Olivia was overweight, in her late 30s, had polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and a prescription for a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug she didn’t want to stay on. Six months after switching to a food-first approach—more fiber, more protein, regular meals—she kept the weight off, and the nausea and constipation she had experienced while on the drug had improved. No injections were needed. Her doctor was impressed, but I, as a clinical nutritionist, wasn’t surprised at all.
In fact, stories such as hers point to something nutrition experts have long known: The hormone that GLP-1 drugs mimic is one your body already knows how to make. The question is whether consistently applying the right eating pattern can stimulate enough of it to meaningfully control appetite, and whether that’s a realistic alternative or complement to medication.
