What Exactly is Metabolic Syndrome?

The metabolic syndrome is a metabolic disorder, in which the body can’t use insulin efficiently.

This is one of the reasons why it is sometimes also called the insulin resistance syndrome.

This syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. They include:

1) abdominal obesity (excessive tissue in and around the abdomen).

2) atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders – high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol – that fosters plaque build up in artery walls).

3) elevated blood pressure.

4) insulin resistance of glucose intolerance (body can’t properly use insulin or blood sugar).

5) prothrombic state (high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the blood).

6) proinflammatory state (elevated C-reactive protein in the blood).

The metabolic sysndrome increases the risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque build up in the artery walls, and type 2 diabetes.

This disorder has become increasingly common in the United States. It is estimated that over 50 million Americans have it.

For managing the short and long-term risks, these are the recommendations concerning lifestyle changes:

1) weight loss to achieve a desirable weight, BMI less than 25 kg/m2

2) increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week

3) healthy eating habits that include reduced intakes of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol

The most effective strategies to accomplish this you will find on the pages of my site.

I invite you to read all the sections I have prepared for you, and to use this information to create a lean, healthy body.