Antoaneta Sawyer, PhD
Metabolic Syndrome is well known as a cluster or constellation of several common disorders, including high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and abnormal cholesterol levels that make anyone susceptible to the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Each of these disorders is by itself a risk factor for many other degenerative diseases such as: gout, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease, and in combination, all of the above dramatically boost the metabolic syndrome patient;s chances of developing potentially life- threatening illnesses. (Source, AHA)
Worldwide, over 250 million people suffer from the disease and the estimations for 2025 are depicted at a total of 380 million patients. As per Feinstein and Eden (2008) an additional 12 million adults will likely develop the disease as a result of aging alone by 2022. (Source, NH-WC Beyond Holistic) Widely known as "The Nutrition Reporter" Jack Challem (2007) claims, “Two- thirds of the Americans are now overweight or obese (including four out of five men), and upward of 100 million Americans are prediabetic - with 1 million Americans now being diagnosed with full-blown diabetes each year. Between, 60 -75 million of us are insulin resistant and 5-10 percent of those millions will develop Type 2 diabetes.
Managing metabolic syndrome is to address all of the available risk factors rather than each one individually, and separately (Holt & Whitaker, 2002). The authors state, "Obesity must be addressed with rapid and immediate weight loss, high blood pressure must be reduced, high cholesterol must be diminished and blunting of surges in blood glucose must be accomplished. " Nowadays many authors relate the syndrome X predominantly with an increasing rate of morbid obesity in the Western industrialized world. (Source. Amazon)
As per latest AHA recommendations for managing metabolic syndrome- the primary goal of the metabolic syndrome management program is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Thus, the “first-line” therapy approach should be oriented to reduce the major risk factors for heart disease: to stop smoking, to reduce LDL cholesterol (its VLDL fraction), blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.
For managing both- long and short term risk consequences, lifestyle therapies must constitute the primary intervention management plan. These lifestyle interventions include: (a) Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than, 25 kg/m2); (b) Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week; (c) Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, simple carbohydrates, saturated fat and cholesterol. (Source, AHA)
Darwin Deen, MD (2004) claims that “low fat- high-carbohydrate diets” have been criticized because they may raise triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol levels in some patients, leading to aggravation of dyslipidemia in metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome diet should remind to a typical Mediterranean-style diet. Deen states, "For sedentary patients with elevated triglycerides, who are obese and insulin resistant-- a lower carbohydrate diet that limits sodas, juice drinks, and refined grains (such as sweetened cereals, baked goods, and desserts) is advisable." (Source, AAFP)
Incorporating activity into most, if not all days of the week, is a prerequisite for longevity and a graceful aging. Regular exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, obesity (all part of the metabolic syndrome cluster). The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP, 2007) recommends an exercise routine of 30 minutes of physical activity, at least four to six days per week — a combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility training. (Source, AAFP)
Thus, among the first steps in addressing metabolic syndrome are:
1. Lifestyle changes, with specific avoidance of substance abuse, including smoking cessation, reduced caffeine and simple sugar intake.
2. Behavior modification, including changing eating patterns and extinguishing adverse lifestyle choices.
3. Exercise matched to the level of aerobic fitness (with professional training advice).
4. Diet, reduced in simple sugars, salt, and saturated fat with controlled protein intake and more liberal in healthy fats (e.g., fish oil, olive oil and monosaturated fats).
Stephen Holt, MD (2003) considers rapid dietary and lifestyle modification as fundamental in the rapid improvement of metabolic syndrome. Syndrome X dietary recommendations are generally not different than those for managing diabetes. Excessive dietary intake of refined sugar, lack of exercise, poorly defined genetic tendencies and adverse lifestyle variably contribute to the cause of metabolic syndrome.
All of the above suggestions are consistent with dietary attempts to restrict the carbohydrate intake, and may explain the “quick-fix” (or short-term) success of some low carbohydrate diets for weight control. “Current pharmaceutical and dietary approaches in metabolic syndrome management show multiple disadvantages, restrictions and limitations,” believe Holt and Whitaker (2002). It had been proposed and then reiterated by the same authors that focused pharmaceutical treatments on the components of metabolic syndrome are not likely to provide better outcome than integrated management strategies.
Despite conventional treatments (cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood pressure lowering medications, anti-obesity drugs and surgery) have their specific role when risks within metabolic syndrome are already present, they should form the “back-up” strategy plan for management, while in contrast, diet approaches, active lifestyle modification, exercise, nutritional, and nutraceutical interventions may provide versatile, flexible and powerful “first-line” management option. According to the same authors the idea of holistic strategies opens the door for the so called "integrative approach" with dietary supplements. (Source, Dr Weil)
“Effective prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome should involve a multifaceted approach to impact all cardinal components of the disorder,” believe the authors. It had been suggested that focused treatments on obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension (the individual components of the syndrome) were unlikely to provide better outcome than are integrated management strategies. (Holt et al., 2003).
Photo credit: Flickr
Curtesy to Youtube and to Dr Oz "The Healthiest Diets"
Each of these disorders is by itself a risk factor for many other degenerative diseases such as: gout, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease, and in combination, all of the above dramatically boost the metabolic syndrome patient;s chances of developing potentially life- threatening illnesses. (Source, AHA)
Worldwide, over 250 million people suffer from the disease and the estimations for 2025 are depicted at a total of 380 million patients. As per Feinstein and Eden (2008) an additional 12 million adults will likely develop the disease as a result of aging alone by 2022. (Source, NH-WC Beyond Holistic) Widely known as "The Nutrition Reporter" Jack Challem (2007) claims, “Two- thirds of the Americans are now overweight or obese (including four out of five men), and upward of 100 million Americans are prediabetic - with 1 million Americans now being diagnosed with full-blown diabetes each year. Between, 60 -75 million of us are insulin resistant and 5-10 percent of those millions will develop Type 2 diabetes.
Managing metabolic syndrome is to address all of the available risk factors rather than each one individually, and separately (Holt & Whitaker, 2002). The authors state, "Obesity must be addressed with rapid and immediate weight loss, high blood pressure must be reduced, high cholesterol must be diminished and blunting of surges in blood glucose must be accomplished. " Nowadays many authors relate the syndrome X predominantly with an increasing rate of morbid obesity in the Western industrialized world. (Source. Amazon)
As per latest AHA recommendations for managing metabolic syndrome- the primary goal of the metabolic syndrome management program is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. Thus, the “first-line” therapy approach should be oriented to reduce the major risk factors for heart disease: to stop smoking, to reduce LDL cholesterol (its VLDL fraction), blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.
For managing both- long and short term risk consequences, lifestyle therapies must constitute the primary intervention management plan. These lifestyle interventions include: (a) Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than, 25 kg/m2); (b) Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week; (c) Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, simple carbohydrates, saturated fat and cholesterol. (Source, AHA)
Darwin Deen, MD (2004) claims that “low fat- high-carbohydrate diets” have been criticized because they may raise triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol levels in some patients, leading to aggravation of dyslipidemia in metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome diet should remind to a typical Mediterranean-style diet. Deen states, "For sedentary patients with elevated triglycerides, who are obese and insulin resistant-- a lower carbohydrate diet that limits sodas, juice drinks, and refined grains (such as sweetened cereals, baked goods, and desserts) is advisable." (Source, AAFP)
Incorporating activity into most, if not all days of the week, is a prerequisite for longevity and a graceful aging. Regular exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, obesity (all part of the metabolic syndrome cluster). The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP, 2007) recommends an exercise routine of 30 minutes of physical activity, at least four to six days per week — a combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility training. (Source, AAFP)
Thus, among the first steps in addressing metabolic syndrome are:
1. Lifestyle changes, with specific avoidance of substance abuse, including smoking cessation, reduced caffeine and simple sugar intake.
2. Behavior modification, including changing eating patterns and extinguishing adverse lifestyle choices.
3. Exercise matched to the level of aerobic fitness (with professional training advice).
4. Diet, reduced in simple sugars, salt, and saturated fat with controlled protein intake and more liberal in healthy fats (e.g., fish oil, olive oil and monosaturated fats).
Stephen Holt, MD (2003) considers rapid dietary and lifestyle modification as fundamental in the rapid improvement of metabolic syndrome. Syndrome X dietary recommendations are generally not different than those for managing diabetes. Excessive dietary intake of refined sugar, lack of exercise, poorly defined genetic tendencies and adverse lifestyle variably contribute to the cause of metabolic syndrome.
All of the above suggestions are consistent with dietary attempts to restrict the carbohydrate intake, and may explain the “quick-fix” (or short-term) success of some low carbohydrate diets for weight control. “Current pharmaceutical and dietary approaches in metabolic syndrome management show multiple disadvantages, restrictions and limitations,” believe Holt and Whitaker (2002). It had been proposed and then reiterated by the same authors that focused pharmaceutical treatments on the components of metabolic syndrome are not likely to provide better outcome than integrated management strategies.
Despite conventional treatments (cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood pressure lowering medications, anti-obesity drugs and surgery) have their specific role when risks within metabolic syndrome are already present, they should form the “back-up” strategy plan for management, while in contrast, diet approaches, active lifestyle modification, exercise, nutritional, and nutraceutical interventions may provide versatile, flexible and powerful “first-line” management option. According to the same authors the idea of holistic strategies opens the door for the so called "integrative approach" with dietary supplements. (Source, Dr Weil)
“Effective prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome should involve a multifaceted approach to impact all cardinal components of the disorder,” believe the authors. It had been suggested that focused treatments on obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension (the individual components of the syndrome) were unlikely to provide better outcome than are integrated management strategies. (Holt et al., 2003).
Photo credit: Flickr
Curtesy to Youtube and to Dr Oz "The Healthiest Diets"
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