Metabolic syndrome: it’s not a simple diagnosis – it’s a warning for action
Metabolic syndrome — a condition that, if left untreated, significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
“Patients with metabolic syndrome have more than double the risk of heart disease compared to those without it.”
The root of the problem: insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is the main mechanism behind metabolic syndrome and is the first step towards diabetes.
The most obvious sign? Increased waist circumference. Fat around the abdomen contributes to insulin resistance. There is an easy test for this condition, so doctors look for elevated levels of glucose (>100mg) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C >5.7-6.4).
Patients with insulin resistance usually have:
High triglycerides
Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
Increased body weight gradually and quite “insidiously”
This “combination” contributes to inflammation in the vessels, leading to heart disease.
Can it be reversed?
Yes — if you address the individual risk factors (e.g. hypertension, high blood sugar, elevated lipids), the condition can improve.
Exercise and weight loss are the most powerful “medicines” — even more than medication, which we utilize in our new Lifestyle Medicine department at Athens Medical Center with rapid correction of insulin resistance and weight loss.
The recipe that brings results
Diet
Avoid carbohydrates, because they activate insulin production and enhance fat storage.
Prefer lean protein, nuts, vegetables and low-sugar fruits (such as berries and melon).
Once you reach your desired weight, a Mediterranean diet will help maintain it.
Exercise
At least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
Add weights 2 times a week, to increase muscle mass and better respond to insulin.
Alternative activities: walking, dancing, cycling, intensive cleaning, even… gardening!
The result?
With weight loss, blood pressure, sugar and lipids gradually improve. Metabolic syndrome is receding.
Many of our patients, with the comprehensive and simple program they follow, break insulin resistance, lose excess weight and no longer need blood pressure medication, and if they have metabolic syndrome or prediabetes, the need for medication is reduced to zero, even for sugar.
