AfterMASH

It’s been about 9 months on this project, and we’ve made it to episode 15. For this installment of our every-5-episodes joint episode, we talk pet peeves and hot-takes, and to end on a positive note, aspirations.Topics range from pigeons to Taylor Swift, and it gets pretty spicy in there! Do you agree with us? Let us know!<3, AfterMASH team This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com

Jackie and I sit down to talk about what has been our most requested episode: weddings. Parting from my typical book report (and hopefully saying goodbye to that format entirely, for my own sanity), we let the capitalism of it be and just chat about weddings. We start with a recently published article from the New York Times, For Some Singles, ‘Hobbyamory’ Has Replaced Hookups by Sadiba Hasan because it is the spider graph of this podcast that leads to weddings in the center. From there, we talk a brief history of the wedding before devolving into our personal takes on weddings. Then, the juiciest story of Zoe’s brief 32 years on this planet - planning her wedding. We think it’s a fun episode, we hope you do to!Zoe & The AfterMash clan.SourcesFor Some Singles, ‘Hobbyamory’ Has replaced Hookups How Wedding Expectations have Changed in the Past 90 YearsAn interview with the OG wedding plannerMagazines:* The Knot (30th anniversary edition)* BRIDE This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com

If I say “miracle drug” what comes to mind for you? If your head hasn’t been under a rock the last few years, my guess is you will immediately think of GLP-1s, the most popular of which is semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. According to google search volumes, “Ozempic” first outpaced “Adderall” in early 2023, and has stayed above ever since. (I mention Adderall because it is a widely popular, often off-label, drug intended to treat a health condition predominantly moderated in the brain, similar to Ozempic.) This is in stark contrast to bariatric surgery, the only other approved medical treatment that reliably causes its users to lose as much weight as a GLP-1, which hasn’t budged in popularity over this time.In fact, we can see the trend-behind-the-trend when we look at a few other related search terms: weight loss and fat. One thing that is extremely interesting to me is how, despite Ozempic entering mainstream consciousness around 2023, it took until 2026 for searches for weight loss or fat to start spiking. In fact, searches for weight loss rose nearly 40% between its relatively stable pre-2026 baseline and its new 2026 norm.This, along with some fascinating anecdotes from some friends and some seriously questionable Instagram ads, got me wondering what exactly is the Ozempic Effect? Is it really a Miracle drug, as all of the headlines are claiming?How does it even work in our body?Turns out, the answers to these questions are far stranger, more nuanced, and more interesting than I could have ever anticipated. Tune in to find out!XOXO,JackiePS - obligatory “tell us what you think!” request, “share with friends!” request, and “we love you, thank you for listening!” comment. But seriously - if you have any thoughts, please let us know!Resource ListI once again bit off more than I should have chewed with this topic, hence why the works cited is so long. But hopefully my excessive researching can be your easy guide to learning more! Related podcast episodes* Our previous episode on dating apps, where we introduce the concept of stock buybacks: Why does Dating Suck So Much?* Our previous episode on diamond engagement rings, where we talk about the idea of interpreting people’s decisions in the context they are living in: The Secret History of the Diamond Engagement Ring* While we are at it, I am apparently on a kick of episodes that point out the financial incentives for businesses trying to sell you fixes to our modern society: here’s our previous episode on The Booming Business of Fertility Preservation* The Journal podcast episode that discusses hair loss drugs making people sick: A Quick Fix for Hair Loss Is Making Some Men Sick* Huberman Lab podcast episode with a very thorough overview of hunger, satiety, and GLP-1 science: The Science of Hunger & Medications to Combat Obesity | Dr. Zachary Knight* Diabolical Lies covered “pretty privilege” in a paywalled podcast ep; if you want to explore this topic and are willing to pay, I highly recommend this analysis of why someone would want to lose weight in the first place (and how marketing distorts the picture): How ‘The Botox Psyop’ Broke Our Brains in the Name of BeautyInfo about obesity and diabetes* Obesity is measured via BMI, which is calculated as weight (kg) ÷ height (m²). For an average-height woman (5’4”), she is obese (BMI 30+) when she weighs 175lb, and she is severely obese at 233lb (BMI 40+).* Many doctors hold strong negative attitudes towards people with obesity, supporting Zoe’s point that we need to start treating weight like it’s just one medical fact in a suite of facts relevant to someone’s health, and not like it’s the Most Important Fact. To learn more about this stigma, this meta analysis is helpful: Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity - PMC* Causes:* (PDF) Altered Hypothalamic functional connectivity in adolescents with severe obesity* Genes and obesity | CDC* Causes of obesity: a review - ScienceDirect* Demographics:* Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023* Regional disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence and associated risk factors in the United States* Health impacts:* Consequences of Obesity - CDC* The important role of comorbidities in the management of obesity - PMC * Obese people often suffer from malnutrition: Malnutrition in Obesity: Is It Possible?About appetite and how GLP-1s relate:* Can GLP-1 Be a Target for Reward System Related Disorders? A Qualitative Synthesis and Systematic Review Analysis of Studies on Palatable Food, Drugs of Abuse, and Alcohol - PMCInfo about weight loss* Long-term weight loss maintenance, article in AJCN* Weight Maintenance after Dietary Weight Loss: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Behavioural Intensive InterventionAbout GLP-1 drugs (how they work in the body and mind)* Five things to know about GLP-1s and addiction by Stanford Medicine* Ozempic Quiets Food Noise in the Brain—But How? | Scientific American* Psychiatric effects of GLP‐1 receptor agonists: A systematic review of emerging evidence - PMC* Side effects: Semaglutide: Double-edged Sword with Risks and Benefits - PMC* A new era of weight loss: Mental health effects of GLP-1 drugs* The STEP 1 trial for semaglutide, which is the source of the 15% body weight loss stat: Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity | New England Journal of Medicine* Performing strength activities in addition to being on a GLP-1 reduces the muscle and bone loss: Bone Health After Exercise Alone, GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment, or Combination Treatment: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial* Hubermann Lab podcast episode with a very thorough overview of hunger, satiety, and GLP-1 science: The Science of Hunger & Medications to Combat Obesity | Dr. Zachary KnightDemographics of users and and cost info about GLP-1s* New Weight Loss Drugs: GLP-1 Agonist Use and Side Effects in the United States | RAND* Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Say They Are Currently Taking a GLP-1 Drug for Weight Loss, Diabetes or Another Condition, Even as Half Say the Drugs Are Difficult to Afford | KFF* Costly GLP-1 Drugs are Rarely Covered for Weight Loss by Marketplace Plans | KFF* The GLP-1 Access Gap: Mapping Who Can Actually Afford America’s Miracle Weight-Loss Drugs | The Health Management Academy* Related: demographic data for depression prevalence and treatment Disparity in Depression Treatment among Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations in the United States - PMCThe insane $ that GLP-1 manufacturers are making (and spending)* The Heavy Price of GLP-1 Drugs: How Financialization Drives Pharmaceutical Patent Abuse and Health Inequities for GLP-1 Therapies* Novo’s Wegovy and Ozempic US advertising spend doubles rival Eli Lilly, data shows | Reuters* Novo Nordisk sues Eli Lilly, alleging misleading GLP-1 advertising Should health insurers cover GLP-1s?* Fiscal Impact of Expanded Medicare Coverage for GLP-1 Receptor Agonists to Treat Obesity - PMC: This is the article that claims Medicare coverage for GLP-1 drugs would net increase $47.7 billion in spending over 10 years.* A Value-Based Price for Anti-Obesity Medications - July 17, 2025 - USC Schaeffer: This is the article that claims that Medicare coverage would save $245 billion over 10 years if they covered GLP-1sWhat happens when you stop taking GLP-1s?* Does Stopping Ozempic Cause Rebound Weight Gain and Health Problems? | Scientific American* Related: how to wean off of antidepressants: Discontinuation of antidepressants after remission with antidepressant medication in major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com

I started listening to podcasts in 2018. I remember the first podcast I devoured was Real Talk Radio. At some time around 2020, I found pop culture. Among the roll-call of podcasters was Shannon McNamara of FluentlyForward. So it is a DREAM to get to interview her here, and she is as lovely as she seems on her socials.In this conversation, we take it from the beginning to the end: her upbringing, the midlife crisis of Shannon’s twenties that brought us FluentlyForward, and what her life looks like now. At the end, we even talk a bit of pop culture. And of course, her advice to her twenty-year old self - it’s a good one!Apologies in advance for the technical difficulties I experienced, but Jackie and Shannon really hit it off - it was fun listening to what I missed while my internet wasn't working. Also, I said that Billie Eillish’s mom was on Armchair Expert, it was actually the other white-male-podcaster-with-all-the-answers, Rich Roll, and you can listen here if you’re curious.You can find Shannon at @FluentlyForward on socials and wherever podcasts are streamed. She will take your mind on a twisty journey and you’ll be a better person for it!- ZoePS:Full show notes on our website: https://aftermash.substack.com/Like what you hear? Share the episode with friends or buy us a coffee! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com

Nothing like pulling out a handful of hair in the shower to wake you up to the fact that you've been effing stressed lately. Oops. The bad news: my hair is now 20% less voluminous than it was before. The good news: we got excellent fodder for a deep dive into a topic that I believe we will all benefit from learning more about. Thank you for your sacrifice, 20% of my hair.In this episode, we discuss:- Defining some terms: wouldn’t be a Jackie episode if we didn’t get real technical about the differences between burnout, stress, allostatic (over)load, and the (para)sympathetic nervous system.- Talking about the impact of chronic stress on the body: what is chronic stress and how does it show up?- Discussing why we have to deal with chronic stress: what happens in our modern society that lead to lots of stress and not a lot of stress relief?- And, lastly, if you are someone experiencing a lot of stress, what can you do about it?If you or someone you know suffers from any of the following, you should definitely give it a listen!- Trouble falling or staying asleep (including 3am wakeups)- Hair loss at a greater rate than normal- More frequent sickness- A recent increase in tummy fat you can’t seem to kick- Shoulder / neck tightness or jaw clenching- Recurring migraines- Irregular periods- Upset stomach, diarrhea (*in the tune of the pepto bismol commercial from our youth*)Full show notes on our substack!xoxo Jackie This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com