Metabolic Syndrome...Are YOU at risk?

Every year The Centers for Disease Control comes out with a list. This list contains the top 15 causes of death among Americans. Number 7 two years running was Diabetes. Now this journal is not about people who CURRENTLY have diabetes, its to educate on the risk factors that can lead to developing diabetes.

The risk factors that we're talking about are called "Metabolic Syndrom" and you probably are one of the 90 million Americans that don't even realize they have it! Metabolic Syndrome is not a disease, but rather a condition made of of several different health issues that are the collective spawn that is Metabolic Syndrome.

Now what are the risk factors that can lead to Metabolic syndrome?

RISK FACTORS:

1: If your BMI is more than 30, if its easier to measure, if you have a waistline of 35 inches or more for a female, 40+ in a male

now just because you dont have the first risk factor
2: Triglyceride level of 150 + MG/DL

3: Blood Pressure of 130/85 or more.

4: HDL Cholestorol of las than 50 for a female or 40 for a male

5: Blood Sugar level ov 100+ Mg/DL (thats after fasting)

now having any one of these factors is a problem. Having two of them is worse...but If you have three of them you have officially have Metabolic Syndrome and your chances of developing diabetes just increased by 5x. Obviously the first factor you can check yourself. the remaining 4 have to be checked by a doctor.

Your body is an amazing clue giver, and just like anything else it will give you clues as to whether you have Metabolic Syndrome or not. Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you think you might have Metabolic Syndrome:

Do I experience the following, especially after meals?

Fatigue or sleepiness

Cravings for sweets

Difficulty focusing

If you do DON'T ignore it. You likely have developed Metabolic Syndrome and have gotten on the path toward developing Diabetes. And as a number of my friends will tell you...that path is a disastrous path to be on.

What causes this? When you eat, the foods you take in are changed into glucose by your body. Glucose is the fuel your body runs on. Pretty basic there. Now when glucose enters your blood, your body releases insulin (now there's a word i KNOW everyone is familiar with) which ushers the glucose out of your blood and into your cells where its actually used for energy. well many of us eat too much for out body to burn off. In high levels, glucose in the bloodstream is toxic.

the glucose you might better recognize as carbohydrates. These are your potatoes, pastas, grains breads cereals, sweets sugars and high fructose syrups. Once in your digestive system, your body changes carbs into glucose, but again in excess it pollutes the blood stream. That's where the a fore mentioned insulin comes into play. But insulin only works when cells have room for glucose to go. When glucose cant be burned off as energy because the cells that would normally take it in are already full, it gets stored as fat. once enough fat has been accumulated it may stop accepting glucose. Then the glucose hangs out in your blood stream overworking your pancreas. eventually the pancreas can wear out and lose its ability to produce sufficient natural insulin...this is when drastic measures have to be taken and synthetic insulin shots become part of day to day life, just to stay alive!