It’s October again but beware of being tricked into hype and fads when it comes to health and wellness. Honestly, there are a plethora of myths all over the internet and sadly you can’t help but see the trolling pop-up ads of “influencers” partnered with AI espousing potentially dangerous quick fix schemes out there. I feel compelled as an Integrative Health Coach to address some misconceptions regarding the awareness of GLP-1. Yes, I said awareness of GLP-1.

It seems a lot of the hype revolves around confusion about what it actually is. It’s as though poof, it magically appeared out of nowhere since the rise of pharmaceutical medication commercials putting the term “GLP-1” on the map of every consumer. I am happy to report it is a naturally occurring hormone that has been part of human evolution since there have been humans! It is not new, it is not something that was recently invented. It is a naturally occurring peptide found in the intestine that behaves similarly to glucagon, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar in the body (although glucagon is created in the pancreas). As such, it can influence things like appetite, satiation, regulates blood sugar by stimulating insulin to be released. It helps the brain to receive the “I’m full” or “I’m still hungry” signal and is one of many naturally occurring hormones that plays in the symphony and rhythm of homeostasis that contribute to a healthy working metabolism, and an integral part of how the Gut-brain connection operates. When it operates optimally there is balance, when disrupted (often through a cascade) it suffers and dysfunction will be observed, over time becoming more systemic. It is not a sole operator. It works in tandem with many moving parts. If it’s out of balance, other hormones and processes begin to experience dysfunction. It is one of many essential working mechanisms integral to metabolic functioning.

My point is, since this is a naturally occurring hormone our bodies are capable of producing, let’s explore and practice how to stimulate its production and preserve its integrity so our bodies can do what they do best: heal, seal, repair, maintain and flourish.

Disruptors of Natural GLP-1 Production:

• High Stress
• Lack of Foundational Nutrient Dense Nourishment
• Lack of Intentional Physical Activity, Exercise, and Rest
• Lack of Diverse Probiotics in Foods & Environmental exposures

1. High Stress: This has been a clinically documented culprit extensively linked to adverse health conditions in numerous studies throughout the decades, from poor cardiovascular outcomes (increasing risks for stroke, high blood pressure and congestive heart disease to name a few) to poor mental health, diabetes, digestive disorders, autoimmune disorders, cancer, hormonal dysfunction, systemic pain, not to mention the best buddy of cortisol. It’s no wonder that if our powerhouse, often dubbed “the second brain,” senses stimulus from inside us that we are stressed, the hormone signals will go awry and subsequently, our natural ability of creating GLP-1 will be drastically impacted, leaving us wide open for weight gain. Ever wonder why people tend to gain excess weight during times of hardship? It could be injury, sickness, or other trauma type event creating a stress response within the body. Couple that with poor food choices or the wrong caloric intake and it can be a recipe for disaster! Fortunately, there are practical self-care strategies and supplements that are very effective at managing those stress responses within the body during such circumstances. I wrote a free e-book just on the subject of self-care alone. The best part many of the strategies don’t cost anything but dedicated time to you! Let’s face it, costs for most things is up and many are looking for cost-effective options for healthy living. In fact, exorbitant cost is one of the negative aspects of the synthetic GLP-1 medications on the market. Ironically the companies producing the syntheic drugs recommend it be taken for life. WHy is that? It is because they know fully well, this is a naturally occuring hormone that the body should be producing on a daily basis. Can it be revived naturally? You bet!

2. Foundational Nutrient Dense Nourishment: Why Foundational? These are what I call the non-negotiables that should be part of the structure to build the house of health. The fuel put into the body matters. It makes the difference between a body system that can go and one that breaks down. Can a jet engine run on diesel fuel? Certainly not! Poor food quality going in means poor energy output. Energy production is the primary function of every cell of our body. The delicate balance of power is simply created by the quality and quantities of the fuels chosen to put into the tank. Nourishment is a choice, but it also goes works in concert with a good working knowledge. The working knowledge must be truthful and scientifically evidenced but compatible with your specific body chemistry needs. This is why in the world of diets and weight loss, one size does not fit all as an approach. Each of us have unique physiological conditions, needs and epigenetic factors that need better understanding in order to acquire better health.

Contrary to one of the myths I once believed, food must be consumed to lose weight. Starvation is not a path to weight loss success, nor is meal skipping. These are hormonal disruptors that send a stress signal to every cell of the body, fueling more cortisol production among others. To every action or inaction, there is a reaction. Proteins, carbs and fats are the basic foundational pieces of the puzzle, but without understanding sources, portions, and scalability of these, the puzzle piece you create may not be a good fit. Fresh is best has been my mantra and it still holds true. Humans are omnivores. The specialized digestive enzymes produced in our bodies have the ability and are designed to break down real living foods, plants and animal sources.

The body comes fully loaded and equipped to process raw and cooked vegetables, for example. Vegetables have been part of the human diet since day 1. There is no getting away from that fact. Our issue in more modern times is the advent of processed and non-living foods which has skewed our tastes and also societal norms. I am challenging that based on the science of how the human body is meant to function and its core design. Of course, certain pre-existing health conditions and age-related factors can contribute to unpleasant experiences consuming vegetables, but this too can be overcome through specific strategies, sometimes helpful supplements and mindful adaptations. Taste buds can and do change, even taste buds that adapted to a highly processed food intake can reset and return to baseline with proper adjustments. Usually, these adaptations require changes in how we understand and perceive food, adjust our food choices and requires the element of patient time. Often, it will necessitate qualified outside help. And this is perfectly normal and wise. There is no shame, stigma or guilt.

I for one had to do just that many years ago to unlearn some things and adapt to positive changes and the results became long-lasting because it became my lifestyle choice. Valuable? Priceless. Worth owning? Unequivocally yes! Ultimately, factors causing dysfunction of GLP-1 and other hormones can be addressed more naturally through rebuilding the foundation of smart nutrition, but it may require the help of a coach for accountability, encouragement and customized guidance to help you reach your goals safely and expediently.

3. Intentional Activity & Exercise: Exercise has been an overlooked factor in GLP-1 suppression. It too is a delicate balance – Not enough and the body feels stressed because this detoxifying pathway is not being activated during periods of inactivity. Too much at too high of intensity when the body isn’t ready also works negatively, increasing stress load on a cellular level and causing cortisol to spike.

Anyone who’s ever “hit the wall” through arduous aerobics every day for hours a day with no weight loss to show knows what I’m talking about. It happened to me! Back then I didn’t understand the signaling rhythms of my body or that inactivity sends signals as does too much strenuous activity. Eventually I was willing to relearn some things and put them into practice after breaking down and seeking help. It paid off in dividends, and I never looked back! It took intentional truth seeking, acceptance and application to find the correct formula that worked, and throughout the years I have also had to learn to adjust and adapt along the way. The formula is fluid and not static over time.

Every organ of the body is a muscle. The adage, “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” bears much truth. Inactivity and unchallenging use of muscles and organs over time results in more rigid, less pliable, less resiliency in part because cell death processes (apoptosis) actually accelerate. An unchallenged body will age and deteriorate faster than a body performing weight bearing and challenging enough physical stimulation. This is why so many people are exploring longevity practices and questioning their biological age. Numerous studies have demonstrated direct correlation between inactivity and premature mortality. This is again another fundamental principle in the design of how the human body works that we cannot reverse-engineer our way out of. It is essential and it matters 100%. Why?

Exercise promotes the excretion of impurities from the body due to circulation and greater oxygen flow being generated, promotes improved cell turnover, cardiovascular and pulmonary oxygenation and strength, stimulates lymphatic drainage through sweat, helps the liver and kidneys to flush impurities, releases endorphins (pain killers), dopamine (feel good chemicals) in the brain, even stimulating the adrenal glands that sit over the kidneys that produce epinephrine, stimulates improved signaling pathways in the gut (the second brain) which can then all harmoniously send positive signaling to the intestines for GLP-1 to generate. The exercise stimulus provides a healthier environment for the gut microbiome to better function and stimulate good bacteria of the gut to create chemicals that serve to help stimulate the creation of even more feel-good hormones to better improve mood, energy and alertness. And it positively helps reproductive organs to tone and be stimulated to balance sex hormones, improving stress response, harmonize imbalance and improve libido.

Appropriate exercise will stimulate all of these and more. Not only that, but if strength training and cardio elements are rightly applied, it pays off in dividends through a process called thermogenesis in the following days to come, allowing the body to continue burning calories like an engine continuing those processes. Appropriate exercise is the type that does not stimulate a stress response in the body. Knowing the art of how to exercise also takes understanding of your fuel intake, physical limitations and abilities, emotional stress load factors and sleep intake. Awareness of breath and thoughts during exercise are important and can serve as a self-awareness meter.

Sleep is an intake! Proper rest is directly correlated to gains and losses at the gym. Inadequate rest unfortunately poses a greater risk of injury and poor muscle repair and recovery. Sleep, especially REM cycles, is the time in which cellular tissue repair, replenishment and regeneration processes occur. The bodily systems do their best repair work during this relaxed state of fasting to target calories and energy toward restoration. It is also the time when detoxification pathway organs do much of the accounting. For example, the pancreas during sleep can either use the calories for energy production purposes or is forced to make conversions of excess calories to store as fat. Fatty pancreas is an obesity marker. Excess calories are accounted for on a daily basis, with the final accounting occurring at night during sleep. GLP-1 production has been shown to be hindered by poor quality of sleep and seems to play a part in the vicious cycle of sleep apnea. Ongoing sleep studies are exploring this correlation.

Numerous studies also link poor quality of sleep with poor health outcomes, linking it to diseases and premature death. When combined with poor nutrition it is unfortunately a recipe for poor health outcomes. This combination doesn’t only harm the physical body, but it can also cause psychological harm, creating an enormous stumbling block where depression and defeatism can set in. But there is a way through, and this is where accountability with a coach and/or team of qualified professionals can be a great ally to break down barriers and provide real functional solutions to reset and rebalance the bodily systems, improving quality of life.

4. Diversify Probiotic Sources: Nutritionally dead foods devoid of pre-biotic and probiotics do the same for the body – it leaves a chasm that no simple starch or supplement can replace. Dysbiosis is just that, voids or cracks within the gut – gut permeability- where harmful bacteria and pathogens can penetrate through the protective barrier and enter the bloodstream causing unpleasant side effects in various parts of the body. This too can be healed and resealed but requires proper foundations for health and adjunct therapies.

Much of the typical western diet is fiber poor. No matter how many fiber supplements one takes, it simply cannot replace the richness of the fiber found in whole food sources. Whole food sources such as whole grains, ancient grains, along with fibrous vegetables (leafy greens spinach, kale, chard) and other fiber dense vegetables aren’t just loaded with pre-biotic fiber, but also fresh vegetable have some spore-based bacteria present too, which are wonderful for the gut and help GLP-1 production. Fermented vegetables, yogurt and kefir are other wonderful probiotic-rich foods to eat. Not only can these nutrient dense additions help boost GLP-1 production, but they also have the ability to improve digestion, hormone balance, immune function, and support mood and emotional regulating processes.

Take it further by adding time in the great outdoors. Try walking outdoors barefoot or make skin contact with the soil and living things in the environment. This allows contact with spore-based bacteria. Humans were not meant to live every second of the day indoors secluded from nature. Everyday outdoor time affords the opportunity to get a healthy dose of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight as well. Just 15-20 minutes a day can be beneficial.

In totality these strategies work synergistically together to foster healthy lifestyle habits and can help promote better hormone regulation and GLP-1 production. Try adjusting one piece at a time. Make simple, meaningful and realistic adaptations and track your progress. Celebrate follow through and note the effect on your wellbeing. Treat change like an adventure, not a conflict or struggle – a mind shift can produce real positive results that are noticeable in your journey.

Lastly, the viral baking soda trick online – don’t fall for it. Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, has been used strategically by elite athletes under supervision, but is not advisable for weight loss due to potentially serious health risks. It is high in sodium at the very least and can increase blood pressure and rise to the level of toxicity leading to diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, seizures, and kidney failure. Due to the fact that it is contraindicative with many medications and because of its disruptive interaction, it can adversely affect potency of medications and/or chemically react causing a host of adverse reactions. Alkalosis (where the actual fluids in the circulatory system become too alkaline causing confusion, tremor, nausea) and stomach rupture are other serious side effects that can occur. Many of these can even rise to the level of requiring hospitalization. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” seems appropriate for this viral trend targeting GLP-1. There is absolutely no scientifically backed research to substantiate those claims.

The bottom Line: The quest for GLP-1 is much like tying shoes. Increasing its natural production requires coming back to the basics of nutrition, proper exercise and ultimately healthy self-care practices. Tying shoelaces requires one to be mindful: slow down, pay attention, and make the choice to tie the shoe and be willing to do it again if it becomes untied in the future without shame, stigma or guilt. It takes time and practice to get it right. When first learning how, it often takes repeated practice attempts before getting the hang of it.

My advice as a health coach – you can do it! If you’ve been scrolling and tempted by the “seems so easy” approaches and tricks, remember. Your health deserves more than a slip-on shoe approach for meaningful and lasting results. Your health is valuable. Guard it, honor it, cherish it and nurture it. When you give your body what it really needs, it will work for you and not against you.

Real results can and do happen every day. What we don’t always see are the hard-fought wins behind the scenes, the “no’s” and the “I’ll choose this instead” moments that brought someone from that first day of their health quest to the day of their victory. Believe me, it’s worth the ride, it’s worth the traverse. Don’t quit, don’t settle, and go for the gold! You deserve it!

Perhaps you have chosen to take a few courses of GLP-1 medication to get your journey started and desire to get off but don’t know next steps. Working with an integrated health coach can help you adapt and acclimate to keep the wins going. Whether already taking a GLP-1 medication and are feeling concerned if the weight will come back or afraid to use manufactured GLP-1 due to risks and side-effects, my best advice is to get started with a coach now to adapt and ensure your proteins, fats and carbs are correct to preserve the integrity of your lean muscle mass. No matter the method of weight loss, preserving lean muscle is crucial because muscle burns calories. If muscle tissue is consumed by the body for fuel during improper weight loss methods, it ensures weight gain will occur more rapidly. There is a way to meet both ends and do it healthfully, safely and effectively. Sometimes it requires extra helpers along the way, and that’s okay. Choose wisely and may you FLEURISH HEALTHY!

Yours in Health,

Angela Garbarino, CIHC, GFI

Fleurish Healthy

The statements provided here do not reflect medical advice nor do they suggest treatment for medical conditions. Always seek help from licensed medical professionals for diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease, health emergencies and/or mental health needs.

1. Al-Noshokaty TM, Abdelhamid R, Abdelmaksoud NM, Khaled A, Hossam M, Ahmed R, Saber T, Khaled S, Elshaer SS, Abulsoud AI. Unlocking the multifaceted roles of GLP-1: Physiological functions and therapeutic potential. Toxicol Rep. 2025 Jan 16;14:101895. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2025.101895. PMID: 39911322; PMCID: PMC11795145.¹

2. Fitzgibbons, L. J. and Snoey, E. R. Severe metabolic alkalosis due to baking soda ingestion: case reports of two patients with unsuspected antacid overdose. J Emerg Med 1999;17(1):57-61.

3. More fiber in the diet may help boost levels of GLP-1, an Ozempic-like hormone : Shots – Health News : NPRhttps://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/10/30/1208883691/diet-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-fiber-glp-1-diabetes-barley