Easy to do and easy NOT to do

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raise your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. At least 20% of the US population has a condition called Metabolic Syndrome.

The term “metabolic” refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body’s normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease.  According to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the criteria for a diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome comes from meeting any three of the following traits in the same individual (female criteria listed).

1. A large waistline. This also is called abdominal obesity.  Specifically: waist circumference over 35 inches
2. A high triglyceride level (or you’re on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood. Specifically: triglyceride levels over 150
3. A low HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease. Specifically: HDL levels below 50
4. High blood pressure (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup. Specifically: if you have blood pressure above 130/85
5. High fasting blood sugar (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.  Specifically: if you have fasting glucose levels above 100 CMS

If you are a woman and you meet any of the three criteria, you are considered to have Metabolic Syndrome.

So what does that mean for you? Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (the common type of diabetes) anywhere from 9-30 times over the normal population. Additionally, metabolic syndrome appears to increase the risk of heart disease 2-4 times that of the normal population.  Other concerns include: cirrhosis of the liver, kidney damage, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome, increased risk of dementia with aging, and cognitive decline in the elderly.

The treatment for Metabolic Syndrome:  Easy to do and easy NOT to do

Most people with Metabolic Syndrome live sedentary lifestyles and are overweight.  This is a syndrome that we create for ourselves through the lifestyle choices we make every day.  Conversely, we have the ability to reverse this condition easily and effectively ourselves, or with the help of a program designed specifically for Metabolic Syndrome.  The first line of therapy for those with Metabolic Syndrome is a therapeutic lifestyle modification program.  This type of program should be based on a low glycemic Mediterranean diet coupled with regular exercise.  Sounds simple right?  Inherently, most people know that their lifestyle affects their health.  They know that the foods they eat, the exercise they participate in (or do not participate in) along with lives filled with stress, will have a direct impact on optimal health and the prevention of disease.  So why are there so many people affected by this condition?  Why don’t we just make the right choices?

• Easy to do, but easy not to do.  Everything you need to do to transform your life is easy to do.  The problem is that these things and these choices are also easy NOT TO DO.  How easy is it to go through the drive thru at Taco Bell or McDonalds because you are running short on time and “it won’t kill me” (today) if I eat fast food.  Or how about not taking the 30 minute walk around the neighborhood today because your kids need help with their science project or there is a work deadline that you “must” complete.  Even though these small decisions, made each and every day, won’t kill us, or seemingly hurt us, over time these actions take us on a path that will eventually put us at risk.

• Making the right choices does not have an immediate impact.  It’s difficult to achieve a sense of accomplishment when we first start making positive lifestyle choices.  There is definitely no noticeable immediate reward.  We might feel that we are making sacrifices by eating a certain way or taking time out to exercise.  Then, when we don’t see a change right away, we get frustrated and revert back to old habits.  But what separates healthy people from unhealthy people is a long-term vision of their health.  They understand that it’s the small choices we make every day, over a long period of time, that add up to health.  There is no short cut to true health.

Because of these issues many people cannot get out of the vicious, unhealthy cycle themselves.

How To Break The Cycle

Engaging in a tailored program for lifestyle modification can help many people achieve their goals and get them on the right track for long term health and disease prevention.  Successful programs with include the following:

• Medically supervised
• Program length of at least 12 weeks
• Regular, periodic assessments during the program to check progress, adjust course and celebrate results
• Easy to follow diet plan – Mediterranean
• Exercise as a key program component

At Bodhi, we have a lifestyle modification program called Bodhi Fit.  This program is specifically designed for those with Metabolic Syndrome.  Call today to schedule a complimentary consultation with our Care Coordinator to discuss your participation in Bodhi Fit.  888-271-8877

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