The following are a collection of entries from our Care Blog that discusses the Seven Pillars of Successful Weight Loss for adults and the elderly.

The first pillar is restoring insulin sensitivity. There are several ways to restore insulin sensitivity to cell membranes. As we age, insulin receptors on cell membranes tends to lose their sensitivity and functionality. When this happens, the condition is called "insulin resistance". Insulin resistance impairs the ability of cells to effeciently take up glucose and use it for energy production. The glucose that is not taken up by cells prompts the release of excess insulin and results in hyperinsulinemia. This condition is associated with a signicant increase in the risk of heart disease. The most effective way of restoring insulin sensitivity is by reducing caloric intake. It is recommended that if one reduces caloric intake to under 1,800 calories per day, you will see a remarkable improvement in insulin sensitivity. Other ways to restore insulin sensitivity in cells can be through hormones, doctor prescribed medications and nutrients found in certain foods, such as fish oil.

Pillar Two towards successful weight loss in aging adults has to do with regaining a youthful hormone balance. As we get older, our hormone levels go through a severe alteration. Older men see a deficiency in free testosterone which can lead to an increased percentage of abdominal obestity. Without free testosterone, and with the presence of excess estrogen, it is very difficult for aging men to lose inches off of their waistline. A large percentage of aging women have a low percentage of thyroid levels. Thyroid hormone is needed by women to maintain healthy metabolic rates. Another hormone level is depleted in women when they go through menopause. Estrogen levels can experience great loss during menopause and create an increase in belly fat mass.

Hormone balance is not as easy as decreasing carloric intake. For men, doctor's can prescribe a topical testosterone cream or suggest nutrient formulas containing plant extracts to assist with the increase of free testosterone. Restoring hormone imbalance in women requires a physician's expertise with prescribing hormone replacement therapy methods.

The third pillar of weight loss is controlling the rate of carbohydrate absorption. The carbohydrates that you eat are absorbed rapidly into your blood stream. In response to this, your pancreas secretes a large amount of insulin, called an "insulin spike". Hunger for more carbohydrates is your body's response to your low blood sugar caused by this insulin spike, thus creating an eating cycle that causes difficulties with those trying to lose weight. The answer to breaking this cycle may be found in dietary fibers. It has been discovered that just five grams of soluble fiber taken before or with each meal can significantly decrease the glucose-insulin cycle. This causes less of an insulin spike and less urge to consume more carbohydrates.

Also, researchers have linked higher dietary fiber intake with lower body weight and waist-to-hip ratio. Vegetarians weigh significantly less than non-vegetarians when measuring either body index or body weight. Reasons for this can be linked to the high fiber content of the plant foods that vegetarians can consume. Plant fiber fills you up more quickly which results in less snacking or binge eating throughout the day. So eat those healthy fiber foods. They can fill you up faster and combat the urge to eat more carbs at the same time.

Pillar Four for Successful Weight Loss is a common goal for those of us who want to take off the pounds. It is the commitment to exercise more. Many of us start a diet or an exercise program and tell ourselves that we are going to work until we've lost "x" number of pounds. A large number of us then quit or fall off of our diet plan due to other commitments, shortness of time, lack of discipline, etc. We tend to discontinue exercise because we do not see the immediate results. People would follow a good exercise program if they saw rapid and meaninful weight loss results.

Together, in combination with the other Pillars that we have been discussing, even a modest increase in physical activity should produce a reduction of fat mass in the abdomen area. Results should be enough to motivate even the most sedentary individual in to wanting to do more. The realization that to acheive optimal fat loss, one most engage in some form of increased activity, is what many in this country need to discover.

For aging humans, it is hard to lose significant body fat stores even when following all of these steps. The missing piece of the puzzle may be the increase of resting energy expenditure through vitamins and minerals found in foods. Burning off the excess stored body fat is key to successful long term weight loss. Here are some examples of nutritional steps that can be taken to increase your expenditure of energy.

Pomegranates - The seed oil in pomegranates increases the metabolic rate in elderly adults.

Green Tea - In combination with caffeine, nutrients found in green tea has been shown to increase 24 hour energy expenditure in humans. Treatments using caffeine alone had no effect on the energy expenditure of the same persons studied.

Fish Oils - Fish oil is well known for its cardiovascular benefits but it can also promote thermogenesis. This helps to stop key enzymes from generating fats in the body and also increases fat burning.

Red Peppers - The acting nutritional ingredient in red peppers also enhances thermogenesis and metabolism in elderly adults. Core body temperatures and metabolic rates rise to promote the burning of stored fat cells.

Ginger - Ginger has been shown to increase oxygen consumption, which in turn increases fat burning.

I dont' know the exact date that Thanksgiving is on this year but I'm guessing that we are at the halfway point right about now. That's right, only six months left until eating too much in the presence of family members who may or may not be happy to be with you because they are planning to wake up in only six hours to stand in line at a mall. Don't get me wrong, I love the summer months but the sixth pillar of successful weight loss brings up the increase of a substance in our blood that many people associate with the Thanksgiving bird. That substance is tryptophan.

In case you don't know, tryptophan is found in high levels in turkey meat. It is reason that three out of four people (not a scientifically proven number) fall asleep or become "drowsy" in front of the football game on TV after a large Thanksgiving feast. Tryptophan is also important when dealing with weight loss. It is needed to produce serotonin in the brain. When the brain has a significant amount of serotonin, satiety (or the feeling that you have had enough) occurs. Studies have associated serotonin deficiencies with carbohydrate binging that results in the accumulation of excess body fat.

Those looking to start a comprehensive weight loss program should consider the addition of protein and tryptophan rich diets to their daily programs. The increase in these foods will stop the carbohydrate binge that you may have at the Thanksgiving table and allow you to pass on that second helping of mashed potatoes.

 We conclude our week long look at the Seven Pillars of Successful Weight Loss with an obvious, but too often overlooked, choice that needs to be made to live a longer, more healthier life. Many people believe that if they increase their exercise and try out a 'fad' diet that the results will be immediate and they will reach their health goals. As we have discussed though, several people in this same group will discontinue the exercise if results are not immediate. They will not try to increase their energy expenditure, eat more fibers or try to restore youthful hormone balance. All of these 'pillars' are needed to acheive weight loss in elderly adults. A final 'pillar' to add is choice of diet and how your foods are prepared.

Aging individuals have to especially make important choices in diet. These can include:

Selecting the right foods - Choices have to be made to eat foods that are healthy, promote weight loss and protect against illnesses versus foods that are known to promote weight gain and increase the chances of several diseases

Properly cooked foods - Foods that are prepared at high temperatures have the risk of damaging our body's proteins. Foods cooked at lower temperatures have been shown to promote weight loss.

Lower Caloric Intake - Studies show that an excess of calories accelerates the onset of degenerative disease and the aging process. Large amounts of calories also can cause the accumulation of body fat, causing more stress on the body and body systems.

Remember, it is never too late to change one's lifestyle and start to promote better health through the loss of excess weight. Many factors that we have discussed this past week can contribute to a better life and a healthier you.