Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a group of precursors that indicate someone’s predisposition toward obesity. In addition to indicating whether or not you are predisposed to obesity, they also indicate your likelihood of having diabetes, heart disease, or a stroke.

Metabolic Syndrome Indicators:

• Apple-shaped body with more weight occurring around the middle.
• Low HDL (dense cholesterol that doesn’t collect in your arteries) and high LDL (cholesterol that isn’t very dense and often builds up in your arteries).
• High triglycerides (like cholesterol, triglycerides are a fat located in your blood that can cause artery blockages).
• High fasting blood glucose.
• Hypertension (high blood pressure).

While any of these symptoms on their own do not indicate metabolic syndrome, three or more of them together do. If your physician diagnosis you with metabolic syndrome, it can feel overwhelming. In reality, knowing that you are predisposed to obesity, heart disease, stroke and diabetes allows you to plan ahead and act accordingly.

It has long been known that weight loss following weight loss surgery markedly improves all aspects of the metabolic syndrome and some studies report a cure rate of 95.6 percent. However, a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome does not mean that bariatric surgery is necessary. Be sure to ask your physician or nutritionist for advice on how to prevent further development of metabolic syndrome, and what you can do to prevent developing heart disease and other side effects. By adopting a sensible eating and exercise plan, you can cut these symptoms off at the pass.