There is no doubt: as a society we are groaning under the weight of obesity. The World Health Organization has warned that two-thirds of women and three-quarters of men will be overweight by 2030.
If action is not taken, we face a “massive” crisis, the organization says. By the end of the decade, obesity will be a greater cause of liver failure than alcohol.
Obesity is currently estimated to cost the country £58 billion a year. To put that into perspective, this is just under a third of the entire NHS budget. The situation is escalating out of control.
But in recent months there has been a glimmer of hope: semaglutide.
This drug has actually been under the brand name Ozempic for several years. It was developed for diabetes and is similar to a hormone that occurs naturally in the body.
Weight loss injections Ozempic and Wegovy – types of semaglutide drugs – reduce appetite and prevent food cravings
It was injected once a week to stabilize a patient’s blood sugar levels. However, researchers also found that it helped people lose weight.
A very similar drug called Wegovy, which also contains semaglutide, is now approved to treat obesity.
The drug acts like a hormone in the brain, reducing the feeling of hunger and slowing the removal of food from the stomach, thereby promoting weight loss.
Along with others currently being developed, it offers real hope for those struggling with weight loss. I know because I have seen it first hand.
For many years I worked in an eating disorder service and part of my job was to assess obese patients awaiting bariatric surgery, usually gastric banding or bypass, to help them feel full after eating a lot, eating less than what they were used to.
However, most were not eligible and apart from surgery there was little we could offer them.
Instead, we should send them back to the GP with advice on healthy eating and exercise. It was heartbreaking as many were tormented by their weight but felt powerless to do anything about it, yet the NHS fell short when they asked for help.
A few years ago patients started telling me about semaglutide. Some have started buying it privately and I must say the results have been amazing.
Since then I have had more and more patients taking the medication and it has been quite emotional at times to see patients on their weight loss journey.
People who have struggled with their weight all their lives shed the pounds seemingly effortlessly. They simply don’t feel particularly hungry or crave the food they used to eat. It changed the game.
DR Max founded a start-up (getslimmr.co.uk) with the aim of offering a hassle-free service to keep costs down and give as many people as possible access to semaglutide medication
However, this does not mean that it is a panacea. There is no doubt that it is not for everyone.
It is not about people’s fundamental relationship with food. Some people turn to food for psychological reasons, and of course an injection can’t help. These people will continue to need emotional and psychological support.
Like any medication, it also has side effects. The most common symptoms – nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and fatigue – improve with time, but vary from person to person and some may not tolerate it.
But for many people struggling with their weight, it actually seems to help shed the pounds. This can give them the boost they need to manage their weight and exercise regularly and eat healthy. I think it will literally be a lifesaver for many.
There are currently barriers to widespread use. It is difficult to obtain and expensive, leading desperate people to buy it illegally over the Internet.
This means it is unlikely to have been stored or shipped at the correct temperature (it must be kept at a constant cold temperature) and some batches have even turned out to be counterfeit, putting people’s lives at risk.
In fact, there are already reports that two people have died and three have been hospitalized in the US after taking counterfeit versions of the drug. And in some cases, doctors also seem resistant to its use.
This surprised and saddened me, but I think it’s because obesity is still heavily stigmatized and some see these injections as a “scam”, as if overweight people have to suffer in the quest for a healthy weight.
For many people struggling with their weight injections, Ozempic seems to really help shed the pounds (Image)
Yet we do not apply this logic to other problems that people have; For example, no one says the same about nicotine replacement therapy for smokers.
I am so convinced that this drug gives hope to people struggling with obesity that I have set up a start-up (getslimmr.co.uk) with the aim of offering a hassle-free service to keep costs down and as many people as possible to access treatment.
It offers an online assessment that is reviewed by a prescriber after submission. If the patient meets the requirements, Wegovy is then delivered directly to their door.
I have been working on this in the evenings and weekends and will continue to work full time in the NHS when we reach full launch in a few weeks time, but I hope this means that patients can get the drug at a reasonable price anywhere in the world too . Country.
There have been public health campaigns encouraging people to eat healthy and exercise for years. Despite all this, obesity rates have increased.
What we’re doing just isn’t working. I passionately believe that this new drug is the future of weight loss.
Dame Maureen showed us the true meaning of courage
Dame Maureen Lipman (77) spoke about anti-Semitism after the terrorist attacks in Israel
Coronation Street star Dame Maureen Lipman was reportedly assigned a bodyguard on set earlier this month after she spoke out about anti-Semitism following the terror attacks in Israel.
Where have we reached the point where a 77-year-old woman needs protection just because she had the courage to defend herself against prejudice and racism? I was completely shocked to learn that Jewish people in Britain were afraid to go out into the streets for fear of being attacked.
How could we allow our moral compass to be so warped?
Thank God for people like Dame Maureen.
Although evil triumphs when good men (and women) do nothing, it cannot have been easy for her to stick her head above the parapet in this way, knowing that it would make herself the target of further slander and hatred make.
I emailed her to let her know that she had my support and how brave I thought she was for taking a stand. She responded saying she didn’t feel brave. She was nervous, she said, but knew that silence was worse. It made me think.
People often believe that you don’t have to feel fear when you do or say something to be considered brave. But this is wrong. I believe that true courage comes when you are afraid, but speak up anyway because you know it is the right thing to do.
According to two large studies, marijuana use increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure and stroke by up to a third. This is in addition to any other risks associated with the medication.
So why do we turn a blind eye to cannabis while limiting vaping and nitrous oxide, which are not without risk but are less dangerous to health?
International data shows that women in the UK are the biggest binge drinkers in the developed world. The worst offenders include highly educated, middle-class and middle-aged women.
Whats going on here? Let’s not forget that this generation of women was young in the early 1990s – the era of the ladettes.
One way doctors can identify alcohol problems is the CAGE questionnaire.
Have you ever felt like you should cut back on your alcohol consumption? Have people upset you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever felt guilty about drinking alcohol? Should you drink first thing in the morning? If you answer yes to two or more questions, there may be a problem.
The runner’s advent calendar includes gifts such as recovery snacks, running socks and drink packs
DR. MAX prescribes…
Runner’s Advent Calendar
This Advent calendar is designed for everyone, from the avid runner to the occasional jogger. He encourages you to stay fit even though the evenings are getting closer and the weather is getting colder.
This includes things like recovery snacks, running socks and hydration packs, providing everything a runner needs.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
