What is metabolic syndrome?
It is a disharmony between energy storage and energy usage within the body, resulting in, and usually characterised by abdominal obesity which is often accompanied by high blood pressure and cholesterol disorders and pre-diabetes.
What causes metabolic syndrome?
There are a number of factors, all quite prominent in the modern life-style which contribute to the onset of metabolic syndrome.
Sedentary lifestyle – Physical inactivity such as that experienced when watching television or using a computer for more than an hour a day, and often for up-to four hours at a time. This type of inactivity leads to greater deposits of adipose tissue or fat, particularly around the middle and also results in high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose levels.
Obesity is a contributor to metabolic syndrome and is also partly due to a sedentary lifestyle. Brought about by poor dietary habits and our food sources being mismatched with our physical requirements.
There are a set of factors which indicate metabolic syndrome, usually two or more of these factors being present indicate metabolic syndrome is present or pending. These incude:
Large waist: Men 40inches and larger and for women; 35inces and larger.
You are using cholesterol medication to keep the level of High Triglycerides down or the level of HDL (good cholesterol) up.
Are you using medication to keep your blood pressure stable.
Do you suffer with what is known as High Blood Sugar?
Prevention of metabolic Syndrome
Immediate changes to lifestyle will be required both as treatment and as prevention of metabolic syndrome. Sedentary habits need to be broken with more cardiovascular activities practiced and habitual eating habits and food s need to be changed to those which contain less sugar and fat, like fruit and vegetables.
What are the results of Metabolic Syndrome if left unchecked?
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart attack
- Kidney disease
- Stroke
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Peripheral artery disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
Diabetes in turn can result in further complications such as:
- Eye damage
- Nerve damage
- Kidney disease
- Possible amputation of the limbs
Prevention
Prevention, as they say is better than cure, especially when some of the effects of a syndrome like this cannot be reversed. There are some simple measures you can take that ought to help prevent the onset of Metabolic Syndrome.
- Maintain a healthy waist circumference
- Manage your blood pressure
- Keep cholesterol levels in check
- Exercise regularly, do not give in to a sedentary lifestyle
A visit to your dietician should help keep you on the right track.