Metabolic syndrome is the ultimate lifestyle disease. It is the direct result of too little exercise and too much central fat. Here's some more information to help you to better understand metabolic syndrome.
Too little exercise and too much central fat conspire to make muscle and liver cells resist the messages from insulin, a hormone that persuades cells to absorb blood sugar. In response to this blockage, your body pumps out more insulin.
In the end your cells do absorb blood sugar — but insulin levels may remain dangerously high for decades.
Here are a few other facts your should know about metabolic syndrome.
- Metabolic syndrome suppresses high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the "good" cholesterol ,and raises triglycerides. It keeps extra fat in circulation after a meal and turns ordinary "bad" cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) into lethal small, dense LDLs. It also raises the risk of blood clots.
- A European study in 2002 gave the first conclusive biological evidence of a link between stress and metabolic syndrome. Encouragingly, the study found that the harmful effects of stress were at least partly reversible through measures like losing weight or lowering blood pressure.
- There is a reasonably good standard medical test for measuring insulin levels as well as blood glucose levels during a glucose tolerance test. This is likely to be used increasingly as the importance of metabolic syndrome is realized.
- Doctors advise patients to lose weight and increase levels of physical activity. They may also recommend drugs such as statins to deal with high levels of blood cholesterol and other drugs to manage high blood pressure.
- Self-care is the best treatment for metabolic syndrome. Even doing half an hour a day of exercise lowers insulin levels and boosts insulin sensitivity. Weight loss also makes your cells more sensitive to insulin, so your body no longer has to pump out vast quantities.
If you keep this information in mind you'll be better able to avoid metabolic syndrome. You'll also be able to more easily talk with your doctor about the disease.
