Are You at Risk For Metabolic Syndrome?

Many people hear this term all the time and know that it is part of the diabetes spectrum. First you get metabolic syndrome then you get diabetes. How many people really know that they have metabolic syndrome, let alone are full-fledged diabetics?

Metabolic syndrome is not just one symptom but a combination of a bunch. High blood pressure, abdominal obesity, increased blood sugar, increased cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, etc... A lot of these markers are pretty easy to see (obesity) or test for. So why is metabolic syndrome and diabetes running rampant?

The reasons for metabolic syndrome and diabetes being so prevalent are the topic for another blog, or weekend seminar (for that matter). But a glaring fact at the time of diagnosis for Type II diabetes is the pancreas is at 50 percent function. This corresponds to a problem 10-12 years in the making to reduce pancreatic function to 50 percent before Type II diabetes is diagnosed.

There is an even drearier outlook for Type I diabetes; at the time of diagnosis the beta cell mass of the pancreas is 10 percent. Type I diabetes also has a huge autoimmune component, as well as a glutamate link. This is all discussion for another time. For this blog is it simply stating the pancreas has to have extensive damage in order for diabetes to be diagnosed.

The positive side of this is that the pancreas is an organ that can withstand a lot of abuse and still work. If the pancreas has to lose 90 percent of the beta cell mass for DM1 and 50 percent of function in DM2 to show overt diabetes than that gives us lots of room to improve.

The easiest way to assess and see if you are at risk for metabolic syndrome, or DM2 is the measure your waist and make sure it is equal to or less than your height. This is called the waist to height ratio. It has been extensively studied and proves better than other measurements including the famed waist to hip ratio. One simple reason, "a big butt cancels a big waist."

A study done in 2009 found that for men with a waist greater than 1/2 their height, they had a 92 percent increased risk of getting metabolic syndrome. Women were found to have a 87.4 percent increased risk.

A new study gave the exact ratio that implies metabolic syndrome. 0.59. So if your waist is 60 percent of your height than you probably have metabolic syndrome, and in the next decade will probably have diabetes.

This is a lot of science to simply say, keep your waist 1/2 your height and have a really good chance of avoiding diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Now for those of you who do have metabolic syndrome, or at worst have diabetes, than it is time to find a natural medicine practitioner and make an appointment. The time was 10 years ago to get this problem in check and start living healthier.

Leans, greens, nuts and seeds is a great way to view food. Avoiding excessive carbohydrates, exercising hard (burst exercises, heavy weight training, sprints, total exhaustion exercises), eating organic foods (especially meats and fats), avoiding all dairy and gluten, and, most importantly, supporting the pancreas with proper nutrients will help fight diabetes. The side effect is a healthy fulfilling life.

To beat a lifestyle disease we must positively change lifestyle. We can through drugs at diabetes all we want. We are doing that in this country and what effect is it having?

In health,

Dr. Kurt

Follow Dr. Kurt on twitter for more updates and links to other blogs: @askdrkurt

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