Natural Ozempic or Wegovy… Chew on it!

Camels know a free and natural way. to stimulate GLP-1!

I originally wrote about chewing back in 2023. Check the original here!

Here’s why I am writing about chewing AGAIN.

My friend is a nutritional therapist. I asked her over the weekend what her number 1 hack for better nutrition is. I expected her to say something about raw vegetables. But what she said was:

“Chewing. For sure. People need to chew their food more. It helps with every other part of digestion!”

I’ll save the United States citizens $39 BILLION in the next paragraph… and after that: a bunch more reasons to chew

🧬 Nature’s Ozempic? Just Chew.

In 2023, sales for GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy totaled $39 Billion. These drugs make you feel more full. When you’re full, you eat less. Then you lose weight!

Before you go for the drugs, know this: chewing makes you feel full. Chewing your food slowly helps stimulate the release of GLP‑1, the same hormone targeted by medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. Simply increasing the number of chews per bite significantly elevates post-meal GLP‑1 and related hormones. And chewing is FREE.

But here’s the problem: if you’re missing teeth, especially molars, chewing is sometimes impossible. That means your natural fullness switch is stuck in the off position.

In case you need more convincing… Below is even more info on why your chewing matters!

Dr Brayden’s original, underslept and overcaffeinated call to chew more!

It Relieves Stress

Do you clench or grind your teeth when you’re stressed? That’s pretty common, and it's known that chewing is related to stress reduction.  While there can be many root causes for clenching and grinding, it certainly can be a coping mechanism to help relieve stress. And chewing food does the same thing for stress reduction.

You Get a Work out!

 I’d especially advocate chewing for growing children. There’s a well-documented epidemic of small jaws in developed countries, leading to increased need for orthodontics, diminished breathing ability, and poor facial esthetics. That’s why “Mewing” has become so popular. Western societies eat more soft, processed foods. Our jaws aren’t developing like they used to because we don’t chew like we used to! When we don’t exercise our jaws in our youth, they don’t grow to the proper size. Part of the problem is our new, processed foods are less nutritious, but the majority of the blame is on a lack of chewing in childhood. I’ll write more about this in a future blog post.

Missing Teeth → Missed Brain Signals

If you can’t chew properly, you skip key signals that help your brain know you’ve had enough. That can lead to overeating or always feeling hungry after a meal—even if you “technically” ate enough.

Poor Chewing = Poor Nutrition

People with fewer teeth often avoid fibrous, crunchy, or protein-rich foods. The result? Lower intake of fruits, vegetables, and essential nutrients—and higher risk for malnutrition and chronic conditions (Dinoi et al., 2023).

A Camel chews thoroughly!

Long-Term Health Takes a Hit

Chewing is more than a bite-and-grind motion. It’s linked to:

• Brain health and neuroplasticity

• Bone density in your jaw

• Facial structure and confidence

• Even risk of death - yes, really.

✅ What You Can Do If You're Missing Teeth

Dental implants or bridges: Restore chewing function and help you stimulate those natural fullness hormones again.

Denture upgrades: A stable denture that actually lets you chew can still beat a lifetime of sipping purées.

Soft foods with texture: Cooked veggies, mashed beans, and minced meat can provide some chewing stimulus even with partial dentition.

Mindful eating: Slow down, take smaller bites, and let your brain catch up with your gut.

TL;DR

Chewing isn’t optional—it’s foundational. Missing teeth doesn’t just make meals less enjoyable. It short-circuits fullness signals (like GLP‑1), reduces nutrition, alters your face and smile, and increases long-term health risks.

So if you’ve been told to “chew your food more,” now you know why: it’s your body’s free, natural, no-side-effect version of Ozempic.

Need help restoring your ability to chew? We can help. Give us a call or text!

-Dr Brayden Teuscher