Should You Consider a Ozempic or Mounjaro for Weight Loss?

GLP-1 agonists have gained immense popularity in recent years as an effective tool for weight loss, especially for individuals struggling with obesity, insulin resistance, high leptin levels or those who’ve found it difficult to lose weight through traditional methods.

But what makes these medications work so well, and what do you need to consider when using them?

Let’s dive into the details behind GLP-1 agonists, how they help reduce appetite, and what steps you should take to ensure your weight loss journey is sustainable and healthy.

How Do GLP-1 Agonists Work?

GLP-1 agonists (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) mimic a hormone that’s naturally produced in your body after eating. This hormone plays a key role in regulating appetite by slowing gastric emptying (how fast food moves from the stomach to the intestines) and sending signals to the brain that you’re full. As a result, your appetite is reduced, and you feel satisfied with smaller portions.

But these drugs don’t just suppress appetite—they also affect insulin secretion, helping to lower blood sugar levels after meals, which can be beneficial for individuals with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. You may have heard these GLP-1 drugs on social media:

• tirzepatide injection (Zepbound, Mounjaro)

• semaglutide injection (Wegovy, Ozempic)

Why Weight Loss Happens with GLP-1 Agonists

The weight loss effect occurs primarily because of reduced food intake and a decrease in calorie consumption. However, it's important to note that while these drugs can curb hunger, they do not directly burn fat. Therefore, losing weight too quickly or without a proper nutritional foundation can lead to muscle loss, which is why balanced meals and mindful eating remain essential while using GLP-1 agonists.

Balanced Meals Are Still Key

Even though GLP-1 agonists reduce hunger, it’s crucial to focus on balanced nutrition. You may not feel as hungry, but your body still needs essential nutrients like protein, healthy fats, adequate fiber, and minerals to maintain muscle mass and energy. Skipping meals or not consuming adequate nutrients while on these medications can lead to nutritional deficiencies, loss of muscle mass, and even slower metabolism.

A good rule of thumb is to focus on meals that include lean protein, fiber-rich vegetables, and healthy fats. This not only keeps you full but helps maintain muscle mass and supports overall health.

what we offer & how we do GLP-1 Weight loss differently

• Customized Doses of both Semaglutide and Tirzepatide (Generic versions of Ozempic and Mounjaro)

• Reputable Compounding Pharmacy in the USA

• Monthly Check-ins

• Upgrade & Add Body Contouring

• Dietary Counseling

• Side Effects Management

There is controversy with the availability of the availability of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide from compounding pharmacies, so we encourage clients to be diligent with their weight loss journey before this is no longer available.

Regular Check-Ins

Our GLP-1 Weight loss program includes monthly check-ins. This is a critical part of using GLP-1 agonists effectively. These visits ensure that your dosage is properly adjusted and any side effects—such as nausea, gastrointestinal issues, or dehydration—are managed. Additionally, we will monitor your overall health, ensuring that your weight loss is not happening too quickly or negatively impacting muscle mass.

We also include a protocol to help you deal with side effects! Check this out

Muscle Mass: Why It’s Crucial OR KEEPING WEIGHT OFF

Rapid weight loss can result in muscle loss if not managed properly. Muscle mass is crucial not only for strength and mobility but also because muscle burns more calories than fat. Losing muscle can slow down your metabolism and make it more difficult to maintain your weight loss long-term.

Incorporating protein-rich meals and strength training exercises into your routine is essential. You don’t necessarily need to go to the gym—bodyweight exercises like push-ups, lunges, and squats, along with kettlebell routines, can be done at home with minimal equipment.

These workouts target key muscle groups and help prevent muscle loss as you shed fat. Aim for at least 2-3 strength training sessions per week to maintain muscle mass while on GLP-1 agonists.

Why Targeted Exercise Matters

While GLP-1 agonists help reduce overall body fat, certain areas—like the back, flanks, inner thighs, and lower belly—can be more resistant to fat loss. Strength training helps burn fat in these stubborn areas by building muscle, which boosts your metabolism. Increasing muscle mass in these areas helps burn more fat over time, making it easier to achieve your desired physique.

If you're looking to tone these areas further, body contouring treatments at Potentia Med Spa can help. These non-invasive procedures can target stubborn fat pockets and help you achieve a more sculpted look, especially in combination with the weight loss you're already experiencing.

Watch this in action…

The Bottom Line

GLP-1 agonists are a powerful tool for weight loss, but they should be used thoughtfully and in conjunction with balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and medical guidance. Preserving muscle mass is essential to keeping your metabolism healthy and ensuring long-term success. At Potentia Med Spa, we’ve got you covered with both weight loss programs and body contouring treatments to help you achieve your desired results.

XO

Dr. Vera

Think You Have Adrenal Fatigue? Try Making Sole Water

I am a huge fan of Solé Water.

 I find many patients are depleted in basic minerals like zinc, potassium, magnesium, and even iodine. Deficiencies in these basic minerals can lead to cramping, dizziness, twitchy muscles, and chronically low blood pressure.

When you need a quick simple way to rehydrate your body, improve mineral load, and build blood volume, this is a favorite amongst my patients and works quickly!

What is SOLÉ WATER?

Himalayan saltwater, also popularly known as solé water, is basically water that has been fully saturated with salt.

Everyone believes coconut water is the most efficient rehydration fluid behind Pedialyte, however solé water can be just as effective.

SALT = Sodium and chloride combined. These two electrolytes combined into water give our cells life, assist with detoxification and reduce inflammation.  If you’d like to read more about the importance of sodium chloride, read Linus Pauling’s in depth article.

I recommend consuming your solé water in the morning & definitely by midday. You can also use solé to help rehydrate your body after exercise or on hot days to replace the water and electrolytes lost in sweat. For deeper depletion, I advise drinking daily over the course of 2-3 months.

Benefits:

• Keeps the body energized & hydrated: Solé water contains the necessary electrolytes that give you the required minerals to function and also keep your stress system down and energy levels up.

• Easily absorbed Minerals: Himalayan salt is rich in many trace minerals and having it in the form of solé water makes the absorption of these minerals in the body easier

Good to know before you begin:

• The key is to make your concentrated solé tonic hyper-saturated by dissolving large natural, minimally processed rock salt into water until the water cannot absorb more. Using fine grain is totally possible, but is messy.

• While many patients get excited and try to drink the solé tonic straight, please don’t do this! Your mouth and lips will be very unhappy.  It’s best mixed with larger amounts of water.

Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients

·      4-5 blocks large ancient sea salt  or Large unrefined crystal salt( Himalayan or Celtic)

·      6-10 ounces water

Equipment

·      Glass Mason Jar  ( pint-sized) with a plastic lid. You can recycle old supplement bottles or peanut butter jars, just make sure it’s glass. Metal lids will rust from salt contact over time.

Preparing the solé tonic.

·      Place 4-5 salt crystals into a pint-sized glass jar. If you are using smaller crystals, add enough salt to fill half the volume of your glass jar.

·      Fill your jar with filtered water, then seal the jar with a plastic or other non-metal lid.

·      Let the salt dissolve for at least 48-72 hours. The crystal will dissolve but remain visible after 24 hours. Wait until the salt has fully hyper-saturated the water. If the salt crystals have NOT dissolved completely, add another salt crystal and allow it to saturate in the water for another 24 hours.

Get ready to use the solé tonic!

Once your supersaturated solé tonic is ready for use,  uncover the jar, stir the water, and then measure 1 tablespoon of solé tonic into a 32 oz bottle of water, mix well and drink from morning until afternoon.

You’ve just made medicinal solé water!

Pro-Tips!

• If a tablespoon is too much initially, lower it to one teaspoon and build your way back up over time.

• Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. It’ll give a refreshing zing to your water, as well as a dose of vitamin C.

• You can always use this solé tonic to make bone broths or make large batches of soups or stews- it’ll enhance the mineral density tenfold!

• Store it away in a dark cool area until ready for use daily.   

Got IBS? The 5 myths to breakthrough when you need a cure

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be difficult to treat!

Here are 5 common myths you may have read about online and how my Digestion & Gut Program works to breakthrough:

1. The exact cause of IBS is not fully understood.

FALSE! IBS is well-studied. It involves a combination of factors such as abnormal gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, gut-brain axis dysfunction, changes in gut microbiota, and emotional factors. This complexity makes it challenging to develop targeted and effective treatments in the traditional pill + condition model.

2. IBS is the same in everyone.

FALSE!

IBS symptoms can vary greatly among individuals. Some people experience predominantly diarrhea (IBS-D), while others have constipation (IBS-C), and some may alternate between the two (IBS-Mixed ). Additionally, symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and urgency are common. Treat the individual!

3. Currently, there are no specific biomarkers or diagnostic tests for IBS.

FALSE! In the world of functional medicine, diagnosis is typically based on symptoms and key objective markers in stool testing. If you know what markers to look for in the GI tract, the answer is quite obvious.

4. Treating IBS is a silver bullet approach with Rifaximin.

FALSE! You must take into account the specific symptoms, triggers, and coexisting conditions of each person. What works for one individual may not work for another. Many clients have still sought my protocol after Rifaximin didn’t work.

5. There are limited treatment options for IBS.

The combination approach works best for treating IBS. Most of my clients are on a cocktail therapy of herbs, amino acids, and motility modifiers. This includes dietary modifications, herbal anti-biotics, pre/probiotics, and most importantly targeted restoration of the floral microbiome.

HOW I GET RESULTS FOR MY CLIENTS WITH IBS?

I use a specific approach to shift the microenvironment in IBS.

What I have discovered is: If you don’t correct all of the areas below, symptoms return over time.

• Gastrointestinal motility dysfunctions

• Malabsorption of bile acid

• Gut microbiota modulation

• Altered gut barrier function ( leaky gut)

• Intestinal immunological modulation

This functional approach is unique to my practice I have developed over the years. All of my clients in the Digestion & Gut program get massive results using this protocol.

This works for all ages!

XO

Dr. Vera

Tender Breasts in Peri-Menopause: Here's why it hurts so much

How to Overcome Sleep Troubles in Peri-Menopause

Peri-Menopause is often a confusing time for hormone balance, especially for maintaining great sleep quality.

Here are the two key hormones at play:

Cortisol produced by the adrenal cortex can serve as a measure of a healthy circadian rhythm. Cortisol and the autonomic nervous system act as a bridge between our internal clock (hormone secretion) and the external clocks (light, time).

However, when cortisol does not maintain a normal pattern of output, the result is a dysfunctional curve that could be either high or low in total cortisol output. Either way results in poor quality of sleep. Disruptions in estrogen production common in peri-menopause are impacted by this dysfunctional curve.

The chronic stress response occurs when the stressors that trigger the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis surge. Inflammation, blood sugar imbalances, infections, lack of sleep and mental/emotional stressors can result in chronic stimulation of the stress response leading to a disrupted circadian rhythm.

Melatonin:

As natural light dims in the evening, the signal to suppress melatonin decreases allowing melatonin to rise. Melatonin has two roles in the circadian rhythm. First, it trains and shifts the circadian rhythm to align with the environmental cue of darkness. Secondly, it promotes sleep and induces a hypnotic state throughout the night.

Testing Your Circadian Rhythm

Both cortisol and melatonin can be easily measured to provide insight into the mechanisms that have an influence on the circadian rhythm.

Here’s a quick 5 min tutorial —> on what an abnormal circadian rhythm looks like AKA BAD SLEEP PATTERNS!

Why should you care?

RESET: Sleep resets our physiological processes and allows the body to conserve energy, repair, rebuild and detoxify. Sticking to a regular sleep schedule that is aligned with our natural circadian rhythm supports these much-needed processes. During sleep, growth hormone increases to repair tissues while blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, glucose and insulin decrease.

FOCUS & CONCENTRATION: We consolidate memories and dream during REM sleep while we deeply relax during quiet sleep. Better REM = Better AM Energy

HEALTHY PATTERN: Supporting a healthy sleep cycle requires a bedtime somewhere between 9-10 pm. YOU MUST reduce your activity and limit exposure to blue light otherwise the signals for appropriate hormone secretion mix.

CAN YOU HELP ME ?

Yes, even if you've been dealing with these problems for years and consulted with many other health professionals, I can help improve your sleep quality in my peri-menopause or hormone balance program. I have an approach that has shown excellent results for all my patients. Let me walk you through it.

BACKGROUND: 

I learn all about your medical history and what might have led to this situation.

DISCOVERY: 

I take the time to get to know you and understand your unique situation. This process helps me find the correct combination of labs to discover the reasons for your symptoms. I test and don't guess to help you get back on track.

PROGRAM: 

I elaborate a step-by-step program to solve your health issue based on the clinical background information we worked through. After the first two consultations, you'll walk away with a specific step-by-step strategy so you can begin to take action. My program’s main focus is achieving optimal function so you can enjoy an excellent quality of life!

FOLLOW-UP:

As you follow the steps of the program, I will make adjustments and changes to the strategy to get the best results possible based on your progress. What's unique about my practice is that I take a deep look at your neurotransmitters as they relate to adrenal function. This is a more advanced way to correct adrenal function quickly.  Of course, I make changes to your diet as this will give your long term support.

GET HEALTHY, GAIN POWER, BE EXTRAORDINARY | DR. VERA SINGLETON

If you have been dealing with these issues for a long time without any positive change, I can help you! I have first-hand experience helping hundreds of people just like you! I am a naturopathic doctor who has been in private practice for over 12 years. I have a wealth of experience helping people with adrenal fatigue, peri-menopause, sleep problems, and other health issues. We'll work together to identify the root of your problems and how to correct it on your first visit. Schedule your appointment today, or call me at (510) 230-2282.

Want better sleep? Do something different

The jury is out as to whether melatonin is the silver bullet, but if you’ve tried melatonin or other sleep products in the past and noticed “it didn’t work” or stopped working, this can be because of two reasons:

1. A 2017 study of 31 different over the counter melatonin preparations found that, when analyzed, the dosage of 71% of the products didn’t match what was stated on the label. And 70% had a melatonin concentration that was less than 10% of what was claimed.

2. You are using the wrong type of melatonin or sleep support for your sleep issue

Insomnia especially with hormonal imbalances like thyroid, adrenal and in peri-menopause is characterized by struggling with falling asleep and staying asleep, or both. Either way, it’s important to get control of your sleep/wake cycle to improve your balance of hormones.

Try this:

• Change Product

• Change Forms

• Change Dosing

Melatonin is best taken anywhere from 30-90 min before desired bed time. Chewable, liquid and liposomal formulations seem to be faster acting as they bypass the digestive tract.

• When it comes to sleep issues in Peri-Menopause, melatonin may be your best choice because it helps to lower your body temperature.

• My advice is to start with a low dose and watch for side effects before working up to a higher dose.  

Melatonin, in my opinion, always works better when you have herbal support for your underlying hormonal condition.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

L-theanine-A 2011 study in the Journal of Functional Foods found that L-theanine decreased heart rate, enhanced alpha-band activity and improved attention, performance and reaction-time responses in anxiety prone students.

Lemon Balm-Lemon balm has been in use as a calming herb since the Middle Ages. It is typically used to treat anxiety, reduce stress and relieve insomnia. A 2010 study found that it worked very well as a treatment for mild to moderate anxiety and showed improvements in calm and focus.

Passion flower-A 2017 study in Medicina Oral found that passion flower capsules showed a similar anxiolytic effect as the prescription drug midazolam. In the study, both were used for conscious sedation and produced the same rate of lowered anxiety, but passion flower was found to have less interference with memory, after the fact.

Ashwagandha-The Ashwagandha plant originates from India, where practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine hold it in high regard. Also known as “Indian ginseng,” the dried and crushed plant matter provides you with a calm feeling that soothes the nervous system while boosting energy. Ashwagandha is an integral part of Indian culture and has a 3,000-year legacy of use among the Indian people to relieve stress. A wonderful herbal adaptogen that has been used to support the immune system, reduce anxiety/depression, improve mental clarity and enhance sexual function.

If you need support re-balancing your sleep/wake cycle, or picking the right combination of sleep supports to help you, reach out to me anytime.

Benadryl vs Melatonin: What's better for you?

When your sleep is horrible during peri-menopause, you might try every and anything to get you back to sleep. Here’s a quick breakdown of Benadryl v. Melatonin. In case you were feeling desperate and wanting to try either.

Benadryl

Taking Benadryl to help you get to sleep is okay in small doses once in a while.  It will work, but at a cost.

Anti-histamines can pressure your body to spend more time in the lighter stages of sleep. So you’ll actually wake up feeling unrested even though you’ve slept 7+ hours.

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) also makes most people drowsy, cause dry mouth and nasal membranes leaving you feeling stuffy and congested.

Melatonin

Melatonin on the other hand helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle. Some research suggests that melatonin supplements might be helpful in treating jet lag or reducing the time it takes to fall asleep and can improve the signal for your sleep hormones to jumpstart.

You can actually test for melatonin levels in the body, and I typically do this for patients when Benadryl and other sleep meds stop working.

The benefit of testing?

When you test for melatonin, you get instant clarity on whether your body has trouble producing the key hormone. If you aren’t making enough, this changes the game entirely on the long term effectiveness of any sleep meds you’ll try in the future. (Ask me about how to get this test)!

Either way, tolerance to the sedative effects of sleep aids (even natural ones) can develop quickly — so the longer you take them, the less likely they are to make you sleepy.

Here’s what you can do if both stop working:

• Stop consuming too much caffeine late in the day. Cut off after 11am

• Keep a regular sleep/wake time to maintain your body’s sleep-wake cycle

• Cut off loose ends and worry so that your mind’s chilled out before you hit the bed

• If you’re waking up frequently during the night, a shift in your last meal to include complex carbs can prevent middle of the night hunger pangs

• Get those night sweats under control. It’s the #1 reason for sleepless nights in peri-menopause

• Cut yourself off from emails, social media and stimulating television shows by a certain time

• Listening to a guided meditation or soothing music

Get Grounded: Nurture your body with this easy technique

As we close out Mindfulness May, I challenged myself to meditate every day, for even 5 mins. Well, it wasn’t a perfect 100% but I realized something in the journey…

I’d been feeling blah, dead, less lively, less like my bubbly self. With all that’s taken place since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve just been on autopilot with survival as my energy source. Sound familiar?

As things have loosened up and masks have come off, I’ve noticed feeling disconnected STILL and haven’t been able to connect back fully with myself and with my environment even as things are opening up.

As I know in the world of available medication, there is no pill to make you feel more alive, more connected to the soul- to your true self. But, I know in practicing medicine that healing happens thorough energy exchange.

And because I’ve been feeling like dead wood, that flow of energy wasn’t moving as I needed.

I love the saying, “Ask and Ye shall receive” because that’s exactly what happened.

In walked a Chakra Meditation that saved my life! It changed the game.

Chakras are set energy milestones along the center of your body, from where your butt touches the ground to the top of your head. There are 7 of them and each just happens to overlap with key endocrine organs.

1- Reproductive organs

2.-Digestive system

3- Adrenal

4- Heart

5-Thyroid

6-Pituitary

7- Brain

Most chakra meditations focus on using imaging, color or sounds to recharge each center.

I started with the root chakra, #1 as this is the chakra to help with stoking creativity, fire, connection, and bringing forth life to surge oxytocin (one of the key hormones of love & attraction)

This has been a game changer in breathing life into the “dead wood”!

So I decided to create a sacral-root chakra meditation ( and share it with you for free) based upon imagery, sound and engaging the senses. Perhaps if you are feeling the same, I invite you to try this new prescription:

Explore using root chakra mediation to recharge. Take the time to nourish yourself, and if you like, continue with other chakra meditations.

There’s still some time left in May to check it out!

Hope you enjoy this meditation!!

XOXO

Dr. Vera