Natural Health Alternatives

Metabolic Syndrome,or  Syndrome X ,is a condition now epidemic in the U.S. More than 64 million Americans have the Metabolic Syndrome (roughly one in four adults) and 40% of adults over age 40. Sad to say more and more kids are being diagnosed with the syndrome as well.

If you are diagnosed at having  Metobolic Syndrome you are at serious risk of  having diabetes and heart disease. Dr. David Herber an expert of  UCLA’s School of Human Nutrition , believes that in the next decade roughly 80% of all heart disease will be due to the Metabolic Syndrome, and what causes diabetes type 2 , or both.

There have been guidelines set by the Nationtioal Cholesterol Program , that if you have 3 or more of the following 5 risk factors you probably have Metobolic Symptom.

Below  is a list of the risk factors you should take in consideration.

• Abdominal obesity: a waist of 40 inches or more for men, 35 inches or more for women.
• High triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or more.
• Low HDL (”good”) cholesterol: below 40 mg/dL for men, below 50 for women. Most people with the syndrome also have more small, dense LDL (”very bad”) cholesterol particles. (These small, dense LDLs are usually not measured with standard blood lipid profiles.
• High blood pressure: 130/85 or higher (or if you are taking hypertension medication).
• Elevated fasting blood sugar (glucose): 110 mg/dL** or more. (Recently, the American Diabetes Association lowered the cut point for elevated fasting glucose to 100 mg/dL.

An affective approach for treating the Metabolic Syndrome is the most natural one - a healthy diet and regular exercise, argue experts like Dr. Paul Ridker of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. A healthy lifestyle targets what are often the causes of Metabolic Syndrome: poor diet and excess body fat.

Eat Healthfully

• Eat more fruits and vegetables; cut down on drinking juice.
• Choose lean cuts of meat.
• Rather than frying, bake, broil, or grill your poultry, fish, or meat.
• Reduce the amount of salt in your diet; do not add salt to foods and choose low-sodium foods.
• Cut down on saturated fats.
• Choose whole grain foods (whole wheat bread, brown rice) instead of refined or processed foods (white bread, white rice).
• Eat more fiber-rich foods (beans, fruits, vegetables).
• Eat less sugar.
• Eat less carbohydrates and other starchy foods.
• Limit or eliminate soda and other sugary drinks.

Increase Your Physical Activity

• Exercise a little each day; aim for a total of 30 minutes or more.
• Commit yourself to more physical activity. Join a health club or plan walks with friends.
• Include increased activity into your daily habits.