Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:10] Hello and welcome. You're listening to a recording from inside the members hub of the whole health revolution. These episodes are taken from my live weekly coaching calls where members can join me in real time for honest conversations around health, nutrition, weight loss and sustainable lifestyle change.
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[00:01:36] I watched an interesting New Zealand documentary last night and it's called Paddy Gower Has Issues. Patty Gower is a reporter here in New Zealand and it was on three now for our New Zealand members and he had a reporter on there that was talking about Ozempic, or in New Zealand we call it WeGovy. It's the same thing, just rebranded as a different name.
[00:02:00] So it was quite interesting because it's something that obviously I've been looking at quite a lot in the news and I always, you know, my ears prick up when I hear anything about it.
[00:02:11] And so I thought I'd cover that today. So if it's something of interest to you, whether you've ever been contemplating doing it or whether you know of a friend that's doing it or thinking about it, it's quite an interesting topic.
[00:02:23] And when you think about it, it's one of those topics now that's been making headlines for quite some time. It's not new, but it's showing up on social media and it's even being endorsed by many celebrities.
[00:02:35] And these drugs really are game changers for weight loss. But like anything in medicine, it's never that simple. So tonight I want to explain how they actually work and what the research says and what the pros and cons are what is Ozempic or Wegovy? So it was originally developed in the early 2000s as a diabetes medication. The generic name for it is Semaglutide and it's part of the class called GLP1 receptor agonists. So what the heck does that actually mean? A GLP1 is a natural hormone that's released from our gut when we eat. And these medications are designed to mimic that hormone. So when it's released naturally, it's short lived and broken down quickly, literally within minutes. And this, this gives us the I'm full message, but it doesn't last that long. So with a Zempic and Wegovy, the drug is a synthetic version of the GLP1 and that's been modified so it's more stable and it lasts a lot longer in the body. So instead of being broken down in a short timeframe, you know, you've had that full feeling and you think, oh, I can't eat anymore. But quite often we can give ourselves 20 minutes or so and that actually, you know, that that feeling's gone. But what this does, it will keep working for a whole week.
[00:03:50] So it's not that people don't make enough GLP1, it's that the drug creates a longer and a stronger version of that natural signal. So appetite is suppressed for much longer than normal and that's why it works so effectively for weight loss. But it's also why it can cause many side effects. Because what we're doing now is we're amplifying and extending a hormone signal that normally only spikes for a short time after meals. And what it's doing is it's slowing down how quickly the food leaves the stomach, which leaves us feeling fuller for longer. The brain's getting a signal that reduces the appetite, so we simply just don't feel as hungry. And it also helps to regulate our blood sugar levels. We know that's a good thing, right?
[00:04:30] It encourages the body to release insulin and releases also, sorry, reduces another hormone called glucagon. And glucagon raises blood sugar. And so because it's worked so well with weight loss in diabetics, it's now been repurposed as a weight loss medication.
[00:04:47] But let's talk about a few side effects now. Any pharmaceutical drug, I'm yet to come across one that doesn't have any side effects. So all pharmaceutical drugs always have side effects. And so the common ones with these medications are nausea. A lot of people feel really sick in the mornings especially.
[00:05:07] Usually it can lead to vomiting. They might have stomach upsets where they've got diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, bloating and reflux. But there are also some other side effect that are more serious, such as gallbladder issues or gallstones. Pancreatitis, you don't want to get that. Inflammation of the pancreas, kidney injury due to dehydration or vomiting and diarrhea, hypoglycemia, especially with diabetics if they're on other medications.
[00:05:38] And there's also increased risk of thyroid cell tumors and severe allergic reactions as well. Very rare, but it has been reported.
[00:05:47] Also very rare. Reported side effects are intestinal obstruction, not good, life threatening, suicidal thoughts or behavior. And even death. So, you know, these side effects really need to be taken into consideration before starting a drug like this. So while many people do tolerate it, it's not without its risks and I think we really need to look into those and see what they are.
[00:06:16] So what about the pros of Ozempic? So, yep, one thing is it's rapid, rapid appetite suppression. Many people just don't feel hungry at all on the medication. The show that I was watching last night, she was saying that she really couldn't believe it because she was the type of person that would eat when she's not hungry. You know, she loves food and she didn't have to be hungry to eat this food, but it just completely shut this off and she just lost all interest in food, even the her favorite foods. She said that she went on holiday and usually when she was on holiday she'd have ice cream, but she didn't even want this ice cream. Just wasn't even an issue for her.
[00:06:54] Also, it's quite easy to use. So you only take this thing once a week and it's via an injection, it's in a pen sort of form. Like you get the EpiPens if you're anaphylactic.
[00:07:04] So you pop that into your tummy once a week. You usually start with a low dose and the dose increases every month until you reach the maximum dose. So it's pretty easy to administer yourself.
[00:07:16] Yes, it does give fast weight loss as well. And studies show that significant results compared to lifestyle and dietary changes. On its own, it's been widely reported that celebrities are using these drugs too, such as Oprah Winfrey, Amy Schumer, the Kardashians, Venus Williams.
[00:07:35] And so, you know, it's quite popular right now and the demand is really soaring and that's on a global level. What about the negative side of a zempic or WeGovy. So one, it's very expensive. I don't know about around the world, but in New Zealand it costs around about $550 per month. It's not funded, it doesn't really teach habits, so it's not teaching anybody how to eat sustainably for life, how to eat a well rounded diet, how to include lots of fiber. None of that comes into it. In fact, people are just, they have no appetite where they stop eating and they're missing out on all of these amazing nutrients.
[00:08:17] We also find that people start to become dependent on it and they're actually scared to stop because they know that when they stop that their appetite is going to come back. And then you've now got this fear of weight regain once, once the appetite returns.
[00:08:31] Plus yes, of course the side effects is that there's some very serious side effects of this medication. So while the short term results are impressive, the long term risks and sustainability, in my mind a real major question.
[00:08:46] But for me, one of the scariest issues that concerns me is the metabolic chaos that occurs long after it's been used.
[00:08:54] So one is muscle loss. We know that it breaks down muscle and you lose a lot of muscle. Anytime you lose weight really fast, you're going to lose muscle. And we don't want to lose our active muscle, we want to keep hold of that. And research shows up to 40% of the weight loss on these drugs can be lean tissue, which is our muscle and not just fat.
[00:09:14] Muscle is metabolically active tissue. It burns even when we're sitting on the chair doing nothing. And so once we start losing that muscle, it means that our resting metabolic rate drops. And this then makes it harder to maintain that weight loss in the long term. Because now what we've done is we've slowed down our metabolic rate. And so if someone stops a drug and returns back to normal eating, even if they're not eating that much, but now has less muscle weight, regain often happens faster and it comes back as more fat than muscle. We also see a low appetite, which as I say, means low nutrition. Because these drugs blunt hunger so strongly, many people just don't want to eat and they don't eat enough. And it's not just about calories here, it's also about protein and vitamins and minerals. Are we meeting our needs when it comes to these nutrients?
[00:10:07] So this then leads to nutrient deficiencies and that can then lead to things like hair loss or poor bone health, immune suppression. So we really need to be careful and Almost, you know, on these drugs really need to be making sure that our nutritional needs are still being met.
[00:10:24] We also see the risks to our bone health. We've seen early reports suggesting that links to osteopenia, which is low bone density, and also osteoarthritis, which is a degeneration of our cartilage. We're seeing these things now in younger people when usually we tend to see these things in or these conditions in, in older adults.
[00:10:47] So it's digging into our bone density as well, which we don't want that to happen because when we get to our menopausal years being women and beyond, we're at more risk of that anyway. We also see metabolic fragility. And what I mean by this is that when our body adapts to fewer calories and less muscle, it essentially becomes fragile. And this means that we're more likely to get that rebound weight gain when the drug is stopped. And we're now at greater risk of metabolic disorders down the track if healthy eating habits aren't in place. We also see the psychological trap. Many people report being afraid to stop the injections just because they know that when their appetite returns they might just regain that weight. And it's a very scary thought. So they're very scared to actually stop it. And then what this is doing, it's creating a dependency both mentally and metabolically because their system has now adapted to functioning in a suppressed state.
[00:11:45] So, you know, on paper, Ozempic or Wegovy looks like a miracle weight loss drug and that's what it's being touted at because the weight loss does come off quickly. But when you look at, when you look into it deeper, it's not just about fat loss. It's also muscle loss, bone loss and slowed metabolism. And that means that the long term outcome can be worse if habits aren't addressed. And I fully understand that weight loss is appealing, honestly, if you, if someone has so many kgs to lose and have struggled for many years, maybe they've been yo yo dieting. I can see the appeal of a drug such as this and in New Zealand we're ranked the third highest rate of obesity in the world. I think we're beaten only by Mexico and the usa. So it is a real issue here in New Zealand, particularly with our Pacifica people in Mori, unfortunately.
[00:12:37] But you know, the conversation has to be had around nutrition and lifestyle first or at least alongside the drug if somebody's going to take it. Because whereas MPIC might help people lose weight quickly, true lasting Health isn't just about the number on the scale. We need to look at food as medicine. I always talk about food as medicine because food nourishes our body. If we're eating the right kinds of foods, it's nourishing, it's going to balance our blood sugar and it's going to provide the nutrients that our cells and our mitochondria need to function. And if you listen to the talk on mitochondrial health, you'll understand what I'm saying.
[00:13:14] So mindset as well. If our story is still something like I can't lose weight or I always fail, or I'll only be happy when I reach da da number on the scale, then no drug's going to fix that. We really need to change our belief system and our mindset, and this is what allows us to stick to those new habits.
[00:13:35] We also see people with chronic stress. You know, this drives weight gain. I was talking with somebody only this week about stress and the effects on our weight, especially around the middle. Cortisol makes it easier to store fat and harder to burn it off. So if we've got somebody that's stressed and they've been on this drug and they come off and the stress is still there, it's inevitable that that person's going to gain weight again because stress increases cortisol, increases insulin, which is a fat storage hormone, particularly around the belly. And we also need to address habits, those small, consistent lifestyle changes such as sleep, adequate sleep, good quality sleep, movement, balanced meals. These are what create long term health results whether you use medication or not. So weight loss drugs are powerful tools, that's for sure, but they're still fairly new in the weight loss world and they do come with real risks. So we need to take that into account. And for some, the benefits might outweigh the negatives for sure, but for many, especially those without diabetes, the cost of it, the side effects and the long term uncertainties make it less clear cut.
[00:14:45] So if you or someone you know is considering these drugs, my advice is at least try a natural holistic approach first. At least try nourishing foods. Stress management and mindset work. These are safe and effective and they set the foundation. When you join the program, there's an eight week foundational stage where you can really set the foundations to get started.
[00:15:07] And they work. And that's exactly what we do in the whole health revolution. It's not just about weight loss.
[00:15:14] It's about optimizing your health from the inside out without any of those crazy restrictions or fads. That you just can't live by. They're not sustainable right now. Actually I'm giving away one free week in the program. So if you have any friends that are struggling with their weight and they're thinking about doing something drastic, whatever it might be, please put them, you know, send them my way, give them the code free week F R E E W E E and they can have a free week in a program. They can come and have a look inside the members hub, have a look at the recipes and the support that I give, download the workbooks, have a look at the pre recorded videos. They can take all they like from it, cancel anytime, I really don't mind.
[00:15:55] And so you know, invite them in, let them have a look at it and if you've got anyone you know who's thinking of taking these drugs, please invite them to join the program first or to try it out for a week.
[00:16:07] So that's me for this week. Thank you so much for joining me and I look forward to seeing you again soon.
[00:16:12] So that's me.
