Is There Really Such a Thing as “Nature’s Ozempic?”

Nature’s Ozempic.

This is the kind of clickbait title getting all sorts of attention on social media these days. Is it really possible to mimic the actions of a GLP-1 receptor agonist (like Ozempic) with supplements?

The answer is yes and no.

Let’s break down what these wonder drugs do. Because let’s be real–they’re truly amazing.

First, we need to understand GLP-1. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like-peptide-1, which is secreted in our gut in response to food and helps us manage blood sugar and regulate appetite and satiety. We lose the ability to produce it as we age, experience loss of diversity in the gut microbiome, eat too many refined carbs and sugars, get exposed to chronic stress and toxins, and/or have a history of chronic restrictive dieting.

The medications (Ozempic, Semaglutide, Monjauro, Terzepatide, etc.) bind to and activate the GLP-1 receptor, slightly delaying gastric emptying which lowers post-meal glucose as well as fasting glucose. The effects are pretty fascinating: less preoccupation with food, decreased cravings, feeling fuller faster, and of course, rapid weight loss.

Now I’ve gotten a LOT of questions about my personal opinions on this intervention, so I’m planning on addressing this at length on a future podcast episode. Like most things, I see both sides, and I want to be able to address things well and thoughtfully. I don’t have time (or space) to get into it on this newsletter, and I’m still researching.

Back to the clickbait question: Is there such a thing as Nature’s Ozempic?

Companies are promoting the supplement berberine as an alternative to GLP-1 medications. Berberine is an incredible supplement. Some studies show it may be as effective as Metformin for lowering blood sugar levels, but I primarily use it to support people with gut overgrowths and chronic stress (which is high glycemic). Berberine is effective for gut healing AND blood sugar balance, but it doesn’t lend the same rapid weight loss results as the drugs.

So, because berberine can decrease the post-meal spike of glucose and even out the curve some, it is being promoted as Nature’s Ozempic. While it may potentially lead to weight loss in the long-term as a side effect of supporting blood sugar and the gut microbiome, it doesn’t use the same mechanism of action. And it doesn’t bring the same results as the popular drugs.

Here’s the cool news: there are LOTS of tools that can support blood sugar levels, increase satiety, and reduce “food noise” long-term. Personally, I haven’t experienced “food noise” in over ten years, when I introduced products to support my gut (especially with this combo here).

Here are my favorite tools that lead to stable blood sugar and decreased cravings! (Bonus: if you are taking any of the GLP-1 agonists for weight loss reasons, these tools can help you decrease the likelihood of gaining weight if/when you choose to stop taking them.)

Consume at least 30 grams of protein at every meal.
Eat your meals in this order: veggies first, protein/fat second, starches last.
Try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before a meal.
Eat at least 25 grams of fiber per day (go easy, it can cause digestive issues if you’re not used to it). Soluble fiber like fruits, veggies, legumes, flaxseeds, and chia seeds can be especially supportive.
Try not to consume more than 25 grams of added sugar in a day.
Add healthy fats to your diet like avocados and olives.
Move your body for 10 minutes after a meal.

Supplements that are helpful: berberine, curcumin, green tea, psyllium husk, and digestive bitters (see my favorite brand and get 10% off with the code spark here). Always check with a knowledgeable practitioner before choosing to supplement with vitamins or herbs. Some interactions can occur with medications, so play it safe and find someone trained in supplements to walk you through it (like me).

Final reminder: I am not a diet coach. I don’t help people lose weight. I help people restore safety to the body through nutrients. When blood sugar is more stable, YOU feel more stable. When you’re on a blood sugar roller coaster all day, you’ll struggle with more cravings and less managed moods. Restoring safety to the body with these tips above is helpful for anyone!

*This article comes straight from my monthly newsletter. Every month, I send out meal plans, recipes, and quick tips like this one! For more like this, sign up for my monthly newsletter here.

Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer: What’s the Connection?

Breaking news: A HUGE study, published in March 2022, showed that people who consumed high amounts of aspartame were associated with a 22% higher risk of developing breast cancer and 15% higher risk of developing obesity-related cancers. Other sweeteners that were included in the study were sucralose (Splenda) and acesulfame potassium, though 58% of the participants consumed aspartame.

The cohort study was initiated in France in 2009, and looked at the diet of 102,685 people. It’s important to note that almost all of the participants consumed less than the government-recommended allowable daily intake… so it’s not like they were consuming it all day long, all the time. Even a small amount seemed to make a difference in health outcomes.

Artificial sweeteners can be found in:

Gum
Diet drinks
Light yogurt
Pedialyte
Microwave popcorn
Whole wheat bread and English muffins
“Carb balance” tortillas
Some protein powders and health bars (including Pure Protein and Quest)
Sugar free candy
Sugar free coffee syrups
Energy drinks
Sugar free ice cream and other desserts

Aspartame has long been linked to tumors in mice, but other artificial sweeteners (including Splenda/sucralose) are also linked to depression, anxiety, ADHD, cognitive decline, insulin resistance, weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and microbial imbalances (which affect everything else).

Continue reading “Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer: What’s the Connection?” →

The Benefits of Carbs for Your Brain

To carb or not to carb? It seems it is always the debate in nutrition these days.

Yes, we need carbs, and carbs support our mental health.

The top benefits of carbohydrates for mental health are:

They feed good gut bugs and create a more diverse microbiome.
They help us sleep better!
They improve mood health.
They keep stress hormones in check.

Continue reading “The Benefits of Carbs for Your Brain” →

Why Cutting Calories Creates Long-term Chaos

Are you cutting calories to lose weight?

A recent groundbreaking study, authored by 17 experts in the field, was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition called, “The Carbohydrate-insulin Model: a Physiological Perspective on the Obesity Pandemic.”

This study highlights these important areas:

An excess of calories doesn’t cause fat storage.
Caloric restriction often decreases metabolic rate and increases hunger.
What the energy source is made up of makes a difference in how the body digests and utilizes it,
Processed, easily digestible carbohydrates signal a cascade of hormonal and metabolic shifts that lead to fat storage and HUNGER.

The Energy Balance model has always stated that when you consume more calories (energy) than what you expend, you will store fat. What we are learning (and seeing in real time) is that it isn’t so much the calorie quantity as it is the quality. WHAT you consume will cause metabolic changes in the body, because not all calories are alike. A chronic restriction of calories alone can cause your basal metabolic rate to decrease, while driving the body weight “set point” up.

Restricting calories and consuming a lot of foods with a high glycemic load causes your body to absorb glucose quickly while also decreasing metabolic fuel concentration so soon afterward that your brain then believes it is depleted of energy sources (called “cellular semistarvation”) and will soon elicit hunger and cravings, so that the cycle keeps perpetuating. Whew! This requires a lot of work on your body’s part!

I don’t share this to stress anyone out. If you’ve been reading my blog or listening to my podcast, I don’t do the diet thing. But I do want to encourage people to partner with their bodies in order to find a place of healing and wholeness. The best way to lighten the stress load from a nutritional standpoint is to focus on whole food sources that are fiber-rich and help assist the glucose response.

Continue reading “Why Cutting Calories Creates Long-term Chaos” →

Top Brain Health Killers and How to Flip the Script

Five things will always sabotage your mental well-being:

Lack of sleep.
Lack of nutrients.
Lack of sunshine.
Lack of movement.
Lack of community.

I could leave it at that. It’s a whole post in itself.

But I want to flip this, because most of us know these things on some level. However, during times of stress, we often forget to take care of ourselves. We forget that we humans are basically just plants, and plants left without care will wither and die.

We were not designed to stay inside all day, blinking back at a screen with artificial light, head and neck perpetually tilted downward while the rest of our body is unmoving, eating food that is filled with hard-to-digest chemicals and additives, with a schedule so packed we don’t make time for people who are important to us.

Yes, I know that was a massive run-on sentence. It was exhausting (and convicting) typing it out.

Times of brief stress and opposition can be helpful for the body, but when we are continuously stressed, doggy-paddling up to the surface of the water all day long, we will start to feel side effects. It will impact our physical body’s health, and it will most definitely affect our brain’s health. It will cause us to be unable to make clear decisions, show empathy, and connect well with others – because we are in survival mode.

Our bodies are amazing at survival – that’s why you’re here. You’re here because your ancestors survived during difficult times. You gain weight after you diet because your ancestors were able to store weight during famine and not die. Your digestive discomfort is physical evidence that your body knows how to respond to mental stress and anxiety. Your blood sugar fluctuates in order to adapt to emotional stressors and physical stressors on your body. Your hormones are wacky, because duh, it’s never optimal to reproduce when there is a famine or threat to your safety (remember – your body doesn’t know the difference between a stressful job or a T rex chasing you). Even your afternoon fatigue that hits you like a load is a sign that you are overflowing with stress chemicals, and your body’s response system is working properly.

Your body is doing all the right things it is supposed to do. Your body is on your side.

Continue reading “Top Brain Health Killers and How to Flip the Script” →

Food, Fertility, and Faith: What is the Connection?

Fertility and reproductive health are hot topics in the world of health and wellness right now. Many women (and men) are struggling and looking for natural tools for support. In this latest podcast episode with one of the leading experts in the field, we cover it all!

Download here or listen wherever you get podcasts.

Dr. Robert Kiltz is a board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, and Founder and Director of CNY Fertility, one of the largest and most dynamic fertility centers in the country, featured in the Wall Street Journal, Today Show, and CNBC for helping shape the future of fertility medicine. In this fascinating episode, we discuss how to merge intuition and ancestral wisdom with the latest science for fertility and overall health and well-being.

Key Topics:

Myths and misconceptions of fertility
Difference in Western medicine and taking a holistic perspective
The impact of stress on our physiology
How food factors in and creates inflammation
Obesity is not the cause of disease; it’s a symptom
Plant toxins and a carnivore approach to health
How the glycobiome trumps the microbiome
Prejudice and bias in science

“Living Your Best Life: How to Think, Eat, and Connect your Way to a Better Flow” by Dr. Robert Kiltz is now available on Amazon or at DoctorKiltz.com. For more information, visit Dr. Kiltz’s website, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Get $100 off your first month of therapy with Talkspace.com when you use the code sparkingwholeness.

Delicious Ways to Make Lower Carb and No Sugar Fit Your Lifestyle

Deana Karim is a mom on a mission. She is bringing delicious, low-carb, and sugar-free baking mixes to the world – and they are truly delicious! Deana is the founder of Good Dee’s, a company that makes mixes for brownies, cookies, bread, and so much more.

Before I hosted Deana on the podcast, I was able to sample some of the Good Dee’s baking mixes. I tried the brownies, cornless corn bread, and devil’s food cake mix. All were surprisingly delicious. They didn’t taste like they were low carb or sugar free. I can’t stand the taste of anything artificial, and I could tell that Good Dee’s baking mixes are only used with the highest quality.

In this episode, we cover how she started Good Dee’s, and why she feels having options to individualize your health goals is so important! Download to listen here, or find wherever you get podcasts.

Key Topics:

Story behind the baking mixes
How she came up with different seed flours to use (even watermelon seed flour)!
The various sweeteners used and the impact on her blood sugar
What makes Good Dee’s mixes stand apart from the others
Deana’s mission with her products
Deana’s favorite mixes and recipe suggestions
Tips to change things up and make it easy to fit your lifestyle!

Find all the Good Dee’s mixes or find a store near you that has them at the website here.

Get 20% off your first order from Ancient Nutrition at ancientnutrition.com – use the promo code sparking at checkout!

Feast 2 Fast: Purpose of the Body

Summer is right around the corner and I’m here to remind you that the purpose of your body is NOT to get swimsuit ready.

The purpose of your body is to be “fit to serve” right where you are, with the body you have.

Here’s the thing, though – sometimes we get into a food rut, due to stress and factors outside of our control, and we find ourselves fueling on food sources that aren’t optimal for our unique bodies. It can lead to blood sugar instability, poor gut health, brain fog, fatigue, and overall blah.

Feast 2 Fast is a complete reset for nutrition, mindset and spiritual health! No calorie-counting, no macro-counting, no deprivation, no complications – just real food, the way God made it!

Continue reading “Feast 2 Fast: Purpose of the Body” →

Five Triggers for Anxiety (That Your Doctor Might Not Tell You About)

What’s Behind Your Anxiety?

If you struggle with anxiety or depression, you know it affects your entire life. It affects how you move (or don’t move), your concentration, your ability to sleep, your interactions with others, even your bathroom habits. Because anxiety is on the rise, and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, I want to share some little-known triggers for anxiety that you may not be hearing about from anyone else!

Like everything I share, remember that your body’s response to food or internal/external stressors is individual to YOU. What is a trigger for one person might not be a trigger for you. Being aware of how your unique body responds to this world is only something you can determine.

Five triggers for your anxiety that your doctor might not tell you about:

Artificial sweeteners and dyes – not only do they disrupt nervous system function, but sucralose decreases beneficial gut bacteria and aspartame increases anxiety and depression (just another reason to lay off the Diet Coke). Sweeteners can also negatively impact blood sugar – which can increase panic attacks! Food dyes may trigger “mind-storms,” which are issues with the brain’s wiring or electrical activity. No bueno!
Too much screen time – blue light from screens can suppress the hormone melatonin which is needed for restful sleep. Screens can also disrupt the calming neurotransmitter Gaba, along with serotonin – the happy one.
Magnesium deficiency – magnesium calms your nervous system and prevents the creation of excess cortisol, the stress hormone. Some call it “nature’s Xanax.” It’s needed for just about every process in the body. It’s found in nuts, seeds, legumes, and leafy greens, but it’s also an inexpensive supplement! Two of my favorite formulations are the Plexus one, here, or Nutritional Frontiers, here.
Excess caffeine – a little is fine, but too much can stimulate the fight or flight response and trigger racing thoughts, or even panic attacks. Some people metabolize it slower than others, so keep that in mind when you have your afternoon coffee or tea break – your mind might be racing at 1 am!
Stored trauma that hasn’t been addressed – trauma can keep our bodies in that constant fight or flight state, which can lead to poor sleep, inability to concentrate, and panic attacks. Fortunately, there are a wide range of trauma therapies, and many mind-body strategies available to help your body unlock trauma and heal! EMDR and EFT (tapping) are two of the most popular. The wellness center I work with has some amazing trauma therapists and resources here.

Honorable mention:
Blood sugar issues: when we’re riding that blood sugar roller coaster it can cause all sorts of poor mental health symptoms. Limit sugar consumption to limit the swing. Consume plenty of fiber-rich vegetables, brain-boosting fats and quality protein with each meal. Many times we fail to fill up on necessary nutrients so we stay hungry, reaching for quick fix glucose fuel and perpetuating the cycle of brain fog and hunger.

Poor digestion: If you can’t digest protein, you can’t make the neurotransmitters needed for mental health. Period. You know that old saying, “you are what you eat?” It’s not true. It should be, “You are what you are able to digest.” When we can’t create serotonin from our food nutrients, we can’t access melatonin either, which affects mood AND sleep. Taking digestive enzymes and working on gut health can help, something I love helping people with!

The next round of Feast 2 Fast, an online coaching group that pairs science-based nutrition principles with timeless spiritual truth to reset your mind, body, and soul starts May 3. Join the wait list here – or contact me directly for more coaching options!

How Many Times a Day Should I Eat?

The blood sugar conversation is more important than ever. We have to understand how to manage our blood sugar before it starts managing us. Like most “common” health concerns, it shouldn’t have to be normal to have blood sugar that is on a continual roller coaster.

Kris DeFoer is a Nutritional Therapist and owner of Happy Body Health. She is passionate about helping women optimize their nutrition and lifestyles to look and feel their best. She believes that healthy digestion and blood sugar regulation are critical to good health and that a healthy diet and lifestyle can address many of the chronic issues that people deal with today.

This discussion with Kris breaks down why we want to fuel our bodies with food that helps to stabilize our blood sugar, and keep our brain and immune systems strong! Download the episode here or find wherever you listen to podcasts!