Okay, Reader. If you read my last newsletter about my take on Ozempic, I left you on a bit of a cliffhanger.

After laying out the seven current concerns I have, I didn’t get around to any of the alternative options that I wanted to share with you…or the ways I think Ozempic and other GLP-1 pharmaceuticals *might* be used safely.

To preface my suggestions, I consider weight to be a side-effect of something else, not the root issue.

What’s going wrong in your body or your psyche that’s caused it to put on weight as a strategy?

When you start working on the underlying imbalances, you might not have to try so hard to lose weight.

For example, if you’ve got a high A1C and you’re overweight, focus on getting your blood sugar under control first through eliminating ultra-processed foods and getting into ketosis.

Or maybe you grew up like I did as an average American? Eating Kraft macaroni and cheese, Trix cereal, and bagel dogs…while slathering yourself in Bath and Body Works products…with a Yankee candle burning in the background.

All those chemicals may just be hunkered down in your fat cells for safe keeping. Time to start eating foods that support your liver and kidneys for detox, and moving your lymph system.​

Do GLP-1 drugs help you lose weight?

Yes, that’s obviously happening and why they’ve surged in popularity – in addition to the massive marketing campaign.

But if you’re wary of the negative side effects like me, you may be wondering what else you might safely try.

Here’s what I’d address before trying Ozempic or GLP-1 drugs

Akkermansia probiotics: Akkermansia muciniphila is a bacterial strain that supports GLP-1 production and if you’ve taken antibiotics or were born by C-section, you might not have it. It’s not in fermented foods. As a supplement, I like Pendulum GLP-1 Probiotic, which includes akkermansia with a strain called Clostridium butyricum that produces butyrate (see “eat butter” below for more details), both of which stimulate your own GLP-1 production. You can purchase this product at my Fullscript shop with a 10% discount.​

Balance your gut flora in general: I can talk endlessly about how important it is to repair your gut and balance your microbiome because it’s such a big topic. It’s related to every symptom because our flora plays a role in nutrient production and absorption, detoxification, acts as an endocrine organ, and more. Overgrown gut flora, including yeast, can lead you to eat foods you don’t really want to eat – or overeat. If you have started down this path yet, let this be your personal invitation. Start by eating fermented foods every day.

Circadian alignment: Your microbiome, hormones, and weight will all improve when you get outside in natural light every day of the year. Another big topic, but start with 20 minutes outdoors before 10am each day, with light on your face and eyes (no glasses).

Detoxification: Start by swapping out your cleaning and body products for safer options. Lessening your incoming daily exposures makes more of a difference than you might imagine. Then focus on nourishing your body with natural foods prepared at home to provide the nutrition that runs your detox organs efficiently.

Eat butter: Butter contains butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that stimulates GLP-1 secretion from specialized cells by activating certain receptors. It’s also produced by certain gut bacteria (see “Akkermansia” probiotics above).

Fasting: Stick with me here – I’m not talking about water fasting until you’re at your goal weight. What I suggest is shrinking your eating window so that your body can get into some fat burning every day. We’re talking 13-15 hours without eating overnight. You can add longer fasts to mix things up metabolically, if you’re well nourished. Mindy Pelz talks about this in her book, Fast Like a Girl. One thing to note: I don’t recommend her recipes – they don’t take ancestral eating or traditional food preparation into account.

Feed your body nutrient-dense foods: I believe that much of our overeating comes from our body seeking nutrients. It says, “You can’t be full because I still need more vitamins!” Without sufficient animal protein, fat, and vegetables you can be living with long-term deficiencies that keep you craving more and more food, especially if you’ve had a history of eating refined foods and sweets.

Low carb or keto: if you’re prediabetic, a sugar-addict, or want to lose weight, you’ve got to move the bulk of your eating towards whole proteins and fats. Obviously, this is a huge topic. If you’re interested in a keto diet, the Keto Mojo website is a simple and comprehensive place to start. Just don’t fall prey to all the foods labeled keto at the grocery store. Keto is not a food; it’s a metabolic state. You’re in ketosis when you can measure ketones in your blood, not based on what you’re eating.

Stop eating ultra processed foods: There’s no way around this. Ultra-processed foods contribute to all your health issues. Buy fresh food and learn to cook it simply. I didn’t learn to cook until my 30’s. I keep my cooking simple, like steaming some broccoli and baking a couple of chicken thighs in the oven, or tossing meat and chopped veggies in the slow cooker half-filled with water, plus a few herbs, and some salt. Keep an eye on my Instagram stories for examples that will inspire you.

Strength training: More muscle mass equals more energy used, even while you’re at rest. Start with whatever appeals to you most. Just start. Pick a trainer, a gym, some free weights, or just some heavy stuff around the house.

Therapy or 12-step work: If your eating feels compulsive and you’ve addressed the physical areas, or you can’t manage to follow through with any of them, there might be a subconscious pattern running the show. Talk with someone about it. Food numbing is a real thing and you might need help to figure out why you’re doing it. It took me years to recognize my triggers (and I don’t have this perfected).

If several of these ideas resonate with you, Reader, and you’re overwhelmed about where to start and how to make these changes long-term, you might be a candidate for working with me one-on-one. If you’re interested in applying to work with me, register to attend my free Gut-Curious zoom call on Tuesday, March 4^th, at 4:15pm Pacific time.​

My overall advice on Ozempic and GLP-1 for now is “wait and see”

Ozempic became FDA approved in 2022. That was incredibly recent!

Wait until 2028 before you jump on the GLP-1 bandwagon.

By that point the mass experiment will be well underway and the dangerous side effects will be better known and there might be more nuanced recommendations.

That gives you plenty of time to try out the suggestions above and become completely metabolically healthy with zero chance of heart disease or diabetes while you wait – even if you still carry a few extra pounds.

Is there potential for using GLP drugs?

Despite the awful side effects that I’m seeing crop up all around me, I’m doing my best to stay open to what unfolds (which, I admit is difficult since I’m pretty anti-pharma).

​
​When might I make the case for a personalized GLP-1 drug?

• After you’ve got a rock-solid foundation of ancestral eating, healthy gut flora, daily detox activities, strength training, and circadian alignment and you’re still carrying significant weight.
• As a bridge for two months to reset your portion sizes, if you feel like overeating is really a root issue for you and you’ve already reset your microbiome and been to therapy.

If you’re dead set on jumping on this GLP-1 ride, please seek out a doctor who’s personalizing your dosage and working with you on long-term lifestyle changes. Dr. Tyna Moore speaks to this point and trains practitioners.

And one more tip from an ND colleague that I work closely with: make sure the peptide that you receive is compounded with methylcobalamin, not cyanocobalamin, which are two forms of Vitamin B12. The cyanocobalamin form seems to be damaging to methylation, a pathway your liver uses to detoxify.

Phew – this turned into a long letter again, but I hope you find it useful.

If you have other questions you’d like me to address or expand on, write me back and let me know!

Warm wishes,

Jenn

​Body Wisdom Nutrition​

P.S. If you’d like to try akkermansia probiotics to see if they help you balance your weight, seek out Pendulum GPL-1 Probiotic in my Fullscript shop with a 10% discount.​

P.P.S. I’ll be opening up space for two new one-on-one clients in March. If you’re interested, register for my upcoming Gut-Curious Zoom Call on March 4^th, so we can get to know each other first.