Glucose Revolution: The life-changing power of balancing your blood sugar
Author: Jessie Inchauspé
Year Published: March 29, 2022
Page Count: 304 pages. 8 hour read time.
What It’s About:
Glucose, or blood sugar, is a tiny molecule in our body that has a huge impact on our health. It enters our bloodstream through the starchy or sweet foods we eat. Ninety percent of us suffer from too much glucose in our system—and most of us don’t know it.
The symptoms? Cravings, fatigue, infertility, hormonal issues, acne, wrinkles… And over time, the development of conditions like type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, cancer, dementia, and heart disease.
Drawing on cutting-edge science and her own pioneering research, biochemist Jessie Inchauspé offers ten simple, surprising hacks to help you balance your glucose levels and reverse your symptoms—without going on a diet or giving up the foods you love.
Both entertaining, informative, and packed with the latest scientific data, this book presents a new way to think about better health. Glucose Revolution is chock-full of tips that can drastically and immediately improve your life, whatever your dietary preferences.
The Take Aways:
In this amazing book, Glucose Revolution, Jessie outlines three important topics that every perimenopausal woman should know and understand:
- What glucose is and what we mean when we talk about glucose spikes
- Why glucose spikes are harmful, and
- What we can do to avoid spikes while still eating the food we love.
She also offers 10 incredible hacks to help flatten our glucose curve:
- Eat Foods in the Right Order – Jessie’s magic formula is fiber first, protein and fat second, and carbs and sugars last.
- Add a Green Veggie Starter to All Your Meals – This isn’t just about the order of your meal, Jessie is actually recommending to add a salad or green veggies to the beginning of every meal.The more fiber you eat, the slower your body will absorb glucose.
- Stop Counting Calories – Instead focus on flattening your glucose curve by using these hacks.
- Flatten Your Breakfast Curve – Start you day with a savory breakfast that includes protein, fat and fibre. This will set you up for a more stable day with fewer cravings and energy slumps.
- Have Any Type of Sugar You Like – They’re All the Same. So if you’re eating it for pleasure and should choose the one you love the most. In moderation, of course.
- Pick Dessert Over a Sweet Snack – If you’re going to treat yourself, do it after your meal of protein, fat and fiber versus as a little snack in the afternoon. See Hack #1.
- Reach for Vinegar Before You Eat – Apple cider vinegar is a food of the gods according to Jessie. It does incredible things to flatten your blood glucose spikes. So go ahead, enjoy that cupcake.
- After You Eat, Move – Even just a ten minute walk around the block helps to a) promote digestion and b) your muscles use up extra glucose in your system..
- If You Have a Snack, Go Savory – veggies, nuts, greek yogurt, pork rinds or a hard boiled egg are all great snacks that won’t spike your blood glucose.
- Put Some Clothes on Your Carbs – If you are going to have something sweet, even if it’s an apple, put some protein with it (peanut butter, cheese, nuts) to help reduce how quickly your body absorbs the glucose.
Consider This:
One thing to consider when reading this book is that Jessie isn’t a doctor. She’s a biochemist who became interested in blood glucose while working at 23andMe – a company that takes your DNA and produces personalized genetic reports covering ancestry composition, traits, and genetic health risks.
She was feeling out of sorts in her body and looking for answers. When 23andMe launched a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) program with elite athletes, Jessie got curious and was immediately hooked with the revelations she made about her body. Jessie made it her mission to learn everything she could about blood glucose and then share her findings with the world.
Going back to the fact that she’s not a doctor… there are critics out there that complain that the studies she cites are too small to have scientific validity. Although with new companies (like Levels) launching into the CGM space, more and more research is quickly becoming available.
Jessie is also criticized for making sweeping claims that her hacks to level blood glucose could cure PCOS. Truth is that there’s not really strong scientific data to back this up. Perhaps Jessie should be more cautious about some of her claims.
That said, the reality is that it is becoming more and more recognized that North Americans are metabolically unfit. And there is more and more research being done on metabolic health and blood glucose. This emerging research is demonstrating links between our metabolic health and chronic diseases like diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
And while Jessie’s advice may not be based on randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) – the gold standard – she’s not advocating you to try anything dangerous. This book is about making simple lifestyle changes and food choices to help you find some ease.
Why you should read this book:
The truth is that women in perimenopause and menopause are at higher risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. This is in large part due to the roller coaster of hormone changes happening in our bodies. By learning how to control our glucose spikes, we can help improve our insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health.
I’ve implemented all of these hacks. Not all on a regular basis. I use what works, when it’s convenient. And while I didn’t shed a whole bunch of weight (maybe a couple of pounds), I do feel a lot better. I find that I don’t get an afternoon slump, or the 3 o’clock cravings anymore. And my brain fog is greatly diminished.
Jessie offers simple ways to change what you’re eating, the order you’re eating it and when you’re eating it in an effort to curb your blood sugar spikes. Adding a little vinegar to your diet or eating your apples with peanut butter are some simple ideas she outlines. And while you may not shed your perimenopausal 15 pounds by following her advice, you might just feel a little better like I did.
Glucose Revolutions is an interesting, informative read with lots of simple hacks that you can easily add into your day. I think it’s totally worth the read.
Buy it today
