Metabolic Syndrome: The Unbalanced Body
Metabolic Syndrome, plain & simple: Metabolic Syndrome is a group of conditions that increase the chances of developing:
Heart Disease (e.g. coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis [clogged arteries])
Stroke
Type 2 Diabetes (high glucose)
Abnormal Lipid Panel Levels [e.g. Triglycerides, LDL, HDL] (chronic, requiring lifestyle changes &/or medication)
High Blood Pressure (chronic, requiring lifestyle changes &/or medication)
Some Cancers
Excessive Fat Around the Waist
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
All of the above develop slowly & silently without any noticeable warnings.
Except for one’s waistline, routine blood work & blood pressure monitoring is the only way to detect early signs of these health risks. An annual medical physical exam from your doctor is the best way to identify any of these silent conditions.
Metabolic Syndrome, clinically defined: Metabolic Syndrome is clinically defined as having three or more of the following conditions:
Fasting Glucose of 100 mg/dL or higher
Waistline of more than 40 inches for men & 35 inches for women
HDL Cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL for men & 50 mg/dL for women
Triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or higher
Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher.
If treatment has been recommended to you for any of the above mentioned conditions, work with your doctor to manage & adjust your lifestyle choices related to food, exercise & relaxation techniques. See the International Diabetes Foundation: Metabolic Syndrome for more information.
Optimal Levels to Lower Your Risks of Developing a Chronic Disease Associate with Metabolic Syndrome:
Fasting Glucose: 70 to 85 mg/dL
Waistline: More than 35 to 37 inches for men & 31.5 inches for women (See Table Two on page 11 for specific measurements)
HDL Cholesterol: Between 50 to 90 mg/dL (This is an approximate range as some sources vary.)
Triglycerides: Less Than 80 mg/dL
Triglyceride-to-HDL Ratio [Triglyceride/HDL]: Lower than 3 or an optimal target of 1.5 with an ideal target of less than 1.0.
Blood pressure: 120/80 or lower
Other tests to consider when assessing for your metabolic & general health status are:
Fasting Insulin and Calculation of HOMA-IR
High-Sensitivity CRP
Hemoglobin A1c
Uric Acid
Liver Enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT)
Vitamin D
“Good Energy” by Casey Means, MD is a good book to read if you want to learn more about your body & metabolic health.
Metabolic Syndrome, at a cell level: Metabolic Syndrome means that our cells are not working at their optimal levels and are not functioning at their best. When our cells don’t work well, we don’t work well. As a result, the following happens:
Mitochondrial Dysfunction = cells have trouble producing the energy we need to function & to stay healthy
Chronic Inflammation = lower levels of energy triggers inflammation in an attempt to fight back & to restore a healthier body
Oxidative Stress = cell waste is produced which damages cells; this waste is produced when the body is fighting all the toxins (junk) that it gets from our lifestyle choices (food, activity, stress) & our environment.
Keeping our cells working at an optimal level is the only way to reverse metabolic syndrome.
Diagnosis, Illness, Condition: If you are taking medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, weight loss or high sugar levels, you have some active elements of a metabolic syndrome.
When your body is unable to improve these abnormalities, your doctor prescribes medications to help you manage your symptoms. It’s important to follow the advice of your doctor and to work with your doctor to implement lifestyle changes that can help improve these diagnoses, illnesses & conditions.
Lifestyle improvements, like the way we eat, exercise & destress, play a significant role in improving our health.
Metabolic Syndrome, what to do: Lifestyle changes: Check with doctor
Meals: Whole Foods that are minimally process or contain three or less ingredients; minimize/eliminate animal fats (American Heart Association Recommendation: 6% of total daily calories from saturated fats (e.g. 13 grams of saturated fat per day for a 2,000 calorie diet) USDA Fatty Acids Total Saturated Chart).
Exercise: 22 minutes of brisk walking, daily or 150 minutes per week
Destress: 15 to 20 minutes of pleasure reading, meditation, hobby, prayer, journaling
Keep it simple, but keep improving the above lifestyle changes. Slow & steady.