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Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
#358 How To Control Your Blood Sugar, Cut Cravings and Get Your Energy Back with Jessie Inchauspé
May 2, 2023
02:05:10
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Quick takeaways
- Balancing blood sugar levels has a profound impact on our health, from improving energy levels to reducing cravings.
- Insulin, released to manage glucose spikes, can lead to insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances.
- The Glucose Goddess Method offers a practical four-week plan to stabilize blood sugar levels through simple habits.
- Ancient wisdom and modern science support the use of vinegar and food order for blood sugar balance.
- Engaging in 10 minutes of movement within 90 minutes after a meal can help stabilize blood sugar.
Deep dives
The Power of Balancing Blood Sugar
Balancing blood sugar levels has a profound impact on our health, from improving energy levels to reducing cravings. Glycation, which leads to aging, is accelerated by glucose spikes. Mitochondria, responsible for energy production, become stressed by glucose spikes, affecting our overall energy levels. Insulin, released to manage glucose spikes, can lead to insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances. Blood sugar stability is crucial for managing menopause symptoms, PCOS, and hormonal health.
The Glucose Goddess Method
The Glucose Goddess Method offers a practical four-week plan to stabilize blood sugar levels through simple habits. The plan includes strategies like eating vegetables before proteins and fats, and saving starches and sugars for last. By following this plan, people reported reduced cravings, increased energy levels, improved diabetes markers, and better hormonal health. The method is not about restriction or calorie counting, but rather about balancing blood sugar while still enjoying the foods we love.
Mitochondria, Glycation, and Insulin
Mitochondria, responsible for energy production, become stressed by glucose spikes, leading to chronic fatigue and inflammation. Glycation, the cooking or aging of our body, is accelerated by glucose spikes, resulting in cellular damage and aging. Excess insulin, released to manage glucose spikes, can lead to insulin resistance and hormone imbalances, such as PCOS. By stabilizing blood sugar, we can reduce stress on our mitochondria, slow down glycation, and prevent insulin-related health issues.
Other Hacks: Vinegar and Food Order
Ancient wisdom and modern science support the use of vinegar and food order for blood sugar balance. Consuming vinegar before a meal, such as one tablespoon of vinegar, can reduce the glucose spike experienced after eating. Food order also plays a crucial role, with vegetables recommended to be eaten before proteins and fats, and starches and sugars saved for last. These simple hacks have been shown to significantly reduce glucose spikes, cravings, and inflammation, while improving energy levels and hormonal health.
The Impact of Vinegar on Glucose Levels
Research has shown that consuming one tablespoon of vinegar before a meal can reduce the glucose spike of that meal by up to 30% and the insulin spike by up to 20%. This has been demonstrated in clinical trials across the world. Adding vinegar, whether as a dressing or in a drink, can have a significant impact on glucose levels without needing to change the rest of your meal.
Putting Clothes on Your Carbs
Adding protein, fat, or fiber to your carb-rich meals, such as pasta or rice, can help reduce the glucose spike caused by those foods. By combining carbs with other nutrients, like chicken, cheese, or olive oil, you can slow down the release of glucose into your bloodstream, resulting in a more moderate spike and fewer consequences on glycation, mitochondria, and insulin. This allows you to still enjoy the foods you love while minimizing the negative impact on your blood sugar.
The Importance of Movement After a Meal
Engaging in 10 minutes of movement, such as walking, calf raises, or bicep curls, within 90 minutes after a meal can help stabilize blood sugar. Muscle contraction during movement allows glucose from the meal to be utilized for energy, reducing the glucose spike. This simple and practical hack can be incorporated into your daily routine to mitigate the effects of a less blood sugar-friendly meal, without needing to make significant dietary changes.
Understanding the Impact of Glucose Spikes on Mental Health
Glucose spikes can trigger episodes of anxiety, brain fog, and other symptoms of mental distress. Recognizing that blood sugar fluctuations can have a physiological impact on mental well-being can empower individuals to make dietary changes to stabilize glucose levels. The discovery that glucose spikes were causing episodes of existential fear allowed the speaker to regain a sense of control and take steps towards healing.
The Benefits of Grounding and Finding Balance
Grounding, the practice of connecting with the earth by placing bare feet or hands on the ground, can have profound effects on overall health and well-being. It has been found to reduce stress levels and has even shown to lower glucose levels in individuals with diabetes. Embracing both scientific and spiritual approaches to health and wellness, such as understanding the impact of glucose on mental health and practicing grounding, can lead to a more holistic and fulfilling life.
CAUTION: The advice in this episode may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before making changes to your diet.
My guest this week believes that how you feel right now is directly linked to your blood-sugar level. And if you want to feel better than you do right now, you don’t necessarily need to change what you eat – just how.
Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist and author, whose first book, Glucose Revolution, spoke to the life-changing power of balancing your blood-sugar and her latest book, The Glucose Goddess Method sets out a four-week, four-step plan to help you do just that.
Before writing The Glucose Goddess Method, Jessie recruited 2,700 volunteers through social media to test her programme. The results are quite astounding: 70 percent of those who followed her plan for four weeks reported better energy; 90 percent had reduced cravings; 40 percent of the participants with type-2 diabetes reduced their diabetes markers. Ninety-nine percent of those who took part said they were impressed enough to continue the habits for life.
Jessie believes blood sugar is the one metric that has the most effects in the body, from balancing hormones to improving energy, mood, immunity, skin, sleep, ageing, weight and much more. During this conversation, she breaks down the science of exactly what glucose is, how it’s used by the body, and why an excess of sugary or starchy foods can cause a blood-glucose spike. She explains why glucose is our body’s favourite energy source, used by every cell, but that too many spikes, too often, will lead to adverse health effects.
Realising that very many of us struggle with sticking to the ‘best’ or ‘right’ diet, Jessie wanted to find ways that we could all enjoy the foods we love, without suffering spikes. By adopting her four ways of eating – one at a time, bit by bit – you can minimise glucose spikes and, in turn, the short and longer-term health issues they create.
Jessie is a really fantastic communicator who is able to simplify complex science and give you actionable information that you can implement immediately. I hope you enjoy listening.
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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/358
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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