An Honest Conversation About GLP Medications: Empowering Patients and Avoiding Pitfalls

The transformative power of GLP-1 medications

An Honest Conversation About GLP Medications: Empowering Patients and Avoiding Pitfalls

The transformative power of GLP-1 medications

In this episode of Menopause Rescue, Dr. Polly Watson welcomes Dr. Jill Valerius, a family and functional medicine expert, to discuss GLP-1 medications. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, these drugs are now recognized for their ability to reduce inflammation, support weight loss, and address risks linked to chronic diseases. Dr. Valerius explains how these medications work as part of a broader health strategy, especially for those struggling with conventional approaches.

“These drugs are not the answer, but they are a tool.”

They discuss the stigma around weight loss and emphasize the importance of compassion and challenging societal biases that equate weight struggles with willpower. They stress the need for holistic care, including proper monitoring, strength training, and nutrition, to prevent side effects like muscle loss. Dr. Watson encourages listeners to extend grace and understanding rather than unsolicited advice about health choices. This episode underscores the transformative power of GLP-1 medications while advocating for empathy and patient empowerment. Tune in for expert insights and practical tips on embracing tools that enhance well-being.

Watch The Conversation!

Key Takeaways:

🌸  The importance of understanding the side effects of these medications
🌸  Recognizing the challenges patients face, and provide practical tips for managing nutrition and exercise while using these medications
🌸  The stigma around weight loss and emphasize the importance of compassion and challenging societal biases that equate weight struggles with willpower

“Optimizing protein intake is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass, especially as we age,” says Dr. Polly Watson. In this episode, Dr. Polly Watson, alongside nurse practitioner Kate Willis, discusses five key opportunities women can use to optimize their health: protein intake, sleep, strength training, stress management, and hormone sourcing. Kate Willis highlights the importance of making informed, individualized health choices and simple lifestyle changes to enhance overall well-being.

“These drugs are not the answer, but they are a tool”

The episode covers strategies like ensuring adequate protein for muscle health, maintaining quality sleep to regulate hormones, and prioritizing strength training to counteract age-related muscle loss. Dr. Watson and Kate also shed light on practical stress management techniques and emphasize the importance of partnering with knowledgeable providers for safe and effective hormone therapies. This episode serves as a guide for women navigating health optimization, offering actionable tips for achieving balance and resilience.

Quotes:

  • “These drugs are not the answer, but they are a tool…like exercise, diet, and nutrition. These are all tools in our toolbox.” – Dr. Jill Valerius
  • “If you haven’t experienced food noise, you don’t have a real appreciation for how much headspace it takes.” – Dr. Polly Watson
  • “One thing that this kind of type of drug is really highlighting to us is how prevalent chronic disease, obesity, these kinds of things have become.” – Dr. Jill Valerius

Resources:

Meet the host!

Dr. Polly Watson is a board certified OBGYN who has additional training in menopausal medicine, sexual medicine and functional medicine.

She looks forward to sharing her knowledge with you to help find a solution to address the imbalance in your system and restore your health.

In 2019 I left my job as an employed physician with a large organization and started Hormone Wellness MD. I started with no staff working out of a single room. Since then, my staff has grown to a team of 5 and we’ve helped over 1,100 people on their health journey.

Dr. Polly Watson

MD FACOG NCMP, Hormone Wellness MD

Meet the Guest Speaker!

As a little girl, Dr. Jill Valerius knew she wanted to be a doctor. She told her second grade teacher that was precisely what she was going to do. Jill spent the first four years of her medical career working as a Certified Athletic Trainer with high school and college athletes. Empowering people drove her to complete her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1998. She completed her residency in family medicine in Duluth, Minnesota. After residency, she worked in several emergency room and urgent care centers prior to moving to Alaska in 2003. Here she practiced full scope family medicine.

She quickly realized that a more holistic approach to medicine was needed to really help her patients achieve optimal health. Training in Functional Medicine was her real ‘aha’ moment in practicing medicine, and she looks forward to helping you reach your health, lifestyle, and activity goals. It is never too late to start living in health.

To me, our whole world is about listening, educating and empowering patients.

Jill Valerius

MD, ABOIM, IFMCP, ATC, Now Health

Meet the host!

Dr. Polly Watson is a board certified OBGYN who has additional training in menopausal medicine, sexual medicine and functional medicine.

She looks forward to sharing her knowledge with you to help find a solution to address the imbalance in your system and restore your health.

In 2019 I left my job as an employed physician with a large organization and started Hormone Wellness MD. I started with no staff working out of a single room. Since then, my staff has grown to a team of 5 and we’ve helped over 1,100 people on their health journey.

Dr. Polly Watson

MD FACOG NCMP, Hormone Wellness MD

Meet the Guest!

As a little girl, Dr. Jill Valerius knew she wanted to be a doctor. She told her second grade teacher that was precisely what she was going to do. Jill spent the first four years of her medical career working as a Certified Athletic Trainer with high school and college athletes. Empowering people drove her to complete her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1998. She completed her residency in family medicine in Duluth, Minnesota. After residency, she worked in several emergency room and urgent care centers prior to moving to Alaska in 2003. Here she practiced full scope family medicine.

She quickly realized that a more holistic approach to medicine was needed to really help her patients achieve optimal health. Training in Functional Medicine was her real ‘aha’ moment in practicing medicine, and she looks forward to helping you reach your health, lifestyle, and activity goals. It is never too late to start living in health.

To me, our whole world is about listening, educating and empowering patients.

Jill Valerius

MD, ABOIM, IFMCP, ATC, Now Health

1 Shares
1 Shares
Share
Pin1