yay for you! (Yes, we love a good rhyme.)
From here forward, it’s all about you and working to find your pathway to remission. We have a few – well, more than a few – suggestions for how to get started successfully. And guess what? We love a good listicle as much as we love a good rhyme, so here are the top 10 things to do as you begin Level2 (and hey, there’s that rhyme again).
1. Know that you have the ability to take control of your type 2 diabetes. Watch our video about how to do it.
Level2’s mission is to eradicate type 2 diabetes, and that starts with helping you undo your type 2. We know that lifestyle changes (not medication) are the key to treating the root cause of type 2 diabetes, and we help our members make those changes. the core pillars of Level2, and we know from our members’ experiences that they are a foundation that works:
- Nutrition: Specifically low-carb and time restricted eating — two approaches to nutrition that you’ll learn about in the coming days and weeks.
- Movement: Not climbing the tallest mountain — just a walk around the block after lunch.
- Stress and Sleep: the both begin with S and they’re connected in so many ways. Too stressed to sleep? Not getting enough sleep and it’s stressing you out? Yep. And guess what? It impacts another big S — your blood sugar.
- Support: Another important S! We do Level2 together. That means you will wear your CGM and Fitbit and make good changes to your life, but you aren’t doing alone. You have a Level2 care team and member community to help, too.
- Medication: Your Level2 care team will help you assure that your medications are working for you, and over time, will help you personalize and taper your medications.
We’ve created a special digital experience that will truly walk you through every step of the Level2 journey and learn about these core pillars called the Pathway to Remission – 10 quick, fun lessons that you take to begin your journey. Here’s where you start.
3. Yell it like Oprah: “You get a CGM! And you get a CGM!”
You will be receiving a big box of awesomeness from Level2 in the mail. Unbox that package!
First, you will see a brand-new Fitbit – a wearable device that tells you how many steps you take in a day, how many stairs you’ve climbed, and it can even monitor your sleep. It also shows your progress over time. Connect it to Level2 in your app so your coach can see your data and guide you based on what they observe.
Second, you will see a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). A CGM is a device that you wear on your body to give continuous readings of how food, movement, sleep, stress, and other factors affect your blood glucose. This will replace the need for sticking your finger multiple times a day every day. You just look at the Level2 app on your phone to see how you’re doing. It’s actually easy to apply and set up your CGM. Just check out this video, which walks you through it.
Want to learn some additional CGM hacks and tips? Read this article.
Third, you will receive instructions on how to download the Level2 app. Obviously, you already did this, or you wouldn’t be reading about it here and now (but it could be helpful for the people who aren’t as on top of things as you are). The app is also filled with tips, tricks, advice and inspiration on nutrition, movement, mindfulness and more as well as a fasting timer and daily actions that you’ll turn into healthy new habits. You’ll get educated on ways to make progress towards diabetes remission through strategies like time restricted eating, walking after meals, and low carbohydrate eating plans. It’s also where you connect with your care team, which brings us to…
4. You also get your very own virtual care team.
We are in the process of assigning you a care team, which includes a coach to help you set and achieve goals around nutrition, movement and more. We are also assembling a larger team of health providers who specialize in type 2 diabetes care to support you on your journey to remission. These articles tell you more about your amazing care team:
Your first contact will be from your coach. Keep an eye out for a message from them in the chat tab of the Level2 app if you haven’t seen one already. And by the way, if you need to contact your care team, Level2 Support or change an appointment with your coach at any time, this article tells you how to do all of those things.
5. New research tells us that certain diabetic medications often work against people with type 2 in the long term and don’t treat the root cause of your condition.
6. Wanna try to get ahead of the curve? Try an experiment or two.
To help you manage your type 2 diabetes, your doctor has probably talked to you about keeping your glucose levels within a certain range. This range can vary from person to person. For many people with type 2 diabetes, the range may be between 70 mg/dl to 180 mg/dl, according to the American Diabetes Association. (Always consult with your health care provider about your specific range). Time in Range (also abbreviated to TIR) is the percentage of how long your glucose value was within your target range over a 24-hour period.
How do you know what keeps your glucose levels in range? It’s a bit about trial and error and learning what works for you. At Level2, we encourage you to discover what that is by putting on your lab coat, channeling your inner scientist and doing some experiments. Once you’re getting data from your CGM, check out some “CGM Experiments” you can try.
7. How will you know you’re progressing in Level2?
We’ll send you a weekly insights report that shows a snapshot of your glucose levels and time in range each week so you can see how you’re doing day by day, aiming for fewer spikes and plummets and more time in range of healthy glucose levels. It’s all about growing your time in range (which is conveniently described for you in this article).
There are other metrics that you may want to track and discuss with your care team, coach or treating healthcare provider – your A1C, blood pressure, lipids, weight and waist size – because all are indicators of your metabolic health and how you’re doing.
Of course, there is an official definition of what it means to be in remission from type 2 diabetes, which you can see here. But there are also other metrics that matter that aren’t numeric: Are you feeling better and more energetic? And importantly, if your health provider says you’re ready, can you cut down on or eliminate your diabetes medications? These are really important indications that you are rocking your journey to remission.
Finally, if you’d like to hear about the progress of other Level2 members just like you, you should join our Level2 Member Community on Facebook. Just use this link to request to join.
8. What’s the number 1 favorite tip from our current Level2 members?
Starting with fats and proteins before eating carbs slows the absorption of glucose. Yes, we said fats (yum!). Check out this short video to learn more.
9. And the number 2 tip from our Level2 members?
Stay in touch with your Level2 care team here on this app, and check out the Learning tab for more helpful hints and information. When you’re ready, click on the “Get Started” tab to begin the Pathway to Remission, a series of short lessons that will give you more experience with those Level2 lifestyle pillars we mentioned earlier and many more fun facts, tips and strategies to lower your blood glucose and feel healthier.