How To Eat with Glucose Goddess Jessie Inchauspé | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Simon Sinek's conversation with Jessie Inchauspé, known as the "Glucose Goddess," revealing how understanding our body's relationship with glucose can transform our health, energy, and overall wellbeing.

1. The glucose connection to mental and physical health

Jessie Inchauspé discovered the connection between glucose levels and mental health through her own personal journey. After suffering a serious back injury at 19, she developed depression, anxiety, and panic attacks that lasted nearly a decade. Through self-experimentation with a glucose monitor, she found that stable glucose levels correlated with better mental health.

The connection between glucose levels and how we feel extends beyond mental health. Glucose affects our energy levels, mood, skin health, inflammation, and even conditions like acne, rosacea, and psoriasis. Many people experience energy crashes in the afternoon due to glucose spikes from earlier meals, mistakenly treating these crashes with more sugar or caffeine, which only perpetuates the cycle.

2. Understanding glucose and its effects on the body

Glucose is our body's primary energy source, with every cell using it to function properly. We obtain glucose from two main food types: starches (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and sugars (anything sweet). While the body needs glucose, excessive amounts lead to glucose spikes, which trigger inflammation – a major driver of disease.

When glucose spikes occur, they cause three major problems. First, they trigger inflammation throughout the body. Second, they accelerate aging through a process called glycation, affecting both skin and internal organs. Third, they prompt insulin release, which stores excess glucose in fat cells, potentially leading to type 2 diabetes over time. An estimated 80% of the non-diabetic population still experiences harmful glucose spikes daily.

3. The power of food order

One of the most effective strategies for managing glucose levels is eating food in a specific order: vegetables first, proteins and fats second, and carbs and sugars last. This simple change can reduce glucose spikes by up to 75% from the same meal, without eliminating any foods. This approach aligns with traditional eating patterns, like Italian meals that start with antipasti (vegetable appetizers).

The science behind this strategy involves fiber in vegetables creating a protective mesh in the upper intestine. This mesh slows down the absorption of glucose molecules from carbohydrates eaten later in the meal. The protein consumed second further slows gastric emptying, meaning food moves more gradually from the stomach to the intestine. Together, these factors ensure a gentler glucose release into the bloodstream.

4. Starting with fiber-rich vegetables

Eating fiber-rich vegetables at the beginning of a meal creates a protective barrier in the upper intestine. This fiber acts like a superhero mesh that slows down glucose absorption from carbohydrates consumed later. The fiber coating remains effective for approximately 90 minutes, giving you flexibility in how you structure your meals.

Many of Jessie's followers have found creative ways to implement this hack. Some eat vegetables at home before going out to restaurants where vegetable options might be limited. Others order side vegetables to come first when dining out. This simple practice not only helps control glucose levels but also naturally reduces appetite for less healthy foods later in the meal.

5. Making behavior change accessible and sustainable

Jessie's philosophy centers on making health behaviors accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable. She emphasizes starting small—even eating just one cherry tomato or baby carrot before a meal counts as success. Her approach contrasts with many health influencers who promote rigorous, difficult-to-maintain regimens that often lead to feelings of failure.

Her passion stems from her own health journey. After experiencing the benefits of glucose management firsthand, she became determined to help others take their first steps toward better health. She uses simple language, memorable analogies (like fiber as a "superwoman"), and practical hacks to make complex biochemistry accessible to everyone. This approach creates a virtuous cycle where small successes build confidence for bigger changes.

6. The moderation principle with pleasure decisions

Jessie advocates for a balanced approach to nutrition that includes room for pleasure. She distinguishes between "health decisions" and "pleasure decisions," acknowledging that some choices like alcohol aren't made for health benefits but for enjoyment. This realistic perspective helps people maintain sustainable habits without feeling deprived.

When discussing alcohol, she suggests selecting what you truly enjoy rather than attempting to optimize for health benefits. While some options like wine or hard liquors with soda water have less impact on glucose levels than beer or sugary cocktails, she emphasizes that these are still pleasure choices. This philosophy extends to desserts and other treats—enjoy them mindfully, without guilt, while using the glucose hacks to minimize their impact.

7. Managing glucose without eliminating favorite foods

One of the most appealing aspects of Jessie's approach is that it doesn't require eliminating favorite foods. Rather than restricting pasta, pizza, or oatmeal, she teaches strategies to enjoy these foods while reducing their glucose impact. For example, adding "clothing" (protein, fat, or fiber) to carbohydrates slows glucose absorption.

For mixed meals like sandwiches, lasagna, or pizza that can't easily be deconstructed, simply eating a plate of vegetables before the meal provides similar benefits. When enjoying oatmeal, adding protein powder, nut butter, or seeds significantly reduces the glucose spike. This approach allows for flexibility and sustainability while still protecting metabolic health. It's about making small adjustments rather than radical diet changes.

8. The difference between energy and dopamine

Many people mistake the rush from sugar as energy when it's actually dopamine, the brain's pleasure chemical. The initial feeling of alertness after consuming something sweet comes from this dopamine release, which provides a temporary mood boost but not true energy. True energy is produced by mitochondria in our cells, which function best with steady glucose levels.

Large glucose spikes actually stress the mitochondria, causing them to become less efficient at producing energy. This leads to fatigue, creating a vicious cycle where we reach for more sugar to combat tiredness, further stressing our energy production systems. Understanding this distinction helps break the cycle of using sugar as an energy crutch and explains why stable glucose levels result in more consistent energy throughout the day.

9. The role of glucose in long-term health

Managing glucose levels has significant implications for long-term health beyond daily energy and mood. Chronic glucose spikes contribute to accelerated aging, inflammation, and hormone disruption. For some of Jessie's followers, stabilizing glucose levels helped with fertility issues, allowing women previously told they couldn't conceive naturally to become pregnant.

The impact extends to neurological health as well. Some readers have reported improvements in conditions like Parkinson's when implementing glucose management strategies. While Jessie emphasizes that glucose control isn't a cure-all, it provides a foundation for better health. Stable glucose levels create an environment where other health practices can be more effective, making it an excellent starting point for overall wellness.

10. Finding your personal why for lasting motivation

Jessie's work exemplifies the importance of connecting health practices to deeper meaning. Her passion isn't actually glucose management but helping people make sustainable behavior changes. Her personal journey from debilitating mental health issues to wellness gives her work authenticity and purpose. This mirrors Simon Sinek's philosophy of starting with "why"—focusing on the cause that drives you rather than just the method.

Simon advises Jessie to recognize that glucose management is the mechanism she discovered to deliver her true passion: helping people navigate life's ups and downs. This perspective allows for growth beyond current work. While glucose management is her current focus, her underlying mission of making complex health concepts accessible and actionable could extend to other areas like mental health and nervous system regulation. This broader purpose will sustain her work long after glucose trends have come and gone.