Jessie Inchauspé experienced a serious accident at the age of 19, which in turn led her to becoming an expert on blood sugar spikes. “I was very scared, I underwent a major operation and I suffered from a hangover for years. So I went looking for a way to reconnect with my body, to take care of it, to feel better and to find happiness.”
So she set off to study biochemistry and then worked in the field of genetics in San Francisco. Now she has an Instagram account which has over 580,000 followers sharing her knowledge and experience.
When asked why people need to stabilize their blood sugar, Inchauspé said, “Because 80% of non-diabetics have glycemic spikes every day, without knowing it. These spikes trigger three physiological processes: insulin secretion, inflammation and accelerated aging. And these three processes are the basis of: cravings, constant hunger, fatigue, aging, wrinkles, acne, sleep disturbances, polycystic ovary syndrome and, of course, the silent development of diabetes. The good news is that regulating your blood sugar level is very simple and truly life changing. Especially when you think that currently, for example, only 12% of Americans have normal blood sugar levels.”
She explained how the glycemic peaks favor the appearance of wrinkles.
“Whenever there is a spike in glucose, the phenomenon of glycation is activated in the body. Glycation stiffins proteins, especially collagen, thus accelerating the loss of skin tone and the appearance of wrinkles. At the same time, each glucose spike creates an inflammatory process, resulting in redness, acne and skin spots.”
There is also a link between spikes in blood sugar and fatigue. Glucose is pumped into cells by insulin, and it’s possible the cells can get too much of it.
“Too much glucose causes the mitochondria of our cells (their powerhouse) to shut down. Energy production stops and we feel exhausted. A diet that causes our blood sugar levels to fluctuate will then cause bouts of fatigue that could be avoided with a diet that stabilizes the curve throughout the day.”
So, how can we stabilize our blood sugar? Jesse Inchaupsé has 10 rules.
- Change the order of foods. During the meal, she recommends eating veggies first (for their fibers, which slow down the passage of glucose into the blood), then proteins, fats, starches, and sugars last. Fruit should always be eaten at the end of the meal.
- Include veggies at the start of each meal of the day. The more you eat, the lower your glycemic peak after a meal.
- Stop counting calories. Health/weight loss is more dependent on what is consumed and the order in which they are absorbed, rather than the calories.
- Lower the curve at breakfast, since it causes sugar cravings throughout the day. If salty food just doesn’t cut it for you, always begin with vegetables. Afterwards, dessert should only come from fresh fruit, such as a smoothie, but with the addition of proteins and good fats.
- Don’t discriminate between sugars, they are all the same. From the point of view of the glycemic peak, all sugars are the same.
- Choose a dessert rather than a sweet snack. Nothing is worse than eating something sweet on an empty stomach.
- Start each meal with water-diluted apple cider vinegar or a salad with vinaigrette. Vinegar is a remedy: it temporarily deactivates the enzyme that breaks down sugar and starch into glucose. It also tells our muscles to use more glucose, which reduces the amount of sugar in circulation.
- Walk for 10 minutes after each meal. This is because the glucose then goes to the muscles to be used as fuel.
- If you need/want to snack, choose salty foods.
- “Coat” your carbs. Remember to accompany the intake of sweets with fiber and protein. Never eat “naked” carbohydrates.
