Many medical conditions are related to obesity and weight loss is the panacea of treatments to have less stress on your joints, breathe better, have better circulation, better movement ability, lower blood pressure, avoid diabetes, etc. Not everyone has the same metabolism. Some people are more naturally thin than others and it’s not their fault they have the genetics of a slower metabolism. Obesity is a chronic disease in and of itself that needs to be treated as such. It is not a character weakness or a lazy person’s disease. Dr. McKenzie thinks that weight loss has to be attacked from all angles for good health. The proper exercise regimen, the proper food choices, intermittent fasting, and the appropriate weight loss medications when necessary.

Unfortunately, insurance companies who are most concerned about their bottom line than their clients will not pay for most of these weight loss medications. The medication that Dr. McKenzie uses most often to facilitate weight loss is semaglutide or as some recognize it as the main ingredient for Ozempic (name brand) in combination with levocarnitine as weekly injections. This can also be used before or after weight loss surgery such as a gastric sleeve or bypass surgery.

This injectable medication serves as a natural peptide that makes the pancreas work appropriately. It sends out insulin at the right time and otherwise does not overproduce it, which is what happens with prediabetes and type II diabetes. It keeps the blood sugars down and actually helps the beta cells in the pancreas to rejuvenate. It has been a miracle drug for the treatment of diabetes. It slows down gastric emptying so that one feels full faster and is satisfied with much less food. It works in the brain to tell the brain it’s not hungry so it naturally decreases the appetite without it being a stimulant like phentermine. It is safe as long as you don’t have a family or personal history of medullary thyroid cancer, MEN I/II, or a personal history of pancreatitis. It has been shown to actually decrease cardiovascular disease independent of its weight loss effect.

It may be the right medication to give you the boost for weight loss that everyone needs to feel successful and be consistent.