Obesity
and Seniors - Obesity
plagues the nation as a leading risk factor
for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and depression.
Do
you have a weight problem? If you do you are
not alone. An average American
gains between one-half pound to one pound every year. According to
some estimates, almost one out of every 3 adults in the United
States (about 97 million people) are classified as overweight or
obese.
This
is almost double what it was in 1960, which means that more of us
are getting heavier. An alarming trend is that weight problems begin
earlier in life than ever before. Millions of kids are overweight
and research shows that obese children are very likely to become
obese adults.
Why
this emphasis on obesity? For most people it's just a matter
of not looking as good as they would like. The real problem of
obesity is that it poses serious dangers to your health.
The Impact
of Obesity on Health
Last
year the American Heart Association (AHA) officially recognized
obesity as a definite risk factor for heart disease. The National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), after a 3-year review of medical
studies, concluded that obesity is associated with:
-
Cancer of the breast, uterus,
prostate and colon
-
Depression
-
Diabetes
-
Gallbladder disease
-
Heart Disease
-
Hypertension
-
Elevated cholesterol and
triglycerides
-
Incontinence
-
Osteoarthritis
-
Pregnancy complications
-
Sleep apnea
In
other words, most of our life-threatening
health problems are associated with excess weight. Shedding those
extra pounds will not only help you look good, more importantly, it
will help prevent serious medical conditions.
Treatment
for Obesity
First
of all, set realistic objectives. The latest guidelines reflect the
goal of rapidly losing weight in a short period of time. The current
recommendation is to achieve a 5-10% reduction in body weight over
a six-month period and every six months thereafter until you've
reached your ideal body weight.
A
5-10% weight reduction every six months is more achievable,
sustainable and sufficient enough to reduce the risk of associated
diseases. Gradual and steady weight loss will lead to better blood
sugar control, lower blood pressure, decreased cholesterol and less
stress on weight-bearing joints.
The
next consideration is how do you actually lost the weight? Here we
rely on the same tried and true method - eating less and exercising
more to burn more calories. Unfortunately, this requires lifestyle
changes. It takes a lot of patience, support and perseverance to
make permanent changes.
Obesity
and the
"Yo-Yo" Syndrome?
Most
people have tried numerous diets without success. The dieting
results in the dreaded "yo-yo" syndrome. The
"yo-yo" syndrome begins when you start a diet, lose some
weight, go off the diet and then gain back all
of the weight you lost, sometimes even more weight. Over time it
becomes more and more difficult to lose even a few pounds, despite
severe caloric reduction.
Clearly,
this is not the way to do it. In order to lose 5-10% of your body
weight over a six-month period you must, by definition, stick to the
diet for six months. Since most of us will stop dieting after one or
two months, we need help in order to see the results we desire most.
Appetite
suppressing medications are popular because we need help in
controlling food intake. Relying on drugs does not solve the
problem. Often these over-the-counter and prescription medications
work for a few weeks, becoming ineffective as the body learns to
ignore them-a process known as tolerance.
Additionally,
drugs have side effects, some quite serious, such as insomnia,
nervousness, depression, high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat.
Fen-phen had to be withdrawn by the Food and Drug Administration
because it caused dangerous complications, including heart problems
and pulmonary hypertension. However, there are real alternative diet
aids that offer real benefits without any risks.
What to Look
for in a Diet Aid…
When
choosing a diet aid, it is extremely important to know what the
ingredients of the product are and what actions they perform in the
body. This is true for any dietary supplement you choose. For a weight
loss aid to be effective it must:
1. Be completely harmless, even over
long-term use
2. Be physiological, in other words, work with the body instead of
suppressing some vital metabolic process
The good news is that a number of natural substances are available
to help combat weight problems.
Chitosan:
Fiber From the Sea
Chitosan
is a special fiber found in the shell of shellfish like crabs and
lobsters. Fiber and its use as a weight loss aid have been the topic
of considerable study in the last several decades. Increasing
dietary fiber intake naturally decreases fat intake, because
fiber-rich foods are relatively low in fat and cholesterol. In
addition, increasing fiber usually decreases LDL (bad cholesterol)
and increases HDL (good cholesterol), reducing the risk of heart
disease.
Just
like plant fibers (brans, gums, pectin), Chitosan inhibits
absorption of fat and bile acids, but it does so a lot more
effectively. This happens because Chitosan has two unique
properties:
-
Unlike most plant fibers, it has a
positive charge
-
It is the only natural fiber that
is soluble in the stomach
Since
fats and bile acids have a negative charge,
Chitosan actively attracts and binds them, making them unavailable
for absorption. It actually binds up to 12 times its weight of
lipids (fats). It's as if you are not eating the fat at all!
Eating
less is a key factor in weight loss, lowering cholesterol and
reducing the risk of heart disease. Even if you eat a regular diet,
which for many of us is loaded with fat, the addition of Chitosan
makes it a low-fat, low-calorie diet. The taste buds are happy
because it tastes good, and the body is happy because less fat is
absorbed.
Garcinia
Cambogia: Nature's Perfect Diet Ingredient
Garcinia
Cambogia is a sour fruit indigenous to
southern Asia and India. It can help curb appetite, reduce food
intake and inhibit the production of fats and cholesterol.
The
people of India and Asia have used Garcinia for culinary and
medicinal purposed for hundreds of years. The active ingredient in
Garcinia is hydoxycitric acid (HCA), which is chemically very
similar to the citric acid in citrus fruits, and it is considered
just as harmless.
Why Does HCA
Help Weight Loss?
Carbohydrates
from food are broken down into the sugar glucose, which is used as a
source of energy. Once the energy needs are fulfilled, glucose
molecules are stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen,
a special energy starch. When glycogen stores become full, extra
glucose is converted into fat and cholesterol.
HCA
reduces the syntheses of fat from carbohydrates by 40-70% and forces
glucose to form additional glycogen. As glycogen levels increase,
the body sends a satiety ("full") signal to the brain,
which decreases appetite and food intake. In animal studies, HCA
reduced food intake by about 10%.
HCA
is not a stimulant; it works with the body's natural
processes. As a result, it continues to be effective even with long
term use and does not lead to the "yo-yo" syndrome.
Citrus
Aurantium: A Natural Metabolism Booster
Citrus
Aurantium, a fruit also known as bitter orange,
has a long history of medicinal use. One recently discovered quality
of Citrus Aurantium is its ability to stimulate the burning of fat
within the body. This is known as thermogenesis, or production of
heat from fat for energy.
Citrus
Aurantium increases energy levels and stimulates the accelerated
breakdown of fat, causing weight loss. This effect is enhanced even
more by moderate physical activity.
Because
Citrus Aurantium does not stimulate the brain, it is very safe and
is not associated with adverse side effects.
The role of Chromium in weight reduction
The
body uses this mineral to produce a substance known as
Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF), which is important in regulating
blood sugar and triglycerides. Chromium supplements are used to
reduce cravings for sweets and carbohydrates, to increase muscle
tone and elevate energy levels.
