Does Inflammation Come Back After Stopping GLP-1 Medications?

Kerry Watson, NTP, RWPKerry Watson, NTP, RWP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner & Restorative Wellness Practitioner • Evidence-based food sensitivity guidance

You did the work. You took the medication, you lost the weight, and you even noticed that your achy joints, brain fog, and chronic fatigue seemed to clear up while you were on it. But now you have stopped taking your GLP-1 medication, and suddenly, you feel like you are right back where you started. Your joints hurt again. You feel sluggish. Your digestion is a mess. What happened?

Here is what is going on: GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro do more than just slow down your digestion and help you lose weight. They actually have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. When you stop taking them, that anti-inflammatory blanket gets pulled away. If the root causes of your inflammation were never addressed in the first place, all those old symptoms come rushing back.

The Hidden Anti-Inflammatory Power of GLP-1s

We think of these medications strictly as weight loss or blood sugar tools, but they work on a much deeper level. GLP-1 receptors are found all over your body, including your immune system. When the medication binds to these receptors, it dials down systemic inflammation. Many of my clients tell me they felt the best they had felt in years while on the medication, completely separate from the weight loss. Their skin cleared up. Their chronic pain vanished.

But this relief is often temporary. It acts as a band-aid. The medication suppresses the inflammatory response, but it does not fix what is causing the inflammation to begin with. The metabolic bridge that the medication built starts to crumble once you stop taking it.

Why the Inflammation Comes Back

If you have a nail in your tire and you keep putting air in it, the tire looks fine. But the moment you stop pumping air, it goes flat again. The nail is still there.

For most people, the “nails” driving their chronic inflammation are hidden in their gut. All disease starts in the gut. If you have food sensitivities, gut dysbiosis, or a leaky gut, your immune system is constantly fighting a battle it cannot win. The GLP-1 medication just quieted the noise for a while. Now that it is gone, the alarm bells are ringing again, leading to rebound weight gain and returning symptoms.

Ultra-processed foods are specifically designed to create a chemical reaction in the brain using flavor and texture profiles. This produces ongoing cravings for these tastes and textures. These products are so far removed from real food that the body often has no idea what to do with them. They create inflammation, get stored in our fat cells and overwork our livers that try to break down and detoxify the chemicals and preservatives from our bodies. If you went back to eating these foods after stopping the medication, that is a huge reason your inflammation returned.

The Gut Microbiome Shift

When you are on a GLP-1, your digestion slows down significantly. This changes the environment in your digestive tract. The types of bacteria that thrive in a slower-moving gut are different from those in a faster-moving one. Your microbiome shifts.

Then you stop the medication. Digestion speeds back up. The microbiome has to shift again. This transition is chaotic and often leads to a resurgence of pathogenic bacteria or candida overgrowth. Candida overgrowth is very common. It is difficult to identify through testing alone so an intake of the client’s symptoms is an important piece of the puzzle. It sparks an inflammatory cascade that causes widespread damage over time to the gut, the immune system, and nearly every other system and organ in the body.

Stress and the Gut-Brain Axis

You cannot separate your gut from your brain. Stress changes how your gastrointestinal tract processes food and makes digestive symptoms worse. If you are anxious about stopping your medication or stressed about regaining weight, you are actively driving more inflammation through the gut-brain axis. These techniques can reduce stress levels and alleviate digestive symptoms like stomach pain, constipation, and nausea.

Deep breathing is a simple tool to calm this response. Take slow, steady breaths a few times each day. Inhale for four seconds, then exhale for six seconds. Even a few minutes at a time helps you relax and feel calmer.

Acupressure is also great. Place your thumb on the P6 acupuncture point on the inner wrist, about three finger-widths below the crease of the palm. Apply gentle pressure and massage the area for 2 to 3 minutes to relieve nausea and digestive distress. It should not be painful.

Stop Guessing: The Power of Functional Testing

I have always lamented the fact that doctors and conventional medicine can do little to catch a disease before it crosses the point of no return. When I learned about functional testing and how it has the potential to identify imbalances before they become a chronic condition it sounded like something I just had to learn everything about. You cannot heal what you cannot see. Guessing which foods are causing your inflammation or taking random probiotics is a waste of time and money. We need data.

1. The MRT Food Sensitivity Test

Most food sensitivity testing is flawed in that if you haven’t eaten a particular food in a while it won’t show up as a sensitivity on a test even if you are truly sensitive to it. The MRT test is different. Every food sensitivity that you have that is part of the test will show up regardless as to when you last eat that particular food. It’s a much more sensitive and much more accurate test. When testing for food sensitivities you want to make sure that you get it right because everything you eat for several months will be based on those results. If they are wrong or incomplete, you’re setting yourself up to fail before you even start.

When the digestive tract comes in contact with a food sensitivity it sparks an inflammatory cascade that causes widespread damage over time to the gut, the immune system and nearly every other system and organ in the body. Addressing food sensitivities is a vital part of preventing inflammation and protecting the entire body from imbalance.

2. Comprehensive Stool Testing

This test checks the collection of microorganisms in your intestines (the gut microbiome) and digestive function. We need to know exactly what kind of bacteria, yeast, or parasites are living in your gut and driving up your inflammation markers. It tells us if you are actually digesting and absorbing your food.

3. Organic Acid Test (OAT)

This test measures natural substances made by the body (organic acids) as a way to analyze metabolism and certain nutrient levels. It helps us see how your cells are functioning, how you are producing energy, and if there are hidden fungal or bacterial overgrowths.

The 4R Gut Healing Protocol

Once we have the data, we fix the problem using the 4R protocol. This is how you rebuild your body so that the inflammation stays gone for good. There are many things that can go wrong with our digestion at any given time. A small slip in the works once in while is not going to be a big deal. It’s when things go uncorrected for long periods of time that we get in to trouble.

  • 1. Remove: We eliminate the pathogens, candida, and the specific foods that lit up red on your MRT test. You cut out the ultra-processed foods that overwork your liver and get stored in your fat cells.
  • 2. Replace: We add back what your body is missing. This usually means digestive enzymes, stomach acid support, and nutrient-dense whole foods. Knowing exactly what to eat after stopping Ozempic makes all the difference here. One way to increase your nutrient intake is to eat a variety of whole foods. This way your cells get an array of different nutrients from various sources. Shooting for 30 different plants a week is an excellent goal.
  • 3. Reinoculate: We introduce the right prebiotic fibers and targeted probiotics to build a robust, healthy microbiome. Fiber is the food for the microbiome. The levels are at 50-100 grams a day and higher in traditional diets. Westerners average about 15g a day.
  • 4. Repair: We provide the specific nutrients your gut lining needs to heal and seal, stopping leaky gut in its tracks.

Most people lack the patience to carefully and correctly reintroduce foods after the elimination diet phase is over. They went without many foods for several weeks and months and think that now they are done and everything is healed because they feel so much better. They often don’t realize that foods need to be reintroduced carefully and deliberately in order to check to see if they are still having reactions to certain foods even after the elimination diet because if they do, those foods need to be eliminated longer so that they don’t end up right back where they started with their symptoms returning.

Targeted Supplement Support

Diet alone is not always enough to heal a damaged gut. Your cells need lots of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to function optimally. While transitioning off GLP-1s, specific supplements help manage digestive concerns and address nutritional deficiencies.

A comprehensive micronutrient panel often reveals deficiencies in calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D. Based on your testing, we often use targeted probiotics to rebalance the gut flora, ginger to soothe digestion, and whey protein or creatine monohydrate to help maintain muscle mass. Always work with a qualified practitioner to get a personalized supplement plan.

You Do Not Have to Live With Inflammation

Going off your GLP-1 medication does not mean you are doomed to feel terrible again. The inflammation returning is simply your body trying to get your attention. It is telling you that the root cause was never fixed. By running the right functional tests and doing the hard work to heal your gut, you can live without the joint pain, the fatigue, and the bloating.

An optimally functioning and supported digestive system is the cornerstone of good health. Without it, all of the other foundations of health are at risk of becoming impaired. We can rebuild those foundations together.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, supplement routine, or medication.

Ozempic Rebound Weight Gain: Can Food Sensitivity Testing Help?

Kerry Watson, NTP, RWPKerry Watson, NTP, RWP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner & Restorative Wellness Practitioner • Evidence-based food sensitivity guidance

You worked hard to lose the weight. You took the injections. You dealt with the side effects. You spent the money. But what happens when you decide you do not want to take the medication for the rest of your life?

Up to two thirds of the weight lost on Ozempic and other GLP-1 medicines is regained within a year of stopping. This is what we call Ozempic rebound weight gain. It leaves people feeling defeated. Why did the weight come right back?

The answer is simple. The medication forced your body to lose weight, but it completely ignored the underlying reasons your body was holding onto that weight in the first place.

The reality of GLP-1 medicines

GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide mimic a natural hormone that helps adjust your appetite and digestion. They slow down how quickly food leaves your stomach. They also reduce your food intake by helping you feel full sooner and for longer.

This forced calorie restriction causes weight loss. But it comes at a steep cost to your overall health. Up to 97% of individuals experience medicine-induced side effects on GLP-1 therapy. The most common side effects are nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. Your digestive system is practically paralyzed.

Because you are eating so much less food, you run a huge risk of nutrient deficiencies. Our cells need lots of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to function optimally and keep us feeling our best. When you eat a fraction of what you used to eat, you miss out on calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D. This creates an environment where your body is literally starving for nutrition.

There is also the problem of muscle loss. When you do not eat enough protein and do not do regular resistance exercise, your body breaks down its own muscle tissue for energy. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. It burns calories just sitting there. When you lose muscle, your basal metabolic rate drops. This tells us that your body now requires fewer calories to survive than it did before you started the medicine.

When you stop the GLP-1 medicine, your appetite comes roaring back. But now you have less muscle mass and a slower metabolism. You eat the way you used to eat, but your body burns fewer calories. This is the perfect storm for rapid weight regain.

The underlying inflammation problem

Weight gain is rarely just about eating too many calories. Often, stubborn weight is a symptom of chronic inflammation. Where do you think this inflammation comes from? If you guessed our food then you get a gold star!

Many people eat foods every single day that their immune system identifies as a threat. When the digestive tract comes in contact with a food sensitivity, it sparks an inflammatory cascade that causes widespread damage over time to the gut, the immune system, and nearly every other organ in the body.

When your body is inflamed, it holds onto fat as a protective mechanism. Fat cells actually produce inflammatory chemicals themselves, creating a vicious cycle. GLP-1 medicines act like a strong chemical band-aid. They suppress your appetite enough to force the weight off, but they do absolutely nothing to identify or remove the foods that are causing your inflammation.

When you stop the medicine, the band-aid is ripped off. You go back to eating the foods that inflame you. The inflammatory cascade starts right back up, and your body immediately starts holding onto fat again to protect itself.

The gut microbiome connection

An optimally functioning and supported digestive system is the cornerstone of good health. Without it, all of the other foundations of health are at risk of becoming impaired. All disease starts in the gut.

Your gut microbiome is the collection of trillions of microorganisms living in your intestines. These bacteria help you digest food, produce vitamins, and regulate your immune system. They also play a massive role in regulating your weight.

GLP-1 medicines drastically alter your gut microbiome. Because food sits in your stomach and intestines for much longer than normal, the environment changes. Certain bacteria thrive in this slow-moving environment while others die off. You are also eating far less food, which means you are eating less fiber. Fiber is the food for the microbiome.

When you stop the GLP-1 medicine, your digestion speeds back up. But your microbiome has been altered. You now have an imbalance of gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis. Dysbiosis leads to poor digestion, increased intestinal permeability, and even more systemic inflammation. It also creates intense cravings for sugar and ultra-processed foods because the bad bacteria in your gut demand to be fed.

Ultra-processed foods are specifically designed to create a chemical reaction in the brain using flavor and texture profiles. This produces ongoing cravings. These products are so far removed from real food that the body often has no idea what to do with them. They create inflammation, get stored in our fat cells, and overwork our livers.

If you do not fix the gut microbiome before you stop your GLP-1 medicine, you are setting yourself up to fail. Your gut bacteria will literally drive you to eat the exact foods that cause weight gain.

Unidentified food sensitivities drive weight retention

There is a big difference between a true food allergy and a food sensitivity. You can learn more about this by reading about food sensitivity vs allergy.

An allergy is an immediate, severe immune response. You eat a peanut and your throat swells up. A food sensitivity is much harder to spot. It is a delayed inflammatory reaction that can take up to 72 hours to manifest. You might eat a tomato on Monday and feel tired, bloated, and puffy on Thursday. You have no idea what caused it.

These unidentified food sensitivities create a state of chronic, low-grade inflammation in your body. This inflammation causes insulin resistance. When you are insulin resistant, your cells do not respond properly to the hormone insulin, and your body stores excess blood sugar as fat.

As long as you are eating foods that your body is sensitive to, you will have chronic inflammation. As long as you have chronic inflammation, your body will fight you every step of the way when you try to maintain your weight loss off the GLP-1 medicine.

How MRT testing gives you the answers

Some foods are inflammatory for some people but not others. It is important to know your own body and its reactions to various foods. When it comes to nutrition, one size does not fit all. You need data to make the right choices for your specific immune system.

Most food sensitivity testing is flawed. With standard IgG testing, if you have not eaten a particular food in a while, it will not show up as a sensitivity on a test even if you are truly sensitive to it. It only measures exposure, not actual inflammatory response.

The Mediator Release Test (MRT) is different. The MRT measures the actual release of inflammatory chemicals from your white blood cells when they are exposed to 170 different foods and chemicals. Every food sensitivity that you have that is part of the test will show up regardless of when you last ate that particular food. It is a much more sensitive and much more accurate test. Read more about what MRT testing is.

When testing for food sensitivities you want to make sure that you get it right because everything you eat for several months will be based on those results. If they are wrong or incomplete, you are setting yourself up to fail before you even start. The MRT gives you a precise blueprint of exactly which foods calm your body and which foods inflame it.

The LEAP protocol as your metabolic bridge

Once you have your MRT results, you do not just guess at what to eat. You follow the LEAP (Lifestyle Eating and Performance) protocol. This is a highly targeted elimination diet based entirely on your unique bloodwork.

The LEAP protocol acts as your GLP-1 metabolic bridge. Before you stop taking your medication, you implement the LEAP protocol. You remove every single food that causes an inflammatory reaction in your body. You eat only the foods that test as safe and calming for your immune system. Sweet foods that test low are allowed in the protocol. Fruits and in some cases honey and maple syrup can be used to sweeten the palate.

When you eat a nutrient dense diet composed of whole foods that your body agrees with, your inflammation drops rapidly. Your gut lining begins to heal. Your microbiome starts to rebalance. Your cells get the vitamins and minerals they have been starved of.

By the time you taper off your GLP-1 medicine, your metabolism is supported. Your insulin sensitivity is improved. Your cravings are gone because your gut bacteria are balanced. You are no longer fighting the underlying inflammation that caused you to gain weight in the first place.

Doing it right takes patience and guidance

This process is not a quick fix. Addressing food sensitivities is a vital part of preventing inflammation and protecting the entire body from imbalance. It takes time and commitment to heal your gut and reset your metabolism.

Most people lack the patience to carefully and correctly reintroduce foods after the elimination diet phase is over. They go without many foods for several weeks or months and think that now they are done and everything is healed because they feel so much better. They often do not realize that foods need to be reintroduced carefully and deliberately in order to check to see if they are still having reactions.

If you rush the reintroduction phase, you end up right back where you started with your symptoms returning. This is why you need a structured plan and support. Working with a qualified practitioner ensures you follow the protocol correctly and transition off your weight loss medication successfully.

You do not have to accept rebound weight gain as inevitable. By identifying your food sensitivities and healing your gut, you can maintain your results and protect your long-term health.

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

What to Eat After Stopping Ozempic: A Functional Nutrition Approach

Kerry Watson, NTP, RWPKerry Watson, NTP, RWP
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner & Restorative Wellness Practitioner • Evidence-based food sensitivity guidance

The Reality of Stopping GLP-1 Medications

You stopped the injections. You thought the hard part was over. But suddenly, your appetite is back with a vengeance, and you feel like you are fighting your own body. What is going on?

Your body needs a transition plan, not just willpower. When you stop a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, your digestive system is not the same as it was before you started. It needs specific support to wake back up without throwing you into a tailspin. This is what we call the metabolic bridge.

Many clients come to me panicked because the scale is moving in the wrong direction within weeks of stopping their medication. They think they failed. You did not fail. Your body is doing exactly what it was programmed to do when faced with a sudden removal of an appetite-suppressing hormone combined with underlying nutrient depletion. It panics and tries to store energy. Preventing Ozempic rebound weight gain requires understanding what happened to your cells over the last several months and systematically fixing the damage.

Addressing Severe Nutrient Deficiencies

Months of eating very little while on a GLP-1 medication can leave your cells starving for basic building blocks. Your cells need lots of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and co-factors to function optimally and do all the thousands of things they do every day that keep us feeling and looking our best. Where do you think these things come from? If you guessed our food then you get a gold star! Eating a nutrient dense diet means eating the right foods from the best sources.

When you eat a calorically-restricted diet because the medication makes you too nauseous or full to eat normally, you develop severe nutrient deficiencies. These nutrients do not magically reappear when you stop the injection. You have to intentionally put them back.

  • Vitamin B12: Critical for nerve function and energy production. You find it in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Without it, you will feel exhausted, which makes transitioning off the medication even harder.
  • Iron: Essential for transporting oxygen in your blood. You get iron from red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, beans, and dark leafy greens. Low iron causes fatigue and shortness of breath.
  • Zinc: Vital for your immune system and gut lining repair. The best sources are shellfish (especially oysters), beef, pork, poultry, nuts, and seeds. Zinc is non-negotiable for healing a damaged digestive tract.
  • Calcium: Necessary for bone health and muscle contraction. Find it in dairy products, bone-in sardines, and leafy green vegetables.
  • Magnesium: The relaxation mineral. It helps with muscle cramps, sleep, and keeping your bowels moving. Get it from nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, and dark leafy greens.
  • Vitamin D: Regulates immune function and bone health. You need fatty fish like salmon or mackerel, eggs, and actual sunlight to maintain healthy levels.

Managing Digestive Chaos After Stopping

An optimally functioning and supported digestive system is the cornerstone of good health. Without it, all of the other foundations of health are at risk of becoming impaired. Your digestion slows down dramatically while you are on GLP-1 receptor agonists. When you stop, your gut tries to find its normal rhythm again. This transition is rarely smooth. There are many things that can go wrong with our digestion at any given time.

How to minimize digestive symptoms

If you are struggling with nausea after stopping, eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours instead of three large meals every day. Do not skip breakfast. Limit the amount of high-fat and high-fiber foods you eat during the first few days of your transition. Drink your beverages 30 to 60 minutes before or after meals, rather than during your meal. Eat a few apple slices, plain crackers, or sip mint or ginger tea to settle your stomach.

If you are constipated, gradually add more high-fiber foods to your diet. Aim for at least 25 grams per day for women, or 38 grams per day for men. Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water every day to prevent getting dehydrated.

If you experience diarrhea, temporarily reduce your intake of high-fiber foods. Switch to easier-to-digest foods like chicken broth, white rice, cooked carrots, and ripe fruit until the diarrhea resolves. Avoid drinking coffee and alcohol. Reduce your intake of products containing sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol.

If you have gas or are bloated, drink herbal teas with chamomile, ginger, lemon balm, and peppermint to help remove gas from the digestive tract.

Rebuilding the Gut Microbiome

When researchers observed the indigenous people of Kitava Island in Papua New Guinea, the Ache hunters in Paraguay, the Inuit, and adolescents of rural areas of Brazil, do you know what they didn’t find? Acne, not one pimple, even though there were lots of teens and menstruating females. Researchers also observed that acne only occurred when these same people adopted a western diet.

What is the big difference between indigenous diets and western ones? There are many, but one big difference is the amount of fiber consumed in non-westernized diets. The levels are at 50 to 100 grams a day and higher. Westerners average about 15 grams a day.

This tells us that the microbiome of a non-westernized person eating their traditional diet is highly diverse and very healthy compared to the average westerner because fiber is the food for the microbiome. Your GLP-1 medication changed the environment of your gut. To fix it, you need to feed the good bacteria.

One way to increase your nutrient intake is to eat a variety of whole foods. This way your cells get an array of different nutrients from various sources. Shooting for 30 different plants a week is an excellent goal. This sounds like a lot but it can include herbs, spices, teas and sauces making it a little easier to accomplish. Variety is the spice of life!

Processed foods are loaded with synthetic preservatives, artificial flavorings and colorings, and added sugar. Ultra-processed foods are specifically designed to create a chemical reaction in the brain using flavor and texture profiles. This produces ongoing cravings for these tastes and textures. These products are so far removed from real food that the body often has no idea what to do with them. They create inflammation, get stored in our fat cells and overwork our livers that try to break down and detoxify the chemicals and preservatives from our bodies. When you eat unprocessed whole foods like grass fed meats, pasture raised poultry, wild caught fish and organic vegetables, you cut out the middleman and get your nutrition straight from nature herself.

Identifying Inflammation with an Elimination Diet

When the digestive tract comes in contact with a food sensitivity, it sparks an inflammatory cascade that causes widespread damage over time to the gut, the immune system, and nearly every other system and organ in the body. All disease starts in the gut. Addressing food sensitivities is a vital part of preventing inflammation and protecting the entire body from imbalance.

Some foods are inflammatory for some people but not others, so it is important to know your own body and its reactions to various foods. When it comes to nutrition, one size doesn’t fit all. A good rule of thumb is to eat a balanced diet that includes high quality protein, healthy fats, and vegetables at every meal and avoid processed foods.

Why Standard Testing Fails

Most food sensitivity testing is flawed in that if you haven’t eaten a particular food in a while it won’t show up as a sensitivity on a test even if you are truly sensitive to it. The MRT is different. Every food sensitivity that you have that is part of the test will show up regardless as to when you last eat that particular food. It is a much more sensitive and much more accurate test. When testing for food sensitivities you want to make sure that you get it right because everything you eat for several months will be based on those results. If they are wrong or incomplete, you are setting yourself up to fail before you even start.

Most people lack the patience to carefully and correctly reintroduce foods after the elimination diet phase is over. They went without many foods for several weeks and months and think that now they are done and everything is healed because they feel so much better. They often don’t realize that foods need to be reintroduced carefully and deliberately in order to check to see if they are still having reactions to certain foods even after the elimination diet. If they do, those foods need to be eliminated longer so that they don’t end up right back where they started with their symptoms returning.

The 3-Day Transition Meal Plan

A good rule of thumb is to eat a balanced diet that includes high quality protein, healthy fats, and vegetables at every meal. Here is what a gut-healing meal plan looks like in practice. Use this as a template to build your own meals based on your safe foods. You can find more specific ingredient recommendations in our LEAP phase 1 grocery guide.

Day 1: Baseline Reset

Breakfast: Scrambled pastured eggs with spinach and a side of sliced avocado. Provides choline for your liver and healthy fats for satiety.

Lunch: Mixed greens topped with wild caught salmon, pumpkin seeds, and a simple olive oil dressing. Rich in Omega-3s to lower systemic inflammation.

Dinner: Grass fed ground beef sauteed with zucchini noodles and a small portion of sweet potato. Excellent source of bioavailable zinc and iron.

Day 2: Digestive Rest

Breakfast: A smoothie made with whey protein, wild blueberries, a handful of spinach, and almond milk. Easy on the digestive tract.

Lunch: Chicken bone broth with shredded pasture raised chicken and cooked carrots. Perfect if you are dealing with diarrhea or digestive distress.

Dinner: Baked cod with roasted asparagus and a side of quinoa. High in protein and prebiotic fiber to feed your microbiome.

Day 3: Rebuilding

Breakfast: Oatmeal topped with walnuts, chia seeds, and a sliced banana. Excellent source of soluble fiber to stabilize blood sugar.

Lunch: Turkey meatballs over a bed of arugula with cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Lean protein with bitter greens to stimulate digestion.

Dinner: Tofu or chicken stir-fry with broccoli, bell peppers, and snap peas. Delivers massive amounts of vitamin C and plant compounds.

Sweet foods that test low (green) on your MRT results are allowed in the protocol. Fruits and in some cases honey and maple syrup can be used to sweeten the palate.

Physical Activity and Stress Management

In addition to supporting a healthy weight, regular physical activity is important for preserving muscle mass and supporting healthy digestion. You lost muscle on the medication. You have to rebuild it. Engage in some type of muscle-building exercise program at least two nonconsecutive days each week. The days in between allow your muscles to recover to help avoid injury.

Stress can change how your gastrointestinal tract processes food and make digestive symptoms worse. If you are constantly stressed, your body stays in a sympathetic state. You cannot digest food properly when your nervous system thinks a tiger is chasing you. Take slow, steady breaths a few times each day. Inhale for four seconds, then exhale for six seconds. Even a few minutes at a time can help you relax and feel calmer.

Building Your Protocol

I have always lamented the fact that doctors and conventional medicine can do little to catch a disease before it crosses the point of no return. When I learned about functional testing and how it has the potential to identify imbalances before they become a chronic condition, it sounded like something I just had to learn everything about.

Candida overgrowth is very common in clients coming off GLP-1s because their digestion was slowed down for so long. It is difficult to identify through testing alone so an intake of the client’s symptoms is an important piece of the puzzle. It is also difficult to eradicate and can take up to six months of a very restricted diet and supplement regimen. It is worth it in the end to be free of the debilitating symptoms it causes.

You need to look at the whole picture. Your provider may suggest certain lab tests before starting your transition, including a comprehensive micronutrient panel to check for deficiencies in calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D. A comprehensive stool test checks the collection of microorganisms in the intestines and your overall digestive function. Work with a practitioner to get these tests done.

A small slip in the works once in a while is not going to be a big deal. It is when things go uncorrected for long periods of time that we get in to trouble. Take the time to heal your gut, replenish your nutrient stores, and give your body the exact foods it needs to thrive without the medication.

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or medication protocol.

Medical Disclaimer: This data is algorithmically generated based on USDA databases and is not medical advice. Always consult your Certified LEAP Therapist.