It seems like the news is full of headlines about Ozempic and the ever-increasing obesity epidemic. While Hollywood and celebrities promote this drug as a miracle cure, more knowledgeable groups are beginning to sound some alarms.

Semaglutide (aka Ozempic, Wegovy, liraglutide, Rybelsus, and Victoza; a GLP-1 agonist (glucagon-like peptide-1)), was originally synthesized based on gila monster venom and had the same effect of slowing down the motility of the stomach. Scientists noticed that the gila monster version metabolized much slower in humans than the natural version that we create in our own intestines. The natural version we create slows down the stomach for only a few minutes, while this new version lasts for several hours!*

This chemical creates the slower movement of food by causing mild paralysis of the stomach (there have been many reported cases of gasteroparesis, or paralysis of the stomach. This is when more than 35% of food is still present in the stomach four hours after a meal instead of the normal <10%). It also mimics the hormone leptin which tricks the brain into thinking you are full. Meanwhile, it stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin. For many of the people hoping for miracle weight loss, this is akin to whipping a tired horse, contributing to pancreatic exhaustion, insulin resistance, and Type II diabetes.

Other known risks are nausea, low blood sugar, dizziness, flu symptoms, pounding heartbeat, vision changes, mood changes including thoughts of self-harm, gallbladder and kidney problems. Ozempic comes with a “boxed warning” (previously called “black box warning”, but that was too scary so pHARMa got the FDA to tame it down a bit) which warns about thyroid tumor and thyroid cancer risks.

Granted, this medication “works” while you are on it, but it is not meant to be taken indefinitely. It should be no surprise that any individuals who did not adopt the bland advice of adding “proper diet and exercise” changes were quick to recover the weight they had lost. The reports of rebound weight gain, among several other issues, are systematically being dismissed to create the appearance that they are only anecdotal stories. (Where have we seen that before? Heart attacks and strokes that couldn’t be from that one thing…)

Instead of putting all your hope on yet another drug (anyone else remember Fen-Phen?), there is another solution. It takes better INFORMATION that leads to better ACTIONS. We must recognize that is was lifestyle and diet choices that created this situation, and this is exactly what we need to change.

Is it easy? That depends. In our own lives, we have been putting this information to work for over 15 years in how we shop for food and how we live, so it’s more or less second-nature to us at this point. It took a lot of conscious effort to make better choices initially, and it was also an investment to pay a bit more for food with less poisons, but it pays off. Spoiler Alert! You’re not going to find the right information from mainstream sources!

Perhaps you want to dive in by yourself and try to figure out this diet and lifestyle stuff. We love that! You may discover something new that benefits everyone else, or you may find something unique that only affects you! Another option is to work with our team directly through Quantum Nutrition Testing, where we create customized diet plans and lifestyle strategies, helping to get you to your goals as fast as possible. If you want to know more about how this approach works, click here.

If you are wanting to dive in by yourself, the biggest time-saver I can give you is the following information:

  • Eat foods will the fewest amount of chemicals and adulterated ingredients. You MUST read the ingredient labels! This also applies to anything you eat outside of your home. You have to know what you’re putting in your mouth!
  • Sugar is a problem, but not as much as “Fake Oils” (see article here).
  • Focus on “whole” foods, meaning they have been through minimal processing and are similar to what you could make in your own kitchen (assuming your kitchen is not also a chemical laboratory). Whole meats and fresh produce should be the majority of what you consume. Buy foods that don’t have ingredient labels!

To compliment your journey, we encourage our clients to start by exploring one source – www.westonaprice.org. Get their quarterly journal and dig through their archive. It should be noted that we don’t agree with 100% of their material, but they are the best we have found while still keeping their information digestible for a layperson.

In Health,

Drs. David and Lauren Kolowski

*(When considering any new health strategy, something like this triggers an immediate Red Flag. Anything that forces our bodies to work in an exaggerated or suppressed way is a concern. Instead, we should be working to SUPPORT natural function through natural means. This is the core defining philosophy behind chiropractic and natural healthcare. Your body is smart. It is able to heal if it has the right expression of internal control and regulation through the nervous system and a full supply of energy and building blocks from our nutrition, while also avoiding excessive stresses in the form of toxins, traumas and thoughts. If that idea resonates with you, we would love to work with you.)