Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are more popular than ever, leading people to seek options that are quicker, cheaper and involve less prying questions than a traditional in-person doctor visit.

But here’s a statistic that should give you pause: Casey Zaring, RPh, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at OSF HealthCare, says a 2023 audit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] found 95% of online pharmacies were not legitimate. This leads to concerns about getting bilked out of money or taking a counterfeit drug that could bring serious side effects.

“It skips a lot of checks and balances,” Zaring says of the online outlets. For one, he says, these websites typically don’t have a pharmacist check your full medical history to make sure you’re getting the right drug.

Legit or not?

Some red flags to look for when deciding to buy prescription drugs online:

• Is the website based outside the United States?
  
• Do you start on one website and get pushed to another to complete the transaction?
  
• Does the site guarantee you cost savings? Zaring says it may look like a deal up front, but the final price tag might not be so good. Or, you might unintentionally sign up for auto-renewals. Zaring recommends first checking to see if your insurance will cover a medication.
  
• Have other people or agencies flagged the outlet for possible problems? Zaring recommends the websites safe.pharmacy and BeSafeRx to check if the pharmacy is registered with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies and complying with the law.
  
  “How we know an online pharmacy is legal is they require a prescription by a licensed practitioner. You have a pharmacist review things, and the consumer has access to a pharmacist to ask questions,” Zaring explains. “Look for the outlet to be based in the United States and have a license in your state. Some online pharmacies will provide medications for patients even though they don’t have a license in the patient's state.”

Another law pharmacies have to follow is the Drug Supply Chain Security act. Zaring says this ensures all medications are logged and accounted for as they move from the manufacturer to the distributor. This makes sure all medications in the supply chain are legitimate and safe.

“In December 2025, the Food and Drug Administration warned about fake Ozempic,” Zaring recalls, noting what can go wrong if laws aren’t followed. “It looked almost identical to real Ozempic. It had lot numbers and expiration dates. But what they had done is created a syringe that looked similar and put on fake stickers.

“What pharmacists do then is go through and scan every medication that enters the pharmacy to ensure it’s directly from the manufacturer,” Zaring adds.

Consequences

Zaring says pharmacists’ biggest fear with these websites is someone putting something non-legitimate or harmful in their bodies. Is the syringe sterile? Has the drug expired? Is the dose correct? Is it properly diluted? Is it interacting with my other medications? Ingesting fake medications could lead to infections or other serious side effects.

Speaking on weight loss drugs: “If something is off by a decimal point, it’s a tenfold error. It can cause lack of movement in your gastrointestinal tract, obstructions and gallbladder attacks,” Zaring says. “If a person isn’t aware of the risks and talking to a pharmacist, they can upgrade their dose too quickly and cause more adverse effects like dehydration. Also with some of these online websites, there’s not continuous monitoring by a health care provider. No labs, check-ins or follow ups.

“The cost saving may be up front, but at the back end there may be an overall greater cost of having to see more health care providers because of adverse reactions or infections,” Zaring also warns.

If you’ve done business with an online pharmacy and have concerns, Zaring recommends talking to your primary care provider or a pharmacist at an in-person, well-recognized business. You can even bring the medication for them to inspect. You can also report pharmacies to the FDA at the BeSafeRx website.

Learn more

Read more about how OSF HealthCare pharmacists bring medication to you safely on the OSF HealthCare website. Some OSF HealthCare locations also have retail pharmacies that can be used regardless of whether you’re an OSF patient.

Interview clips

Frequently asked questions

Carla Richardson of Beverly on the southwest side of Chicago loves it when her grandson tells her, “You’re lookin’ fresh Nonnie!” She jokes, “This is what 77 looks like. But then again, I’m an old hippie.”

Richardson also credits her "fresh look” to her positive attitude and the consistent care she’s been receiving at OSF CompleteCare 55+. The clinic at 99^th and Western Avenue in Evergreen Park opened a year ago this month. It offers a new kind of primary care targeting older adults with ongoing health conditions who are looking for community, hands-on care and 24/7 access to real providers, not chatbots.

For Richardson, the vibe is great.

“They’re glad to see you. You don’t feel like you’re a patient. You feel like you’re going somewhere where someone really cares about you. They keep in touch with you, which is so important. I get texts from Taylor [Taylor Wen, PA, her OSF CompleteCare 55+provider] on MyChart, and it’s just an interaction that is rare.” 

Richardson was diagnosed four years ago with pulmonary sarcoidosis, and she has a history of pulmonary embolism and pneumonia. Plus, she has to be on blood thinners. Frustrated with her previous care, she tried OSF Complete Care 55+ shortly after it opened, and she’s been thrilled with her experience.

“My first experience with Taylor was just phenomenal. She was knowledgeable, patient, and she seemed like she cared. And going to doctors, sometimes you're just a patient number. And I didn't feel that here.”

Wen, a physician assistant, also sent Richardson to get a bone density scan where Richardson learned she had severe osteoporosis – so bad that she had to reduce the weight of her purse for fear it would break her wrist. Richardson is so grateful because she believes knowledge is power.

Staying connected to consistent care

Although she doesn’t consider herself computer savvy, Richardson says she’s learned to use OSF MyChart, and it keeps her connected to Wen.

“It’s easy to use, and it helps me monitor and keep up with my own health issues. I like the fact it reminds me when I have appointments coming up. I’m retired but I’m still busy.” 

Richardson remembers when doctors made house calls and says the care she’s getting now reminds her of that.

“When the doctor would come to your house with his bag. I know it was 100 years ago. But it’s so personal now, here. And you go to other places, and you’re waiting and waiting. And no one really seems to care.” 

The 6,300 square-foot clinic features 12 exam rooms and on-site labs. Sandy Valino Stock, DO, medical director of OSF CompleteCare 55+, says many people enjoy the option to connect digitally 24/7. Virtual visits make it easy to get answers to questions, especially after hours when symptoms aren’t severe enough for emergency care. Richardson says that kind of convenience could save her from long waits in the emergency department, only to be sent home with a quick evaluation and remedy.

Dr. Valino Stock says about half of the people who use the clinic take advantage of virtual visits, while the other half are seen in-person.

“Patients love the virtual concept because they don’t have to miss as much work. It’s just convenient for them,” Dr. Valino Stock shares. “Sometimes it’s a case where the patient comes into the clinic and their loved one wants to be tuned in, but they’re at work. So, they can be virtual during that visit, and they can be present if they need to be.” 

More than half of the clinic’s patients have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, one-fourth have diabetes and significant osteoarthritis, and about 10% have heart failure.

But consistent care is helping improve those conditions. For example, almost 80% of patients are now meeting blood pressure and A1c targets, up from 34% and 58% respectively.

The clinic has also seen success in increasing completion rates for screenings such as mammograms, bone density tests and colonoscopies. These preventive steps are often overlooked, but they play a key role in long-term health.

GLP1 medication management is available

As people age, weight management can also become more difficult as metabolism naturally slows. Dr. Valino Stock explains that metabolism typically declines by 1% to 2% each year after age 20. At CompleteCare 55+, more than half of patients are overweight or meet obesity criteria. This is important because extra weight on the body leads to most of the medical conditions being treated.

GLP-1 medications such as Mounjaro or Ozempic are, as Dr. Valino Stock put it, “magical” in helping people lose weight. But the GLP-1 journey requires regular check-ins and medication management.

“We see them monthly for the most part as they’re getting started on these GLP-1s. So, patients have better success at getting healthier, whether it’s controlling their blood sugars or lowering their weight and doing it in a healthy manner where they can maintain their muscle and minimize the side effects.” 

Many who enroll in OSF CompleteCare 55+ are women in pre-menopause and menopause. The outlook for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopause has fundamentally shifted in the past 10 years. Following major reviews, experts now recognize that for most healthy women under 60 or within 10 years of the onset of menopause, the benefits of HRT far outweigh the risks.

“If no contraindications, we can help women sleep better, have a little bit more energy, feel themselves and just continue life because life is very busy. So, if we can help a woman get a good night’s sleep, everything changes for that woman.” 

Beyond direct medical care, digital health care navigators at a “Connect Bar” in the lobby also help with insurance issues, coordinating appointments with specialists and navigating OSF MyChart and other tools to monitor their health. Events such as Tech Tuesday also allow for group sessions to address technology challenges.

Navigators also connect people with resources to address social needs such as transportation to appointments or senior centers or food insecurity. Through educational events with speakers on health topics and partnerships with local organizations, clinic leaders continue to learn more about the needs of the people they're serving.

Additionally, regular outreach efforts keep providers connected. For example, at the OSF CompleteCare 55+ clinic, any community member can access free blood pressure screenings from 10 a.m.-noon every first and third Tuesday of the month.

Learn more here about OSF CompleteCare 55+ primary care.

Video clips with Carla Richardson

Video clips with Dr. Sandy Valino Stock

B-roll-OSF CompleteCare 55+

Warm weather means more outdoor activities involving alcohol.

The dangers

How quickly can binge drinking turn problematic?

“Very easily,” says Andrew Zasada, MD, an internal medicine physician who sees patients at OSF HealthCare.

Dr. Zasada says for women, binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion, like a night out on the town that lasts three to four hours. For men, it’s 15 drinks. That takes into account the differences in how men’s and women’s bodies metabolize alcohol.

Dr. Zasada says the internal issues linked with excessive alcohol use can be devastating.

“It can cause brain dysfunction. It can cause liver disease and stomach ulcers,” Dr. Zasada says. “It’s just not a good thing. It can cause a wide variety of problems.”

Not to mention the outward symptoms like: acne, redness on your nose and palms and dry, wrinkled skin that makes you look older. And drinking during pregnancy can lead to a host of problems for the child, like facial abnormalities and developmental deficits.

“A lifetime of misery” for the little one, as Dr. Zasada puts it.

Safety, recovery

Just like there’s no magic way to prevent or cure a hangover, there’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems. But for spring and summer revelers, Dr. Zasada has this advice: take it slow.

“If you’re an average size gentleman, probably a beer an hour is just about the max you can drink,” he says.

Dr. Zasada says are there many ways to help people who are drinking in excess. In the short term, such as during a party, call 911 if the person needs immediate medical attention. If they just need a break, take the person away from the clatter to rest. Take their car keys, and give them some water. A painkiller like Tylenol in appropriate doses can help with that hangover headache the next day.

Long term, a patient’s primary care provider can link them with resources to curb drinking, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or treatment centers. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also has resources. And within OSF HealthCare’s footprint, Illinois and Michigan have phone numbers to call for behavioral health issues.

“If the person is trying to deny that they drink at all; if they are drinking alone when there is nobody else around; if they're trying to hide or cover up their drinking, those are all fairly serious warning signs that this person needs help,” Dr. Zasada says.

Dr. Zasada says it’s never too late to kick the habit of excessive drinking, but sooner is better.

“It's easier to mitigate any problems that have already occurred earlier, rather than wait for the problem to get very, very serious, very bad, and then quit,” he says. “Yeah, you'll get better. But you won't go back to what you were.”

That “getting better” looks like a lot of things.

“You might lose weight. You might lower your blood pressure. It may increase heart health,” Dr. Zasada says. “You'll think clearer. You'll sleep better.”

Interview Clips

We all get thirsty from time to time. But it’s not just that feeling that can mean you’re dehydrated – when your body doesn’t have enough fluids. There are lesser known signs you should know to avoid a possibly life-threatening situation, says Awad Alyami, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician.

“You get less perfusion to tissues and organs,” when you’re dehydrated, Dr. Alyami says. “That can cause organ damage.

“Perfusion refers to fluid, nutrients and energy your organs need to function,” he adds.

Unfamiliar signs

Take note of these things to keep an eye on for possible dehydration, especially if you are at high risk. For example, if you work an outdoor job in warm weather or if you look after someone who can’t fully care for themselves.

• You’ve suffered burns. This means there is less skin tissue doing its job of keeping you healthy.
   
• Peeing isn’t normal, such as expelling less urine.

“When you’re hydrated, your urine should look yellow, pale yellow or sometimes almost transparent like water,” Dr. Alyami explains. “When you become dehydrated, your urine will become less in volume, and the color will be darker. It goes into an orange color. It can have a smell, also.”

• Crying without tears
   
• Skin changes, such as eyes appearing sunken in
   
• Fast heart rate
   
• Deep, heavy breaths

“When you’re dehydrated, your blood can be more acidic. You’ll try to get rid of some of that acid in your breaths,” Dr. Alyami says.

• Bad breath
   
• Headaches
   
• Muscle cramps
   
• Food cravings
   
• Sudden weight loss. Dr. Alyami says one kilogram (or around 2.2 pounds) of weight loss means one liter of fluid loss. So if someone has lost two to four pounds quickly and unintentionally (for example, not because of a diet and exercise program), it’s cause for concern.

What to do

Dr. Alyami says while dehydration can be serious, recovering doesn’t have to be. Rest and drink fluids. Water or Pedialyte are go-tos.

“If the dehydration is because of decreased oral intake, the person might just need pain medicine so it’s less painful to swallow while eating and drinking. If they are losing fluids from vomiting, we can give them medicine to stop vomiting,” Dr. Alyami says.

If those steps don’t work, Dr. Alyami says the person would likely get intravenous (IV) fluids in a hospital emergency department.

“You’re probably going to be there for at least a couple hours. [Health care providers] want to make sure you can take fluids and keep them down before you go home,” Dr. Alyami says. “Sometimes the dehydration is severe enough that we need to replace those fluids over one to two days.”

Interview clips

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Don't sweat it

It’s been two decades since the first-ever glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

For years, GLP-1s have been used to help those with diabetes. More recently, GLP-1 producers have begun marketing drugs like Ozempic®, Wegovy® (both semaglutide), Zepbound® or Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) for weight loss. Now heart health experts believe these medications can provide a robust benefit to heart health.

This comes as the American College of Cardiology® (ACC) released its five top trends in cardiovascular medicine in 2025, including “Anti-Obesity Drugs: Cardiovascular Benefit Beyond Weight Loss.”

The ACC reports that semaglutide and tirzepatide both “demonstrate remarkable cardiovascular benefits that extend beyond weight management.” Clinical trials show these medications can reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by up to 20% in patients with obesity and preexisting cardiovascular conditions.

Christopher Sparrow, MD, is an Advanced heart failure cardiologist with OSF HealthCare. He says he’s seen some remarkable benefits in many of his patients.

"The biggest thing I've seen in my practice is that patients who are obese can take these medications and have dramatic reductions in their weight, while doing it in a healthy fashion with a tolerable treatment," Dr. Sparrow says. "When these patients lose weight, they feel better, their blood pressure gets better, their cholesterol gets better, and their diabetes gets better if they have it. If they don't have it, their risk of getting diabetes goes down. Plus, their quality of life improves."

Dr. Sparrow is also the medical director of both the heart transplant program and adult heart unit at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center, a Level 1 Trauma Center in Peoria, Illinois. He describes how GLP-1 drugs promote heart health.

"These medications target GLP-1 receptors. These receptors are primarily in the gastrointestinal system, but they're also in the brain and small amounts in the heart. We're learning more and more that these drugs can have direct impacts on the heart," Dr. Sparrow says. "Particularly in small blood vessels that are prone to effects of inflammation and disease in patients with obesity."

GLP-1s are also referred to as incretin analogues. Incretins are substances that promote insulin release to lower blood sugars. They act in the brain to increase the feeling of satiety (not being hungry anymore), which stops overeating and excessive drinking. Dr. Sparrow says the health benefits are both in how the medications are formulated, and because patients are losing weight. 

“Recent evidence has shown that in the obese population with heart failure, these drugs improve quality of life and improve the ability for these patients to function. That can mean being able to walk further distances," Dr. Sparrow says. "They lower systemic inflammation levels and reduce the risk of worsening heart failure events. For us, this is a brand-new tool in our toolbox to benefit the quality of life in these patients."

While GLP-1s are being seen as the heart’s newest best friend, on the flip side, obesity is one of its worst enemies.

"It (obesity) promotes higher blood pressure, diabetes, abnormal lipids and we know it increases inflammation in the body, which has adverse effects throughout the body," Dr. Sparrow says. "Simply by reducing obesity, we think we're making a huge impact on future cardiovascular risk."

Dr. Sparrow says doctors have known for a long time that patients with diabetes who use these forms of medications have a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular causes like congestive heart failure. Now, that's expanding to patients who are obese or those with heart failure. 

Semaglutide and tirzepatide have been shown to have a better weight loss benefit compared to their GLP-1 predecessors, Dr. Sparrow says. Adding that these drugs can reduce cholesterol levels, improve hemoglobin A1C (a marker of diabetes), as well as lower blood pressure and markers of inflammation to a greater extent.

This treatment option can be used as primary and secondary prevention. That means people can take one of these drugs before anything like heart attack or stroke happens (primary), or after heart attack and stroke that could prevent another from happening (secondary). 

Patients with a body mass index (BMI) over 30, diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease are all patients that could benefit from this treatment, Dr. Sparrow says.

The struggle with getting these drugs to all the patients who want them comes down to two factors. 

1: Pharmacies can't stock enough to keep up with demand

2: Many insurance companies aren't covering these medications for weight loss

When it comes to obesity, Medicare recently announced it would cover these drugs for obese patients who have cardiovascular disease. It’s estimated this could impact roughly 3.4 million Americans.

Dr. Sparrow says it’s not surprising that over time researchers are finding health benefits for these drugs when it was previously meant for another purpose. He says it’s the natural order of scientific discovery that comes from a deeper understanding of these medications obtained through years of research and study. 

Video Interview Clips

Losing weight is hard. It can be a long process. But when you meet your weight loss goals, the feeling is euphoric. That is until you gain some or all of it back.

That’s where a concept called reverse dieting – a way to teach your metabolism by gradually adding calories back after a weight-loss journey – can help.

“Reverse dieting is used when you've been on an actual calorie-deficit diet for a while, and you're trying to get to middle ground, where you're no longer losing or gaining,” says Nicole O’Neill, a registered dietitian with OSF HealthCare. “It's a way to determine how many calories you need to maintain.”

The reverse dieting concept has been around for some time, but O’Neill says there was never a name for it. The premise is to add calories to your diet a little at a time after you’ve lost weight until you start to gain weight again.

“When you're trying to lose weight, there is a stop point you have with a goal weight in mind,” O’Neill explains. “So, if your goal weight is 150 and you've hit your 150, you don't want to go to 130. So, you have to adjust something to stop that weight loss and be where you want to be. And inevitably, it's adding a bit more calories. And that's all the reverse dieting is – adding a bit more calories.”

The way reverse dieting usually works is by adding back 50-100 calories each day. Often, you take the calorie load that you've been doing to lose weight and add 100 calories more. That doesn’t mean eating a cookie; experts suggest the added calories come from protein or your favorite fruit or vegetable.  

O’Neill suggests doing that for a week. Weigh yourself again and if your weight loss has stopped at that additional 100 calorie mark, that’s your end point. Some people might require up to an additional 500 calories to reach their stop point.

Reverse dieting is very individualized, and it takes time, cautions O’Neill. It also takes effort to track your numbers.

“I think it's a way to help you not have a regain,” O’Neill says. “We want to achieve a goal weight. We want to maintain the goal weight. The reverse diet thought process helps you do that.”

The biggest benefit is when you stop dieting, using a reverse diet to find your set point helps you maintain your weight instead of quickly regaining what you lost. O’Neill sees this often among her clients.

“They lose 60 pounds, they feel great, and then they're like, ‘Ha, we're done,’” she says. “Well, a year later, they've gained it back, because they returned to what they were doing before the diet. So, this is a way to incrementally increase, to get them to maintenance without that regain of weight.”

Reverse dieting is safe for anybody who's been on a calorie-deficit diet, according to O’Neill. For some, it might take one week to find that calorie amount. For others it could take a couple of months. Some people aren't going to be comfortable adding 100 calories to their daily intake. They'll start with only 50 calories, and so that elongates the amount of time that's necessary to get to their stop point.

O’Neill adds that what you eat on a reverse diet is a continuation of what you’ve been eating on your calorie-deficit diet.

“Say you typically were going to eat 1,500 calories to lose weight and now you want to do 1,600 calories,” she says. “You could add an extra hardboiled egg and an extra handful of carrots, and that's your 100 calories.”

The best place to start is by figuring out how many calories you are currently consuming. If you need help, working with a dietitian is a good first step.

For more information, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview Clips 

Now that the New Year has come and gone, many resolutions have done the same. But Dr. Birhanu says it’s more important to make behavioral modifications than setting a date to lose weight.

“Behavioral modification is very important for people to lose weight. People can lose weight, then they gain it back. But if you have a reason why you want to lose weight and you are happy with the result, you are more likely to maintain your behavior,” Dr. Birhanu says.

For Lori Boaz, a patient in the wellness and weight management program at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, her reasons were to keep up with her grandkids better and get both her knees replaced.

“I hope to get my new knees within the next year,” Boaz says.

Meeting with the weight management team at any OSF location isn’t just putting together a diet to go on, Dr. Birhanu says the team will work with you to put together a healthy lifestyle plan. He adds that setting expectations is key.

“I don’t want them to expect too much or too little. After they lose weight, I always ask them what other things in their lives improved because of the weight loss,” Dr. Birhanu says.

Boaz is roughly halfway to her weight loss goal and is getting closer to being able to get those knee replacements she’s been wanting.

“We set goals. The main goal was to lose 100 pounds,” Boaz says. “I didn’t want to diet. Because I’ve lost weight before, and I gained it back. I wanted to eat healthy and be healthy, so every choice I made I had that in mind.”

Dr. Birhanu says losing weight and gaining weight is a common occurrence, because your metabolism goes down each time you lose weight. But he says there are ways to combat this.

“Exercise improves your metabolism, so we advise them how to exercise,” Dr. Birhanu says. “If a person never exercised in the past and now, you’re asking them to exercise, there are injury possibilities, so we work with our physical therapy team to evaluate them.”

Boaz says even when she meets her goal, she wants to continue meeting with her weight management team at OSF.

“We’ll just set another goal! Because I’ll still have weight to lose,” Boaz says. “I think I’ll just do this for the rest of my life!”

OSF HealthCare offers weight management programs all across the Ministry. Dr. Birhanu’s team is located at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park.

As we usher in a new year, it’s that time when we pledge to exercise more, save money, find a new hobby, or, in many cases, shed a few pounds.

Planning to save more money is once again a priority for many people making resolutions for 2026. But other top goals heading into the new year are commitments to eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight.

Nicole O’Neill is a dietitian with OSF HealthCare. Her job is to help clients navigate the choppy waters of starting diets, especially this time of year.

“Resolutions are big picture things,” O’Neill says. “So, if you have a resolution to lose X amount of weight, go ahead and make it. But then break it down into smart goals, little steps along the way so that you can achieve something and feel like you did something. So, you can celebrate a success. If you just say I want to lose a bunch of weight, it's not good enough. You have to say how much weight and how you're going to do it.”

Resolutions aren’t for everyone. O’Neill says it depends on the person's personality and what other factors are involved, such as stress, hormones, pain or lack of sleep. If you need a hard start and stop to see results, a New Year's resolution might just do the trick. For other people, however, resolutions are a potential recipe for failure.

The SMART goals O’Neill referenced are specific, measurable, and attainable, realistic and time bound. For example, rather than say you’re going to cut out all fast food, why not set a goal for eating at home more, she adds.

“So, if you say I want to lose 100 pounds, well sure we got the 100 pounds part but how are you going to do it? How long is it going to take you, what are all the pieces? Do you need to lose 100 pounds? Well, some people do, and some people don't,” O’Neill says. “If you weighed 120 pounds at 18 years old, and you tell me today, I want to be 100 pounds that's not realistic. Even 120 pounds might not be realistic. So, setting up a SMART goal is better than a resolution.”

There is no magic wand or secret formula for losing weight. O’Neill says it’s a combination of factors that are going to lead you down the path that is right for you on your weight loss journey.

“If you're not drinking enough water, add more water. If you're not sleeping, let's talk about that. If you're super stressed out, see a therapist. If you don't eat any fruits and vegetables, add one. Start with little baby steps and maybe that is the hidden nugget. Do one little thing and see how you do with it and let it snowball into the next thing and into the next thing instead of trying to tackle it all at once.”

If you’re still struggling to find success, O’Neill recommends having a conversation with your provider who can recommend other options such as medication management or counseling.

After all, what do you have to lose? 

 

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

November, December and January bring bountiful holiday meals.

While it’s tempting to chow down, experts are cautioning about how overindulgence can make you feel mentally and physically crummy in the moment, plus open the door to long-term unhealthy eating habits.

Have the right mindset

Andrew Zasada, MD, provides emergency department care at OSF HealthCare. He says avoiding stuffing yourself starts before you sit down for the meal.

“If you come to the meal hungry, you tend to try to make up for not having breakfast. You load your plate up, which is going to cause you to overeat,” Dr. Zasada says. “Instead, have a light snack an hour or two before you sit down to the meal.

“Put the food in one room and sit down in another room to eat. That necessitates you going there rather than having food available for another fill.”

The meal itself

Enjoy holiday meals, Dr. Zasada says. It’s not a race.

Grab a smaller plate, and take smaller portions of each item. Pretend you’re filling the plate up for a child. You wouldn’t take five rolls and two big slabs of meat for a youngster, so don’t do it for your adult self.

Other tips: Chew slowly. Between bites, put your utensil down, take a drink of water and talk to someone. This allows your stomach to fill up and tell your brain that you’re full.

When you finish eating, leave the table, and go to another room. Staying next to the food increases the temptation to keep nibbling.

If you can’t help it

Dr. Zasada says despite our best efforts, sometimes you overeat during holiday meals. Maybe you don’t want to offend your aunt by not having a slice of her famous pie.

If that happens, Dr. Zasada says there are two pitfalls to avoid: Drinking alcohol and lying down right after the meal.

“That opens up the sphincters of your stomach, slows down digestion and increases the chance for heartburn,” Dr. Zasada says.

Try tea or coffee after a meal instead of alcohol. But if you must indulge in a spirit, Dr. Zasada says to wait at least 90 minutes so your stomach can partially empty.

Instead of lying down for that post-meal nap, sit upright, talk to people or play a game. If the weather is nice, go for a walk.

A word on more serious eating issues

Holiday meals may be difficult for people who suffer from eating disorders, such as binge eating (eating a lot in one sitting and feeling you can’t stop), anorexia nervosa (an unwarranted fear of being overweight which leads to things like starvation) or bulimia nervosa (taking unhealthy steps to avoid weight gain like purging your food).

Dr. Zasada says, in the moment, you should have someone you trust who can help you through the holiday meal and check in with you later. Long term, he says these are serious issues that should be talked about with a health care provider.

“Repeated bulimia will damage your teeth. It’s corrosive. You lose electrolytes when you vomit,” Dr. Zasada says. “You become sick. If you do this repeatedly, you will lose weight in an unhealthy way. You will possibly dehydrate. You will start losing muscle mass.

“It’s just not a good thing.”

Bottom line: Don’t get discouraged

Dr. Zasada says one day of extra eating may make you feel bad, but it isn’t going to derail your overall health.

“One day won’t make you fat,” he says.

Get back into your healthy eating habits the next day while enjoying those leftovers in moderation. If you feel you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight or body image, talk to your primary care provider. They may refer you to a specialist like a dietitian or mental health provider. From there, plans could include a diet and exercise regimen, medication or, in rare cases, weight loss surgery.

Interview clips

OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist Omar Khokhar, MD, says it’s a homemade drink that includes a few main ingredients.

“It’s oranges, coconut water and salt. It can be derivatives of each one of those ingredients but that’s sort of the nuts and bolts of it. The thought process is that each one of those ingredients helps with the electrolyte balance in your body once you ingest this mocktail.”

The drink is designed to promote development of cortisol, a stress hormone that influences several systems in the body.

“Cortisol is one of many chemicals produced by a small gland on top of your kidney called the adrenal gland. And so, cortisol plays a key role in metabolism, immune function, blood-sugar metabolism and so any disruption in your cortisol metabolism can have a downstream effect in other parts of your body leading to potential health issues.”

The drink claims to help with something influencers have labeled “adrenal fatigue” and weight loss by increasing cortisol. But here’s the catch — Dr. Khokhar says the science doesn’t back it up.

“Adrenal fatigue has been debunked in 2016 by a meta-analysis, and it is not a true condition. The other pertinent point that people should know is that taking a cortisol mocktail does not in any way shape or form alter your cortisol levels. It has no impact on producing more cortisol or reducing cortisol levels in any way.”

There is a condition known as adrenal insufficiency, which is a serious medical condition in which the adrenal glands fail to produce enough cortisol. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, low blood sugar and extreme fatigue. Dr. Khokhar says if you experience these symptoms, see a doctor right away.

If you want to improve cortisol levels in a meaningful way, Dr. Khokhar suggests other approaches.

“There are things that are much more data-driven that can help with that. That includes getting seven or eight hours of sleep. That includes reducing your stress through meditation or other practices.” He also suggests, “That includes eating a healthy diet. Those are things that are maybe more difficult to do but they’ve been shown to improve cortisol levels, whether they’re high or low.” (

Dr. Khokhar says a cortisol cocktail as its being touted likely won’t harm you if you don’t have an underlying condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure that could be impacted by a sugary, salty drink.

On its own, he says coconut water has health benefits because it has electrolytes and hydrating properties. So, it can help with rehydration, especially after exercise or illness, and could also support heart health, blood sugar management, and digestive health. 

Additionally, coconut water and orange juice are a good source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants so benefits worth sipping, even if cortisol isn’t part of the picture. 

Dr. Omar Khokhar

B-roll-Cortisol Cocktail

Diabetes: a recap

Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, recaps Types 1 and 2 diabetes and where Type 1.5 fits in:

• Type 1: Dr. Ogun says the body’s immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
  
  “Insulin is a hormone that brings glucose from food from the blood to the body’s cells for energy. So in Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas isn’t producing insulin,” Dr. Ogun explains. “This type of diabetes is usually seen in childhood and adolescence. It’s sudden onset. Symptoms are increased urination, increased thirst, weight loss and blurry vision. A lot of these people are dependent on insulin shots.”
   
• Type 2: The pancreas is producing insulin, but the body doesn’t recognize it. Dr. Ogun says these patients are typically age 40 and up, and the disease has a gradual onset.
  
  “Management is lifestyle modifications, like a healthy diet and physical activity,” Dr. Ogun says. “And there are medications to help control blood sugar like Metformin and Jardiance®, plus insulin shots.”
   
• Type 1.5: This is also called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA).
  
  “It’s a slow progressing form of Type 1 diabetes. It’s autoimmune like Type 1, but it’s usually seen in adults,” Dr. Ogun says. Symptoms are similar to Type 2 diabetes: fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Or, Dr. Ogun says some people may have little to no symptoms.

More on Type 1.5

So, if Type 1.5 diabetes can mimic Types 1 and 2, how do providers pin down a diagnosis?

Dr. Ogun says it’s something providers are learning more about and getting better at. She says providers will take a blood sample to look at your blood glucose and antibodies. Providers can also sample your blood or urine to look at your C-peptide level. C-peptide is a byproduct of insulin production, and if it’s low it’s cause for concern.

Treatment is similar to Type 2 diabetes: oral medication or an injectable GLP-1 medication like Ozempic®.

“But eventually once the autoimmune destruction happens, the person will need regular insulin,” Dr. Ogun says. “One good thing is that if you are aware the person might have Type 1.5, starting insulin earlier is a little bit better. Maybe that can preserve some of the cells in the pancreas and preserve some pancreas function.”

Shoring up your diet and exercise can also help.

Prevention

Dr. Ogun says since Type 1.5 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, there’s no bonafide way to prevent it. She adds there is a genetic component, meaning a child of someone with Type 1.5 is at a higher risk to get in themselves.

But, Dr. Ogun says sometimes education can be the best prevention. She says she’s happy Lance Bass has spoken out. Bass is active, fit and has diabetes – a sign that it can happen to anyone, and you should be aware of the disease.

Learn more

Read more about preventing and managing diabetes on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Heart rate and blood pressure changes are expected during cardiac rehab, too.

“The top number in a blood pressure reading is your systolic blood pressure. That’s when your heart is beating. It’s the pressure up against the arteries. We want that at 90 to 120,” Herman explains. “The lower number is when your heart is resting. It’s called diastole or diastolic. We want that at 60 to 80.

“If we see elevated blood pressure, we’re going to talk with the person about their salt intake, their diet overall and their exercise,” Herman adds. “If we continually see the blood pressure going higher, we’re going to communicate with the doctor. The doctor may need to add medication. And we want to make sure the person is compliant with the medication.”

If a person’s blood pressure is low, Herman says the care team will ask, among other things, if they’re drinking enough water and if they took too much of their blood pressure medication. Or, Herman says, the person might need to go off their medication.

Bob’s outlook

Weaver jokes that his diet consists of a lot of chicken and vegetables these days. But he’ll take it if it means a new lease on life.

“I sleep better. I can do activities longer before I get winded. Things like yard work or just walking. Minimal things you’d think anybody could do. But after a while, I got winded. Now it’s a lot easier to do it longer and faster,” Weaver says.

“You think about your family. You want to be around more than 62 years,” he adds. “I went to the gym on a lot of days right after work. They weren’t necessarily the same days I had rehab. So I was able to double up the workouts.”

He's telling others to stick with their recovery plan, research your family history and know the symptoms of a heart event. For Weaver, that was a father who had heart disease, coupled with his own chest pain and weakness back in October.

“Just keep at it. If I can do it, anybody can do it,” he says.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your heart healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Bob Weaver

Interview clips - Tricia Herman

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Donna Fortson has struggled with health challenges for most of her adult life.

It started with serious back issues, which turned out to be hereditary. She has rapid degeneration of her joints, discs and vertebrae, a condition her daughter now has too. Fortson has endured six back surgeries with more planned. Given her situation, it’s imperative the Rockford, Illinois, resident, doesn’t carry any extra weight.

“I've had to go through a lot of recovery,” Fortson says. “I have a lot of metal inside me, so it's hard to recover from that. I’ve been inactive. And that led me to gain a lot of weight.”

But there’s more.

Fortson also learned she has fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. She had gastric sleeve surgery to help with weight loss. Then her gastroenterologist recommended Fortson see a dietitian to develop a plan to lose more weight and keep it off.  

Finding support 

For nearly 1½ years, Fortson has been a client of the Center for Nutrition and Weight Management at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. The road to weigh loss hasn’t been easy. But the good news is Fortson is down more than 100 pounds.

Sean Pavlick, a dietitian with OSF HealthCare, is the architect of Fortson’s weight loss program. He says the key to losing that much weight is breaking it down in portions.

“If you want to lose 100 pounds, OK, but let's take that in chunks of 20 pounds, just to keep your head in a better position,” he says. “Because there's a lot of psychology that goes into all of this, and it gets very discouraging, very fast.”

Food has always provided comfort for Fortson – through good times and bad. Doughnuts, cakes, ice cream. Sweets, she says, were her downfall.

“I have a lot of anxiety with all the stuff going on. So that's my comfort. It wasn't drugs or alcohol. That was my vice,” Fortson says. That's the reason I kept gaining weight. I had to sit around a lot. So, what else to do but sit there and eat my sorrow away?”

But once Fortson started seeing Pavlick, it was time to get serious about her health. Her back problems were one thing; the liver issues opened Fortson’s eyes to what her future could hold.

She meets Pavlick once a week. She weighs in, reviews her food diary and talks about any challenges she’s facing.

These days, Fortson has replaced sweet treats with fresh fruit and vegetables. She reads labels at the grocery store and ignores the temptations of making bad decisions. She’s sworn off soda, something she insisted she’d never do. She now drinks plenty of water.

Pavlick has seen significant changes in Fortson since their first meeting.

“I think it's a big attitude change with Donna, for sure. With a lot of patients, there's such a reluctance to change,” he says. “And any dietitian would agree, we hear it all the time, ‘Well, I'm just not going to do that. You can't get me to make those changes.’ I like to use the word incremental changes, or we say SMART goals, where it's things that you can tackle, the realistic changes. And Donna's done all those things and made the changes that are maintainable.”

Staying the course 

Recently, Fortson indulged in a small portion of cake at a birthday party. On the way home she experienced a headache that she attributes to cutting out all sugar from her diet.

Fortson and Pavlick say having people in your corner is important for anyone traveling along a weight loss journey.

“There's peaks and valleys with everyone, but I think something that Donna would say as well, it's the constant support system,” Pavlick says. “And when there is a setback, it's not a big negative thing. We try to put a positive spin on things and reinforce good attitudes.”

Fortson says she feels good these days. She’s got more energy, her blood work results are improved, and she’s feeling better about life. While she’s pleased with her progress, she knows weight loss will be a foe she battles for the rest of her life.

“I have a spring in my step, and I look forward to coming in every week and getting weighed, which is weird, because I used to hate the scale,” she says, laughing. “Now I'm like, ‘yes, I better be down.’ It's a challenge for me, but I look forward to it. I've dedicated my life to it.”

For more information about weight loss, visit the OSF HealthCare website. 


 

Donna Fortson interview clips 

Sean Pavlick interview clips 

B-roll 

College students will soon be home for summer break. They’re embarking on their independent phase, so opening up about mental health to their parents might not top the summer to-do list. It can leave parents wondering: How did the school year go? Did they make friends? Are they doing OK mentally?

Rachel Yuhas, LCPC, a psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare, says there are dos and don’ts to get the most out of a conversation with a young adult.

School stress

Yuhas says going off to college is a huge transition. The student may miss home. They may have trouble being accountable with no 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. structure they had in high school. Making friends can also be difficult. Yuhas says college students may be stressed and scared to branch out and meet people.

“They might be anxious or get into a rut of depression. They might isolate. They might sleep too much or not sleep at all,” Yuhas says.

Warning signs

Yuhas says parents should watch for drastic changes in their college student’s appearance as a possible “red flag” of a mental health concern. Some weight gain or loss in college is expected, but significant weight changes should warrant a discussion.

“This might mean they’re not taking care of themselves,” Yuhas says. “Stress might be coming on. They might be depressed. All of those things can cause issues with appetite.”

Other things to watch for:

• The young adult is spending most of their time away from others. Maybe they’re in their room sleeping all day.
   
• They drop hints about their college experience, such as “I didn’t join any new clubs this year.”
   
• The person looks messy. Maybe they used to be a snazzy dresser with groomed hair, but they stopped keeping up that appearance. Or they stopped hygiene practices like using deodorant or brushing their teeth. Parents should ask themselves: Is my child keeping up with daily tasks?

Dos and don’ts

It’s time to talk to your child about their mental health.

• Do: Ask open ended questions, and let the child fill in the blanks. For example: How did final exams go?
  
  Don’t: Ask accusatory questions like: What’s wrong with you? Or: Why aren’t you talking to us?
  
  “If you get mad at them, that makes it worse. They won’t want to open up,” Yuhas says.
   
• Do: Find the right time. Let the child get settled back in, and have a conversation over lunch a day or two later.
  
  Don’t: Bombard your student with questions the moment they get into the house.
   
• Do: Curtail your reactions and judgements. Be kind and mindful.
  
  “Instead of asking ‘Why?’, say ‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t know about this. What’s been going on? Tell me more.’,” Yuhas says.
  
  Don’t: Have knee-jerk reactions like: How could you? Or: Why did you fail that class? Or even: You know I don’t like your major. Why haven’t you dropped it yet?

Next steps

After that first conversation, Yuhas urges parents to not let the issue go.

“I encourage parents to become emotion coaches with their children,” Yuhas says. “Continue to check in. Continue to ask, ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘I saw the college had this event. Was it something you went to?’ Just stay involved in their everyday life, but don’t bombard them.”

If things aren’t improving, the conversation might turn to: I want to help you. Have you thought about talking to a therapist? Would that be a good option?

“Put the ball in their court,” Yuhas says.

“When we go off to college, it can be a huge adjustment. So we try to normalize their feelings,” Yuhas adds, outlining what she might talk to a college student about in a therapy session. “We go over ways to make friends and socialize. We go over how to manage stress, anxiety and depression. We talk about coping skills.”

For example, if a student is leaving their dormitory just for class, Yuhas may suggest going to the library to study. The student may make a friend along the way. Yuhas may suggest exercise or meditation. Or, is homework procrastination causing stress? There are ways to change those habits.

Learn more

Read more about healthy thoughts and behaviors on the OSF HealthCare website. If your stress has reached a crisis where you are thinking about harming yourself or others, talk to a trusted adult or mental health professional or go to the emergency department right away. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available.

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For those who don’t enjoy sleeping with what looks like the equivalent of a MiG fighter pilot mask, there’s possible relief with new medication approved to treat sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which the airway either closes off completely or becomes so narrowed that breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often causing brief awakenings that disrupt restful sleep. A common treatment includes wearing a CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, mask to deliver air pressure into the airways to keep them open.

But now there’s a new option. The FDA recently approved tirzepatide (Zepbound) for adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The drug is typically prescribed for type 2 diabetes and is among the class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, meaning they work on hormones that control appetite and insulin levels and can help promote weight loss.

Sarah Zallek, MD, a neurologist and vice president and chief medical officer for OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Illinois, is also medical director of OSF Sleep in Peoria. Dr. Zallek calls the approval of Zepbound for treatment of sleep apnea a significant and important development. She points out there have been few new developments for the treatment of OSA, and this is the first medication.

Could this let some people ditch their CPAP machines? Dr. Zallek says if their sleep apnea is caused by obesity, potentially yes.

“So, if you’re wearing CPAP and you have weight-related sleep apnea, weight loss is a great idea. The approval of Zepbound (tirzepatide) is a new avenue for us to look for treating overweight or obesity and to treat sleep apnea.”

Dr. Zallek says for some people with weight-related apnea, losing about 10% or more of overall body weight can significantly reduce or eliminate the sleeping disorder.  However, she warns that with GLP-1 agonists, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and exercise because the medication carries significant risk of muscle loss.

 “It's really important for people who are using GLP-1s to maintain adequate nutritional intake, particularly with high quality protein, and maintain exercise, so that they get muscle resistance exercise and build and maintain muscle.”

Treatment of sleep apnea with CPAP is still the gold standard. Dr. Zallek says if switching to Zepbound to address sleep apnea, a doctor should continue to monitor weight loss and then test again to see if a person’s airway has opened up.

“Keep using that treatment until you successfully lose weight and get rid of the sleep apnea. It's not time to stop the CPAP and switch to Zepbound, for example. To treat sleep apnea, it's time to continue what you're doing, approach weight loss and then see if the sleep apnea has resolved.”

Studies have shown that people who have lost weight with GLP-1 drugs, tend to regain the weight once they quit taking the medication. This is because GLP-1s mimic natural hormones that regulate blood sugar, slow digestion, and make you feel full. So, Dr. Zallek stresses the need for lifestyle changes regardless of the approach to treating sleep apnea.

Dr. Zallek is board certified in Lifestyle Medicine, which means she incorporates therapeutic lifestyle interventions to treat and reverse chronic conditions. That includes a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive social connections.

It’s possible other GLP-1 drug makers for Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro will seek similar approval for use as treatment of sleep apnea. But, Dr. Zallek says people also need to talk with their provider and weigh the side effects with the benefits. Some of the side effects of the GLP1s include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, delayed gastric emptying, low blood sugar, fatigue, and more serious complications such as gallstone disease, and pancreatitis.

As they say in the ads, “Ask your doctor if it's right for you."

Dr. Sarah Zallek

We’re in a time right now that Jason Bill, MD, an interventional gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare calls an “obesity epidemic.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) would back up that claim, stating that more than 100 million adults in the U.S. are obese. The prevalence of obesity increased over 11% when comparing statistics gathered from 1999-2000 to statistics from 2017-March 2020. In the earlier timeframe, obesity prevalence was 30.5%. The latest data showed obesity skyrocketed to 41.9%.

Tis the reason for countless “magical” weight loss drugs popping up on commercials, food-prep companies offering specials and zero-calorie drinks lining store shelves. But there’s no real sign of promise yet that America’s obesity problem is slowing down. This leaves many frustrated by the never-ending struggle of trying to eat healthily while working out, and not seeing any progress.

If you’re in that demographic, you’re not alone, and there may be a newer option to consider.

Introducing endoscopic bariatric procedures

In the last six to 12 months, Dr. Bill and his team at OSF HealthCare have started performing endoscopic bariatric procedures, a minimally invasive option to help patients lose weight. 

Dr. Bill says this option is perfect for those who either don’t qualify for bariatric surgery or for those who qualify but just do not want to undergo surgical intervention. His team is able to offer two different procedures:  Endoscopic Sleeve gastroplasty and trans-oral outlet reduction. 

"I think the patients that do the best are patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30-40 motivated and active, but just not getting to where they want to go with their standard diet and exercise,” Dr. Bill says. "We do everything through the mouth with our endoscopes. We take a camera to the stomach and use an endoscopic device that goes on the tip of the endoscope to run sutures and decrease the volume of the stomach. These are restrictive procedures, with the sleeve gastroplasty we are reducing the volume of the stomach by about 70 percent." 

Another option Dr. Bill’s team offers is called outlet reduction.

“It’s been really nice for patients who have had bariatric surgery and now are a few years out, but they start noticing they feel hungry or are gaining weight," Dr. Bill says. "We use that same suturing device and narrow down that prior opening that has stretched out over time." 

Minimally invasive means minimal recovery time. Patients go under general anesthesia, undergo the procedure, and then go home the same day. Dr. Bill says side effects are minimal as well. You might have some nausea and stomach discomfort for two to three days. However, the symptoms after the outlet reduction are even less severe, leaving patients energized and ready to get back on their weight loss journey.

How could endoscopic bariatrics and weight loss medicine connect?

"I think they should be used together. I think patients who will do best are those that undergo either surgical or endoscopic weight loss procedures initially.  Then, during their follow up consider starting a medication such as Mounjaro or Wegovy that can result in more robust weight loss,” Dr. Bill says. 

‘Take the lifestyle change head on’

The endoscopic weight loss procedure isn’t a get-out-of-jail free card to return to poor eating habits. It’s also not an excuse to cancel that gym membership or give up on daily exercise.

"The follow up after the procedure is probably as important, if not more important than the procedure itself. The procedure is likely to be successful, because your team is highly skilled, but the rest of the success is built on the patient’s motivation, diet, and exercise since it's a lifestyle change. They have to take that head on otherwise the procedure is not going to work,” Dr. Bill says.

These procedures are generally covered by Medicare and Medicaid. However, it’s hit or miss right now with other commercial payers. Dr. Bill’s team collaborates with the weight loss management team at the RiverPlex in downtown Peoria to get patients prepared for a procedure, and you’ll always know ahead of time whether insurance will cover your procedure.

If an endoscopic bariatric procedure sounds like something that would benefit you, you can call OSF Medical Group – Gastroenterology at 309-308-5900.

Video Interview Clips

What is “Oatzempic?”

“Oatzempic is the new social media trend that’s basically just an oat recipe,” says Jenny Reay, registered dietitian and weight management coordinator at OSF HealthCare. “It’s made by using regular oats, water and some lime juice. Some people are adding cinnamon to it as well. The trend is stating that you can lose 40 pounds in just 8 weeks by drinking the smoothie every morning.”

It’s a quick recipe that can be blended easily. In the end, the grainy drink aims to keep you full longer, diminishing the need to eat more for at least a couple hours.

In 2023, Ozempic was revered as Hollywood’s “weight-loss drug,” when its original purpose was for people with Type 2 diabetes to manage their blood sugar levels. The Ozempic website says the weekly injection is supposed to be used alongside diet and exercise to improve health outcomes.

“Ozempic is a popular prescription medication for patients with diabetes. It has the side effect of decreasing our appetite,” Reay says. “The reason “Oatzempic” has become popular is because oats have a soluble fiber, known as Beta Glucan fiber, that forms a gel when you digest it. It slows down your digestion, having a similar effect by reducing your appetite or keeping you full, longer.”

So, does it work?

Not so fast, Reay says. While “Oatzempic” may have some beneficial qualities from the oats, it’s still not a fix-all solution.

“This smoothie is just going to keep you full for a couple hours until your next meal. It’s just a recipe, there’s nothing magical about it. There’s no literature that shows it’s going to actually cause that amount of weight loss in that short a period of time,” Reay says.

When comparing “Oatzempic” to meal replacement shakes, Reay says the meal replacements have key ingredients that the social media craze is missing.

“A meal replacement shake is going to be more of a balanced meal. There will be protein, carbohydrates, fiber, a little bit of fat and a lot of vitamins and minerals,” Reay says. “This particular smoothie is just oats with the lime juice, so there’s no protein. That’s one of the drawbacks of the recipe. I would suggest, if you’d like to try it, to add a protein to it like protein powder or Greek yogurt.”

As with all social media trends, it’s important to take them with a grain of salt and speak to a medical provider if you have any questions. A healthy lifestyle, balanced with regular exercise and healthy eating, will prove far more sustainable than a quick fix smoothie found on TikTok, Reay says.

Video Interview Clips

Oatzempic smoothie B-Roll

In his year-long battle with cancer of the esophagus, Jim Corby encountered many nerve-wracking moments.

But when asked about it, one memory comes to mind for the retired construction worker from Alton, Illinois. One that happened far away from a doctor’s office.

On July 27, 2022, Corby was chosen to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Alton River Dragons baseball game. Members of care team at OSF HealthCare Moeller Cancer Center in Alton, James Piephoff, MD, and Manpreet Sandhu, MD, were at his side. Also watching was a group of young women Corby coaches on the softball diamond.

“He knew if he didn’t throw a strike, he would never hear the end of it from the girls on his team,” Dr. Piephoff says.

No pressure, Jim.

Esophageal cancer: The basics

Dr. Piephoff, a radiation oncologist, says around 20,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with esophageal cancer each year. The cancer claims around 16,000 lives in the U.S. each year.

There are two types. The most common (around 70% of U.S. cases) is adenocarcinoma in the lower esophagus. The other type is squamous cell carcinoma, typically above where the airway separates into the lungs.

Both types are associated with excess smoking and drinking, something Corby found out the hard way.

“I smoked two-and-a-half to three packs of cigarettes a day,” Corby says. “The day I went in for surgery, I threw them out the window. I haven’t smoked since.”

Obesity is also a risk factor for adenocarcinoma.

“Obesity leads to increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease,” Dr. Piephoff explains. “It’s the acid churning up in the lower esophagus that leads to the risk of developing what’s called Barrett’s esophagus. That’s a precancerous condition.”

Screening isn’t common for cancer of the esophagus, so Dr. Piephoff says it’s important to watch for symptoms, which can mimic those of heartburn. See a doctor if symptoms won’t go away.

“Know your body. Don’t be afraid to talk to your doctors about it. Don’t try to minimize your symptoms,” Dr. Piephoff urges. “If there’s a change you notice, you need to convey that to your doctor.”

On treatment, Dr. Piephoff says he typically sees a person go through chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the cancer followed by surgery to remove the tumor. During surgery, instruments are sent down the throat and not through the chest, meaning an easier recovery for the person. Early detection could mean surgery only.

“There are some patients who are not able to have surgery because of medical conditions like a bad heart or bad lungs,” Dr. Piephoff says. “They get treated with radiation and chemotherapy without surgery.”

Immunotherapy is also a part of the treatment plan for some people. This involves changing how your immune system works so it can fight cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Jim’s journey

Corby says he started having pain in his midsection last year when he ate. Treatment for heartburn and acid reflux didn’t help. An ultrasound and CT scan didn’t get his doctors any closer to a solution. All the while, Corby says it hurt so much to eat, he started losing weight.

In September 2021, doctors examined Corby’s esophagus with a camera.

“The doctor came in and sat down, which I knew was not a good sign,” Corby recalls.

“That day was when my life changed,” he says.

The exam found a cancerous mass in Corby’s lower esophagus. The next few months were a whirlwind.

“It happened real fast,” Corby says.

“They got me here [to Moeller Cancer Center] to see Dr. Piephoff and Dr. Sandhu. They came up with a program to try to get me going,” Corby says. “I went through chemotherapy and radiation first. Then they sent me over to St. Louis, and in January I had surgery.”

The surgery to remove the cancer preceded a nine day stay in the hospital where Corby says he couldn’t eat or drink aside from the occasional ice cubes or water sopped from a sponge.

Sometime later – Corby can’t remember exactly when – he was back at OSF Moeller Cancer Center meeting with Dr. Sandhu.

“She said ‘Your scan came back. You’re cancer free.’” Corby says.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Corby adds. “How many times do you hear about people who have cancer who die? You hear more of that than you do cancer free.

“The odds were against me 100%, but I guess I beat the odds.”

The first pitch

Corby’s first pitch at the River Dragons game went – where else? – right down the middle of the plate, eliciting a cheer from his support system and all the fans learning his story for the first time. For Corby, it was a sigh of relief. No need to worry about razzing from his softball players.

“I got lucky,” Corby says, fighting back happy tears.

Learn more

Visit the OSF HealthCare website to learn about cancer treatment. This includes the new OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois, which will serve the entire OSF service area will the latest treatment, education and more.

Interview clips - Dr. James Piephoff

Interview clips - Jim Corby

Anal and rectal cancer occur in parts of the body near each other, and they both have prevention steps and time-tested treatments. But they are different types of cancer, says Raman Kumar, MD, a colorectal and general surgeon with OSF HealthCare.

Rectal cancer

Dr. Kumar says the rectum is the last part of the colon, where stool is stored.

Signs of rectal cancer include bleeding, irregular bowel movements (such as the shape of the stool changing and the inability to have a complete bowel movement), weight loss, fatigue and pain in the rectal area.

Rectal cancer impacts men and women roughly equally, and it’s seen “at almost any age,” Dr. Kumar says. If you smoke and eat a lot of red meat and processed food, your risk will go up.

Anal cancer

Dr. Kumar says the anus is where stool comes out. He says signs of anal cancer can be like those of rectal cancer. But often, he says an anal cancer diagnosis starts when a person believes they have hemorrhoids, or when the veins or blood vessels around the anus and lower rectum become swollen and irritated due to extra pressure.

“It turns out not to be a hemorrhoid. It could be a mass or a lesion. You could have some bleeding, especially when you’re wiping with toilet paper or wet wipes,” Dr. Kumar says.

Anal cancer’s prevalence in the United States is “very low,” Dr. Kumar says, with around 8,000 cases per year. Around two-thirds of the cases are women, and it’s more common in age 50 and up.

“The number one cause of anal cancer is HPV, the human papillomavirus,” Dr. Kumar says. “So, it is considered a sexually transmitted disease.”

But he says you don’t have to be sexually active to get anal cancer. Regardless, there are vaccines for the most common HPVs that cause cancer.

Prevention and treatment

Symptoms aside, Dr. Kumar says there’s a must-do for anal and rectal cancer prevention: get on a colonoscopy schedule as advised by your health care provider. A colonoscopy is when a provider inspects your colon and surrounding areas using a tiny camera on the end of a tube. Dr. Kumar says generally, colonoscopies start at age 45. But they could start earlier if you have a family history of cancer.

Other tips: Don’t smoke. Exercise regularly. Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber. Thirty grams of fiber per day is a good goal, Dr. Kumar says.

If you do have symptoms of anal or rectal cancer, see a provider to get checked out.

Dr. Kumar says treatment for anal cancer is usually chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He says when treated properly, the typical five-year survival rate is around 80%.

“The only times we would operate on anal cancer are to get the original [cancerous] mass out and if the cancer comes back,” Dr. Kumar explains.

For rectal cancer, Dr. Kumar says around 40% of people can also be treated with chemotherapy and radiation. Others will need surgery to remove the cancer. But Dr. Kumar says medicine has progressed to where people can typically avoid a colostomy, or when a part of the colon is diverted outside the skin to bypass a damaged part of the colon. This is temporary and comes with a bag that collects the waste that would normally leave your body via a bowel movement.

Learn more

Read more about prevention and treatment of rectal and anal cancer on the OSF HealthCare website.

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A good chunk of the U.S. has felt the wrath; dealing with snow, strong winds and other dangerous conditions. 

Snow, especially the heavy stuff, means a lot of shoveling. The pressure this puts on our bodies can lead to an array of health-related problems if you're not careful and properly prepared for the winter season. 

Among the people at the greatest risk while shoveling are older adults, people with a history of back problems, and those who have suffered a heart attack or other serious health issue. 

“Every year, thousands of people end up in an emergency department due to things happening when they’re shoveling snow," Henderson says. "These include falls, sometimes people experience heart attacks from extraneous activities, back injuries amongst other things. So, it’s really important to take some caution when you are going to be shoveling snow, and the snow is coming.”

When it comes to shoveling, Henderson says to play it safe. Take your time and be sure to let your loved ones and friends know what you're up to in the event something does happen. 

Don't be afraid to ask for help. She adds to dress appropriately to avoid frostbite, stretch five to ten minutes before you go out in the cold and stay hydrated. 

We have ushered in the New Year. For some, it's that time we pledge to exercise more, save money, find a new hobby, or shed a few pounds. 

A recent Forbes Health survey reports losing weight is the fourth most popular resolution for 2024, trailing only improving fitness, finances and mental health. 

Nicole O'Neill is a dietitian with OSF HealthCare. Her job is to help people navigate the choppy waters of starting diets, especially this time of year.

“Resolutions are big picture things. So, if you have a resolution to lose X amount of weight, go ahead and make it. But then break it down into smart goals, little steps along the way so that you can achieve something and feel like you did something," O'Neill says. 

Resolutions aren't for everyone, so don't feel bad if you don't make one. 

O'Neill says it depends on the person's personality and what other factors are involved such as stress, hormones, pain or lack of sleep.

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Feeling bloated today? You’re not alone.

It’s not uncommon to get the sensation caused by gas, air or fluid retention in the stomach or small intestine. But what’s important to know: bloating has many causes, says Aminat Ogun, MD, an OSF HealthCare family medicine physician. So don’t let it linger and hope it will go away. If symptoms persist, see a health care provider so they can rule out something more serious and give proper treatment.

“It might feel like your stomach is full, swollen or sometimes tender. It can cause some discomfort,” Dr. Ogun says.

Causes for bloating include:

• The body makes too much gas.
   
• An overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. H. pylori is a common type. Dr. Ogun says it causes chronic inflammation in the stomach lining, and it can lead to peptic ulcers or even stomach cancer if untreated.
   
• Diet issues, like intolerance of certain carbohydrates or a gluten intolerance.
   
• Hormone changes during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
   
• Abnormal gastrointestinal motility. Simply put, this is when your gut is not working properly. Dr. Ogun says one example is gastroparesis.

              “The body takes its time before its able to pass food from the stomach to the small intestine,” she explains.

• Stress, anxiety and depression.

Dr. Ogun points out that we can’t control some of those causes, but others we can. She says a typical first step for a person with bloating is to change their diet. She says doctors may recommend a diet with a long name: fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. But just remember the abbreviation: FODMAP. It describes carbohydrates that are difficult for the body to break down.

Foods to avoid on the FODMAP diet: pasta, cereal, bread, yogurt, ice cream, apples, cherries and peaches. Alternatives include quinoa, brown rice, eggs, cheese, grapes, strawberries, chamomile tea, peppermint tea and ginger tea.

“Have a food diary,” Dr. Ogun suggests. “See what triggers your bloating symptoms and see if you can eliminate those foods.”

People with bloating may also take medicine like Gas-X. If you have intestinal bacteria, you’ll be on antibiotic medication.

Dr. Ogun adds for people age 55 and up, bloating is less common, and other health issues are, simply due to older age. So, if you are of that age and have sudden bloating symptoms, see a provider to find out if your symptoms are bloating or something more serious. And for all ages, if you have severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or unintentional weight loss, stop by a doctor’s office.

Interview clips

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If you’re thinking about using sugar substitutes to help with weight loss, think again. That’s the word from the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to new guidelines, replacing free sugars with non-sugar sweeteners (NNS) doesn’t help people control their weight long-term. The WHO first issued guidelines on sugar intake in 2015, recommending that adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake.

The latest review added that there might be "potential undesirable effects" from the long-term use of sugar substitutes such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. There were 283 studies included in the review.

Jason Crum, a dietitian with OSF HealthCare, agrees and adds there could be other potential risks.

“When you look at sugar substitutes, it's more why am I using the sugar substitutes? If I'm quickly replacing calories because I don't want calories from a can of Coca Cola or Pepsi, a sugar substitute would be something quicker to use,” he says. “However, most people are doing it for a long time, which is creating other problems.”

Those problems start with the gut. 

“We create dysbiosis – that altered gut bacteria,” Crum says. “They use the energy differently, and they make other products out of it, which we in turn absorb. And that messes with our receptors, our ability to understand what's going on in our gut. It triggers more cravings for those sugary foods anyway, it even helps us eat more, which can be an adverse thing for most people.”

Instead, experts say that other ways to reduce free sugars intake include consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages. Crum says it comes down to making a lifestyle change.

“For most of my clients we don’t want to expect weight loss by just simply avoiding the sugars and using sugar alcohols or sugar substitutes of a different type,” says Crum. “It's looking at why they are consuming the sugary form in the first place? They could have an imbalanced dietary intake, it could be eating foods at the wrong times, it could be emotionally eating. If you're going to have a sugar substitute, you're not quelling that emotional response anymore. So it makes those cravings worse later in the day, and you might end up eating more total calories then if you had something that had the sugar in it.”

Crum recommends people pay close attention to food labels when making decisions about sugar substitutes.

“What are the nutrition facts label telling me? Do I understand what a total carb is? Do I understand what the sugar is under there? Every four grams of added sugar is equivalent to one teaspoon, so if you have 12 grams of added sugar you have three teaspoons of sugar right there,” he says. “So, understanding that gives people an idea of where am I really at here.”

Crum says the bottom-line is don’t rely on sugar substitutes. If you do, you’ll end up craving more and eating more. Instead, evaluate why you’re selecting the foods you eat in the first place. It will make things easier in the long run rather than cutting out certain foods all at once. Going cold turkey, he adds, seldom works for most people.

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An injectable prescription medication for adults with Type 2 diabetes is being hailed in Hollywood as a weight-loss drug, too.

Ozempic has been steadily in the headlines for months and became the butt of comedian Jimmy Kimmel at the 2023 Academy Awards when he joked, “When I look around this room I can’t help but wonder, ‘Is Ozempic right for me?”

Ozempic’s website – and its advertising - says the medicine is used “along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar” and that “you should ask your healthcare provider if Ozempic is right for you.” Rachel Fehl, an advanced practice registered nurse at OSF Weight Management, agrees. She also says to make sure the drug you might take for weight loss is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“There are a lot of telehealth companies doing weight loss right now. You may notice you can get semaglutide (Ozempic) online for a much cheaper price. It’s going to range (around) $1,200 a month for the actual medication, but there are some pharmacies compounding it for much less. I would not recommend those compounded formulations, they’re not being regulated right now,” Fehl says.

Meta Rask, manager of the OSF Weight Management Center in Peoria, says the clinic focuses on healthy lifestyles, not trendy diets.

“We don’t focus on fad diets,” Rask says. “We truly focus on being healthy and meeting a patient’s needs where they’re at. We then help them figure out what disciplinary team is going to be able to help them meet those goals.”

While the OSF Weight Management Center sometimes does recommend a weight-loss drug alongside exercise and healthy eating, Rask says you need to work with the team to figure out a plan that works for you.

“We have nurses, we have a physician and we have registered dietitians and exercise physiologists,” Rask says. “They work together to meet patients one-on-one to do an assessment. They’re going to find out what that patient is looking for and what their barriers are.”

Fehl adds that everyone’s weight loss journey is different, and so is the response from OSF Weight Management providers.

“For some of our patients, we do utilize FDA-approved anti-obesity medications. Those do include some of the GLP-1 medications, similar to Ozempic, for the appropriate patient,” Fehl says.

Below are some tips if you are interested in beginning your weight loss journey.

1. Control carbohydrates: Specifically processed carbohydrates and caloric beverages. Just one can of regular soda contains more than the daily maximum amount of recommended sugar for men and women. 
2. Prioritize protein: Try to include protein with all meals and snacks. Protein helps us to feel full faster and for longer and can also reduce post meal blood sugar spikes.
3. Schedule Sleep: Getting less than seven hours or more than nine hours of sleep can both contribute to weight gain.
4. Take a break: This applies both to doing activities that reduce stress as well as giving our body a break from food. Find a meditation or breathing exercise you can add to your day to reduce cortisol production that can stimulate fat storage. Try to incorporate a 12 hour overnight fast (unless you have a medical condition that would not allow this). This practice can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms as well as allow for more use of stored fats for fuel.
5. Request a Referral: Ask your primary care provider or other provider for a referral to OSF Weight Management if you need some help getting started. The center’s goal is to help you change your lifestyle to one that allows you to reach your goals and improve overall health.  

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From Elon Musk to TikTokers, ongoing social media chatter claims drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are the magic way to weight loss.

There’s good news, says Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign, Illinois. Those drugs can help you lose weight when prescribed by a doctor under specific circumstances and paired with diet and exercise.

The more important bad news? There’s no magic, one-size-fits-all drug that will by itself cause you to shed pounds. And if someone on social media is claiming so, they’re wrong.

Dr. Ogun says Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are from the same family of medicine. They are usually prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes.

“It increases the insulin in the body, which helps bring glucose into the cells,” Dr. Ogun explains.

The medications also slow food leaving your stomach and suppress appetite.

Once the drugs became more well known, Dr. Ogun says people found, not surprisingly, that weight loss was a side effect and began prescribing them for that purpose under specific circumstances. She says the patient should have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 or a BMI greater than 27 with a chronic condition like diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia.

But even if you meet those guidelines, Dr. Ogun says you should talk with your doctor about whether a weight loss drug is right for you or whether simply changing habits can get the results you want.

For one, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are expensive and may not be covered by insurance.

Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports a shortage of Ozempic and Wegovy. So Dr. Ogun says doctors may be less likely to prescribe the drugs for weight loss when diabetics may have a more critical need.

And like any other medication, there is a list of side effects.

“Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation are possible,” Dr. Ogun says. “There are also hypersensitivity side effects like angioedema and an anaphylaxis reaction. It’s also been known to cause kidney injury or pancreatitis.”

Lately, the term “Ozempic face” has been trending on social media, describing a hollowed-out appearance due to quick weight loss.

One last piece of advice you’ll hear doctors give over and over: don’t rely on social media for health tips. If you find a tip that might benefit you, talk to your doctor before starting any treatment.

“The good thing about social media is that it allows a lot of people to receive a variety of information all at once,” Dr. Ogun says. “The downside: is it a credible source?”

Find a primary care provider on the OSF HealthCare website.

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