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The Maney & LauRen Morning Show

The Maney & LauRen Morning Show

The Maney & LauRen Morning Show

Ozempic May Help Smokers Break The Habit

Author LauRen Merola

Smokers who take Ozempic or Wegovy for diabetes or weight loss may experience an unexpected side effect – help breaking the habit. According to Forbes magazine, a new study finds that semaglutide, the active ingredient in these drugs, could also help people quit smoking.

Researchers with Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and the National Institute on Drug Abuse looked into the way Ozempic affects tobacco addiction. 

  • They compared its impact to that of seven other diabetes medications, including injectable insulin, by analyzing data on nearly 233-thousand new users of the drugs
  • They found that fewer people taking semaglutide tried to get medical help to quit smoking.
  • Semaglutide users were 32% less likely to have medical visits related to tobacco use disorder than those taking other anti-diabetes drugs.
  • Those taking semaglutide were also less likely than people on other anti-diabetes drugs to be prescribed drugs to help them quit smoking or to be referred to counseling for it.
  • The biggest effect happened within 30 days of starting semaglutide, but continued for around 180 days, then leveled off.

Study authors decided to research how the medication affects smoking after multiple reports of people taking it said they didn’t want to smoke as much. It’s only an observational study, so there’s no proof that semaglutide is responsible for them quitting, but researchers point out that it’s important because smoking is the top preventable cause of early death. And since close to 12% of U.S. adults smoke, this could help a lot of them kick the habit. 

ozempic

LauRen Merola Strager is a former NFL & NBA cheerleader turned radio host. LauRen is a former Miss Pennsylvania USA and is a proud wife and mother of two. She is the owner and chief editor for her fashion and lifestyle Blog “All Of The F-Words” and is a champion for the Autism community. You can read all about LauRen’s thoughts on motherhood, pageant life, and everyday life through her online content.

Make Your Money Grow with These Low-Risk Investments

If you have some money wasting away in a savings account that doesn’t have interest, then you might want to consider making your money grow with low-risk investments. Financial experts say that certain low-risk investments can really help pad your savings.

What Are Low-Risk Investments?

Before we get into the best low-risk investments, let’s look at what exactly is a low-risk investment. The official definition is basically what you would expect from the definition of a low-risk investment. According to the financial experts at Capital.com, it’s “an investment where there is perceived to be just a slight chance of losing some or all of your money. Low risk investments offer you a security blanket as they’re not likely to suddenly drop in value.”

In contrast, according to Investopedia.com, “A high-risk investment is one for which there is either a large percentage chance of loss of capital or under-performance—or a relatively high chance of a devastating loss.” They add that, “The first of these is intuitive, if subjective: If you were told there’s a 50/50 chance that your investment will earn your expected return, you may find that quite risky.” So, for example, a 50/50 risk might not seem risky to some, but it might seem risky to others. An investment with a 99% risk will obviously seem risky to everyone. But, with high-risk investments come big payouts, so that’s what lures people in. For example, a separate article from Investopedia.com states that some high-risk investments can double your money. That’s obviously a much bigger return than you would see in your average investment. As they state, “Make no mistake, there is no guaranteed way to double your money with any investment. But there are plenty of examples of investments that doubled or more in a short period of time.”

So, if you’re interested in making a ton of money, or losing it all, high-risk investments such as investing in foreign emerging markets may be of interest to you. “A country experiencing a growing economy can be an ideal investment opportunity,” experts at Investopedia.com state. “Investors can buy government bonds, stocks, or sectors with that country experiencing hyper-growth or ETFs that represent a growing sector of stocks.” They add “spurts in economic growth in countries are rare events that, though risky, can provide investors with a slew of brand new companies to invest in to bolster personal portfolios.”

Now, let’s move onto some low-risk investments for those who don’t want to risk losing their money. Of course, talk to your financial advisor before making any of these moves.

  • Invest in certificates of deposit (CDs)

    You’ve probably heard of CDs being low-risk investments. Fidelity.com explains that “CDs provide reliable, fixed-rate returns on a lump sum of money over a fixed period of time, such as six months, one year, or five years.” They add that the great thing is that if you “get a traditional CD at a bank or credit union where they are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Association (NCUA).” Usually, CDs have a minimum deposit, and you’ll have to pay a penalty if you take your money out too soon.

    Woman putting money in piggy bank.

    Getty Images / AaronAmat

     

  • High-yield savings accounts

    High-yield savings accounts are like your regular savings account, but they earn more interest. “You can use these accounts for long-term savings goals or to hold extra money from your checking account,” CreditKarma.com states. “For example, if you want to start saving for a house or building up an emergency fund, this could be a great option.”

    Money.

    Getty Images /

  • U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds

    Forbes.com says that right now, the risk level for U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds is “very low.” They add that, “U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Historically, the U.S. has always paid its debts, which helps to ensure that Treasurys are the lowest-risk investments you can own.”

    Coins.

    Getty Images / sommart

  • Money market funds

    Fidelity.com states that, “Money market funds are mutual funds that invest in short-term, low-risk assets like Treasury and government securities, commercial paper, or municipal debt—depending on the focus of the fund.” They add that, “Because their underlying investments are typically high quality, they are generally less volatile than other types of mutual funds, such as stock funds.”

    Coins and a plant.

    Getty Images / Khongtham

  • Fixed annuities

    Fixed annuities are a pretty safe bet. As Forbes.com explains, “Fixed annuities are a popular type of annuity contract that are frequently used for retirement planning, but can also be useful for medium-term financial goals.” They add that, “Sold by insurance companies and financial services companies, a fixed annuity guarantees a fixed rate of return over a set period of time, regardless of market conditions.”

    Cash in a cup.

    Getty Images / artisteer

     

  • Invest inside your comfort zone

    People talk about stepping outside of their comfort zone in life, but really, investing isn’t a place to do this. You know how much money you have to “play” with, so if you’re worried about putting too much money in the market, these low-risk investments could still help you make money on your money.

    Piggy bank

    Getty Images / Nattakorn-Maneerat

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