Healthy Self
DR. LAUREN GOUIN, ND
Metabolic Syndrome: Putting the Pieces Together
any people go to the doctor wincing with anticipation of the news that their cholesterol is a little high, their blood pressure is up or they have gained weight. Their doctor might then prescribe one medication for blood pressure, another mwedication for cholesterol and a diet. However, these conditions might all be part of Metabolic Syndrome, a group of risk factors that have been associated with insulin resistance and obesity, par- ticularly midsection obesity.
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Understanding metabolic syndrome means understanding the underlying cause. When metabolic syndrome is not identified and treated there is risk of developing diabetes and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Checklist The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome requires three of the five
following criteria to be met: • A waist size of 40 inches or larger for men, and of 35 inches or larger for women. • High Triglycerides • Low Good Cholesterol (HDL) • High Blood Pressure • High Blood Sugar
Risk Factors Nearly one out of six Americans has metabolic syndrome.
There are identified factors that can help you recognize if you are at risk for this condition. If you have any of these risk factors for metabolic syndrome, it is important to get an assessment from your doctor, as there are very few physical complaints associated with this syndrome, despite the serious long term implications.
Age As we age, our hormones shift, our metabolism slows down
and lifestyle choices may catch up with us. At the age of 40, the risk of metabolic syndrome increases 20%, at 50 years old it is 35% and at 60 years old there is an increased 45% risk of develop- ing metabolic syndrome. Though important at any age, the older we become, the more at risk we are of insulin resistance and meta- bolic syndrome and the more important diagnosis and prevention become.
Hormone Imbalance Several medical conditions associated with hormone imbal-
ance have been shown to increase insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. These include PCOS ( polycystic ovarian syndrome) as well as menopause. Weight gain, poor blood sugar control and an increase in the metabolic syndrome criteria are associated with hormones out of balance, which can increase insulin resistance. Balancing hormones may help prevent metabolic syndrome.
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Liver or Gall Bladder Dysfunction Stresses on the liver or gall bladder have both been associ- ated with metabolic syndrome, from fatty liver to gallstones. These organs are important for hormone and cholesterol detoxification. Ensuring healthy detoxification organs will help prevent metabolic syndrome among many other diseases.
Family History Many people resign to medication because their parents had similar diagnoses, and there is this sense that medication is inevi- table. Research now shows that most people can modify their risk factors for Type II Diabetes and cardiovascular disease, regardless of their genetic predisposition. Though genetics may dictate a pre- disposition for a condition, it can be preventable with lifestyle and biochemical support.
Ethnicity South Asians have a greater risk of insulin resistance and there- fore metabolic syndrome. Several groups including the American Heart Association have more strict standards for body composition for people of this ethnicity because of the increased likelihood of developing this condition.
The Diagnosis is the Key to Treatment Whether you were just diagnosed at your last doctor’s of-
fice visit, or you have a few of the criteria but not yet metabolic syndrome, or you have multiple risk factors, the prescription is the same: lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine involves making di- etary changes as well as a commitment to physical activity, both of which have been shown to help reverse metabolic syndrome. How does this help fight metabolic syndrome? In metabolic syndrome, the body does not control sugar as effectively as it used to. When you eat, your body’s hormone, insulin, communicates to all your cells to take up sugar so that the sugar level in your blood is main- tained. Insulin resistance occurs when the hormone becomes less
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