The War for Your Biology Is Underway!
Who Owns Yours?
Ever wonder if you are on the right track when it comes to weight loss? If you do, then this article is worth reading!
“The real fight isn’t about obesity. It’s about who gets to own your biology“!
The above is a quote from a brilliantly written post on LinkedIn by Dr. Sundeep Dhesi about weight loss injections (click the link to read the full post). He says that “something much bigger than weight loss is happening, and no one seems willing to say it out loud”. And I tend to agree.
Obesity is being rebranded
We are transitioning from overfeeding our biology with ultra-processed foods (thanks to Big Food)…
…to suppressing our biology (appetite) with synthetic hormones through weekly injections (thanks to Big Pharma).
Here are some excerpts from the post:
“This isn’t just medicine. It’s a full-scale reprogramming of our biology, our hunger, habits, even our emotions.”
“Appetite is the most profitable lever in the modern economy. For decades, ultra-processed food giants have relied on overconsumption to drive growth, engineering bliss points, buying shelf space, and selling the idea that health can be found in a low-fat cereal box. Now, a weekly injection can switch all that off.”
“…what we’re witnessing isn’t a fix for the obesity crisis, it’s a rebranding of it. We haven’t cured metabolic dysfunction, fixed food deserts, or reshaped the toxic incentives in our health systems. We’ve just moved from one form of control (hyper-palatable food) to another (biomedical suppression of appetite).”
“The uncomfortable truth is: both Big Pharma and Big Food profit from a population stuck in the middle, sick enough to need help, but never well enough to be free from the system.”
For years, I’ve been banging on about how we are outsourcing control of our eating behaviours to the food industry, or Big Food, when we are relying on addictive and gut and mind-altering ultra-processed foods (UPFs). And looks like now we are outsourcing our appetite and hunger signalling to the pharmaceutical industry, or Big Pharma, as more and more people are turning onto weight loss injections.
How have we ended up here when we know how capable the incredible human body is of doing amazing things given a chance – and the right raw materials, “tools” and environment. So many people are just too confused about what is healthy and find it too difficult to reclaim agency over their health and food. What we need is more and better education and regulation, but before we can have that we need real willingness to change at governmental as well as individual level.
Unfortunately money = power, and when it comes to food, the power is in the hands of a few giant multinationals who cleverly entice us and our children with huge advertising campaigns, for which they spend (hundreds of) millions of pounds, and constantly and convincingly lobby our governments and decision makers.
And now we are sold a quick fix for the obesity epidemic that our governments have failed to solve for decades; a miracle injection that, for most of us struggling to lose weight, is too good to resist.
For most individuals, quick fixes are very attractive – we are all human, after all! We naturally choose the path of least resistance, and the work and effort required when it comes to health and weight loss always seems too overwhelming. Changing health behaviours is not easy and sustainable weight loss needs time and consistency, along with understanding and support.
And let’s face it, weight loss is incredibly complex! Let’s stop pretending that it’s just about calories in and calories out!
But have we gone too far? Is it too late?
Weight loss injections can be very effective for weight loss but a lot of the weight you lose will be muscle mass! Muscle is a crucial metabolic organ that helps you burn more calories, it keeps your blood sugar well balanced and it secretes anti-inflammatory chemicals that support optimal functioning of your whole body and your brain. Muscle mass is crucial for healthy ageing too!
Furthermore, these injections come with common side effects such as very unpleasant gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bile reflux, as well as serious conditions such as gastroparesis, pancreatitis, gallstone disease and thyroid tumours, particularly with higher doses. They may also be linked to hair loss, anxiety and depression, headaches, hypoglycaemia and loss of bone density, potentia due to poor nutrient absorption and availability caused by lower intake of nutrients and the effects from these injections on your gut.
And unfortunately, most people end up regaining 2/3 of the weight they’ve lost after stopping the medication. The drug manufacturers of course would hope you’ll stay on them for the rest of your life as you might need to, in order to keep that appetite at bay if you only rely on these medications without making any diet and lifestyle changes. After all, companies who sell them are running a business, so their goal is to make profit! This is a business strategy – by both the Big Food and Big Pharma! To keep people hooked on and consuming their product for as long as possible.
But…
Do you want to be injecting yourself with hunger suppressing medication for the rest of your life?
Or would you rather learn how to “re-educate” your own body to produce these same hormones and signalling molecules that these medications contain?
GLP-1 and GIP are the hormones in weight loss injections like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. These hormones suppress your hunger and hunger signals, support blood sugar balance and influence fat metabolism, hence helping with weight management.
But these hormones are are also produced naturally in your gut in response to your diet, when you eat the right things. Many foods trigger the release of GLP-1/GIP naturally so why not make small changes to your diet and lifestyle that support your weight management? And while you do that, start learning about your own body and listening to the messages it sends to you. Food really is medicine and can be used safely even if you are taking these or other medications.
Here’s a list of foods that can increase GLP-1/GIP levels and suppress hunger/appetite:
- Protein (meat, fish, eggs, legumes)
- Soluble fibre – oats, legumes, fruits, vegetables
- Healthy fats – avocados, nuts/seeds, olive oil, fatty fish
- Gut friendly foods, such as probiotic and prebiotic foods
And there are also other lifestyle factors that are supportive of GLP-1/GIP hormone signalling and weight loss:
- Mindful eating and chewing your food well
- Regular exercise
- Keeping your body well hydrated
- A regular eating pattern with time-restricted eating – 12/12 hours might be enough
- Prioritising sleep and managing stress well
All of these come without side effects, although you might notice weight loss, better bowel movements and sleep, as well as generally feeling happier and healthier as a welcome consequence!
And you can reach your goal sustainably while enjoying real food without feeling nauseous or having to dash to the nearest loo! Who wouldn’t want that?
What next?
I’ve recently done some great training on the weight loss and weight loss drugs and can help you break the weight loss-weight gain cycle, optimise your gut for better appetite regulation with natural ways, support healthy metabolism, as well as explore your mindset about yourself, your health and your weight.
And should you decide to use the injections, I can help you navigate the systemic effects of these popular weight loss drugs so you have fewer side effects and are able to come off them without putting back most of the weight you’ve just lost.
Feel free to book a free chat and let’s discuss your health and how nutrition and lifestyle medicine can be the best solution for weight management.
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To find out how powerful diet, nutrition, lifestyle and mindset can be for our health, please book your free 20 minute no-obligation discovery call with Minna and let’s have a chat.
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