Zari, a mother and social media influencer, hit the headlines after detailing her terrible ordeal with weight-loss injection Mounjaro. Having previously worn UK sizes 18 to 20, she was overjoyed to lose four stone in four months. However, what had started out as one of transformation soon went horribly wrong and turned into a series of medical crises and constant agony, leaving her "in and out" of hospitals.

In a real TikTok clip, Zari disclosed that she now has gastritis, a painful stomach lining inflammation, which she never had prior to taking the medication. "As much as I love Mounjaro, I can hands down say it has ruined a part of me," she captioned her clip, highlighting the long-term effect on her health regardless of weight loss.

Gastritis presents as abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, belching, and gas. With Zari, the symptoms were sudden and severe, prompting repeated visits to hospital and copious blood work. Physicians diagnosed her symptoms as inflammation of the stomach lining, possibly due to Mounjaro usage.

As stated by the NHS, gastritis can be caused by Helicobacter pylori bacterial infections, anti-inflammatory pain medication, excessive drinking of alcohol, and extreme stress levels. These are usual causes; however, drugs such as Mounjaro, which manipulate the gastrointestinal tract, can induce serious instances in some people.

Mounjaro, which was sanctioned for individuals with a BMI of more than 30 or for individuals with BMI greater than 27 accompanied by weight-related health problems, is revered for its efficacy in swift weight loss. Zari shed four stone within a space of four months—a great feat for anyone with obesity.

Yet the cost of rapid transformation can sometimes outweigh the benefits. Zari admitted, “I look trash because I’m tired from the pain the whole night—Mounjaro has given me gastritis, and that is a killer.” She highlighted how even simple day-to-day activities are impacted, with pain interfering with her ability to eat, sleep, and function normally, reports The Mirror.

The most frequent side effects of Mounjaro are gastrointestinal. What this patient has experienced, although not the most frequent result, is within the known risk profile of the drug.

Mounjaro side effects, as stated by the NHS, most commonly include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and indigestion that tend to decrease with time. Yet more dangerous side effects are reported, such as low blood sugar, gallstones, and pancreatitis. Severe gastritis, although less common, fits these documented gastrointestinal complications.

The Risks of Uncontrolled Use of Weight Loss Medications

Though Mounjaro is licensed to certain medical standards, some have used the drug privately without prescription or medical necessity. The situation leaves many questioning unnecessary exposure to the potentially dangerous side effects.

Medical professionals warn that the use of weight-reducing medication without proper medical scrutiny tends to increase health risks. Dr Curtis stressed the need for consultation with medical experts prior to beginning such medication, particularly for people with no underlying obesity conditions.

For Zari, the experience is a cautionary tale about the emotional and physical costs of rapid weight loss. Despite achieving a body transformation she previously desired, the physical toll has overshadowed her accomplishments. “It’s been two months, I’ve been going in and out of hospitals, getting drips and everything,” she explained.

The case highlights a broader societal trend: the increasing demand for injectable weight-reduction treatments such as Mounjaro, driven by social media exposure and culture of instant transformation, at times without adequate awareness of risks.

A representative from Lilly UK spoke with The Mirror, saying, "Patient safety is the number one concern for Lilly, and we take very seriously any information related to patient safety. Regulatory authorities independently review the benefits and risks of each new medication very thoroughly. Patients are urged to speak with their physician about any potential side effects and to verify that they receive authentic Lilly medicine."

This statement reflects the industry’s awareness of side effects and underscores the necessity of medically supervised use of prescription weight-loss treatments.

What Patients Must Consider Before Taking Weight-Loss Injections?

Zari’s experience emphasizes several key considerations for anyone contemplating injectable weight-loss therapies:

Medical oversight is crucial: Drugs like Mounjaro are approved for specific BMI categories and comorbidities; off-label use increases risk.

Recognition of gastrointestinal side effects: Severe pain, gastritis, and nausea, although rare, are possible.

Monitoring and follow-up: Ongoing assessment by health professionals allows for early identification of complications.

Physical and mental well-being balance: The speed of weight loss may not be worth enduring chronic pain or decreased quality of life.

Is Social Media Adding To The Weight Loss Pressure?

Platforms like TikTok amplify the visibility of “miracle” weight-loss stories, often glossing over potential side effects. Zari’s transparent account offers a critical counter-narrative, highlighting the risks that might not be widely discussed, the emotional distress, hospital visits, and daily disruption that severe side effects can bring.

As more individuals turn to weight-loss injections, healthcare providers and patients alike must weigh short-term aesthetic gains against long-term health consequences. Zari’s story is a stark reminder that the pursuit of rapid weight loss can come with unforeseen and life-altering costs.

Zari’s journey from celebrating a four-stone reduction to grappling with chronic gastritis—illustrates the complexities of medically supervised weight loss. Mounjaro remains an effective tool for many, but her experience underscores the importance of understanding potential side effects, adhering to medical guidance, and prioritizing overall health above aesthetic goals.

Food is one of the best ways to de-stress when you are working under pressure and are worried about things in your life. However, relying only on food to cheer you up can lead you down a path that can increase your blood sugar and put your health at risk.

High blood sugar is much more common than people realize, in 2022 adults over the age of 18 years were living with high blood sugar. What’s surprising is that a lot of them did not even know they have high blood sugar. However, why is high blood sugar a cause of concern?

What Happens When Blood Sugar Is High?

When blood sugar levels stay high for a long time or get very high, it can cause serious, permanent damage to your body. This can lead to nerve damage in your hands and feet, vision problems, and even a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. If you have high blood sugar, your doctor might have you test for ketones, as a high level of these can be a sign of this dangerous condition.

Symptoms of high blood sugar usually appear gradually and may not become noticeable until your blood sugar levels are quite high. The most common signs to watch for are:

• Feeling very thirsty.
• Peeing a lot.
• Feeling weak or tired.
• Having blurry vision.
• Losing weight unexpectedly.

14 Day Routine That Can Lower Your Blood Sugar

For people with diabetes, several things can cause blood sugar levels to rise. These include being sick or feeling stressed, eating too many foods that are high in sugar or starch, not being as active as you normally are etc.

According to the post, this 14-day plan to help manage blood sugar without relying solely on medication. These tips focus on diet, physical activity, and timing to help you control your body's blood sugar levels.

Avoid Sugary Drinks and Refined Grains

Cut out drinks like sodas, juices, and sweetened teas, as they cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Similarly, processed carbs like white bread and white rice break down quickly into sugar. Instead, choose whole grains.

Eat Cinnamon Daily

Adding just a half-teaspoon of cinnamon to your morning tea or food can help improve your body's sensitivity to insulin, which is the hormone that moves sugar from your blood into your cells.

Start Meals with Fiber-Rich Salad

Eating a salad first can help slow down the digestion of the rest of your meal. The fiber in the salad creates a kind of protective barrier in your gut, which keeps your blood sugar from spiking too quickly after you eat.

Choose Complex Carbs

Instead of simple carbs, like those found in sweets and white flour, choose complex carbs. These are found in foods like whole grains, vegetables, and beans. They are rich in fiber, which helps your body absorb sugar more slowly and steadily.

Replace Sugar with Natural Sweeteners

Try using natural, zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit instead of regular sugar. These can satisfy your sweet tooth without affecting your blood sugar levels.

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

Eating three big meals can lead to large blood sugar spikes. A better approach is to eat several smaller meals throughout the day. This helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable and prevents extreme highs and lows.

Physical Activity and Other Habits

Walk 20 Minutes After Every Meal

A short walk after you eat can do wonders. Physical activity helps your muscles use up the sugar in your bloodstream for energy, which prevents blood sugar levels from rising too high.

Drink Bitter Gourd Juice

This traditional remedy is often used to help manage blood sugar. Drinking it three times per week may support your body's ability to use glucose effectively.

Scientists have long been puzzled over how the brain clears away its own waste. Unlike the rest of the body, which relies on the lymphatic system to carry waste from cells into circulation, the brain appeared to have no such mechanism. That mystery shifted about 12 years ago when researchers discovered the glymphatic system, a network that acts as the brain’s built-in cleaning service.

The glymphatic system works by circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the brain’s tissues. This fluid enters the spaces between brain cells, collects waste, and carries it out along large veins. In animal studies, particularly in mice, the system appears most active during sleep. That discovery suggested that sleep might be essential for brain detoxification, and disrupted rest could interfere with waste clearance.

Among the most important toxins flushed out by the glymphatic system is amyloid beta (Aβ), a protein that, when accumulated, forms sticky plaques in the brain. These plaques, along with tangles of tau protein, are a defining feature of Alzheimer’s disease—the most common cause of dementia worldwide.

The idea that better sleep helps the brain clean itself is more than a scientific curiosity. It may help explain why people who consistently struggle with poor sleep face higher risks of dementia.

In humans, levels of amyloid beta in cerebrospinal fluid rise during waking hours and drop during sleep, suggesting that rest is when the brain “takes out the trash.” In one striking experiment, researchers kept healthy adults awake for a single night. Just 24 hours of sleep deprivation increased amyloid beta in the hippocampus, the brain region essential for memory and one of the first to show damage in Alzheimer’s disease.

Still, questions remain. While several mouse studies indicate the glymphatic system is most active at night, other recent experiments suggest it may work differently depending on the time of day or even the species. The debate highlights how much more we need to learn about how this system functions in humans.

How Do Sleep Disorders Increase Risk of Dementia?

Not all sleep is equal. Short-term sleep loss is harmful, but chronic sleep problems can be particularly damaging to brain health.

Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea, where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, deprives the brain of oxygen and fragments rest. Both oxygen deprivation and chronic sleep disruption are thought to contribute to toxin build-up in the brain. Importantly, studies show that patients treated for sleep apnoea—often with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines—see greater clearance of amyloid beta. This suggests that treatment may help restore the brain’s waste-disposal rhythm.

Insomnia

Insomnia, defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep, has also been linked to higher dementia risk. While the association is clear, the mechanism is less so. Does insomnia accelerate amyloid build-up? Could treatment reverse the trend? Researchers are only beginning to explore whether therapies—such as orexin receptor antagonists, a new class of sleep drugs—might improve toxin clearance.

Untreated sleep disorders don’t just leave you tired—they may be undermining your brain’s long-term health.

Can Sleep Prevent Dementia?

While early findings are promising, science isn’t yet ready to declare sleep a cure for dementia. What researchers do know is that sleep deprivation can rapidly alter amyloid levels in the brain, and chronic sleep disorders such as apnoea and insomnia are associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. Treating sleep apnoea appears to improve amyloid clearance, though evidence regarding the effects of insomnia treatment remains limited.

What remains uncertain is whether improving sleep directly reduces dementia risk. Large, long-term clinical studies are still needed to confirm the link. Researchers are actively pursuing this question, measuring proteins like amyloid beta and tau in blood and spinal fluid across sleep-wake cycles, in both healthy individuals and those with sleep disorders.

The global dementia burden is growing. Alzheimer’s and related dementias currently affect more than 55 million people worldwide, with cases expected to triple by 2050. While scientists race to develop new drugs, lifestyle measures—such as improving sleep—are emerging as powerful, accessible tools for prevention.

If better sleep helps the glymphatic system flush out harmful proteins, prioritizing rest may be one of the simplest ways to protect long-term brain health. That means:

• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
• Addressing sleep disorders like apnoea with medical guidance.
• Seeking help if insomnia is chronic.

While the science continues to evolve, the advice remains practical: treat sleep as essential, not optional.

The glymphatic system is a reminder that the brain, like the body, needs maintenance. Just as poor diet, smoking, or lack of exercise take their toll, chronic sleep disruption may leave toxins lingering in the brain, setting the stage for cognitive decline.

The exciting part is that this field of research is still in its infancy. Scientists are mapping the biology of how the brain cleans itself and testing new ways to boost that process. Whether through targeted drugs, therapies for sleep disorders, or simply protecting natural sleep cycles, the future may bring strategies to slow or even prevent dementia.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death for women all over the world. It is the most common cancer diagnosed in American women and a leading cause of cancer death in less developed countries. In India alone, cancer cases are projected to reach over 1.5 million by 2025.

Since this disease is so widespread, it's essential to be well-informed. Dr. Lauren Ramsey, a breast cancer surgeon, shared four important facts that she believes every woman should know. These tips, originally posted on her Instagram, provide crucial information for understanding breast cancer risk and detection.

Family History Is Not the Only Risk Factor

Only a small number of breast cancer cases—about 5-10%—are actually caused by genes you inherit, such as the BRCA mutation. This means that most breast cancers are not passed down through families.

Therefore, even if no one in your family has ever had breast cancer, it's still extremely important for you to get regular screenings, like mammograms. Relying only on family history can give you a false sense of security, so remember that breast cancer can affect anyone, and consistent check-ups are your best defense.

Look Beyond a Lump

Many people think that the only sign of breast cancer is a lump. However, this isn't true. It's really important to pay attention to other changes in your breasts, because they can also be a sign of cancer.

Be on the lookout for things like changes in your skin, such as redness or dimpling (like an orange peel). Other signs can include swelling, a new pain that doesn't go away, or any unusual discharge from your nipple. Knowing what your breasts normally look and feel like is key to spotting these more subtle changes early.

Breast Density Affects Detection

Breast density refers to how much fibrous and glandular tissue a person has compared to fatty tissue. Many people, especially younger women, have naturally dense breasts. While this is completely normal and not a health problem on its own, it can make it harder for doctors to see breast cancer on a standard mammogram.

That's because both dense tissue and tumors appear white on a mammogram, making it difficult to tell them apart. If you have dense breasts, your doctor might recommend extra tests, like an ultrasound or an MRI, to get a clearer picture. You can ask your doctor about your breast density after your mammogram.

Lifestyle Changes Can Make a Difference

The healthy habits you often hear about—like eating well and exercising—are not just a suggestion; they can actually lower your risk of developing breast cancer. Making simple changes can have a big impact. Try to limit the amount of alcohol you drink and reduce your intake of processed foods, which are often high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

At the same time, try to be more physically active every day. Even a short daily walk can help. These positive choices are a great way to take control of your health and reduce your risk. This information is shared with care, so everyone can be empowered with knowledge about their health.