Brilliant article, thank you. This reminds me of the recent article regarding obesity and Wegovy. It’s only human nature to wish to trade the discomfort of exercise and diet for a weekly injection. However, what exactly is the trade-off we’re making? Sure, Wegovy is extremely effective, and you will lose weight while taking it, but it co…
This reminds me of the recent article regarding obesity and Wegovy. It’s only human nature to wish to trade the discomfort of exercise and diet for a weekly injection. However, what exactly is the trade-off we’re making? Sure, Wegovy is extremely effective, and you will lose weight while taking it, but it comes with its own side effects. The most worrisome of them, to me, is that it indirectly and inevitably reinforces poor lifestyle choices. For example, if a person has a goal of eating fewer Cheetos but takes medication that’s effective no matter how many Cheetos they eat, then any attempt at lifestyle change is rendered useless.
As a result, you lose the wonderful, painful process of refining yourself. A person who denies themselves old desires (Netflix, Cheetos, whatever) when they desperately want to give in becomes a disciplined, perseverant person. Disciplined, perseverant people can contribute more to society, their families, etc., and thus feel more purpose. This is the ultimate goal: to get people in the best position from which to contribute and flourish. Discomfort, suffering, and strife are requisites in this. Instead of trying to escape or modulate the process, we should recognize its place in our personal development.
I went on a starvation diet about twenty years ago and lost 35 lbs in three months and have not just kept it off but lost another seven lbs. It is called self control, will power. The obese should try it sometimes.
I'll get hammered for suggesting self control. When I set my mind to something, I become a fanatic. I found it easy to lose weight. It is the way I am wired. Not everybody can do what I did but if they set their mind to it, they can do it.
Some will hate me what I have just said. Unlike the left, I believe one should take responsibility for their actions such as losing weight.
I agree that Wegovy gets thrown around like candy and Botox, but sometimes things cannot be helped so easily.
Some people really just need help. It’s a shame they end up vilified because celebrities and others abuse it.
Everyone is so focused on criticizing these people for not eating better, but nobody’s willing to ask the question about why the medical establishment hasn’t provided better solutions.
Western medicine barely understands the fundamentals of nutrition and the body. Shutting off your hunger cue will likely help you lose weight, but why not figure out why that cue isn’t triggering correctly? Why not figure out why some bodies metabolize differently than others?
My husband lost 80 pounds and has maintained that healthy weight for over 10 years now. He eats three square meals a day and works out regularly. He still has high blood pressure. There would never be articles written about how he should stop taking it and just try harder. He will have to take it forever. He Mary have kidney or liver damage from it after 40 years (just like my dad).
I know someone on one of these weightloss injection meds. She’s tried harder to lose weight than anyone I know. She has years worth of food logs and activity tracker data to prove it. She’s lived every day of her adult life in a state of actual hunger. That’s an incredible amount of stress on the body. Her doctor started her on extremely low doses and is very slightly increasing every week. She has not had the extreme side effects and she is only just starting to lose a bit of weight after week 4. Most importantly, she doesn’t feel hungry. Her sleep is better, her emotions are better regulated, these all create a very positive chain reaction for a better quality of life. There is real non-weight benefits happening. Maybe she will have to take it forever, but my husband is never getting off that blood pressure med either.
A senior citizen that lives across the street from me is incredibly thin and has been her whole life. She always had a super fast metabolism and is one of the “lucky ones” who always tried to gain weight and couldn’t. She’s only in her 60s but her bones are a wreck because her body wouldn’t hold onto what it needed. She was the envy of everybody when she was in her younger years, but she has real problems now. Doctors never cared because thin = healthy in our world.
I absolutely acknowledge that there is a point where this all just boils down to nothing but personal control, but there is a HUGE gray area here. We do nothing to help the problem by fat shaming and ignoring the real issue that our medical systems and food systems are interconnected in ways they shouldn’t be. That our medical schools are teaching to treat and not to heal. That the money for research is tainted.
Obesity is partly metabolic & partly learned behavior. Why isn't it surprising that obese parents have obese children? Is it inherited or learned. When I was 18 I weighed 129lbs but I was active. I wasn't planted in front of a computer nor a TV. I often knocked off a half a gallon of ice cream. In those days low cholesterol, low fat foods didn't exist. The exception was fresh fruit & vegetables in the summer. In my medical practice I learned that often food gratification was the sole pleasure many experienced in life.
Thanks for your response, allow me to clarify my post.
My goal is to point out that, with a drug like Wegovy, the tendency will be to overprescribe. In overprescribing, we will outsource choice, lifestyle change, and general health to Big Pharma. This is a precedent that makes me uncomfortable; I feel it is detrimental both to the individual person and society in general. And I wish to point out the non-medical benefits of a successful diet, exercise, etc, of which suffering and struggle are present. I'm not vilifying or shaming the very people I wish to help.
There are indications for using the drug. And you make a great point regarding its own non-medical benefits; it’s a view that I share. Just like any other medication, the improvement in health will obviously improve a person’s well-being. The goal, though, should remain in limiting the use of medication when lifestyle change can have the same positive effect.
To your point regarding your husband (congrats to him, by the way; losing 80 lbs and keeping it off is one stellar achievement), let’s imagine he didn’t lose that weight and instead went on Wegovy. He’d now be on two medications, and there would be a chance they would interact with each other. The more medications a person is taking, the more likely potential medication interactions will negatively affect their health. This is something unique to medication use and is worth consideration. The "first-line treatment" for high blood pressure is lifestyle changes (DASH diet, smoking cessation, etc.), including weight loss. With Wegovy, if we prescribe it without always encouraging weight loss via diet and exercise, then we condemn people to dependency and potential drug interactions later in life. Pharmaceuticals can never replace lifestyle habits as the bedrock of sound health. This is my main overarching point.
To your point about a lack of solutions and "treating but not healing," there is truth to these things. Wegovy is an example of that—it is a literal treatment for obesity. But I think obesity is much more complicated than being looked at as "just" a medical problem. We fail our patients if we simply view it through a medical lens, hence the lack of solutions. In other words, I don’t wish to simply treat; I wish to heal, just as you and many, many other people do. Wegovy may be a part of that process for some, but it should not be the entire process for all.
I appreciate your reply. I knew that you didn’t necessarily disagree with my view point. My larger goal in replying to your post was for others to see it in the thread and hopefully get everyone thinking about one extra layer on this topic.
At the end of the day all of it ties to another comment I posted earlier on this article. The overall avoidance of struggle is really a false morality to mask selfishness and a lack of willingness to deal with consequences of actions.
I went to medical school. I was never taught “not to heal people.” The truth is I can’t “heal” anyone, as that is a supernatural power. I can only treat people with the tools medical science provides me. Doctors are not gods and we absolutely don’t understand all the intricacies of how the human body works. We are aware that each patient is an individual and must be treated as such-one size/medication does not fit all. We are certainly not withholding our best treatments so you will have to depend on us. Most doctors I know, myself included, want to help patients live their best lives. Lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, stress) is part of that, but not the only part. Good doctors try to work with their patients for the best outcomes.
Just like you and whatever your job is, we are individual humans. You paint with a very broad brush. I do not personally know doctors like the ones you are referring to. My son's pediatrician made sure he didn't take the covid booster even though he was traveling to Europe and it was required. Yes, she faked his vaccine card. I am horrified by the "transing" of children and I pray these people will be held accountable for their actions some day. My point is, many doctors do not believe in what is being pushed by the government and even their own medical societies and do not practice in a way they believe is harmful to patients. Most are decent folks with the intent to help. That said, science is inexact, and sometimes we get things wrong. I am sorry you had a bad experience. I wish you well.
Brilliant article, thank you.
This reminds me of the recent article regarding obesity and Wegovy. It’s only human nature to wish to trade the discomfort of exercise and diet for a weekly injection. However, what exactly is the trade-off we’re making? Sure, Wegovy is extremely effective, and you will lose weight while taking it, but it comes with its own side effects. The most worrisome of them, to me, is that it indirectly and inevitably reinforces poor lifestyle choices. For example, if a person has a goal of eating fewer Cheetos but takes medication that’s effective no matter how many Cheetos they eat, then any attempt at lifestyle change is rendered useless.
As a result, you lose the wonderful, painful process of refining yourself. A person who denies themselves old desires (Netflix, Cheetos, whatever) when they desperately want to give in becomes a disciplined, perseverant person. Disciplined, perseverant people can contribute more to society, their families, etc., and thus feel more purpose. This is the ultimate goal: to get people in the best position from which to contribute and flourish. Discomfort, suffering, and strife are requisites in this. Instead of trying to escape or modulate the process, we should recognize its place in our personal development.
https://buildingdocs.substack.com/p/medical-alchemy-miracle-drug
I went on a starvation diet about twenty years ago and lost 35 lbs in three months and have not just kept it off but lost another seven lbs. It is called self control, will power. The obese should try it sometimes.
I'll get hammered for suggesting self control. When I set my mind to something, I become a fanatic. I found it easy to lose weight. It is the way I am wired. Not everybody can do what I did but if they set their mind to it, they can do it.
Some will hate me what I have just said. Unlike the left, I believe one should take responsibility for their actions such as losing weight.
I agree that Wegovy gets thrown around like candy and Botox, but sometimes things cannot be helped so easily.
Some people really just need help. It’s a shame they end up vilified because celebrities and others abuse it.
Everyone is so focused on criticizing these people for not eating better, but nobody’s willing to ask the question about why the medical establishment hasn’t provided better solutions.
Western medicine barely understands the fundamentals of nutrition and the body. Shutting off your hunger cue will likely help you lose weight, but why not figure out why that cue isn’t triggering correctly? Why not figure out why some bodies metabolize differently than others?
My husband lost 80 pounds and has maintained that healthy weight for over 10 years now. He eats three square meals a day and works out regularly. He still has high blood pressure. There would never be articles written about how he should stop taking it and just try harder. He will have to take it forever. He Mary have kidney or liver damage from it after 40 years (just like my dad).
I know someone on one of these weightloss injection meds. She’s tried harder to lose weight than anyone I know. She has years worth of food logs and activity tracker data to prove it. She’s lived every day of her adult life in a state of actual hunger. That’s an incredible amount of stress on the body. Her doctor started her on extremely low doses and is very slightly increasing every week. She has not had the extreme side effects and she is only just starting to lose a bit of weight after week 4. Most importantly, she doesn’t feel hungry. Her sleep is better, her emotions are better regulated, these all create a very positive chain reaction for a better quality of life. There is real non-weight benefits happening. Maybe she will have to take it forever, but my husband is never getting off that blood pressure med either.
A senior citizen that lives across the street from me is incredibly thin and has been her whole life. She always had a super fast metabolism and is one of the “lucky ones” who always tried to gain weight and couldn’t. She’s only in her 60s but her bones are a wreck because her body wouldn’t hold onto what it needed. She was the envy of everybody when she was in her younger years, but she has real problems now. Doctors never cared because thin = healthy in our world.
I absolutely acknowledge that there is a point where this all just boils down to nothing but personal control, but there is a HUGE gray area here. We do nothing to help the problem by fat shaming and ignoring the real issue that our medical systems and food systems are interconnected in ways they shouldn’t be. That our medical schools are teaching to treat and not to heal. That the money for research is tainted.
Obesity is partly metabolic & partly learned behavior. Why isn't it surprising that obese parents have obese children? Is it inherited or learned. When I was 18 I weighed 129lbs but I was active. I wasn't planted in front of a computer nor a TV. I often knocked off a half a gallon of ice cream. In those days low cholesterol, low fat foods didn't exist. The exception was fresh fruit & vegetables in the summer. In my medical practice I learned that often food gratification was the sole pleasure many experienced in life.
Hi MAGC,
Thanks for your response, allow me to clarify my post.
My goal is to point out that, with a drug like Wegovy, the tendency will be to overprescribe. In overprescribing, we will outsource choice, lifestyle change, and general health to Big Pharma. This is a precedent that makes me uncomfortable; I feel it is detrimental both to the individual person and society in general. And I wish to point out the non-medical benefits of a successful diet, exercise, etc, of which suffering and struggle are present. I'm not vilifying or shaming the very people I wish to help.
There are indications for using the drug. And you make a great point regarding its own non-medical benefits; it’s a view that I share. Just like any other medication, the improvement in health will obviously improve a person’s well-being. The goal, though, should remain in limiting the use of medication when lifestyle change can have the same positive effect.
To your point regarding your husband (congrats to him, by the way; losing 80 lbs and keeping it off is one stellar achievement), let’s imagine he didn’t lose that weight and instead went on Wegovy. He’d now be on two medications, and there would be a chance they would interact with each other. The more medications a person is taking, the more likely potential medication interactions will negatively affect their health. This is something unique to medication use and is worth consideration. The "first-line treatment" for high blood pressure is lifestyle changes (DASH diet, smoking cessation, etc.), including weight loss. With Wegovy, if we prescribe it without always encouraging weight loss via diet and exercise, then we condemn people to dependency and potential drug interactions later in life. Pharmaceuticals can never replace lifestyle habits as the bedrock of sound health. This is my main overarching point.
To your point about a lack of solutions and "treating but not healing," there is truth to these things. Wegovy is an example of that—it is a literal treatment for obesity. But I think obesity is much more complicated than being looked at as "just" a medical problem. We fail our patients if we simply view it through a medical lens, hence the lack of solutions. In other words, I don’t wish to simply treat; I wish to heal, just as you and many, many other people do. Wegovy may be a part of that process for some, but it should not be the entire process for all.
Thanks again and happy Saturday
I appreciate your reply. I knew that you didn’t necessarily disagree with my view point. My larger goal in replying to your post was for others to see it in the thread and hopefully get everyone thinking about one extra layer on this topic.
At the end of the day all of it ties to another comment I posted earlier on this article. The overall avoidance of struggle is really a false morality to mask selfishness and a lack of willingness to deal with consequences of actions.
'That our medical schools are teaching to treat and not to heal.'
Very well said. That same approach is the failure of government as well.
If they heal the problem you can’t be dependent on them and they can’t control you.
I went to medical school. I was never taught “not to heal people.” The truth is I can’t “heal” anyone, as that is a supernatural power. I can only treat people with the tools medical science provides me. Doctors are not gods and we absolutely don’t understand all the intricacies of how the human body works. We are aware that each patient is an individual and must be treated as such-one size/medication does not fit all. We are certainly not withholding our best treatments so you will have to depend on us. Most doctors I know, myself included, want to help patients live their best lives. Lifestyle (nutrition, exercise, stress) is part of that, but not the only part. Good doctors try to work with their patients for the best outcomes.
Just like you and whatever your job is, we are individual humans. You paint with a very broad brush. I do not personally know doctors like the ones you are referring to. My son's pediatrician made sure he didn't take the covid booster even though he was traveling to Europe and it was required. Yes, she faked his vaccine card. I am horrified by the "transing" of children and I pray these people will be held accountable for their actions some day. My point is, many doctors do not believe in what is being pushed by the government and even their own medical societies and do not practice in a way they believe is harmful to patients. Most are decent folks with the intent to help. That said, science is inexact, and sometimes we get things wrong. I am sorry you had a bad experience. I wish you well.
Unless it becomes up close & personal. Then what hits the fan?