| It's estimated that one in three Americans suffers | | | | close to twice the risk of having a heart attack and |
| from a condition that Steven Nissen, M.D., a | | | | three times the risk of developing heart disease as |
| cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, has | | | | those with no factors. |
| dubbed the "disease of the new millennium." | | | | Factors That Increase Your Risk |
| Metabolic syndrome, as it's more commonly known, is | | | | There are several factors that raise the risk of |
| actually a name used to describe a group of | | | | metabolic syndrome. |
| symptoms, or "metabolic risk factors." These | | | | Age: Forty percent of people in their 60s have |
| symptoms increase the risk of a number of diseases, | | | | metabolic syndrome, compared to under 10 percent |
| including: | | | | in their 20s. However, while the risk of metabolic |
| Coronary heart disease | | | | syndrome does increase with age, younger people |
| Stroke | | | | can be affected. One study found, according to the |
| Type 2 diabetes | | | | Mayo Clinic, that one in eight schoolchildren already |
| Breast cancer | | | | have three or more components of the disease. |
| Infertility | | | | Race: Hispanics and Asians have a greater risk than |
| In all, it's thought that over 50 million Americans have | | | | other races. |
| it, but the syndrome (also known as syndrome X and | | | | Obesity: Having a body mass index (BMI) over 25 |
| insulin resistance syndrome) often goes undetected. | | | | increases the risk, as does abdominal fat (an "apple" |
| Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome | | | | body shape). |
| Having any one of the following conditions increases | | | | History of diabetes: A family history of type 2 |
| your health risks; the more conditions you have, the | | | | diabetes or gestational diabetes (diabetes during |
| greater your risk. The National Institutes of Health | | | | pregnancy) increases the risk. |
| says that metabolic syndrome begins with three or | | | | Other diseases: Diseases including high blood pressure, |
| more of the following symptoms: | | | | heart disease or polycystic ovary syndrome increase |
| A waist circumference greater than 35 inches in | | | | the risk. |
| women and 40 inches in men | | | | What to do if You Have Metabolic Syndrome |
| An HDL (good) cholesterol level lower than 50 in | | | | Experts recommend aggressive lifestyle changes |
| women and 40 in men | | | | when it comes to metabolic syndrome. The three |
| Blood pressure of 130 over 80 or greater | | | | key changes are: |
| Fasting blood sugar between 110 and 126 | | | | Exercising for 30-60 minutes a day, at a moderate |
| - Triglycerides (a form of fat in the bloodstream) | | | | intensity level. |
| over 150 | | | | Losing weight. Even losing just 5 percent to 10 |
| "Each of the five elements that make up metabolic | | | | percent of your body weight reduces insulin levels, |
| syndrome increases your risk of heart disease and | | | | blood pressure and your risk of diabetes, according |
| stroke," says Daniel Einhorn, M.D., medical director of | | | | to the Mayo Clinic. |
| the Scripps Whittier Institute for Diabetes in La Jolla, | | | | - Quitting smoking, if you do. Smoking increases insulin |
| California. "But the combination of the five makes | | | | resistance and worsens metabolic syndrome. |
| your risks especially high." | | | | How to Prevent Metabolic Syndrome |
| Underlying Cause of Metabolic Syndrome | | | | The keys to preventing metabolic syndrome are the |
| It's thought that insulin resistance is what's behind | | | | same as those for preventing many other types of |
| metabolic syndrome. The food you eat normally gets | | | | disease: |
| broken down into sugar (glucose), which enters your | | | | - Eat a healthy diet, which focuses on fruits and |
| cells for fuel. Insulin is made by your pancreas to help | | | | vegetables and lean meats. Fiber-rich foods can also |
| the glucose enter cells. | | | | help reduce insulin levels. |
| However, if you are insulin resistant, your cells don't | | | | In fact, one Harvard Medical School study found that |
| respond to the insulin, and, as a result, your body | | | | people with high-fiber diets had a much lower risk of |
| keeps making more and more of it. The end result is | | | | developing metabolic syndrome. |
| an increased level of both insulin and glucose in the | | | | Eating healthy also means avoiding processed foods, |
| blood. Although in metabolic syndrome the levels may | | | | fried foods and excess sweets, and experimenting |
| not be high enough to qualify as diabetes, they still | | | | with healthy herbs and spices. |
| interfere with your body's normal functions by: | | | | Exercise, about 30-60 minutes, most days of the |
| Raising your levels of triglycerides and other blood | | | | week. |
| fats | | | | Monitor your health. Check your blood sugar, blood |
| Increasing your blood pressure | | | | pressure and cholesterol levels on a regular basis. If |
| - Increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, | | | | they are no longer in the healthy ranges, make |
| diabetes and more | | | | additional positive changes to your diet and activity |
| According to the Mayo Clinic, one study found that | | | | level. |
| men with three factors of metabolic syndrome had | | | | |