How to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar: 6 Proven Diet Tips for Better Health, Weight Loss, and Disease Prevention
What Is This Book About?
90% of Diseases Can Be Cured by Controlling Your Blood Sugar is written by biochemist Jessie Inchauspe. She once worked at a gene analysis company in Silicon Valley, researching how genes affect health. However, she found that “instead of blaming our genes, it’s better to start with our diet” because our eating habits affect our blood sugar, and blood sugar almost controls every function in our body.
Blood sugar affects all our physiological functions—whether it’s weight, sleep, energy, or even mood. If we let our blood sugar fluctuate wildly like a roller coaster every day, we can experience low energy, fatigue, binge eating, and other problems.
Rapid Blood Sugar Swings Are a Health Killer:
Once blood sugar rises quickly, the body secretes a large amount of insulin to cope. Over time, this can lead to obesity, inflammation, and even diabetes.
The Order of Eating Is More Important Than What You Eat:
Research shows that simply changing the order in which you eat can reduce the spike in blood sugar. This means you don’t have to go on a strict diet; by eating smartly, you can keep your blood sugar stable.
I think the best part of this book is that although it contains many scientific terms and concepts, the author uses metaphors and charts very effectively to explain them. It’s like listening to a friend telling you a story. After reading it, you’ll have built a basic foundation of health knowledge, cleared up many misconceptions, and understood how various foods affect blood sugar—enabling you to fundamentally adjust your eating habits. I highly recommend this book.
Why Should We Particularly Pay Attention to Blood Sugar?
Among all the health indicators in our body, why focus on blood sugar in particular?
Jessie uses a very intuitive metaphor in her book: if our body were an airplane, then blood sugar would be the control stick in the cockpit. When this stick is steady, the plane can fly smoothly; but if it wobbles, the plane will shake, affecting our energy, mood, and even long-term health.
Modern eating habits make our blood sugar rise and fall like a roller coaster—what she calls a “blood sugar roller coaster.” When blood sugar surges and then plummets rapidly, a series of effects occur, such as:
- Getting hungry easily and eating more: When blood sugar drops rapidly, the brain sends a “quick, eat something” signal, making us crave sweets or starchy foods.
- Unstable mood and affected emotions: When blood sugar is too low, people feel anxious, irritable, and may even have disrupted sleep.
- Causing body inflammation and harming health: Long-term high blood sugar puts the body in a state of chronic inflammation, potentially leading to various health issues.
- Promoting fat storage and quicker weight gain: When blood sugar is unstable, the body stores more fat, making weight loss more difficult.
In the past, many people thought that simply eating less and counting calories would control weight, but recent research finds that “how you eat” is even more important than “how much you eat.” Learning to stabilize your blood sugar can greatly improve your overall health.
In short, blood sugar is like the main power switch in our body—it controls our energy, mood, and overall health. As long as we learn how to keep our blood sugar steady, we don’t need extreme diets or to give up the foods we love; our body can gradually return to an ideal balance.
Understanding What We Eat
The food we eat every day is the fuel for our bodies. Among its key components—glucose, fructose, fiber, and fat—each has a direct effect on blood sugar. In addition to these, starch also plays a crucial role.
- Glucose: This is the main source of energy for the body, much like fuel from a gas station that keeps us active all day. However, eating too much—such as white rice, white bread, or desserts—can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then drop quickly, leading to fatigue and hunger.
- Fructose: The natural sweetness in fruits comes from fructose, but in excess (for example, drinking too much fruit juice or sugary drinks), the liver converts the extra fructose into fat, which over time may increase the risk of fatty liver.
- Starch: Foods high in starch—like white rice, pasta, and potatoes—break down into glucose in the body, affecting how quickly blood sugar changes. Refined starches cause dramatic blood sugar fluctuations, whereas whole grains like brown rice and oats result in a steadier rise.
- Fiber: Although the body can’t directly absorb fiber, think of it as a “speed bump.” When fiber is present, it slows down the absorption of sugar, preventing a sharp blood sugar spike. Fiber-rich foods such as dark leafy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains not only provide satiety but also help stabilize blood sugar.
- Fat: Good fats can slow down the entry of sugar into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar stable. For example, nuts, avocados, and olive oil are excellent sources of healthy fats. Of course, too much fat isn’t good either, but completely eliminating fat is even worse.
To stabilize blood sugar, the best approach is to combine these foods rather than consuming too much starch or sugar alone. This way, the body’s energy is sustained longer and the negative effects of the blood sugar roller coaster on health are reduced.
Modern Dietary Culture and Food Processing Issues
In modern diets, many processed foods are over-processed to preserve them and enhance taste, which diminishes their nutritional value. For example, in the process of making white flour, the fiber-rich bran and germ are removed, leaving mainly starch. This makes the food easier to digest but also causes blood sugar to rise more quickly.
In addition to refined flour, another problem with many processed foods is the excessive addition of sugars, especially fructose.
Fructose is sweeter than glucose or sucrose and is cheaper, so food manufacturers use it in large amounts. Carbonated drinks, fruit juices, candies, pastries, and sauces all contain high amounts of high-fructose corn syrup. Although this processed sugar does not immediately spike blood sugar, it is quickly converted into fat by the liver, which over time may lead to fatty liver, insulin resistance, and even affect metabolism.
To reduce these effects, it is advisable to choose natural, whole foods such as brown rice, oats, nuts, and fresh vegetables, and to reduce the intake of processed foods containing high-fructose corn syrup. Also, try to use natural sources of sweetness—like whole fruits that still contain fiber. If you juice them, the fiber is all broken down, and you’re essentially drinking sugary water, which the author does not recommend.
Reflections on 90% of Diseases Can Be Cured by Controlling Your Blood Sugar: Six Dietary Methods to Stabilize Blood Sugar
The Six Practical Steps I Took
After reading this book, I decided to put its advice into practice and followed the recommendations for over a month. In the past, I often felt hungry before noon and would even snack, leading to big fluctuations in my blood sugar. But now, my energy is much more stable; I no longer have frequent cravings, and even when I want something sweet, I know to choose the right timing.
During this period, I tried several changes and found they really helped my body’s condition. Next, I’d like to share the six specific actions I implemented, hoping to make it easier for everyone to understand and apply them in daily life.
Eat in the Correct Order
Did you know that the order in which you eat actually affects how your body absorbs food and, in turn, stabilizes blood sugar? If we start by eating large amounts of starch or sweets, blood sugar will spike quickly, causing a large secretion of insulin and then a rapid drop, making you feel tired, hungry, and even affecting your mood. The best eating order is:Start with vegetables: The fiber in vegetables forms a “protective net” in the intestines, slowing down the absorption of sugars.
Then eat proteins and fats: These nutrients slow down gastric emptying, helping to keep blood sugar stable.
Finally, eat starches and sugars: With the intestine already protected by fiber, protein, and fat, the carbohydrates that follow won’t cause a sudden spike in blood sugar.
Research shows that following this eating order can reduce blood sugar fluctuations by 70% and cut insulin secretion by half. Mastering this simple method helps keep your energy stable, reduces the risk of binge eating, and promotes overall health.
Ensure Your Blood Sugar Is Stable After Breakfast
Breakfast is the start of the day, and choosing the right foods can affect your energy levels all day long.If you eat sweets or a large amount of starch first thing in the morning—such as chocolate toast, sweet cereal with milk, or white bread—your blood sugar will rise quickly, prompting a large release of insulin, followed by a sharp drop. This leaves you hungry before noon, unfocused, and even in a bad mood.
This reminded me of my past eating habits, where I sometimes had a “full starch + full sugar” breakfast combination, leading to rapid hunger before noon, forcing me to snack, which created a vicious cycle that affected my satiety throughout the afternoon.
The best approach is to start with foods rich in protein and healthy fats—such as boiled eggs, nuts, or unsweetened yogurt—paired with high-fiber vegetables. This keeps blood sugar stable and avoids energy spikes. If you really want carbohydrates, pair them with protein and fiber to slow down blood sugar fluctuations and help maintain a steady energy supply.
Have Some Green Vegetables Before Your Meal
If you begin your meal with bread or fries—foods high in starch—your blood sugar will quickly spike, only to drop sharply afterward, leaving you hungry again soon and possibly affecting your mood. This is why it’s best to start with fiber-rich vegetables, such as a salad. The fiber creates a “protective wall” in your gut, slowing sugar absorption and keeping blood sugar steady, preventing extreme fluctuations.But what if you’re dining out with friends and the restaurant doesn’t offer a salad? In that case, you can prepare a small snack beforehand—like a handful of nuts, unsweetened yogurt, or a hard-boiled egg. These foods help stabilize your blood sugar, so you don’t ingest too much starch right at the start.
Mastering this small trick not only stabilizes blood sugar but also makes dining out more comfortable, preventing an energy crash after a meal that might disrupt your plans.
Eat Sweets After a Meal, or Replace Sweets with Savory Snacks
When we eat, our body first breaks down food into various nutrients, with glucose and fructose being the main sugars.Typically, glucose from starchy foods enters the bloodstream directly to provide energy to our cells; any excess is stored in muscles and the liver for later use.
Fructose, however, is different. Fructose cannot be converted into glycogen and cannot be stored in the liver or muscles. Instead, it is converted into fat for storage. When consumed in excess, it can even lead to fatty liver.
After eating sweets—which are mainly composed of glucose and fructose—both sugars spike. This is why sweets cause a more harmful spike in blood sugar compared to starchy foods.
This is also why you shouldn’t eat desserts or drink fruit juice on an empty stomach. As the author advises: “If you want something sweet, it’s best to have it after a meal rather than eating sweets while fasting.” By then, your body already has the protection of fiber, protein, and fat to slow down sugar absorption and reduce blood sugar fluctuations.
If you get hungry between meals, instead of opting for sweets, cookies, or cakes, choose unsweetened nuts, unsweetened yogurt with nut butter, or even a hard-boiled egg. These foods not only provide satisfaction but also help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the extra burden of fructose on your body.
Drink a Diluted Vinegar Drink Before Meals
Many people may not know that vinegar has a significant effect on blood sugar. When we eat, food is broken down into sugars that enter the bloodstream, and the acetic acid in vinegar can slow down this process, making the blood sugar rise more gradually.Research has found that drinking a small glass of apple cider vinegar (or diluted with water) before a meal can reduce the post-meal spike in blood sugar, resulting in a smoother blood sugar curve. However, note that vinegar is only an aid and not a “magic cure-all”—drinking vinegar does not give you carte blanche to eat unlimited sweets.
To effectively use vinegar for blood sugar control, it’s best to choose natural apple cider vinegar or other fermented vinegars and pair it with a healthy diet to really see the benefits.
Be Active After Meals to Boost Metabolism
After eating, food is digested into sugars that enter the bloodstream, causing blood sugar to rise. To handle these sugars, the body releases insulin to help cells absorb the energy. However, if you sit for long periods after eating, these sugars may be converted into fat for storage, increasing weight and metabolic strain.The simplest solution is to be active after meals. Even a 10-minute walk can prompt your muscles to burn these sugars directly, reducing the insulin burden and helping keep blood sugar stable. Many cultures have the habit of “a hundred steps after a meal,” and there is scientific basis for this—moderate exercise helps the body use the newly ingested sugars more efficiently, reducing the post-meal blood sugar spike and promoting a steadier release of energy.
If you can’t go for a walk, you can also stand for a few minutes, do some simple stretches, or engage in light housework. The key is to get moving rather than plopping down immediately after a meal, which helps maintain stable blood sugar and avoids large energy swings.
Afterword: Improving Quality of Life Through Diet
90% of Diseases Can Be Cured by Controlling Your Blood Sugar made me rethink the real key to “healthy eating.” I used to think that simply controlling calorie intake was enough to stay healthy, but after reading this book, I realized that the order and combination of foods are more important than merely controlling food types. Stabilizing your blood sugar curve is at the core of managing our energy, weight, and overall health.
One quote in the book really resonated with me: “What if, instead of feeling like a failure every time we eat sugar, we took a moment to think before indulging and accepted that sugar is also a part of life? What then?” It’s true—humans naturally enjoy a little sweetness. As long as we know how and when to eat it, we can coexist with sugar without compromising our health.
After implementing these methods, I’ve noticed I have more energy and don’t feel hungry between meals. Even when I occasionally have something sweet, I know to choose the right timing to reduce the burden on my body. I highly recommend this book—not just as a book about blood sugar, but as a guide to understanding how dietary habits can truly improve your quality of life.
Comments
Post a Comment