Today we are dealing with a book written by a popular influencer on Instagram. I don’t say this to try to reduce the credibility of the author, I say it with joy, recording how generations are changing and how healthy ideas can be spread through these social networks, with great success. The author of the book “Glucose Revolution” can be found on Instagram under the pseudonym @glucosegoddess, her name is Jessie Inchauspe and she is a biochemist by profession.
Furthermore, on the cover of the book, the following statement appears: “The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar”. After seeing the cover, the geek in me came out: “Let’s be serious, this blood sugar can change your life and we didn’t know until now, the moment when a popular lady on Instagram decided to enlighten us …”. And yet, more and more acquaintances recommended the book. The contrast sparked curiosity, so I started reading. After reading the book, with all my skepticism, I was able to lose 3 kg in a single month without exercising. I don’t know if this book will change your life, but if you have some ambition and discipline, it can definitely help you take care of your health.
I also really liked the way this book is written. It presents simple concepts in an empirical way, through easy-to-remember stories, without sensational statements but rather with an appreciable scientific rigor.
The book has three parts. The first part answers the question: what is glucose? It was very interesting to remember the moments in the 6th grade when in biology class I was not very attentive, as a result, I did not know so well what glucose is, how it appeared in nature and especially in how many forms and combinations, from fruits to sugar and grains. The first part of the book clarifies this aspect if you also missed biology class. Next, we discuss how glucose gets into our body and especially how it is used and processed. Here comes the first moment of shock.
Glucose is actually fuel for the cell. But what happens when we end up having more fuel for the cells in the blood than they need? Well, the pancreas secretes insulin. This substance comes and takes the excess glucose by the hand to store it in the form of another substance, first in the muscles and the liver, and then in the less appreciated fat deposits. The fuel deposited on the muscles and the liver can be immediately used when the cells need it, the one in the fat deposits, reaches its destination more difficult. Long story short, we found out one of the reasons why pants end up not fitting you anymore, as simple as that. If insulin were not there though, and this happens below a certain proportion in diabetes, the fuel would be poured directly into the cells and the cells would basically go crazy, with devastating effects such as the failure of various internal organs or the release of free radicals that generate tumors. The second shock, this excess glucose is no joke.
The second part of the book, however, reveals the danger even more explicitly. Theoretically, if insulin does its job, you can gain weight, what’s the big deal? Well, it’s not, so part two answers the question: Why are glucose spikes harmful? Jessie explains that the big danger comes when we have glycemic spikes, and the insulin doesn’t get there in time to do its job, and the body’s balance is upset. In translation, if you eat sugar on bread it’s bad, you’re basically pouring a “cistern” of glucose into your body, at which point you’ll probably have a period of hyperactivity followed by a period of discomfort. Glucose initially goes up to the 20th floor and then drops down to -5 in the parking lot. You do this repeatedly and you stand a chance of gaining all sorts of ill effects.
The 1000-point question comes in the third part of the book, namely: How can you flatten your glycemic curves? In my characteristically sweet way, this is where suspicion ran high. I was thinking: “Come on, let’s see what imaginary solutions this girl is selling us now. It is neither the first nor the last book that promises us a healthy life in 3 steps.” However, I happened to read this book when I was on vacation, a generous one, more precisely a month spent at the seaside. As a fan of extreme sports, I was at the time when I wanted to develop my skills as a kitesurfer. The problem was that it was fantastically foggy on the first day of our stay, and because the athlete in me wanted to get outside, I went for a run on the beach, or rather the sloping water’s edge. Bad decision, the next day I did a stretch for a muscle in the sole of my foot, and I could barely walk in that leg. I said goodbye to any sports activity during that month of leave, which is why I ended up following all the alimentary indications well received in this book, thus managing to lose 3 kg, without doing a bit of exercise.
If now I’ve made you curious, I’m going to disappoint you and tell you that it’s much simpler than it seems, in fact it’s ridiculously simple, to watch what you eat so that your body feels good. First of all, the book teaches you not to be desperate. No one is forcing you to fast like our grandmothers did 80 years ago. Health starts in our mind, and if we manage to overcome “diet” obsessions, we can have long-term results. In short, it’s ok to eat a dessert once in a while, it’s ok to eat any type of sugar from time to time, whether it’s from fruit or from processed sugar cubes, all the sugar gets into the blood.
Once you’ve mentally prepared yourself, it’s simple: add fiber to every meal. Only that? Somehow yes. It’s so simple, and yet it’s quite possible that you’ve been missing out on this for decades. What does it mean to add fiber to every meal? Well, start with a salad, add a side of vegetables and that’s it. Ah, if you want to be a winner, try using apple cider vinegar where it makes sense, it will help. And if your tongue is burning and you really want something sweet, serve the sweetness as dessert, not as a snack.
Okay, now let’s recap, if you want to feel better and still eat whatever you want (we’re excluding fast food and ultra-processed food here), add your preferred fiber before meals or at least during meals, and everything will be much better. Dietary discipline can save you many years of suffering from some of the most aggressive diseases known to mankind. I tested it on my skin, and it works.
The book can be bought from here: https://www.amazon.com/Glucose-Revolution-Life-Changing-Power-Balancing/dp/1982179414
