5 Risk Factors Of Metabolic Syndrome

Hey Team!

Often we watch the news, read the newspaper, listen to the radio, or scroll Facebook to find nothing but negative…negative… negative. You do not have to look far… it's everywhere. But the reality is we have very little control over any of it. Will you cure cancer, or eliminate poverty? Yeah, probably not. My advice…turn it all off and put all your energy into things YOU CAN control, like nutrition, fitness, strength, balance, mental health, emotional health, friendships, or wellness overall. These are what coaches call… controlling the controllable. Let's dig deeper! 

Let's use two friends, Bill and Larry. What binds them as friends is their opposite personalities. Bill is a type-A personality who likes order, consistency, staying busy, and eating proper meals. Bill monitors what he eats, makes an effort to increase fiber in his diet naturally, and uses a local gym regularly for weight training and mild cardio. Bill has slightly high blood pressure, but all other markers are excellent "for his age." 

Larry is the same age as Bill but is not wound very tight. He likes to take it easy, relax at all costs, and limit his activities because he "doesn't want to get too busy." Bill and Larry became friends through the VFW and enjoyed each other's company. Larry reports he doesn't like to "train" anymore and left that in the military. Larry eats "whatever is in front of him." Since he lives alone, he spends most of his meals at restaurants, microwaves, or fast food restaurants. Larry has many medical issues, and many started presenting in the last few years. He has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a large protruding abdomen, diabetes, and the beginnings of fatty liver disease. Larry's doctor is starting to mention "Metabolic Syndrome." 

WHAT IS METABOLIC SYNDROME?

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of medical issues leading to one primary diagnosis. The classic precursors to metabolic syndrome are:

• High blood pressure.

• High cholesterol.

• High blood sugar levels.

• Weight gain with a large protruding abdomen.

• Excessive fatty deposits to the liver.

Metabolic syndrome can and should be avoided, but we are starting to experience a more significant rise as people age and in younger generations. But why? Why does this matter? Why does someone like Larry start to develop metabolic syndrome, and how can he reduce his risk for a more healthy and fulfilled life? Here I list some of the factors related to Metabolic Syndrome. Do you have any?

RISK FACTORS OF METABOLIC SYNDROME

1.     Stress: Physical, emotional, or mental stress places the body in a challenged state. Through our immune system, our body is excellent at evaluating threats and destroying them. Often our body can neutralize free radicals and prevent cell proliferation from occurring (cancer or other diseases). Our bodies are very efficient; however, when taxed…the focus shifts. If our body consumes a large mass of energy to return all systems to normal levels… there is not much energy left over to stop free radical proliferation. In summary, more stress equals more illness! Physical, emotional, or mental stress affects our health. 

2.     Less Fiber: We have two forms of fiber in the body: soluble and insoluble. What gets overlooked is that we need BOTH to make the most effective barrier for our gut health. We have bacteria in our gut working with us to line our stomach, break down our food, and assist in our natural body processes. What do our bacteria love to eat….fiber! But our body cannot consume this fiber… so any excess fiber our bacteria does not consume passes to our intestines and assists in barrier formation that lines the gut. Why does this matter? Your gut is not protected without proper fiber in your diet (Both soluble and insoluble)! In summary… this places a large amount of inflammation in the body leading to more overall stress on your system.

3.     Increased Weight Gain: Have you been gaining weight but need to figure out why? Is the stomach region the area with the most noticeable increase in size? Why? Are you having difficulty returning this to a regular size regardless of what you eat or how much? A visceral abdominal mass is a sign of Metabolic Disease and is more of a "symptom" of metabolic disease than a disease itself. If the entire body system is compromised…expect abdominal mass to increase. 

4.     Insulin Resistance: Our pancreas releases insulin when blood glucose levels are too high in the bloodstream. This is the precursor for diabetes. Insulin is the "key" to the cell door to allow sugar to be let in. When insulin is present, many-body reactions assist in lowering blood sugar in the bloodstream: hormones are released to tell the brain to stop eating, and fat storage occurs to take in excess sugar. In constantly elevated blood sugar levels… the pancreas will work harder and release even more insulin. In time… released insulin doesn't work as well, even when mass amounts are present.  

5.     Blood Pressure Increase: Why is blood pressure increasing…even with a restriction in salt intake? Insulin resistance creates the inability to excrete excess salt effectively in the body, thus driving up blood pressure. Furthermore, sugar directly increases blood pressure by increasing uric acid. So, what does this mean? A rise in blood pressure is a sign of a Metabolic Disorder and is viewed as a symptom, not a disease. 

Overall Team, an intentional commitment to a healthier lifestyle may prevent these conditions that cause Metabolic Syndrome. A healthier lifestyle includes:

• 30 minutes of physical activity most days

• Eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and whole grains

• Limiting saturated fat and salt in your diet

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Not smoking

Feel free to reach out by email, phone, or text message if you have further questions about how to commit to a Healthier You. I enjoy helping! 

Keep Moving!

• The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com