Biochemist: 4 Easy Hacks That Steady Blood Sugar for the 88% of Women Over 50 Whose Bodies Are 'Metabolically Unstable'
On any given week we might closely track the weather, our weight, the price of eggs or our favorite sports team. But our blood sugar? For those of us who don’t have diabetes, that’s hardly ever on our mind. French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, who is lovingly known as the “Glucose Goddess,” wants to change that.
Inchauspé's mission is to make blood-sugar science easy to understand so that everyone can improve their health and lose stubborn weight. Her wildly popular Instagram feed (with more than 2.5 million followers) is helping to spread that message. And many doctors are also jumping on the glucose-awareness bandwagon. Harvard- and MIT-trained women’s health expert Sara Gottfried, MD put it this way: “I want you to care about your blood sugar more than you care about your retirement account.” That caught our attention and we did some digging to find out what this new glucose-awareness movement is all about.
Why everyone should care about blood sugar
Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, refers to the concentration of glucose (a simple sugar that is a primary source of energy for cells throughout the body) present in the blood. Blood glucose levels are regulated by the hormones insulin and glucagon and are influenced by factors such as diet, physical activity, and overall metabolic health. Normal blood glucose levels are essential for maintaining proper body functions, and imbalances can lead to conditions such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), which is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus.
Since blood sugar levels affect how we feel throughout the day and how well our bodies function overall, it's crucial for everyone to raise their awareness of their blood sugar levels, not just people with diabetes. A typical scenario: Blood sugar skyrockets after eating a favorite comfort carb, but within a couple hours, it crashes, driving us to grab another quick snack, setting off the same sequence of events. This cycle can obviously lead to cravings, weight gain and fatigue. And long-term, the blood sugar spikes themselves can damage the health of our veins and shorten our lifespan. Dr. Gottfried warns, “Elevated blood sugar levels lead to cardiovascular disease and all of the downstream problems associated with accelerated aging.”
“Women experience the damaging effects of elevated glucose at lower thresholds than men,” adds Dr. Gottfried, noting that blood-sugar levels naturally rise beginning around age 50, due to hormonal fluctuations related to menopause. In fact, research from Brazil finds 88% of postmenopausal women are metabolically unhealthy when it comes to how our body handles blood sugar. Dr. Gottfried, who wrote the book on Women, Food, and Hormones, encourages, “Aiming for optimal levels of blood sugar may keep you on course for vibrant health as you age.”
How blood sugar spikes lead to weight gain
“When blood sugar is elevated, your metabolism gets slower and slower, while you may get fatter and fatter,” says Dr. Gottfried. How does this work? A healthy body releases insulin to escort blood sugar out of the bloodstream and into muscles to burn as energy later. Insulin functions like a key to the "insulin door" in cell — without insulin, the glucose has no way to get into the cell. But the more carbs we eat and the more insulin is required to usher glucose out of the blood stream and into the cells, the faster our cellular storage runs out. And when there is too much glucose in the bloodstream and not enough cells to receive any more of it, the excess gets deposited in fat cells. No wonder the National Institutes of Health found that fluctuating blood-sugar levels make weight loss twice as hard.
What the Glucose Goddess discovered
Inchauspé was working at the genetic research company 23andMe when she started wearing a continuous glucose monitor, a device that charts blood sugar around the clock. After studying the data, she identified 10 habits that muted the ups and downs of her blood-sugar roller coaster. Things like eating food in the right order (fiber first!) and exercising after meals. Her first book, Glucose Revolution, was an instant #1 international bestseller. “The book has caused a huge, huge cultural shift,” she says. So it’s no surprise that she has just released her second book, The Glucose Goddess Method. (It was another hit, outselling Prince Harry’s memoir Spare in some countries!) In this second book, the Glucose Goddess reveals her best four tips.
The Glucose Goddess’s 4 top blood sugar balancing tricks
Hack #1: Eat a savory breakfast
Eating a traditional sweet-and-starchy breakfast on an empty stomach triggers blood-sugar spikes and cravings. Instead, start each morning with a meal built around protein and fat, like eggs, Greek yogurt or leftover chicken from last night’s dinner — something that will keep you satisfied for 4 hours. (Avoid carbs or anything sweet, other than fruit, if desired.) Watch the video below to see the effects of a sweet breakfast on blood sugar.
Dr. Gottfried adds, “When you start the day off by keeping blood sugar stable, you’re less likely to have sudden cravings for sugary snacks to compensate for the approaching blood-sugar drop.” Indeed, a study published in The International Journal of Obesity found that people who eat protein-rich eggs shed 65% more weight than those who eat carb-rich bagels in the morning. Here, 3 Glucose Goddess-approved breakfasts:
A.M. “nice cream.” “Fat is not to be feared,” says Inchauspé, who likes this breakfast “ice cream.” The mix of protein and low carbs cuts levels of a hunger hormone. Blend 1?4 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt with 1 Tbs. of sugar-free nut butter and 1?2 cup of frozen berries. (Click through for more 'nice cream' recipes.)
No-spike “granola.” Instead of sugary cereals, toss together your own mix of pecans, pumpkin seeds and almonds, enjoyed alone or with Greek yogurt or fresh fruit. Eating 20 almonds with meals is proven to squash blood-sugar spikes by 28%.
Two-egg omelet. Start with two eggs and add flavor with butter, feta, cherry tomatoes, arugula and spices. Eating protein--rich meals increases the body’s ability to respond to the hunger--regulating hormone leptin, helping us easily lose weight.
Love to start the day just with coffee? Click through to learn about protein coffee.
Hack #2: Knock back an apple cider vinegar shot
Consuming 1 Tbs. of vinegar daily is shown to curb cravings and improve satiety by 144%. Plus, the liquid’s acetic acid slows the rate that digestive enzymes in the gut can break down starches into glucose, flattening a blood-sugar spike by up to 30% and a fat-storing insulin spike by up to 20%. One study found that people consuming vinegar lost 3,539% more subcutaneous body fat than those who skipped the sip .To get the benefits, simply choose “a vinegar and a vehicle” to get it into your body and enjoy 10 minutes before a meal.
Inchauspé likes 1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 oz. of water, tea or seltzer. Or you can mix vinegar into foods like pickles or kimchi. One caveat: Since the goal is balancing blood sugar, avoid mixing your vinegar with a sugary drink like apple juice, which could create an unintended spike. Tip: Sip vinegar with a straw to protect your tooth enamel. Click through to for more apple cider vinegar drink ideas.
Hack #3: Enjoy a fiber appetizer
Before eating your most carb-heavy meal each day, first consume a veggie “starter.” Research finds that lining the gut with plant-based food lowers blood sugar, inflammation and helps curb weight gain. And soluble fiber helps balance blood sugar. Eating veggies before a high-carb meal is also proven to slow sugar absorption and reduce the magnitude of a blood-sugar spike.
It's fine to keep your pre-meal snack simple: Eating 10 olives, some cut-up carrots or steamed green beans will do. One favorite: “backward broccoli.” Just pour boiling water over fresh broccoli in a heat-safe bowl, let sit for 2 minutes, drain and enjoy.
Hack #4: Move after one meal
“Exercise makes your muscles more sensitive to insulin so they ‘soak’ up the glucose and help maintain stable glucose levels,” explains Dr. Gottfried. A Cleveland Clinic study shows that exercising after a meal slashes blood-sugar bumps by 45%.
Strive for movement within 90 minutes of eating. And since we lose muscle as we grow older — a change that slows our ability to burn fat — older women should opt for weight-bearing exercise. Try seated calf raises with a heavy book on your knees, dancing while holding a grandbaby or walking with a weighted bag or hand weights. Or consider wearing Agogie pants, with strength-training resistance bands woven into the fabric.
For a great way to get started with weight-bearing exercise, click through Denise Austin’s Strength Training Routine for Women Over 50.
It's so much more than weight loss
Even though the Glucose Goddess methods aren’t officially a “diet” — there is no calorie counting or weighing portions — countless women are losing weight and getting healthy with these hacks. Texas pharmacist Beth Deen lost 38 pounds by following the advice of The Glucose Goddess online. “I’m so pleased I’ve been able to accomplish my glucose goals without medication. This information has been invaluable,” she says. “After years of yo-yo dieting, I have been amazed at how much I can control my health. Being able to correlate how I feel with my personal glucose levels is life-changing!”
According to Inchauspé’s case studies, some 90% of her testers erased cravings, 77% experienced more energy, 67% felt happier and 58% slept better. One tester amazingly reduced her diabetes A1C levels from a dangerously high 12.2 to a healthier 6.2 in just over three months! Inchauspé says, “Everybody benefits from steadying their glucose levels.” Just ask teacher Tammy Striler, 55, of San Diego, who says, “This is the only thing that’s helped me since menopause!”
How these hacks helped Robyn Russell stabilize her blood sugar and return to her high-school weight
Silently, Robyn Russell, 55, of Melbourne, FL., repeated what she’d just heard the doctor say: Your high blood sugar is damaging the electrical rhythm of your heart… Robyn already knew she was prediabetic, but now she had to deal with the irregular heartbeats of atrial fibrillation, putting her at risk for stroke. She vowed, I have to find a way to manage my blood sugar.
Robyn had been working for years to clean up her diet. But getting healthy continued to be an uphill battle. This time, with her life on the line, she started adding healthy habits proven to calm blood-sugar spikes. She ate more fiber-rich veggies and took walks after breakfast and dinner.
She also practiced deep breathing to deal with the stress that made both her blood sugar and blood pressure rise. Those little moves worked! Robyn’s weight started to budge—she was thrilled when she lost 16 pounds the first month. All told, she naturally melted off 170 pounds from her all-time heaviest weight. She cheers, “This is the smallest I’ve been since high school!”
Best of all: Robyn’s fasting blood-sugar levels rebalanced this year from 110 to 75. Now her doctor is thrilled with her transformation. “No more A-fib putting me at risk,” Robyn says. “These changes saved my life!”
To learn more, check out these other articles about blood sugar:
This Plant Extract Helped One Woman Lower Her Blood Sugar and Lose 40 Pounds
Attention, Oatmeal Lovers: Here’s Why You’re Hangry at 10 a.m.
A Potato that Actually Helps Optimize Blood Sugar? Yup!
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, First For Women.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
Lisa Maxbauer is an award-winning health and nutrition writer at First for Women and Woman’s World magazines. She is a former guest blogger with The New York Times and author of the award-winning independent children’s book Squash Boom Beet. Learn more at SquashBoomBeet.com and follow on Instagram @lisamaxbauer.
