Originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1, which prompts the pancreas to make more insulin after meals. The extra insulin helps regulate blood sugar, but the drugs can also reduce appetite and slow the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, helping people feel full faster, which can promote weight loss.
But one thing to keep in mind is that losing weight, particularly in a rapid manner, can also lead to muscle and bone loss, says John Batsis, MD, an associate professor of medicine in the department of geriatric medicine at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and an American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) diplomate.
Studies on GLP-1-induced muscle loss show mixed results, with some evidence suggesting between 40 and 60 percent of weight loss comes from lean mass while using the drugs and other studies suggesting people lose around 15 percent (or even less) of weight from lean muscle.
Lean muscle loss tends to happen with weight loss, regardless of how the weight is lost. But the issue is particularly problematic for older adults, who naturally have less bone and muscle mass than younger people due to age-related degradation.
By reducing bone density and strength, weight loss may increase the risk of falls and fractures, to which older adults are already more vulnerable. One study found people who participated in a weight loss program for more than 10 years had a 39 percent greater risk of hip, shoulder, upper arm, and pelvis fractures. Participants, all of whom had type 2 diabetes, were ages 45 to 76.
Muscle and bone loss can impede older adults’ physical function and ability to live independently, Dr. Batsis says.
“Both muscle mass and strength impact muscle quality, which is key to ensuring individuals can conduct their daily activities,” he says. “Losing muscle mass and strength can lead to sarcopenia [age-related involuntary muscle loss], which increases the risk for functional decline, disability, nursing home placement, and death.”
Diminished muscle strength also raises the risk of potentially fatal falls, research has found.
Strength training and a protein-rich diet can help reduce loss of muscle and bone, but shedding pounds quickly may inhibit the body’s ability to adjust, Batsis notes.
Of course, obesity can also hinder older adults’ health and quality of life, but Batsis says there’s a “fine balance” to strike when it comes to weight loss.
Further research on the effects of GLP-1s on older adults could help healthcare providers and patients achieve that balance more effectively.
One of the reasons why medications known as GLP-1 agonists or dual agonists have been so effective for weight loss is that they counteract the body’s natural responses to increase hunger and promote weight gain. “These drugs mimic naturally occurring gut hormones that control hunger and give them back to individuals in fairly high amounts,” Kushner says. As a result, someone taking one of these medications doesn’t feel hungry, so they’re less likely to overeat.
It’s also been noted that these kinds of drugs dial back what is known as “food noise”: cravings, thoughts, and desires for food that can feel constant and intrusive. “Hunger is mediated by lots of things. Along with being habitual, it can be spiritual or emotional,” Youdim says. “When my patients take these drugs, they tell me they’re able to make sustained changes more effectively without all this noise that gets in the way.”
Each drug uses a different active ingredient to accomplish these tasks. Wegovy and Ozempic contain semaglutide, and Mounjaro and Zepbound have tirzepatide. Another drug, Saxenda, contains liraglutide. The medications all work on receptors for GLP-1, mimicking the effects of that hormone when it comes to appetite and making you feel more full. In biochemistry, anything that causes a response in this way is called an agonist. Drugs that contain tirzepatide are known as dual agonists because they affect receptors for both GLP-1 and GIP.
In addition to helping you feel fuller, GLP-1 agonists slow the rate at which food empties from your stomach, which delays the usual hormonal signals to your brain indicating that you need to eat, says Daniel J. Drucker, MD, a senior scientist at Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. This twofold effect means you aren’t as hungry in general and may be able to go longer between meals without getting hungry.
People with obesity who took a GLP-1 agonist like semaglutide lost an average of about 15 percent of their total body weight, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dual agonists like tirzepatide may be even more effective, with an average weight loss of about 21 percent, according to results of a more recent study published in the same journal. “GIP most likely affects the same pathways in the brain as GLP-1 and gives you a little bit more of a boost in terms of satiety,” Wojeck says.
Of course, these medications aren’t for everybody. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved these medications for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, which is classified as obesity, or anyone with a BMI of at least 27 and at least one weight-related health issue like diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease. “These drugs are designed to treat medical issues, not cosmetic ones,” Youdim says.
Like any medication, GLP-1 agonists come with potential side effects. Researchers who analyzed more than 21,000 reports from the FDA’s adverse event database concluded that medications containing semaglutide were significantly associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal effects, including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and pancreatitis, according to one study’s results.
There have also been reports of suicidal thoughts or behavior in people taking these or similar medications. The FDA has been evaluating the evidence, and they’ve not yet concluded that use of these drugs causes suicidal thoughts or actions. While additional research is needed, anyone who experiences these effects should consult their healthcare provider immediately.
While these new medications have shown enormous potential for treating obesity, experts stress that they are not a cure. They are most effective when used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle habits such as regular exercise, stress management, and a healthy diet, and they have to be taken long term, usually for life.
“The majority of people will gain back weight if they stop these medications,” Drucker says. “Obesity is a chronic health challenge, and just as you wouldn’t stop taking a blood pressure medication because you’ve reached a desired blood pressure, the same is true with treating obesity with these medications.” In fact, one study found that a year after individuals stopped taking semaglutide, they had regained two-thirds of the weight they had lost.
Everyday Health’s Weight Loss Reframed Survey queried 3,144 Americans nationwide ages 18 and older who had tried losing weight in the previous six months. The study was fielded between July 10 and August 18, 2023, across demographic groups, genders, and health conditions. Survey recruitment took place via an online portal, in app, and via email. The margin of error for the sample size of 3,144 is +/-1.7 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.
Until manufacturers completely phase out Red Dye 3 in January 2027, follow these strategies for reducing your exposure.
Choose natural alternatives. Instead of choosing foods and drinks that use synthetic dyes, look for safer alternatives made from plants or other natural sources, such as anthocyanins from berries or red cabbage, betalains from beets, carotenoids from paprika, carrots, or tomatoes, and carmine from cochineal insects, says Ring.
“These not only provide vibrant hues but also offer additional health benefits, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties,” Ring says.
Check ingredient lists. Carefully read ingredient labels to look for and limit exposure to synthetic dyes and other environmental toxins and support a cleaner, safer food supply, says Ring.
Especially in products with the signature cherry red color, read the label and avoid Red Dye 3 or its alternative names.
Eat whole, real foods. “Focus on eating whole, real foods that don’t need a label,” says Ring.
Processed snacks, candies, and brightly colored fruit-flavored drinks are the most likely to contain Red Dye 3.
Scan labels with an app. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Yuka offer apps that let you scan product barcodes and get immediate safety ratings for ingredients.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) — a move that experts say will make it much harder to combat public health threats and protect Americans from infectious diseases like seasonal flu, COVID-19, and bird flu.
“The decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization makes Americans — and the world — less safe,” says Tom Frieden, MD, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit health organization Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What Is the WHO?
The WHO prevents millions of deaths globally by facilitating collaboration between 193 countries in developing vaccines, identifying and monitoring the spread of new infectious diseases, and combating common health problems like cancer and heart disease, Dr. Frieden notes.
The United States was a founding member of the WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing the WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 member states, the WHO said in a statement.
“For over seven decades, the WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats,” the WHO said in the statement, crediting this collaboration with ending smallpox and nearly eradicating polio.
Why Trump Decided to Leave the WHO
In the executive order withdrawing from the WHO, President Trump said the organization mishandled its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. Trump also said that the United States pays a disproportionate share of dues to the WHO relative to other member countries, particularly China.
While it’s true the United States pays a large proportion of the WHO’s budget, the total WHO budget of almost $7 billion every two years is less than what it costs to run many large hospitals in the United States, says Stephen Morse, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City.
“The WHO would be severely hampered — and perhaps even leading to collapse — if the U.S. no longer pays to support the WHO,” Dr. Morse says.
As for any mistakes responding to COVID-19, “There’s plenty of blame to go around,” Morse adds. “Almost every country and state, with a few exceptions, badly mishandled the pandemic.”
What Leaving the WHO Could Mean for Americans
Leaving the WHO will endanger lives in the United States, Morse says. “We lose our window into disease problems in other parts of the world that might become a danger here,” Morse says. “The executive order refers to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’d have far less information when the next pandemic starts.”
One way the WHO protects American lives is by fighting diseases overseas and preventing their spread to the United States, says William Schaffner, MD, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
“The U.S. is the major financial supporter of the WHO, accounting for about one-fifth of the WHO’s budget,” Dr. Schaffner says. “Many public health programs in the developing world would be reduced or have to be eliminated, halting progress, if the U.S. withdraws.”
This departure from the WHO also endangers American lives because U.S. public health officials will lose access to a treasure trove of information needed to develop effective vaccines for constantly mutating infectious diseases like seasonal flu and COVID-19, Schaffner adds. It will also make it difficult to track emerging threats like bird flu or any other diseases that have the potential to become dangerous outbreaks or pandemics in the future, Schaffner adds.
“The world is an ever-smaller place; dangerous viruses ‘over there’ can be ‘over here’ within 24 hours, threatening our own population in the U.S.,” Schaffner says.
“Viruses do not need passports,” Schaffner adds. “By helping less-advantaged countries to identify and control serious communicable diseases in their own populations, that reduces the risk of those infections entering our own country.”
Pause on Federal Health Communications May Also Spell Trouble
Another move by President Trump to halt communications by the CDC and other federal health agencies will compound the risk to American lives posed by the exit from the WHO, Morse says.
Tracking and responding to emerging public health threats like bird flu depends on information from the WHO and from the CDC, which helps U.S. states share information and coordinate their responses. “Each state will be on its own now to find out what’s happening in other states,” Morse says.
In the stressful and overstimulating world we live in, becoming so overwhelmed by your stress that it significantly affects your behavior — an emotional meltdown — can happen to all of us.
An “emotional meltdown” isn’t exactly a medical diagnosis. “It’s used in popular discourse to describe when we are overcome emotionally, when we hit a breaking point,” says Robin Stern, PhD, licensed psychoanalyst and cofounder and director for the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut.
For some people, a meltdown may look like crying uncontrollably. For others it may look like snapping at others or lashing out angrily. And for others it may involve panicking or running away from a stressful situation.
Dr. Stern says that an occasional meltdown is completely normal. “You may suddenly burst into tears or lash out with anger because you feel out of control, overwhelmed with pressures and things in your life that are unpredictable. That doesn’t mean something is ‘wrong’ with you,” she says.
It may, however, be an indication that you’re going through a challenging time and some of your personal and emotional needs are not being met.
RELATED: Here Are the Best Online Anger Management Classes
The good news is that you can recover from a meltdown. You can also learn to manage the stressors in your life that threaten to push you over the edge so that future meltdowns are less likely.
Common Triggers of Emotional Meltdowns
The particulars of why emotional meltdowns happen are unique to the individual and the situation, but certain conditions raise the likelihood of a meltdown occurring in many, if not most, people.
Kassondra Glenn, a licensed master social worker and consultant with Prosperity Haven Treatment Center in Chardon, Ohio, explains that these common triggers can include:
Being Overtired Getting too little sleep, particularly if it’s night after night, can make you more irritable, short-tempered, and vulnerable to stress, accoridng to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical.
Hunger Even if you consume enough calories in a given day, going too long without food may result in a blood sugar level that’s low enough to cause low energy, shakiness, headaches, and troubles focusing, notes Penn Medicine.
Being Overwhelmed or Overscheduled Taking on too many responsibilities at once — or even agreeing to too many social activities — is a surefire recipe for feeling overwhelmed.
Big Life Transitions Getting or losing a job, starting or ending a relationship, moving to a new home, getting married, having a baby, graduating college, and many other normal life transitions make you more emotionally vulnerable.
Unaddressed Relationship Issues The closer the relationship, the more important it is to address differences as they arise. Allowing conflicts to fester typically results in more minor disagreements that aren’t problems in and of themselves (such as arguing about what movie to watch), but rather represent bigger issues, notes Arizona State University. More disagreements equal more stress, not less.
If you’re prone to meltdowns, think about what tends to lead up to them or to set them off. Some may be easily resolved, such as being sure to eat more frequently. Others may take more work, such as learning better communication skills.
How to Stop an Emotional Meltdown if You Feel One Coming On
You can’t stop difficult situations from occurring, but you can change how you respond to them. The next time you start feeling the signs of acute stress — your face getting hot, hands getting cold, breathing getting shallow — pay attention to how you feel and, unless you’re being called upon to save someone’s life, take steps to calm yourself before attempting to respond to what’s happening.
“It’s important to pause when we’re experiencing any overwhelming emotion. Our brains are operating differently in these moments and do not have the capacity to make logical decisions,” Glenn says.
Grounding techniques, such as sending awareness toward your feet, touching your fingertips together, and breathing exercises can be helpful ways to calm yourself down, she adds.
Glenn prefers this five-step deep breathing routine:
Take a deep breath in for four seconds.
Hold the breath for four seconds.
Breathe out for four seconds.
Pause for four seconds before taking another breath.
Repeat until you feel calmer.
Remember, these steps won’t reverse a difficult situation or make the problem that triggered your strong emotional response go away. But calming yourself down before responding helps you cope with the situation from a less emotional and more thoughtful place, Glenn says.
Occasional diarrhea is nothing to worry about. The causes of diarrhea can range from a stomach flu to a specific meal or ingredient you ate that didn’t sit well. Because certain foods can worsen symptoms, it’s good to know the foods you should eat when you have diarrhea — and what you should avoid. (1)
You want to eat plain, simple foods, especially in the first 24 hours, says Peter Higgins, MD, PhD, the director of the inflammatory bowel disease program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“It is best to eat thicker, bland foods, including oatmeal, bananas, plain rice, and applesauce,” he says.
The FDA has approved seven different kinds of prescription medication for weight loss.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)
Tirzepatide belongs in the GLP-1 medication family. It keeps you feeling fuller for longer, slows digestion, and lowers appetite. Mounjaro is the brand of tirzepatide medication prescribed to patients with diabetes, and Zepbound is the brand prescribed to those who are overweight or have obesity.
Tirzepatide is taken as a weekly injection. Your healthcare provider may teach you how to use it at home, or you can go to their office for injections, in which a small needle is inserted just under the skin in the fatty areas of your stomach, thighs, or upper arm.
In one meta-analysis, researchers found that people taking tirzepatide lost 21 more pounds than those who didn’t take it.
Serious side effects like low blood sugar are rare. More often, people report gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Between 40 and 50 percent of people on tirzepatide have these side effects, depending on their dosage.
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus)
The popular injectable medications Ozempic and Wegovy belong to the semaglutide family. They are essentially the same medication, except Wegovy has a slightly higher maximum dosage. These drugs work by prompting the release of insulin, which manages your blood sugar levels. It also slows down stomach emptying, which helps you feel fuller, longer.
Ozempic and Wegovy must be injected into fatty areas once a week. A meta-analysis of over 3,500 people found that those who injected semaglutide had almost 12 percent more weight loss than who took a placebo. Smaller studies suggest that Rybelsus, which is semaglutide in pill form, may not offer the same level of weight loss.
Common side effects of semaglutide are pretty mild, says Primack. Most commonly, they include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Constipation may also occur, but it is rare. In some cases, more serious side effects may arise, such as:
Stomach paralysis
Upper stomach pain
Swelling that makes it hard to breathe or swallow
Rapid heartbeat
If you experience these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider right away.
Liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda)
Liraglutide works similarly to semaglutide. It regulates blood sugar by releasing the right amount of insulin and also slows down stomach emptying. With a full stomach, it’s easier to eat less, which helps you lose weight.
You have to inject liraglutide into fatty tissue once a day. This is more frequent than other options. A meta-analysis of 12 studies showed people taking liraglutide lost about seven pounds more than those who took a placebo. Another analysis suggests that liraglutide may work less well than semaglutide.
Common side effects include moderate nausea and diarrhea. Other less common side effects include:
Blood sugar changes
Headache
Heartburn
Constipation
Vomiting
Stomach pain
Increased feelings of depression
Mood changes
Phentermine-Topiramate (Qsymia)
A combination of phentermine and topiramate, Qsymia works by decreasing appetite and making you feel fuller for longer.
Qsymia comes as an extended-release pill. You take it in the morning, and its contents slowly release throughout the day. According to a meta-analysis of six studies, phentermine-topiramate offered an average weight loss from almost 8 to 18 pounds, depending on the dosage.
The most common side effects of Qsymia include:
Changes in taste
Tingling, itching, burning, or prickling in your extremities
Dry mouth
Trouble staying focused
Irritability
Dizziness
Constipation
Numbness
Headache
Naltrexone-Bupropion (Contrave)
Bupropion-naltrexone combines medications used for depression, quitting smoking, and substance and alcohol addiction. These drugs work together within the brain to manipulate the brain’s hunger center and reward system, which helps control appetite and cravings.
Contrave comes as a capsule, and it usually follows an escalating schedule. That means you’ll take one pill in the morning for a week, then two a day the next week. After that, you may need to increase your dosage to two pills in the morning, then again at night. Your provider will give you details on your dose schedule.
A meta-analysis of 10 studies found people taking naltrexone-bupropion lost an average of 11 more pounds than those who took a placebo.
Most commonly, Contrave side effects include nausea and vomiting, constipation, and headache. Less often, people have reported dizziness and insomnia. More serious side effects include heart problems, thoughts of suicide, and seizures. Contrave’s manufacturers recommend keeping a low-fat diet around the time you take the medication to lessen your chance of seizures.
Orlistat (Xenical)
Orlistat prevents your intestines from absorbing some of the fat in the food you eat. Instead of being absorbed and stored by the body, the fat exits through your stool.
This medication comes in capsule form, which you take by mouth three times a day. You can take orlistat with each main meal that includes fat. Orlistat works well when taken during your meal or one hour afterward, but doses can be skipped with missed meals.
Orlistat’s weight loss benefits rank lower than the other options. In one large high-quality study of over 3,000 people, orlistat caused 2.4 percent weight loss after four years of taking it.
Most of orlistat’s side effects come from the retention of fats in your intestines. These include:
Fatty stools
Frequent bowel movements
Gassiness
Inability to hold in stool
You can avoid some of these effects by adding a fiber supplement to your diet.
Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
Setmelanotide belongs to a class of medications called melanocortin 4 (MC4) receptor agonists, which signal the brain to decrease appetite and increase metabolism. This weight loss medication has only been approved by the FDA for people with certain genetic disorders.
Imcivree is not frequently prescribed, Primack says, because those genetic conditions are rare. “There are probably only a couple hundred people in the country who would need it,” Primack says. Taking setmelanotide typically involves an injection once every morning in the fatty areas of the stomach, thighs, or upper arms.
A small study found that 80 percent of people taking setmelanotide for severe obesity from one genetic disorder lost at least 10 percent of their body weight at the one-year mark, while 45 percent of those taking it for a different disorder lost 10 percent or more.
The most common side effects include nausea and skin reactions at the injection site. Other, more serious side effects call for immediate medical attention. These include unexpected, frequent, or long-lasting erections for men and an increased libido for women.
Some claim alkaline water can have some pretty impressive benefits, from better hydration to cancer prevention, but the research is mixed.
1. Alkaline Water May Help With Hydration
In one small study of 12 male university students, researchers found those who drank natural alkaline water (the kind with minerals) for three days before intense physical activity were better hydrated than those who drank tap water.
Drinking any kind of water is important for athletes, because dehydration can worsen performance, lower coordination, and cause muscle cramps. As long as you’re hydrating, drinking alkaline water can’t hurt, says Alex Oskian, RDN, a registered dietitian and a nutrition coach in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
“If a product helps you consume more water, especially if the product isn’t harmful in nature, then hydration will improve since more water is consumed,” says Oskian. But more research is needed to show that alkaline water hydrates better than regular water.
2. Alkaline Water Might Combat Acid Reflux
Since alkaline substances neutralize acid, drinking alkaline water can combat the symptoms of high acidity in your stomach, but not for long. “The contents of the stomach are very acidic; so, consuming a product that will help reduce the acidity can provide some temporary relief,” says Oskian. “However, it likely will only be a temporary solution; maybe a few minutes at most.”
It’s important to know that alkaline water may be dangerous when consumed along with certain medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Check with a healthcare provider before you combine alkaline water with any meds.
3. Alkaline Water May Prevent Bone Loss
As people age, many start worrying about bone loss, also known as osteoporosis, which can make bones brittle and more likely to fracture, especially in women after menopause. Your body needs to keep your blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45.
One way your body does this is by releasing calcium into your bloodstream, which leaves less to keep your bones strong.
In one study of 100 women (post-menopause), those who drank alkaline water daily for three months while taking supplements had stronger bone strength scores than those who took supplements only. “When combined with calcium supplementation and bone health medication, research does show drinking alkaline water provides some improvements for bone loss,” says Oskian. Research doesn’t tell us yet if alkaline water alone can do the same.
4. Some Claim That Alkaline Water Is Detoxifying
We are frequently exposed to toxins, either through our own body’s by-products or by what we eat or drink. Any increase in hydration can help your body flush out toxins, but studies haven’t yet proven that alkaline water does this better than any other kind, says Oskian.
5. Early Research Suggests Alkaline Water May Offer Cancer Protection
Some studies suggest cancer can’t grow well in alkaline environments, and some experts have asked whether an alkaline diet (including alkaline water) could make our bodies unfriendly to cancer, preventing its development. The biggest problem with this theory is that alkaline water doesn’t change your blood pH, so drinking it is unlikely to affect cancer cells one way or another.
“More research is needed to support this specific claim,” says Oskian. “Currently, research and medical professionals do claim that food or water can’t change the body’s pH levels much since the system is tightly regulated.”
The following cognitive symptoms are associated with schizophrenia.
Memory Problems
Cognitive symptoms relating to memory are extremely common, affecting as many as 98 percent of people with schizophrenia.
“Memory issues can manifest as difficulties recalling recent events (short-term memory) or remembering information from the past (long-term memory),” says Joel Frank, PsyD, a clinical neuropsychologist in private practice in Los Angeles. “Everyday tasks such as remembering appointments, finding items, or following instructions can become challenging.”
Attention Deficits
Research shows that attention deficits are very common among people with schizophrenia.
“These difficulties could involve struggles maintaining focus on tasks or conversations, being easily distracted, or having trouble shifting attention from one task to another,” says Dr. Frank.
Impaired Social Cognition
Social cognition refers to our ability to interpret social cues, understand the perspectives of others, and respond appropriately to social situations, says Frank. “Schizophrenia can affect this ability, leading to misinterpretations of others’ intentions or difficulties in managing social interactions,” he says.
Impaired Executive Functioning
“Executive functions refer to a set of cognitive processes that include problem-solving, planning, organizing, and decision-making,” says Frank. “Schizophrenia can impact these abilities, making it harder for individuals to plan their day, make decisions, or solve problems.”
Language Difficulties
Cognitive abilities that usually evolve throughout adult life, such as language, appear to deteriorate over time among people with schizophrenia.
Some people with schizophrenia may speak very little, even when forced to interact with others. They may also speak in a monotonous tone or have trouble organizing their thoughts and words in a way that makes sense to others. This can sometimes result in jumbled speech.
Concentration Issues
“Concentrating for extended periods can be particularly challenging for people with schizophrenia,” Frank says. “They may find it hard to engage in activities that require sustained mental effort, such as reading, studying, or even watching a movie.”
Figuring out how diet culture has shaped your lifestyle — from your eating habits to how you talk about your body — is a crucial first step in avoiding its negative effects on your well-being, Zumpano says.
If you feel diet culture has had a negative effect on you, here are six ways you can shift your mindset and learn to treat your body and mind better, even in the face of body shaming and diet scrutiny.
1. Talk to a Registered Dietitian, Especially if You Have a Health Condition
If you feel diet culture has caused you to struggle with food or weight-related issues, consider consulting a registered dietitian, say Zumpano and Cordella.
This is an especially important step if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions that may affect your appetite, metabolism, and physical activity. It’s in these instances that participation in fad diets or other unhealthy trends around weight loss and fitness on social media or elsewhere could be even more harmful to your health.
“My No. 1 recommendation would be to see a dietitian,” Zumpano says. “We’re educated in nutrition, we can tailor people’s diets to their goals, and we make sure you’re meeting all your macro- and micronutrient needs.”
Registered dietitians can factor in insulin, blood sugar levels, and triglycerides if you have diabetes or heart disease, for example. They can fine-tune your eating patterns in a medically supervised way and help you with any nutrition-related goals you have.
If you need help finding a registered dietitian, consider using the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) Health at Every Size provider directory. Note: ASDAH owns the trademark to Health at Every Size.
2. Be Skeptical About What You See on Social Media
Don’t believe everything you see on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media sites. Think critically about the content you’re viewing and who created it, says Nasrawi. Social media platforms are often inundated with brands trying to sell you something and influencers who are paid to promote certain products and lifestyles to you.
“See their credentials before taking what they say at face value if they’re giving out nutrition advice,” says Nasrawi. “People can be motivated by sponsorships over the health of their viewers.”
Or shift away from diet and lifestyle content altogether on social media, says Zumpano. Instead, go to trusted, science-based organizations for credible information, such as the Cleveland Clinic or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she suggests. If you have a health condition, seek information from relevant organizations like the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.
3. Don’t Fall for ‘Quick Fixes’ or One-Size-Fits-All Approaches
Diet culture promotes a stark black-and-white stance on nutrition and body ideals — food is either “good” or “bad” and you’re either “slim” or “fat.” This limited thinking doesn’t work, and it could damage your health in the long run.
Any person, company, or diet that promises you’ll lose weight quickly or forces you to commit to strict calorie restriction or cutting out entire food groups is not sustainable. “Spreading the message that there’s just one universal way of eating that will solve everyone’s problems is really, really dangerous,” says Cordella.
“It has to be a lot more individualized, and there are a lot of nuances that you have to consider,” Cordella explains. “We all have a unique makeup, so just because one diet works for one person doesn’t mean it’s going to work for someone else.”
If you want or need to make weight changes, your goals should be slow, steady, and sustainable. Remember: As mentioned earlier, restrictive diets can lead to weight cycling patterns that are hard to stop.
4. Choose Whole Foods, Not Diet Foods
Instead of forgoing carbs or counting calories, shape your meals around whole foods. You’re better off adopting an eating pattern that steers you away from packaged, highly processed diet foods as a rule of thumb, Cordella says.
For instance, rather than load up on things like protein bars, low-carb crackers, or sugar-free ice cream, instead reach for nutritious, whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and lean meats, and nuts, seeds, and olive oil, Cordella suggests.
She points to the Mediterranean diet as a general guide to use when you’re grocery shopping. It’s important to note that the Mediterranean diet is not a restriction-based or fad diet. Rather, it’s a science-backed, heart-healthy eating pattern centered on nutritious, plant-based foods in your diet. It also emphasizes eating meals with family and friends and enjoying conversation together.
There are many ways to incorporate these types of foods into your life, and there’s no one right way to do it. These foods can be prepared many different ways with a variety of different seasonings.
5. Reframe the Way You Think About Food
It’s important to center your eating patterns and your mindset on fueling your brain and body rather than simply trying to be as thin as possible.
One way to do this is by asking yourself if what you’re eating makes you feel energized, helps you focus on work or exercise, and lifts your mood instead of making you feel lethargic, Cordella suggests. A holistic approach like this can help you reframe the way you view food and weight, she adds.
According to Zumpano, other important questions to consider, beyond weight loss or the number on the scale, include:
“How’s my mental health?”
“How are my memory and cognition?”
“How’s my sleep?”
“How well am I recovering from exercise?”
“How are my blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol?”
6. Work Toward Body Acceptance
Body acceptance is a movement geared toward counteracting the negative effects of diet culture on self-esteem and helping people focus on their overall health rather than their body size. A practice of body acceptance can improve a negative relationship with eating, food, and weight.
There are a lot of different ways to practice body acceptance. For instance, work on catching yourself anytime you engage in “fat talk” (talking about body weight or size in a negative or disparaging way) with yourself or with friends and family, and replace these words with kinder, more complimentary thoughts about your body.
Try not to edit your photos before posting them on social media, and understand that there are many different body types that are healthy, Cordella says. Or, instead of creating a goal to lose 10 pounds, consider a goal to strengthen and tone your body or to cook more at home instead of dining out.
Finally, remember that there are many factors at play when it comes to weight. Genetics, lifestyle, and socioeconomics are all moving parts that can play a role in one’s health journey.
“Believe that ‘healthy’ comes in every size, and that it’s not necessary to fit societal expectations,” Cordella says.
