Thoughts on OZEMPIC (aka GLP-1 Drug) for weight-loss and Natural ways you can do it yourself!

We have a naturally occurring hormone in our body called GLP-1. You have probably heard of Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists drugs (agonists meaning they mimic the action of the hormone by binding to GLP-1 receptors) in our body for weight loss. I did some digging, a lot of digging… you know me, I’m a bookworm and will read studies and not take someone’s word for whether it is good or bad. But did you know that you can increase your own GLP-1 naturally and very effectively without drugs or supplements? So, get this…

Our gastrointestinal tract is the largest hormone-secreting gland in our body. Which plays an integral role in metabolism like blood sugar/insulin regulation and energy expenditure. Experts have discovered that about 1 in every 100 cells that line our digestive tract functions as a nutrient sensor and can secrete hormones such as GLP-1. Which stands for glucagon-like-peptide-1. GLP-1 not only lines our intestines, but they are also secreted in our brain. When our hormones are functioning well, it tells our brain to suppress appetite and cravings in appropriate levels. So yes, what you nourish your body with will have a huge impact on your hormones, metabolic health, and what people seem to be interested in lately…appetite and cravings.

You can be prescribed an injection like Ozempic with a lot of risks attached to it, including death, cancer, bowel obstructions, soiling yourself uncontrollably, pancreatitis which some women have expressed it to be more painful than childbirth, major muscle loss, increasing frailty, and much more. And in the US, you’ll pay over $1,000 a month for this weekly injection compared to those in Germany who pay $59/mo. I read into material that covered recent studies from this year and the risks vs benefits seem to be quite scary on the risk side of things for wanting to lose weight. Not something I would encourage my clients to look into taking whatsoever as I would be so worried about their health and safety. Especially since there are other ways of adjusting our metabolism if someone is willing to do the work. Heck some people gain weight from this drug. Oops.

If you feel your metabolism is stuck, it is valuable to consider making changes in the quality of food and/or the amount of fiber consumed. Also, GLP-1 secretion does not just depend on what we eat, but how we eat. When we go through the proper mastication process “start with chewing” and not drinking our calories, makes a massive impact. When we take our time and eat our food slowly and thoroughly chewing our food (30-40 chews with each bite) that naturally increases the secretion of GLP-1. You’ve probably heard, don’t drink your calories (or eat ultra-processed foods) as it will land on the hips. Even eating an apple (about 5 grams of fiber) vs drinking apple juice (small amount of fiber at 0.5 grams) makes all the difference in the world. Shoot for whole foods! But why does this happen, you ask?

Well, a lot of times our GLP-1 fails because most of the food we eat nowadays like processed foods and specifically foods without fiber…absorb quickly into the beginning of our small intestines. Why does that matter? Because our GLP-1 secreting cells are concentrated at the “END” of our small intestines. In order to reach the end of the small intestines, we need fiber rich foods (but not Metamucil though) to get there! If we focus on whole plant-based foods as the base of our meals such as beans, tubers (squash, potatoes), groats, sprouted grains, fruits, veggies (greens like spinach), and mushrooms… it will make its way further down the digestive tract to work as nature intended with our GLP-1 hormones! Boom! Even spicing up your dishes with cinnamon, curcumin, and cayenne can also have a positive impact on GLP-1! The other cool thing about high fiber foods, is that the fiber itself traps some of the calories consumed and flushes them out of our system including toxins! Have inflammation in the body? Eat fiber-rich foods! Don’t like the taste of some of the fiber-rich foods, keep trying them… our taste buds change over time, and you may acquire a taste for it after 10-14 days!

Side note: A lot of food offered today has had their nutrients and fiber stripped. It truly does matter what we nourish ourselves with. Think about this, it is understood that about 70-80% of our immune system is in our gut. About 90% of serotonin is made up in our gut as well – which is responsible for assisting our body with sleep, happier mood, sexual desire and function, digestion and much more. We have a fiber and nutrient deficiency, even though we overeat. It’s about choosing food that nature intended us to consume. Over 95% of Americans are deficient in fiber and we wonder why we are unwell or have sticky metabolisms… This nutrient is essential for a healthy diet, key in toxin removal, bad cholesterol removal, lowering the risks of heart disease, diabetes, weight management, balancing hormones, decreasing inflammation, and some cancers. How much fiber? Read this: https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/how-much-fiber-should-you-eat-every-day/ Along with this! https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-five-to-one-fiber-rule/

If you’d like to learn more about consuming a diet based on whole plant-based foods (that does not necessarily mean animal-free), it means the majority and base of every meal. Check out my self-help holistic nutrition guide that dives into optimizing your health and performance! https://aj-macomber.com/new-holistic-nutrition-self-help-documents/ I also talk about what to expect if one is not used to a high fiber diet. One may need to take it slow and gradually build their fiber intake.

If you want to learn more about the risks and benefits of GLP-1 drugs, read the book from Dr. Michael Greger called OZEMPIC risks, benefits, and natural alternatives to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.