Metabolic syndrome increases one’s risk to developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular), stroke and type 2 diabetes. One has metabolic syndrome if at least three (3) of the following five (5) are present: (a) Waist circumference of 102 cm (40 in) or more in men, or 88cm (35 in) in women; (b) a triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher or receiving a drug therapy for high levels of triglyceride; (c) HDL-C or good cholesterol levels of less than 40 or 50 mg/dL in men and women, respectively; (d) a blood pressure of 130mmHg or higher; (e) insulin resistance which is having a fasting blood glucose of 100 mg/dL or receiving medication to treat hyperglycemia. All are interconnected.
Each condition needs to be managed through lifestyle changes – diet, physical activity, smoking, consumption of alcoholic beverages, rest, sleep and stress management. Of course, there may be genetic factors that we cannot do something with but accordingly, lifestyle can play a much greater role.
Diet, which is just one aspect of management of illnesses, plays a great role. In weight management, one’s diet can maintain, reduce or increase his/her weight, cholesterol, triglyceride, blood pressure and sugar levels. Almost all foods we eat and beverages we drink, provide energy expressed in calories. If we eat much more than what we need, the liver can store a limited amount. Extra can be packed into triglycerides and deposited in various parts in the body as fat or adipose tissues. A 3500-calorie excess equates to one pound weight gain. Being overweight or obese, with added blood vessels can impact on blood pressure through peripheral resistance. This is just one mechanism though. Meanwhile, through complex and less understood ways, being physically active most of the time can decrease bad and total cholesterol while increasing the good cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed by the body and excessive amounts can be detrimental as it is a main substance that can be deposited in the blood vessel lining contributing greatly to the thickening of the vessel, and consequently stronger resistance to blood flow thereby increasing blood pressure. By the way, when we go for a low cholesterol diet, we are limited to the outside source of cholesterol, but we don’t know how much the body produces on its own. To be continued
