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October 10, 2016Effective Physical Therapy in Sauk Prairie Wisconsin
December 10, 2016As we move through all of the stages in life, certain health conditions can become more pervasive. One condition that often falls ‘under the radar’ and, in fact, many people have not even heard of is metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and a variety of other health problems, such as stroke and diabetes.
Your risk for stroke, diabetes and heart disease increases with the number of metabolic risk factors you have. The risk of having metabolic syndrome is closely linked to overweight and obesity and a lack of physical activity.
Insulin resistance also may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body can’t use its insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells where it’s used for energy. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar levels, and it’s closely linked to overweight and obesity. Genetics (ethnicity and family history) and older age are other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic Risk Factors
The five conditions described below are metabolic risk factors. You can have any one of these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together. You must have at least three of the following metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
- An increased waistline. This also is called abdominal obesity. Excess fat in the stomach area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
- A high triglyceride level (or you’re on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
- A low HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease.
- High blood pressure (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup.
- High fasting blood sugar (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.
For those that believe they may have undiagnosed metabolic syndrome, it is wise to speak with your healthcare provider. You can work together to help to manage your health issues, allowing you to live a longer, more healthy life.
