Jay Shetty welcomes back biochemist and bestselling author Jessie Inchauspé, known as the 'Glucose Goddess,' to discuss her new book Nine Months That Count Forever How Your Pregnancy Diet Shapes Your Baby's Future, releasing March 17th.

The conversation explores how pregnancy diet doesn't just affect the mother but can shape a child's health for their entire lifetime. Jessie shares personal experiences from her own pregnancy journey, including a miscarriage, while breaking down the science behind four crucial nutrients that have outsized effects on baby development.

Drawing from her established expertise in glucose management from her previous work, Jessie reveals how 90% of mothers today are missing key nutrients, and explains the concept of epigenetics - how diet during pregnancy programs a baby's DNA switches that can influence their vulnerability to diseases like diabetes, autism, and other conditions throughout their lives.

The Four Critical Nutrients That Shape Your Baby's Future

Glucose levels during pregnancy program your baby's DNA for Type 2 diabetes vulnerability - babies take whatever glucose is in your bloodstream, not just what they need

Choline, found in eggs, builds your baby's brain - insufficient choline results in fewer neurons being formed during critical brain development

Protein needs are 50% higher than previously thought - about 1.5-1.6 grams per kilo of body weight daily, roughly 100 grams total

Omega-3 fatty acids from fish or algae also build brain tissue - studies show adequate omega-3s can result in measurably higher IQ at age 4

Why 'Eating for Two' Is a Dangerous Myth

The 'bun in the oven' metaphor is fundamentally wrong - mothers aren't passive ovens but active co-creators shaping their baby's development

At the very end of pregnancy, babies only need about 70 grams of extra glucose daily - equivalent to 1.5 cups of rice

Most mothers today eat three times the WHO recommended 25 grams of sugar daily during pregnancy, creating inflammation and programming fat storage

Your baby doesn't 'just take what he needs' - if there's excess glucose in your bloodstream, the baby will also have high glucose levels

The Science of Epigenetics and Lifelong Programming

Epigenetics are microscopic switches on your baby's DNA that get programmed by the environment you provide during pregnancy

High glucose during pregnancy activates diabetes-vulnerability genes at birth - gestational diabetes increases child's diabetes risk by 4x compared to siblings

Low protein sends a message to keep muscle mass small for life - babies adapt their organ development based on perceived future environment

All 100 billion neurons in your brain were created during pregnancy and never get replaced - choline and omega-3 deficiency results in fewer brain cells

Managing Pregnancy Challenges and Glucose Spikes

First trimester nausea makes optimal nutrition difficult - protein helps balance blood sugar and reduce nausea, keep almonds bedside

Use glucose hacks from Glucose Revolution during pregnancy: eat vegetables first, never sugar on empty stomach, walk after meals

The vinegar hack (1 tablespoon in water before carbs) can reduce glucose spikes by 30%, but must use pasteurized vinegar during pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy shows remarkable benefits - animal studies show 30 minutes daily resulted in babies with 80% less anxiety and twice the maze-solving speed

The Hidden Impact of Modern Food Systems

90% of mothers are deficient in choline, 70% lack adequate protein, 75% don't get enough omega-3s during pregnancy

Only 6% of healthcare practitioners in the US discuss choline with pregnant mothers despite its critical importance for brain development

The UK sugar rationing study (1940-1953) proved lifelong impact - babies born when mothers ate 40g vs 80g sugar daily had 15% lower diabetes risk

High glucose creates overactive microglia in baby's brain that prune healthy neurons, potentially linked to 25% higher autism risk in gestational diabetes

Personal Journey Through Pregnancy Loss and Recovery

Jessie experienced a silent miscarriage at 3 months despite following optimal nutrition - no symptoms while carrying a deceased embryo for a month

Miscarriage grief is uniquely challenging because 'it's not just losing a pregnancy, you lost the entire narrative' and projected future life

Most helpful response to pregnancy loss: 'I'm so sorry, this must be so hard. Can I bring you chocolate cake?' rather than toxic positivity

Second pregnancy brought extreme anxiety - got 10 ultrasounds in first 4 months and waited 6 months to tell family due to fear