The Truth About Ozempic, Weight Loss & Food Addiction | Dr. David Kessler, Former FDA Commissioner

Food addiction isn't about willpower.

It’s about biology.

This week’s guest, Dr. David A. Kessler, pulls back the curtain on GLP-1 drugs, the medications everyone's talking about but few truly understand. As a former FDA Commissioner, bestselling author of Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine, and someone who has personally used Ozempic, Dr. David reveals what pharmaceutical companies aren't telling you about how they actually work.

David shares his own journey with GLP-1 medications, the science behind why they're so effective, and the critical conversations we're not having about safety, proper use, and what happens when you stop taking them.

Through science, candor, and vulnerability, he explains:

• Why food addiction is real, and how it rewires the reward circuits of the brain

• How GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are changing the conversation about obesity and self-blame

• Why “just eat less” doesn’t work… and never did

• How visceral fat creates an invisible storm of inflammation, starting in childhood

• And what it means to actually change your relationship with food for good

  
  

Dr Kessler doesn’t offer a magic solution. He offers tools: from nutritional rewiring to behavioral insight, from emotional honesty to policy change.

Ultimately, he reminds us that health isn’t about being perfect. It’s about understanding what drives us, learning how to interrupt the cycle, and reclaiming agency in a world designed to overwhelm it.

Real healing isn’t about restriction. It’s about relief.

It’s not about weight. It’s about freedom.

Love,

Sarah Ann 💛

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If you enjoyed this episode you might also like:

Dr. Chris Palmer: How Ultra-Processed Foods Impact Your Brain and Mental Healthhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XwRdDU1PCY

Dr. Chris Van Tulleken: How Ultra-Processed Foods Are Making Us Sick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SxK9MFmH4c

3 Foods to END Cravings, Sugar Addiction & Get Your Energy Back | Glucose Goddess Jessie Inchauspé

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdfNy_UCqng

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Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

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Introduction: Why Is It So Hard to Lose Weight and Keep It Off? (00:00)
Dopamine, Cravings, and the Science of Food Addiction (10:12)
How GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Actually Work for Weight Loss (15:14)
How to Change Your Relationship with Food (20:06)
GLP-1 Drug Risks, Malnutrition & Eating Disorders (23:37)
Is Ozempic Being Misused? The Dangers of Microdosing (27:07)
How to Safely Use GLP-1s and Maintain Weight Loss After Stopping (31:53)
Which Diet Is Best? Low-Fat vs. Mediterranean vs. Low-Carb (33:43)
How to Lose Visceral Fat Without GLP-1 Drugs (40:55)
Root Cause of Obesity Crisis (42:44)
Living Well: A Redefinition of Health and Self-Acceptance (51:49)

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