Johann Hari has written some great books. I am big fan. However, his recent embrace of Ozempic kind of reminds me of his early embrace of antidepressants, which he later recanted and went through a sort of mea culpa and big analysis of -- in his book, "Lost Connections." The people I know who have gone on Ozempic seem to me to have changed their personality, become more emotionally fragile. They seem to have become old, in a way. One fabulous doctor seemingly became less thorough in the way she treated her patients. I'm not sure about this. But it makes me question this whole trajectory.
How about taking some personal responsibility by eating more nutritiously and exercising regularly? Everyone is looking for the magic pill to solve all the problems of their own creation. Nobody wants to do the work, break a sweat, or put in the disciplined hours to get the job done permanently!
Interestingly, a study was done with semaglutide in which one group was given the drug as well as basic nutritional counseling. The other group was given the drug, but they were also put on an intensive exercise program. There was no difference in weight loss. Does that mean forget exercise? No, of course not, but what it does show is that exercise is no magic bullet for weight loss, although it has many other benefits.
OMG…. BIGGEST TAKEAWAY… “My friend told me about this injectable drug and asked me if I wanted some. I took it right then.”. Ummmmm… REALLY?!? Something injected and given through prescription, Bari just takes? It’s like a $3,000/dose prescription. CLEARLY- Bari and I live in very different worlds.
One of RFK Jr’s policies is to prioritize healthy foods, regenerative farming and focus on childhood obesity and chronic disease. And eliminate big pharma’s ability to advertise directly to consumers. This would make a huge difference. It’s not a shocker that that media is against him because that would significantly reduce advertising income and eliminate big pharma’s power over the press. For example the NYT has done a half a dozen stories about the benefits of Ozempic. (And of course so militant regarding covid vax) It shocks me that The Free Press doesn’t seem to support him.
Actually he’s not. You are judging him based on others comments and reviews about him. If you want to know about him watch Who Is Bobby Kennedy on YouTube. That is if you’re willing to have your opinions challenged. He’s a great man that the GOP and DNC and big pharma don’t want you to know about because he speaks truth to power
I know quite a lot about him -- perhaps more than you do, Mo. My opinions are "challenged" every day and are well-informed. That's why I'm not voting for him.
Actually in the spirit of communication, I should rather ask - what RFK policies do you consider Stalinist? I am interested in knowing your point of view.
I thought this would have more information about the side effects and the cause of the underlying issues. Why do obese people consume inordinate amounts of food? Why can't they do what they know will help, which is to eat healthy foods, and ignore processed foods?
You are obviously thin. When obese people describe their relationship with and drive for food, it is unrecognizable behavior to thin people. Probably most like addiction - some addicts do stop, some need lots of talk therapy/support groups to stop and many never stop. A magic pill is going to be the answer for some.
I've been pudge most of my life. I'm also short, so it's accentuated. I KNOW that not eating at night and exercising makes me feel better and I lose weight every time. But I fight it and not sure why. I have never been morbidly obese(although the weight charts at the doc's office have classified me that way on occasion at 175lbs).
The bottom line is there is no easy way when you continue living a certain lifestyle. Being sedentary makes me hungry....which it shouldn't. Working out suppresses my appetite.
I'll be 60 in a couple of days. I try to work out every day before work and on the weekend, I am busy riding horses, fixing cattle fences, etc.
I'm a vet so I have medical understanding of these things.....all the weight loss drugs are tradeoffs. Most weight issues boil down to psychology of overeating....and no one wants to touch that with a 10ft pole.
Food, and I am guilty of this, has become a comfort drug to millions of people. I get immense joy out of a fresh baked cookie....it's not nourishment for Americans...it's entertainment and that's dangerous.
While the Metabo Law sounds horrific to me, I can only applaud the Japanese approach to food. My brother and sister-in-law never had candy or sweets available to their children when they were growing up. As toddlers, my nieces' favorite foods were cherry tomatoes and fresh mushrooms.
As for Ozempic, there may not be a consensus yet on what the drug does to one's brain or thyroid, but there is a growing consensus that weight loss due to Ozempic reflects just that: weight. Not fat mass, just weight. At least 50% of the weight lost comes from muscle. That bodes ill for keeping the fat off.
This article ignores all of the most recent research around GLP-1 medications. For example, recent research confirms reduction in heart disease for patients taking Ozempic/Wegovy. Mounjaro/Zepbound has been found to reduce sleep apnea. It ignores ALL the research on health benefits derives from significant weight reduction. Finally, it ignores the most recent research showing no risk of an increase in thyroid cancer. By focusing only on Ozempic, and by implication, diabetes, you are ignoring that these medications are, in fact, FDA approved for the treatment of obesity. Please be fair in cover this issue.
Correct. The thyroid cancer finding was in animals and has not been replicated in humans. Semaglutide does reduce both cardiovascular events and death in patients who have previous cardiovascular disease, although the number of patients you need to treat to prevent one death is rather high (60 or so). Also, no increase in deaths from cancer was observed.
This man talks like he has all of the answers to life which he does not. There is a large genetic component to obesity, which as far as I can see, is not there in the skinny obsessed Japan. It's really easy to be skinny when your parents are/were skinny.
Processed foods are not the villains that this person thinks they are. Other than preventing starvation, they are useless., along with their evil twin GMO which had the misfortune of increasing yields and driving down prices to also forestall starvation.
To anoint this man as an expert is wrong and foolish. Anecdotal evidence is what is it-anecdotal evidence.
One of the things I wish this interview had addressed was the short-term side effects, like saggy flesh and "Ozempic face" and also reports that you are constantly on the toilet and having "accidents," even while sleeping. Yeah no thanks, I think I'll pass and just use more self-control.
"I went to this company in Tokyo. You arrive at the company; it scans your face and says, “Hi, Bari, you walked 13,000 steps yesterday. You are 112th in the company’s ranking.” It might also say, “By the way, Suzy, who works at the desk next to you, hasn’t weighed herself in the last two weeks. Could you remind her?” "
You've got to be joking. Whatever happened to a balanced diet and exercise? Do we have to go from obese to Nazi?
Yes that would never fly here and I'm ok with it not.
Serious question, do Japanese women not suffer menopause weight gain? If not I wonder if it's genetic, cultural, or both.
I'm holding at 10 lbs as my estrogen departs but it's in my mid section where I've never carried extra weight. And it's completely intractable. I understand the temptation to take a drug as I'm so so frustrated that I can no longer lose weight through moderate diet correction and exercise.
But I'm sure there's a steep price to pay. See: mother's little helper, opioids, puberty blockers, etc.
On the question of former Wegovy patients putting the weight back on after ceasing their weekly injections, Dr. Michael Miedema, MD, MPH of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation has looked at all the trial data, and uses the drugs in his clinical practice at Allina Health, the best health system in our market, in my experience.
Avoid the N=1 approach to making a difficult decision. In his clinical practice, he says that the split between patients who regain the weight and those who keep it off is about fifty-fifty. Another doctor's practice could show 100% regaining weight. It's just a sampling issue.
He also makes it clear that while these drugs are effective for a variety of patients, the best, largest population, longitudinal study on factors which help cardiovascular health and contribute to a better quality of life is The Framingham Study, which is widely available in many different forms. Framingham says, among other things, that a healthy diet (something akin to the Mediterranean diet) and moderate activity are among the best tools in keeping off the weight losses. We are in charge of our lifestyles and we have all the tools to manage our health and quality of life. Wegovy is a tool in the arsenal for many, but it is not a magic potion.
I highly recommend Dr. Miedema's presentation which is on the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation's You Tube Channel. Be forewarned: he speaks very rapidly. Have a recording device nearby, or if like me, you are good with a kinds of shorthand, keep a pad and pencil nearby. Between Drs. Miedema and Korner, you'll have all the real, undiluted, clinically relevant information you need.
Johann Hari has written some great books. I am big fan. However, his recent embrace of Ozempic kind of reminds me of his early embrace of antidepressants, which he later recanted and went through a sort of mea culpa and big analysis of -- in his book, "Lost Connections." The people I know who have gone on Ozempic seem to me to have changed their personality, become more emotionally fragile. They seem to have become old, in a way. One fabulous doctor seemingly became less thorough in the way she treated her patients. I'm not sure about this. But it makes me question this whole trajectory.
How about taking some personal responsibility by eating more nutritiously and exercising regularly? Everyone is looking for the magic pill to solve all the problems of their own creation. Nobody wants to do the work, break a sweat, or put in the disciplined hours to get the job done permanently!
Interestingly, a study was done with semaglutide in which one group was given the drug as well as basic nutritional counseling. The other group was given the drug, but they were also put on an intensive exercise program. There was no difference in weight loss. Does that mean forget exercise? No, of course not, but what it does show is that exercise is no magic bullet for weight loss, although it has many other benefits.
“We can solve this crises”
Followed by a list of Orwellian nightmares.
I have been a sub scriber to the Free Press, but lately I have not been receiving it. Can you tell me why??
OMG…. BIGGEST TAKEAWAY… “My friend told me about this injectable drug and asked me if I wanted some. I took it right then.”. Ummmmm… REALLY?!? Something injected and given through prescription, Bari just takes? It’s like a $3,000/dose prescription. CLEARLY- Bari and I live in very different worlds.
One of RFK Jr’s policies is to prioritize healthy foods, regenerative farming and focus on childhood obesity and chronic disease. And eliminate big pharma’s ability to advertise directly to consumers. This would make a huge difference. It’s not a shocker that that media is against him because that would significantly reduce advertising income and eliminate big pharma’s power over the press. For example the NYT has done a half a dozen stories about the benefits of Ozempic. (And of course so militant regarding covid vax) It shocks me that The Free Press doesn’t seem to support him.
RFK is a statist willing to use federal coercion to enforce his preferred policies. Most people don't want that. I'm one of them.
Actually he’s not. You are judging him based on others comments and reviews about him. If you want to know about him watch Who Is Bobby Kennedy on YouTube. That is if you’re willing to have your opinions challenged. He’s a great man that the GOP and DNC and big pharma don’t want you to know about because he speaks truth to power
I know quite a lot about him -- perhaps more than you do, Mo. My opinions are "challenged" every day and are well-informed. That's why I'm not voting for him.
You know nothing about him or wouldn’t refer to him as a Stalinist. But keep your head in the sand. That will work out well.
I said statist, not Stalinist. Apology accepted.
Whoops, I do apologize - small print, quick read, bad eyes. And still would love examples of why you say that.
Actually in the spirit of communication, I should rather ask - what RFK policies do you consider Stalinist? I am interested in knowing your point of view.
I thought this would have more information about the side effects and the cause of the underlying issues. Why do obese people consume inordinate amounts of food? Why can't they do what they know will help, which is to eat healthy foods, and ignore processed foods?
You are obviously thin. When obese people describe their relationship with and drive for food, it is unrecognizable behavior to thin people. Probably most like addiction - some addicts do stop, some need lots of talk therapy/support groups to stop and many never stop. A magic pill is going to be the answer for some.
Does Ozempic do anything to cause weight loss other than deaden appetite?
I've been pudge most of my life. I'm also short, so it's accentuated. I KNOW that not eating at night and exercising makes me feel better and I lose weight every time. But I fight it and not sure why. I have never been morbidly obese(although the weight charts at the doc's office have classified me that way on occasion at 175lbs).
The bottom line is there is no easy way when you continue living a certain lifestyle. Being sedentary makes me hungry....which it shouldn't. Working out suppresses my appetite.
I'll be 60 in a couple of days. I try to work out every day before work and on the weekend, I am busy riding horses, fixing cattle fences, etc.
I'm a vet so I have medical understanding of these things.....all the weight loss drugs are tradeoffs. Most weight issues boil down to psychology of overeating....and no one wants to touch that with a 10ft pole.
Food, and I am guilty of this, has become a comfort drug to millions of people. I get immense joy out of a fresh baked cookie....it's not nourishment for Americans...it's entertainment and that's dangerous.
This post is spot-on.
So the Dalai Lama "fat-shamed" Johann after Johann accused him of "homophobia"? Good on the Dalai Lama.
“Except you. You clearly have three stomachs.” I literally LOL’d reading that.
While the Metabo Law sounds horrific to me, I can only applaud the Japanese approach to food. My brother and sister-in-law never had candy or sweets available to their children when they were growing up. As toddlers, my nieces' favorite foods were cherry tomatoes and fresh mushrooms.
As for Ozempic, there may not be a consensus yet on what the drug does to one's brain or thyroid, but there is a growing consensus that weight loss due to Ozempic reflects just that: weight. Not fat mass, just weight. At least 50% of the weight lost comes from muscle. That bodes ill for keeping the fat off.
This article ignores all of the most recent research around GLP-1 medications. For example, recent research confirms reduction in heart disease for patients taking Ozempic/Wegovy. Mounjaro/Zepbound has been found to reduce sleep apnea. It ignores ALL the research on health benefits derives from significant weight reduction. Finally, it ignores the most recent research showing no risk of an increase in thyroid cancer. By focusing only on Ozempic, and by implication, diabetes, you are ignoring that these medications are, in fact, FDA approved for the treatment of obesity. Please be fair in cover this issue.
Correct. The thyroid cancer finding was in animals and has not been replicated in humans. Semaglutide does reduce both cardiovascular events and death in patients who have previous cardiovascular disease, although the number of patients you need to treat to prevent one death is rather high (60 or so). Also, no increase in deaths from cancer was observed.
This man talks like he has all of the answers to life which he does not. There is a large genetic component to obesity, which as far as I can see, is not there in the skinny obsessed Japan. It's really easy to be skinny when your parents are/were skinny.
Processed foods are not the villains that this person thinks they are. Other than preventing starvation, they are useless., along with their evil twin GMO which had the misfortune of increasing yields and driving down prices to also forestall starvation.
To anoint this man as an expert is wrong and foolish. Anecdotal evidence is what is it-anecdotal evidence.
One of the things I wish this interview had addressed was the short-term side effects, like saggy flesh and "Ozempic face" and also reports that you are constantly on the toilet and having "accidents," even while sleeping. Yeah no thanks, I think I'll pass and just use more self-control.
"I went to this company in Tokyo. You arrive at the company; it scans your face and says, “Hi, Bari, you walked 13,000 steps yesterday. You are 112th in the company’s ranking.” It might also say, “By the way, Suzy, who works at the desk next to you, hasn’t weighed herself in the last two weeks. Could you remind her?” "
You've got to be joking. Whatever happened to a balanced diet and exercise? Do we have to go from obese to Nazi?
Yes that would never fly here and I'm ok with it not.
Serious question, do Japanese women not suffer menopause weight gain? If not I wonder if it's genetic, cultural, or both.
I'm holding at 10 lbs as my estrogen departs but it's in my mid section where I've never carried extra weight. And it's completely intractable. I understand the temptation to take a drug as I'm so so frustrated that I can no longer lose weight through moderate diet correction and exercise.
But I'm sure there's a steep price to pay. See: mother's little helper, opioids, puberty blockers, etc.
On the question of former Wegovy patients putting the weight back on after ceasing their weekly injections, Dr. Michael Miedema, MD, MPH of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation has looked at all the trial data, and uses the drugs in his clinical practice at Allina Health, the best health system in our market, in my experience.
Avoid the N=1 approach to making a difficult decision. In his clinical practice, he says that the split between patients who regain the weight and those who keep it off is about fifty-fifty. Another doctor's practice could show 100% regaining weight. It's just a sampling issue.
He also makes it clear that while these drugs are effective for a variety of patients, the best, largest population, longitudinal study on factors which help cardiovascular health and contribute to a better quality of life is The Framingham Study, which is widely available in many different forms. Framingham says, among other things, that a healthy diet (something akin to the Mediterranean diet) and moderate activity are among the best tools in keeping off the weight losses. We are in charge of our lifestyles and we have all the tools to manage our health and quality of life. Wegovy is a tool in the arsenal for many, but it is not a magic potion.
I highly recommend Dr. Miedema's presentation which is on the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation's You Tube Channel. Be forewarned: he speaks very rapidly. Have a recording device nearby, or if like me, you are good with a kinds of shorthand, keep a pad and pencil nearby. Between Drs. Miedema and Korner, you'll have all the real, undiluted, clinically relevant information you need.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhzftS5iw-U