Four Keys to Successful Weight Management
Healthy Aging (part 8 )
Chris D. Meletis, ND (with permission from cpmedical.net, access pin: 587556)
In the January issue of the newsletter I began a series of articles addressing the most critical health concerns as we age and my recommended protocols. In this issue, I will discuss a topic that is relevant to many of us as the summer bathing suit season approaches: weight management.
Yet, weight gain is more than a cosmetic issue. Elevated body mass index is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke), diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis) and some cancers (endometrial, breast and colon).1
The key to successful weight loss revolves around finding the cause—or causes—of the weight gain. In my clinical experience I have found that when excess fat stubbornly refuses to go away it is often caused by one or more of the following factors: 1) Imbalanced leptin and adiponectin levels combined with insulin resistance; 2) A tendency to put on pounds in the abdominal region (visceral fat); 3) High cortisol levels due to chronic stress; and/or 4) Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism).
