If you are diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome, it means you have at least three out of five medical conditions that put you at high risk for developing heart disease or diabetes, or having a heart attack or stroke. These five conditions are high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high blood triglycerides (fat), low HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and central obesity (fat around your waist).
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension, or elevated blood pressure, is rightly known as "the silent killer" because it forces your heart to strain to pump blood and this damages your blood vessels. Your goal is keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg.
High Blood Sugar
A fasting glucose blood test result of more than 110 mg/dL indicates elevated blood sugar levels. High blood sugar damages blood vessels, contributing to the development of heart disease and stroke.
High Blood Triglycerides
Your body converts any excess calories you consume into fats called triglycerides and stores them in your fat cells. A blood test measurement of 150 mg/dL or more signifies elevated triglycerides. Levels of 200 mg/dL or more are considered high.
Low HDL Cholesterol
HDL (good) cholesterol carries fat and plaque deposits out of your arteries, away from your heart, and to your liver, where they are processed for elimination. Low levels are indicated by blood test results that find less than 40 mg/dL in men or below 50 mg/dL in women.
Waist Fat
A waist measurement greater than 40 inches (or more) for men or 35 inches (or more) for women encourages the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.
What You Can Do
The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease, diabetes or conditions that could lead to a stroke. You can make lifestyle changes, including improving your diet and exercise habits, to help you reduce or reverse one or more of your risk factors.
To reduce your waist size and lower your blood pressure, lose weight by cutting back on your total food intake. To balance your blood sugar and reduce blood triglycerides, choose lower-fat foods, use healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil in cooking, and follow a nutritionally balanced diet plan that includes a wide variety of food. Eat less and eat better, and you could reduce or eliminate four out of the five risk factors.
Exercise, including brisk walking for at least 30 minutes a day, will aid in weight loss and may help increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the blood.
If you smoke, quit. Smoking raises triglycerides and lowers the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood.
Speak to a registered dietitian about how to best balance your diet. In addition, it is important to take the medications your doctor prescribes to treat your various risk factors. Medical treatment does not necessarily eliminate the risk factor, but it does help manage the condition.
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