Hack Your Blood Sugar

You bought a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)and now you need to get your first CGM?

You have choices: The following guide is kept updated to help you decide which model will be the best fit.

How to choose your CGM?

Start by asking yourself these questions:

This information is for the U.S. only 🇺🇸

This guide is for the US market only, as brands, prices, and availability will differ considerably. Also, outside of the US, you may be able to purchase the G7 and Libre models without a prescription.

Prescription-Only CGMs

Prescription models

Your primary options for prescription CGMs are:

  • Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3+, or

  • Dexcom G7

Both are excellent options, but I tend to steer people without insurance coverage towards the Libre 3+ because it is less expensive.

Prescription models are best if you:

  • Have diabetes

  • Are prone to extreme highs or lows

  • Do NOT use a modern smartphone and want/need to use a separate reader to view your data.

  • Plan to use a CGM consistently long-term

  • Need to share your data with family members/carers/school nurses.

Process to get these CGMs, in a nutshell:

  1. Get a prescription from your provider (make an appointment)

  2. Download the manufacturer’s coupon to lower the price (see next section)

  3. Go to the pharmacy, present the coupon, and buy sensors.

Here is a little extra info about both the G7 and Libre 3+….

Abbot’s FreeStyle Libre 3+

Base cash price (without insurance)

Get manufacturer’s coupon HERE

Features:

  • Comes with a free app: Libre by Abbott

  • Can use with compatable smartphone (iPhone or Android) or a separate reader

  • Has adjustable alarms for high/low blood sugar

  • Can send data to family/caregiver’s phones

  • Can share data with healthcare provider

  • App allows you to log meals and events.

How to prescribe:

  • Prescribing instructions: LINK HERE

  • Medicare: Prescribe to DME

Dexcom G7

Base cash price (without insurance)

Get coupons HERE

Features:

  • Comes with a free app: Dexcom G7

  • Can use with compatable smartphone (iPhone or Android) or a separate reader

  • Has adjustable alarms for high/low blood sugar

  • Can send data to family/caregiver’s phones

  • Can share data with healthcare provider

  • App allows you to log meals and events.

Prescribing instructions: LINK HERE

Medicare: Prescribe to DME

Over-the-Counter CGMs

Over-the-Counter (OTC)

OTC means you don’t need a prescription from your provider. These models can be purchased online or in a drug store. They are more appropriate for those without diabetes and lack the safety features of the prescription models. Their price tag is higher than the Libre 3+ but lower than the G7. They are a great option for short-term use when you don’t want the hassle of making a doctor’s appointment.

Dexcom Stelo

Price: $99 for two 15-day sensors (1-month supply

Purchase on Amazon HERE

Features:

  • Must use a compatible smartphone

  • Available for iPhone and Android

  • App: Stelo by Dexcom (free)

  • App allows you to log notes and track trends.

  • Data can easily be shared with your healthcare provider using Dexcom Clarity (free).

  • Integrates with Oura

Abbott Lingo

Price: $49/one 15-day sensors or $89/two sensors (1-month supply)

Purchase online HERE

Or purchase in select retail outlets like Walmart

Features:

  • Must use a compatible smartphone

  • Available for iPhone and Android

  • App: Lingo by Abbott (free)

  • App allows you to log notes and track trends.

  • Data is NOT easily shared with provider.

YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO

  • Figure out your Glucotype – Are you a "Slow Starter," on "The Slippery Slope," or a "Healthy Metabolizer"? Once you know, you'll stop following random advice and start eating for YOUR body.

  • Find the hidden problems – Sometimes it's not the food. I'll show you how to spot the real culprits—stress, bad sleep, menopause, sleep apnea—that no amount of dietary tweaking will fix.

  • Stop chasing fake spikes – My "Noise-Canceling Diet" helps you figure out what's real data and what's just sensor noise or normal daily fluctuations. No more panicking over numbers that don't actually matter.

  • Focus on what actually works – Using the 80/20 rule, you'll identify the 20% of changes that give you 80% of the results. Stop obsessing over every reading and start making progress.

FAQs

Ready to stop feeling confused by your CGM data? Get your copy and start the 90-day protocol today.

Karen Kennedy is licensed as a certified nutritionist, is board-certified in integrative and functional nutrition, and is an educator and mentor who has helped hundreds of people improve their blood sugar levels, reverse prediabetes, and better manage type 2 diabetes without rigid diets or guesswork.

Karen specializes in using Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) as a practical learning and assessment tool, helping people understand how their body responds to food, stress, sleep, exercise, and everyday life. Her work bridges the gap between data and real life, turning confusing numbers into clear, actionable insights people can actually use.

Through her group programs, workshops, and professional trainings, Karen not only supports individuals on their own blood sugar journey, but also trains other healthcare practitioners to use her method with their clients and patients. Her goal is simple but powerful: to make blood sugar education accessible, understandable, and empowering for everyone.

At the heart of everything Karen does is a belief that people deserve to understand their own bodies. When individuals are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they become confident decision-makers and stronger partners with their health care team.

About the Author

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