5 Warning Signs of Cardio Metabolic Syndrome
Cardio Metabolic Syndrome is now one of the most common syndromes in the United States and yet we are not talking about it enough. The consequences, the warning signs or the treatment.
Did you know that cardio metabolic syndrome could be costing you over $10,000 dollars a year in healthcare and this is only expected to rise. In 2017 the NHE reported, “Health spending per person in the U.S. was $10,224 in 2017”. This is 17% of the GDP which has more than doubled since 1970 where the spend was only 6% of GDP. (3)
According to Heart.org metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions, many of which are determined with lab work and biometric data. To diagnose metabolic syndrome most doctors look for at least 3 of the 5 components.
- Waist circumference for men – greater than 40 inches or for women – greater than 35 inches.
- Triglycerides greater or equal to 150 mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol for men – less than 40 mg/dL or women – less than 50 mg/dL
- Blood pressure greater or equal to 130/85 mmHg
- Fasting glucose greater or equal to 100 mg/dL
These 5 warning signs should not be ignored or just monitored. Early treatment is key to prevent cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stoke. Additionally a variety of factors my increase the likelihood of developing cardio metabolic syndrome including: celiac disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), schizophrenia and stress.
Popular treatment is diet and exercise starting with reducing carbs and sugar. With a Functional Medicine approach the treatment is comprehensive including the mind and body. (1)
A functional medicine practitioner will look for a full blood work-up including cholesterol particle sizing, minerals and nutrient testing. This also helps them to help you take a full approach and target missing nutrients in your body. Using the IFM cardio metabolic food plan will enable you to choose foods that are high in phytonutrients and produce therapeutic effects from eating a modified Mediterranean diet. A review of 50 studies on the Mediterranean diet reported that this way of eating favorably changes parameters of metabolic syndrome such as waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and glucose. The focus is on the many foods you can eat with no limit to calories when consuming the foods from the plan.
This is paired with physical movement to increase the ability for the cells to open up the pathways to burn glucose and reduce blood sugar over time. Research is suggesting just 30 minutes of physical movement 5 days a week is showing significant reduction in blood pressure and blood sugar. (2)
Cardio metabolic syndrome is treatable and preventable, with the proper food and lifestyle wellness strategies. If you are someone who has 3 of the 5 warning signs, I invite you to reach today for a consultation to see if the functional medicine approach is for you.
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Sources:
(1) https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/cardio-suspect-metabolic-syndrome/
(2) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11906-014-0492-2
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