GLUCOSE REVOLUTION by Jessie Inchauspé
The symptoms of glucose spikes are definitely something I can relate to. For sometime now I realised how changes in my food choices affect how I feel. I can get really irritable and feel the effects of what we would often describe as having a blood sugar crash.
In her book, Jessie advocates about how balancing your glucose spikes can lead to improving hunger, cravings, fatigue, lessening menopause symptoms, reducing migraines, improving sleep and improving immune function. The longer-term benefits include improvements in chronic issues such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cancer, depression, gut problems, heart disease, infertility to name a few.
Now, these hacks alone are not going to work in the absence of balanced nutrition, body movement and adequate sleep.
The below briefly highlights the 10 hacks presented in the book:
Eat foods in the right order: Veggies first, followed by protein and carbs.
Start your meals with something green: you can take it a step further and start with a green salad before meals.
Flatten your breakfast curve : Go for savoury breakfast instead of sweet. This type of breakfast allows you to start the day on a steady glucose ride instead of a spike first thing in the morning.
Sugar is sugar: Whether it’s table sugar or natural sugars like honey or agave, they all spike your glucose levels the same way. Better to avoid it altogether or if not possible, delay it for after your meal.
Desert after meal instead of snack: try delaying it and just have it after your meal. I love this one as it means you can still have your cake and eat it, just after your main meal.
Vinegar before you eat (especially sweets): A teaspoon of vinegar in a tall glass with water before meals. Vinegar before meals has been shown to flatten the glucose spike. Disclaimer: I tried this had pretty bad heartburn afterwards, might have to give apple cider a go instead.
Move your body after you eat: Helping digestion as well as flattening the glucose curve.
Savoury snack over sweet: Ideally we should move away from snacking entirely but if not possible, then choose savoury over sweet foods first.
“Put some clothes on your carbs”: If you are going to have carbs, then eat them with fats, protein or fibre, those are your clothes as they slow down the glucose spike and how quickly the glucose gets absorbed into the body.
Stop counting calories: Life is more than obsessing over calories, it is more about looking at the quality of your food and eating more whole foods.
Jessie claims that you don’t have to give up anything if you follow the above hacks. It’s definitely worth giving it a try and see if it works for you. Personally, I’m big on “diets” that are not too restrictive and can become a lifestyle. Anything that is about continuing to feel fit, healthy and full of energy and life.
All in all, I loved how Jessie presented the science in simplistic terms and gave lots of practical examples and tips from her Glucose Goddess community, showing how our glucose spikes not only affect our bodies but also our minds.
“TRY THIS: Next time you sit down for a meal, eat the veggies and proteins first and the carbs last. Note how you feel after eating compared to how you usually feel after a meal.”