GLP agonists found in nature can help with long-term weight loss

There is nothing more frustrating than starting to cook, only to realise you don’t have one of the recipe ingredients.  This happened to my daughter when she was making the wonderful gluten free bread recipe by Sophie Steevens (Raw and Free).

We had no psyllium. 

I wasn’t at home to impart the properties of psyllium and my husband stepped in “naaa, I don’t reckon you need it.”

Needless to say, the bread turned out crumbly ... 

“You left out the psyllium?”

“Yeah, Dad told me to”

“Have you ever seen what happens when psyllium is soaked in water? It’s a miraculous feat I promise you.”

Another loaf was made, the psyllium was admired as it soaked up all the water and the bread was scrumptious.

It got me thinking about the incredible properties of natural foods.  Psyllium husks act as a gentle, bulk-forming laxative. Benefits range from relieving constipation and treating diarrhoea to managing blood sugar levels, boosting heart health and managing digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome. 

Psyllium is also one of the natural food products that can shift the dial in terms of activation of GLP agonists. 

Let’s get into that ‘cos GLP agonists are hot right now.

GLP agonist medications

If you are battling with obesity and or diabetes, chances are you are considering the GLP medications on offer. 

These drugs mimic the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1. When blood sugar levels start to rise after you eat, the drugs stimulate the body to produce more insulin. The extra insulin helps lower blood sugar levels. 

Some examples of GLP agonist medications on the market include:

• Exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon)
• Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
• Dulaglutide (Trulicity)
• Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy)

And the pharmaceutical companies love these products. 

Ozempic and Wegovy was developed in Denmark by Novo Nordisk.  Denmark has had to remove the company’s market capitalisation (total value of company) from the country’s GDP (which was US$405 Billion in 2023) because it distorted the national GDP so much (read more here).

Market forecasts show the GLP-1 market will reach US$125B in the next decade, driven by diabetes and obesity usage (read more here).

GLP agonists work but there is a catch and it’s a big one

GLP agonist drugs work by making you feel fuller, for faster and for longer but data shows that not many people cannot tolerate them for very long and when they stop taking them, the weight piles back on.  Sounds like yoyo diet culture to me. 

Here are the statistics (from New Zealand Doctor).

• After 3 months of taking Wegovy, only 44% of people are still taking the drugs and only 19% of people are still taking them after a year
• About half of the people who stopped taking the drug did so as a result of side-effects – mostly gastrointestinal problems eg nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, fatigue and sulphurous burping – uuuggghh
• Participants who withdrew once-a-week treatment with Wegovy regained more than half the weight lost over the course of a year.

Natural GLP agonists can be incorporated into your diet as part of long-term lifestyle change

This is the kicker – nothing beats long-term lifestyle change for weight management. 

Yes, we know it's hard, but incorporating some of these natural GLP agonists can make the journey easier by making you feel fuller for longer:

Healthy fats:

• Avocado and avocado oil
• Olives and olive oil
• Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil

Lean protein:

• Fish
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Lean beef
• Cottage cheese
• Tofu and soybeans

Soluble fibre

• Psyllium
• Fruits 
• Vegetables
• Whole grains (like barley and oatmeal)
• Legumes (like beans and lentils)
• Flaxseeds
• Chia seeds

Yum, yum, enjoy 😊 and don’t leave out the psyllium husks!

All the best, Anna and Darcy.

If you would like to discuss any of this further, please contact Darcy or Anna (who you can contact at +64 27 599 2255 or +64 27 4861418 respectively) or via info@zesttwellness.com.