Have you heard of metabolic syndrome? This is a very serious health condition that is becoming more common in adults in the United States due to a variety of factors like poor diet and lack of exercise. Our integrative health clinic in Miami helps patients prevent or delay symptoms through treatment plans to help you improve your health and live a healthier lifestyle.
What is Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include:
- Increased blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Excess body fat around the waist
- Abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels
Having just one of these conditions does not mean you have metabolic syndrome. If you have one or more you are at increased risk to develop serious health complications. Unfortunately, this condition is becoming more common in the United States affecting approximately one-third of adults.
Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome
One of the major risk factors for metabolic syndrome is being overweight or obese and living an inactive lifestyle. Insulin resistance is also closely linked to metabolic syndrome. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body convert sugar into fuel.
Risk factors:
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- Age: The risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases as we age.
- Ethnicity: In the United States, there is data that indicates Hispanic women are at a greater risk to develop metabolic syndrome. The reason for this is unclear.
- Overweight/Obesity: Carrying excess weight, particularly around the midsection, increases your risk for metabolic syndrome.
- Diabetes: Having diabetes during pregnancy or having a family history of type 2 diabetes increases your risk.
- Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Sleep Apnea
Having these conditions does not mean you have metabolic syndrome, but you might be at a greater risk of developing it over time. It’s important to discuss this with your doctor as developing metabolic syndrome puts you at great risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Treatment Options for Metabolic Syndrome
Prevention is always key, but aggressive lifestyle change can help with delaying or reversing symptoms. Dr. Lee and Dr. Granados at Vida Integrative Health in Miami are committed to helping prevent and reverse metabolic syndrome in patients.
Living an overall healthy lifestyle can greatly help reduce your chances of developing metabolic syndrome.
- 30 minutes of exercise daily
- Eating a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains
- Limit saturated fats and salt
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol usage
According to the National Institute of Health, a patient has metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the following traits:
- Large waist
- High triglyceride levels
- Low HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
- High blood pressure
- High fasting blood sugar
If you’ve been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, or suspect you might have it, there are treatment options to help delay or prevent more serious health problems from developing. One of the most important steps you can take is losing weight. Weight loss can help with blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, cholesterol and overall health and wellness. Your doctor will provide other specific lifestyle recommendations you can make to treat metabolic syndrome.
Here at Vida Hormone Therapy & Integrative Health in Miami we are committed to helping you get to optimal health and wellness. When you book a consultation, one of our doctors will get your full health history and go in depth on your symptoms. Our approach is an integrative approach to health concentrating on blood sugar regulation, hormone balancing and digestive health. We strongly believe that all three of these need to be focused on in order to be healthy. Contact us today to schedule your consultation at our Miami clinic.
