This blog post features a few key takeaways from Dr. Megan’s Wellness Your Way podcast interview with Ashley Koff, RD about GLP-1s, weight hormones, and the future of health. Find the full episode here and be sure to subscribe to Wellness Your Way so you don’t miss future episodes!

Guest Bio: Ashley Koff, RD

Ashley Koff, RD, is the founder of the The Better Nutrition Program (BNP), the nutrition course director for UC Irvine’s Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute’s Integrative and Functional Medicine Fellowship, and a faculty member at the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy (IFNA), where she teaches “An Integrative and Functional Nutrition Approach to Obesity and Weight Management.” She is also the author of the upcoming book Your Best Shot (HarperOne, Jan. 6, 2026). A practitioner for more than 25 years, Koff is leading a transformative movement in personalized nutrition, turning “better, not perfect” choices into practical, sustainable strategies that deliver real health outcomes. Through patient stories and personal experience, she shows that optimal health is not just possible — it’s essential to living your fullest life. Koff has been recognized as one of CNN’s Top 100 Health Makers, featured in InStyle as “Hollywood’s Leading Dietitian,” and selected as Westin’s global nutrition ambassador.

Top Insights from Ashley Koff’s Interview

1. GLP-1s are about more than just weight. They also influence digestion, cravings, hydration, and even brain health, making them central to overall wellness.
2. Your lab results might not tell the whole story. Fasting glucose and A1C often miss critical details, which explains why you can feel “off” even when your labs look normal.
3. Your digestion holds hidden clues. Hydration levels and even bowel habits can reveal whether your hormones are working optimally or struggling.
4. Natural GLP-1 activity is surprisingly short-lived. These hormones only act for 2–4 minutes before being broken down, which makes it harder for the body to keep up in today’s environment.
5. There’s no such thing as “nature’s Ozempic.” Some supplements can support hormone function, but none truly replicate the effects of prescription medications.
6. Our food environment is working against us. Many processed foods are designed to override satiety signals, making it difficult to recognize when you’re actually full.
7. Optimizing is a verb. Health isn’t a one-time fix — it’s a continual process of paying attention and adjusting to your body’s signals.
8. Most of us have suppressed or delayed hormone function. Even without a full dysfunction, these imbalances impact hunger, cravings, and energy every day.
9. Medication effects aren’t always side effects. Some of the most common changes on GLP-1s happen because that’s exactly how the drugs are meant to work.
10. The best first step is free. A simple self-assessment can give you valuable insights into your hormone health before making bigger decisions.

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Want to hear the full episode, including the truth about GLP-1 weight hormones, why these medications may be overprescribed, how to naturally optimize your own hormone function, and so much more?

Check out the podcast episode here!