Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome is a group of risk factors like: high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol levels and abdominal fat; and not a disease per se. Their presence increases risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and other cardiovascular disorders.
Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when a person has three or more of the following:
- Abdominal obesity (waist circumference of 40 “ or higher in men and 35 “ or higher in women)
- Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dl or greater
- HDL cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dl in men, and less than 50 mg/dl in women
- Elevated blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher
- Fasting glucose of 100 mg/dl or greater
I don’t want to sound negative or want to scare you, but my intention is to raise your awareness: do not take this disorder lightly if you have it, or think you may have it. It is like a ticking bomb inside of you and YOU are the only one that can help yourself. Lose the extra weight, start moving (even a 30-minute walk for starters will make a difference), and improve your diet. Fatty buildup in the arteries can lead to heart attack, stroke or disease of the blood vessels in the extremities. Obesity leads to high blood pressure, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Simply put, metabolic syndrome is a complication of obesity, physical inactivity and in some degree genetics.
How can you treat metabolic syndrome and why should you do it?
Treating the disorder will decrease risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes type 2. Start with lifestyle modification: losing weight and increasing physical activity. In order to lose weight you have to change your diet. Consume whole foods (clean eating), foods that will nourish your body and give you energy. Small changes can make a huge difference. Of course, the key person is your physician. I advise you to make a visit if you didn’t have recently and know your numbers. You may reverse or lessen the damage of the unhealthy lifestyle by simply changing your habits. In some cases you may need medications. Every case is different. With proper lifestyle, and with time you may reduce the dose or number of medications. That is a big change for the better. Your health is in your hands.
Take charge of your health!!