Metabolic Syndrome
Oct 18, 2021
October is the month that begins the binge eating of candy.
(Well, for many, the end of September is the beginning of "sweet season".)
With Halloween right around the corner, ya gotta buy the candy early right? And then what happens? You eat it, you buy more, you eat THAT too...
Next thing you know it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. By this time the average person has GAINED 10 pounds in less than 3 months.
Eating sugar creates a really bad habit.
Even worse it sets you up for Metabolic Syndrome. (also called Insulin Resistance Syndrome)
Metabolic Syndrome is a group of five factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease(the number 1 cause of death in the U.S.), diabetes, and stroke.
These five factors are:
- Increased blood pressure (greater than 130/85)
- High blood sugar levels
- Increased waist to hip ratio
- High triglyceride levels
- Low levels of good cholesterol, HDL
Over 70% of U.S. adults are overweight/obese, and 21% of children and teens are obese!
Obesity, and increased waist to hip ratio is the number one risk factor for Metabolic Syndrome.
The bigger your waist to hip ratio, the higher the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Women with higher ratios have increased risk of hormonal problems, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), gestational diabetes, and breast cancer.
High triglyceride levels are linked with liver and pancreas diseases and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to weight gain around the midline. Insulin is a "fat fertilizer".
Low HDL levels is associated with a higher risk of Cardiovascular Disease.
Recently a study out of Tulane connects poor coronavirus outcomes with Metabolic Syndrome. You can read more about that here: Tulane Study
The five factors of Metabolic Syndrome have no outward symptoms, that is why we can easily ignore the warning: weight gain around the middle and a sugar addiction.
It only takes 3 out of 5 of the risk factors to be diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome.
How do you know if you are at risk?
- Measure you waist at the smallest part, then your hips at the widest part. Divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. If you are a woman and your ratio is above .8 or a man above .95 that is moderate risk. If you are a woman and your ratio is above .86 or a man above 1.0 you are at high risk.
- Know your numbers! You cannot be afraid to see the numbers. You cannot manage what you don't know. You should be looking at these numbers: glucose, insulin, cholesterol(LDL, HDL, Triglycerides), and Hemoglobin A1C.
- Take your blood pressure. Many stores have a free blood pressure machine. If you are at or above 130/85 you are at risk.
These are just a few of the tests we measure when working with our Functional Medicine Patients. This helps us to know where we are beginning with each individual and the action steps tp take to help REVERSE the process, without medication.
Isn't it better to be able to PREVENT a health crisis than to try and recover from one?
Please take a few minutes to read more about Metabolic Syndrome and what to do to prevent it. http://buff.ly/2kuaLxu
If you would like to learn more about functional medicine and how it may be able to help you reverse a health condition you wish you didn't have, head over to my website, www.drmistysenz.com and click on functional medicine.
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