What is the Metabolic Syndrome?
It’s defined as a cluster of factors that put a person at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. If you have:
A waist size – 40 inches for men; 35 inches for women.
High Blood Pressure – greater than or equal to 130 mm Hg systolic (top number) or greater than or equal to 85 mg Hg diastolic (lower number) or taking medication for high blood pressure.
High triglycerides greater than 150 mg/dL or taking medication for high triglycerides.
Low HDL good cholesterol – less than 40 mg/dL for men less than 50 mg/dL for women or taking medication for low HDL.
High blood sugar – greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL or taking medication for blood sugar. Yes, in addition you may develop diabetes.
Obviously as our society becomes more and more obese, more and more people may be classified as being in the metabolic syndrome. A person is not necessarily in pain in the syndrome, but if s/he stays in this category long enough heart disease will continue within her or his body. It is an unhealthy state – one to avoid.
How to get out of it? Change your eating habits and exercise. After all you have your future health and well being to consider.