Fierce and fabulous – Twin sisters Pat Macksey (left) and Suzanne Schoenutt! Pat Macksey and Suzanne Schoenutt are health-conscious twin sisters who have been frequent and consistent Mojo friends for years. The other day, I was caught off guard when I noticed Pat (above) was sporting a significantly slimmer middle. While she looks wonderful in both pics, the dent she made in her waistline and visceral fat percentage is impressive – especially for a septuagenarian! After inquiring, Pat shared that she and her sister have been enthusiastically following the Glucose Goddess movement, by Jessie Inchauspé, a French biochemist.
As a fan of science-based health solutions, I took a look at Inchauspé’s philosophy and methods very intriguing – with (easy) sustainable tips I’ve never heard before. Here’s a brief look:
If you’re feeling tired, “hangry”, and craving crackers and chips at 3 pm (me too!), it may be your blood sugar. Jessie Inchauspé is on a mission to teach us that eating the right way can keep our blood glucose levels even, and in turn transform our health, energy and mood – and waistline.
Many people associate glucose monitoring with diabetes, but, Inchauspé says, it’s not just people with diabetes who need to care about glucose. “We all do”.
Glucose is our body’s fuel, the basic molecule of energy. So how can it become problematic?
Our body breaks down all sugars and starches into glucose. Food in its original form – i.e. plants – is full of fiber, which slows the release of glucose into the blood. But when we eat sweet and processed foods that are low in fiber, our systems become overwhelmed with glucose.
This is an issue because when our blood glucose goes up, our body reacts by flooding our system with insulin to clean it up, and then our blood sugar goes down faster – known as a glucose spike. If we keep spiking our blood glucose levels like this, day after day, we increase our risk of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
According to Inchauspé’s research, here are some quick tips to curb your sugar cravings – and four suggested hacks to flatten your glucose spikes. “It’s not what you eat, it’s how you eat it”.
1. Eat a green starter
Greens first means fiber first. Any veg works: asparagus, zucchini, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, as well as chickpeas, beans, and even coleslaw. If you are craving a roll, eat it after your meal.
2. Drink vinegar first
In one study, vinegar before meals helped people on a weight-loss diet lose twice the amount of weight as people who didn’t have any vinegar. It’s been known to suppress appetite and lower blood sugar. Simply drink a tablespoon of vinegar in a tall glass of water a few minutes before eating..
Start with a teaspoon and build up. Followers of @GlucoseGoddess prefer apple cider vinegar, as it’s less harsh. Can’t face drinking it? Put a vinegar-based dressing on your green starter.
3. Start the day savory
Have you ever noticed that when you eat pancakes and maple syrup, you’re hungry again by 10am? The food you eat first thing affects your glucose levels for the rest of the day.
Here’s a sample of Inchauspé’s breakfast: quiche and cod with vegetables. Other good savory breakfast ingredients to go with your veg are: Greek yogurt, avocado, meat, fish, cheese, cream cheese, nuts, nut butter, seeds, and, of course, eggs. Really want the muffin or waffles? Have them after your savory course.
That post-Sunday-brunch walk is a brilliant idea. Ten to 20 minutes is enough to reduce glucose spikes because exercise stops the accumulation of glucose in the body. In fact, you can do 10 minutes of any exercise – strength training, yoga, dancing (Mojoing!) or whatever you like doing. Inchauspé that 30 squats work for her.
My thanks to Pat and Suzanne for the mojo-tivation and for sharing their fave nutritionist with us!
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