Syndrome X Diet Plan

Syndrome X, also called metabolic syndrome, isn't a single medical condition; rather it's a group of medical problems that can raise your risk of diabetes and heart disease. If you have too much fat around your waist, high triglycerides and low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure, you meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome. According to a 2009 National Health Statistic Report, 34 percent of American adults have metabolic syndrome.

Insulin Resistance

Syndrome X may be caused by insulin resistance. Your pancreas produces insulin, which is a hormone used to transport both glucose and triglycerides from your bloodstream into your cells. Glucose is used as energy and triglycerides are stored as fat to be used for energy later -- between meals and overnight when no glucose is available. If your body doesn't respond correctly to insulin, your pancreas produces more, until it finally fails to keep up with the demand. It's possible to have both high glucose and high insulin levels at the same time. Increasing insulin sensitivity may be one of the first steps in treating metabolic syndrome.

The Glycemic Index and Insulin Resistance

The glycemic index rates carbohydrates from 1 to 100 based on their potential to raise your blood sugar. Foods lower on the glycemic index, or GI, have less impact on your blood sugar levels. According to the Glycemic Index Research Center, "low GI diets reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance." Only carbohydrates can raise your blood sugar level -- fat and protein slow digestion and the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose. Many popular low-carb diets are based on choosing low-GI carbs -- the Atkins, South Beach, Nutrisystem and Sugar Busters diets all recommend low-GI foods.

Weight Loss

A low-GI diet may increase insulin sensitivity, but any diet that helps you lose weight will improve the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Losing weight will lower your triglyceride levels, improve over-all cholesterol levels and help you lose excess abdominal fat. Don't try to lose weight through diet alone -- regular exercise is an important component of any weight loss plan. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "If you are exercising mainly to lose weight, 30 minutes or so a day may work if you're careful about how much you eat. If you don't make an effort to trim calories or at least hold them steady, you would likely need to exercise much more -- or more vigorously -- to lose weight."

Genetics

While it's true that insulin resistance may be genetic, that doesn't mean that preventing Syndrome X is beyond your control. Think of it this way: genetics may load the gun, but your lifestyle choices pull the trigger -- or not. You can avoid or reverse insulin sensitivity by maintaining a healthy body weight, following a low-GI diet, limiting trans fats and saturated fat -- which raise triglyceride and cholesterol levels -- lowering your sodium intake, not smoking and staying physically active. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help lower cholesterol or blood pressure if necessary.