I’ve been shocked to read all the commentary surrounding the new type 2 diabetes medications that are being used off-label for weight loss.
I’ve just never seen a drug get so beaten up in every direction… including from the medical community.
But what’s even more unnerving is how different industries are reacting to it. I mean, everyone from Walmart to Wall Street is in an absolute TIZZY.
Putting aside the fact that I’m not a huge proponent of drugs—let’s look at why this response is so unsettling on a larger scale…
Surprising “tools”
If I were a “typical” medical professional, I would be jumping for joy that we finally have a “tool” in our toolbox to combat WEIGHT issues.
(Those “tools” are semaglutide, marketed under the popular names Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro.)
I mean, nearly 75 percent of the U.S. population is either overweight or obese. So, why wouldn’t I be a fan?
But let’s look beyond weight loss…
I have seen patients ditch their blood pressure and cholesterol issues… soothe achy joints and backs… restore flagging energy levels…
And most importantly, achieve a healthier relationship with food and, in turn, a weight goal that has eluded them for years!
So, can I ask again: Why are we BASHING something that can influence health in so many positive ways?
Look beyond the dollar signs
Corporate America is desperately trying to find a way IN. They want a piece of the pie… and FAST.
Of course, everyone talks about the cost of these drugs. And, trust me, they ARE expensive. It’s a ridiculous cycle of greed where share prices must be maintained at all costs.
But what about the costs involved in taking care of the sick and obese?
When you look at it that way, the drugs are nowhere NEAR as expensive as coronary bypass surgeries, amputations, kidney failure, stroke aftermaths… the list is endless.
In fact, we spend TRILLIONS on healthcare that could otherwise be avoided if there was proper education (and accessibility) to good nutrition through healthy, balanced diets.
But that’s just not the case. So, we must work within our current state of affairs… and this new “toolbox.”
Look, I understand that the popularity of these drugs seems scary from the outside looking in. We’re potentially changing the current status quo. But that isn’t a BAD thing.
It wasn’t long ago that people who had the same physical shape that I have were a size “medium.” Now that size is considered abnormal and has shifted down to a small or extra small…
All because there was a paradigm shift that no one commented on—simply because people figured out how to profit from it! Let that sink in for a moment…
At the end of the day, so far, in my experience, these drugs work. And given the fact that most of America is obese and sick thanks to how badly we eat?
Well, I think they’re just what we need to help bridge the gap between the ill-effects of the Standard American Diet, “sitting disease,” and overall good health.