When most people think about their metabolism, they think of it only in terms of weight loss. Although it is true that your metabolism is the vehicle your body uses to burn calories and so it does play the central role in weight loss, gain and maintenance, your metabolism is essential for your very survival. When your metabolism is not working properly, it opens the doorway for a host of health conditions that can be life threatening. One such condition is Metabolic Syndrome. Also known as Syndrome X, Insulin Resistance Syndrome and CHAOS, millions of people around the world have this condition and many don’t even know it.
What exactly is Metabolic Syndrome? It is actually less of a specific disease and more of a collection of various conditions that when grouped together are referred to as Metabolic Syndrome. These conditions include insulin resistance – this can take the form of Type 2 Diabetes or a pre-diabetes state in which blood sugar spikes when you are fasting, high blood pressure, obesity around the midsection, a drop in HDL, or “good”, cholesterol rates, and high triglyceride levels. Also sometimes lumped in with Metabolic Syndrome conditions are Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), fatty liver and acanthosis nigricans, which is a skin condition in which dark patches appear around the neck and the groin.
The tricky part about Metabolic Syndrome is that doctors are still unsure if a problem with the metabolism causes these issues to begin or if these conditions cause a problem with the metabolism. One possible answer is that one of these conditions may occur for other reasons, and then this condition impacts the metabolism, which then leads to the other problems developing. The central factor in each of these conditions, and Metabolic Syndrome in general, is obesity, but again there is a chicken and egg question involved. Does Metabolic Syndrome cause obesity, or the other way around?
When it comes to treating Metabolic Syndrome, there is no one cure-all for everyone. Losing weight is the key to getting these conditions under control, but diet and exercise alone will not cut if for people with compromised metabolisms. In most cases, doctors treat each of the conditions independently, depending on the severity. Blood pressure medicine is used for patients whose blood pressure is a central issues, while insulin may be used for extreme cases of Type 2 diabetes.
Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome may be a long road, but it is important to treat it. If you have Metabolic Syndrome, your risk of heart attack and stroke goes through the roof. The risk will come down if you lose weight and control the issues surrounding Metabolic Syndrome, so proper medical attention and lifestyle change is important.
If you think you might have Metabolic Syndrome, see your doctor. Even though there might not be a single, clear cut treatment, knowing that you have the disease is still important so that you can take steps to get it under control and be vigilant about your health.
When most people think about their metabolism, they think of it only in terms of weight loss. Although it is true that your metabolism is the vehicle your body uses to burn calories and so it does play the central role in weight loss, gain and maintenance, your metabolism is essential for your very survival. When your metabolism is not working properly, it opens the doorway for a host of health conditions that can be life threatening. One such condition is Metabolic Syndrome. Also known as Syndrome X, Insulin Resistance Syndrome and CHAOS, millions of people around the world have this condition and many don’t even know it.
What exactly is Metabolic Syndrome? It is actually less of a specific disease and more of a collection of various conditions that when grouped together are referred to as Metabolic Syndrome. These conditions include insulin resistance – this can take the form of Type 2 Diabetes or a pre-diabetes state in which blood sugar spikes when you are fasting, high blood pressure, obesity around the midsection, a drop in HDL, or “good”, cholesterol rates, and high triglyceride levels. Also sometimes lumped in with Metabolic Syndrome conditions are Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), fatty liver and acanthosis nigricans, which is a skin condition in which dark patches appear around the neck and the groin.
The tricky part about Metabolic Syndrome is that doctors are still unsure if a problem with the metabolism causes these issues to begin or if these conditions cause a problem with the metabolism. One possible answer is that one of these conditions may occur for other reasons, and then this condition impacts the metabolism, which then leads to the other problems developing. The central factor in each of these conditions, and Metabolic Syndrome in general, is obesity, but again there is a chicken and egg question involved. Does Metabolic Syndrome cause obesity, or the other way around?
When it comes to treating Metabolic Syndrome, there is no one cure-all for everyone. Losing weight is the key to getting these conditions under control, but diet and exercise alone will not cut if for people with compromised metabolisms. In most cases, doctors treat each of the conditions independently, depending on the severity. Blood pressure medicine is used for patients whose blood pressure is a central issues, while insulin may be used for extreme cases of Type 2 diabetes.
Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome may be a long road, but it is important to treat it. If you have Metabolic Syndrome, your risk of heart attack and stroke goes through the roof. The risk will come down if you lose weight and control the issues surrounding Metabolic Syndrome, so proper medical attention and lifestyle change is important.
If you think you might have Metabolic Syndrome, see your doctor. Even though there might not be a single, clear cut treatment, knowing that you have the disease is still important so that you can take steps to get it under control and be vigilant about your health.