We need to start to think about these drugs very differently from the oversimplifying story that has been offered up to us up till now. When you take them, you are not just changing your gut. You are changing your brain. You are changing your mind.
Page 163
In a nutshell
In 2023, writer and best-selling author Johann Hari started injecting himself with Ozempic in an effort to lose the weight he had struggled with most of his life. Ozempic, originally intended as a diabetic medication has become a wonder weight loss drug around the world. Those who have used it and found the results they were after defend its use as giving them a new lease on life and liberation from obesity related diseases like cancer, diabetes and early death. However is Ozempic magic or just an illusion. In an effort to understand the risks and rewards, Johann Hari deep dived into the world of weight loss drugs, food and science uncovering 12 potential risks that come from using Ozempic and how these drugs are changing what we think we know about shame, will power, healing – and health.
Book Club Notes
I was expecting Magic Pill to be interesting in the way a health/pharmaceutical focused book can be – interesting only by virtue of the information shared. Magic Pill, however, went beyond this. It was the storytelling, the insight, the rawness and vulnerability of the author that made it not just interesting but a brilliant, un-put-down-able must read. Johann Hari doesn’t shy away from his own personal struggles, the grey areas and the constant tug between the clear benefits and the risky side effects, not to mention the ethical dilemma of taking it away from Diabetics (and the knock offs). It is a book that will give you a clear understanding of weight loss drugs, how Ozempic works (and its side effects), the psychology of food and how the food industry has changed our appetites (and guts) and the real struggle of millions to lose weight by simply eating well and exercising. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year and he’s been added to my list of “authors I will read anything they write”.
Read If
You want to really understand Ozempic and the weight loss drug industry.
Rating
Writing – 10/10
Applicability – 10/10
Timelessness – 10/10
Shareability -10/10
The Nitty Gritty
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing, distributed by Jonathon Ball
Genre: Non-Fiction, Health
ISBN: 978-1-5266-7014-4
Pages: 286
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A note on our book ratings
Readability: How easy is it to read and understand what the author is saying? Do you need a dictionary or PhD to understand it?
Writing: How well written is the book? Do you find yourself wowed by the writing or unimpressed?
Applicability: How applicable is this book to daily life? Is there enough advice and actions that are easy to start applying?
Timelessness: Is the content of the book timeless or is it something that in a few years won’t have relevance?
Shareability: How likely are you to share the book?
