Metobolic Syndrome is a
condition that many suffer from but few are aware of. There are millions of people throughout the
world that have one or more of the symtoms or risk factors for this disease that go untreated leading to widespread physical impairments and loss of life. With some proactive steps on your part however you can identify this
condition and take steps to reduce your risk factors and the associated diseases that can be caused by this condition.
There is still some debate over wether Metobolic Syndrome should even be a recognized condition and over the years has been called many things such as Syndrome X or Insuline Resistance Syndrome. In any event this condition seems to be becoming more prevalent and needs attention. increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal
cholesterol levels — all contibute to the risk of serious disease but in combination the risks become even greater and lead to Metobolic Syndrome.
Signs and Symptoms:
If you have Metobolic Syndrome it means you have several conditions that affect your metabolism all at the same time including:
Obesity, High Blood Pressure, High Triglycerides and Low HDL Cholesterol and possibly even Resistance to Insulin.
One study showed that men with at least three risk factors were twice as likley to have a heart attack or stroke and were three times more likely to develop heart disease than those with no risk factors.
The Cause:
Doctors are still working on the true cause of this condition but the general thinking is that it is related to Insulin Resistance. Normally your body turns some of the food you eat into glucose which is carried into the blood stream where it is used by the cells of your body for fuel. In the case of Metobolic Syndrome the glucose can not get into the cells thus causing the body to produce more insulin and while it may not increase blood sugar to a level that would be considered diabetes, it is more than enough to create problems.
I f you know you have one or more of the risk factors it is worth a trip to the doctor to be tested for others and to discuss the condition with your doctor.
How to Change:
An agressive lifestyle change is the most productive way to fight this condition. I can tell you from my own experiance that by changing the way I ate and incressing my exercise level and dropping my weight I have dramatically turned my numbers around. In some cases medication can also be used for blood pressure regulation and cholesterol, but the number one thing you can do to help yourself is to take a proactive stance against this condition.
Simple exercise such as walking during a lunch break or in the evenings can make a huge difference. Also check out this website http://www.deliciousdecisions.org/cb/index.html for great low fat low cholesterol recipies that can get you on the right track to eating better.
Invest time in some moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day STOP SMOKING and get at least eight hours of sllep each night make regular appointments with your doctor to monitor your numbers and before long you may find yourself feeling better than you have in years.