Metabolic syndrome may sound unfamiliar to you. Metabolism, the noun form of "metabolic," is the process of sustaining life within living organisms, through which the organisms take in nutriments, break them down and synthesize new nutrients in their body. When problems occur in metabolism, it can lead to many diseases called "metabolic syndrome."
In modern society, disease patterns have changed dramatically, as life patterns, including diet, have rapidly become westernized. The occurrence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disorders has exponentially increased due to abdominal obesity caused by these irregular life patterns.
The diseases that result from unhealthy life patterns are called "lifestyle diseases" or "metabolic syndrome." It is a syndrome with the clinical features of hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity (abdominal obesity), a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism (elevated blood sugar), and dyslipidemia (disorders of lipid metabolism). The syndrome is known as a risk factor for the increased occurrence of diabetes, stroke, and cancers, as well as cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris and myocardial infarction.
If you have three or more of the following symptoms, then you will be diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. There are five features that lead to a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Among them, the simplest and easiest only requires a tape measure and a weighing scale; you only have to measure your waist circumference and body weight.
1) abdominal obesity (men: ≥90 cm, women: ≥85cm)
2) high blood pressure (≥130/85 mmHg)
3) high fasting plasma glucose (≥100 mg/dl), history of diabetes or taking drugs
4) high level of neutral fats (≥150 mg/dl)
5) low level of HDL-cholesterol (men: ≤40 mg/dl, women: ≤50 mg/dl)
As metabolic syndrome increases mortality rates and lowers the quality of our lives, it is important to know how to prevent it before it occurs by improving our life habits and diets.
The first cause: Elevated living standards! Increased eating out!
Thanks to economic growth, more and more people want to enjoy delicious food and better services rather than just to fill up their stomach The food we eat at restaurants is likely to have more sugar and sodium for a savory taste. This may lead to a higher intake of sugar and sodium. Therefore, dining out may cause an imbalance in the nutrient intake, due to the high sodium, sugar, fat, and calories. Moreover, irregular eating habits will also increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.
The second cause: Do you have a breakfast? Why can't you feel full?
As people are getting busier, the number of families eating together has decreased, and they skip their breakfast more frequently than before. Skipping breakfast causes a longer fasting period, which may lead them to eat more at lunch time. For obesity prevention, it is important to have frequent meals in small amounts. Skipping breakfast can lead to the habit of devouring a bigger lunch. Therefore, we recommend that you have breakfast, even if it is just a small amount.
The third cause: It is difficult to find the time to exercise.
People who work with computers all day long have difficulties in taking the time to exercise because of their heavy workload. In addition, the number of people with abdominal obesity has increased because of drinking and the high fat and calorie food, which they often eat together for dinner. In the prevention of abdominal obesity (the main cause of metabolic syndrome), regular daily exercise and balanced eating habits are required. If you have difficulty finding the time for exercise, you can at least use public transportation instead of driving cars, and walk up and down the stairs instead of taking elevators.
TIP 1. A thick waist is a red light for metabolic syndrome.
Abdominal obesity is the main cause of metabolic syndrome, and you need to deal with it by putting in some effort. Fatty acid produced in visceral fat cells decreases glucose utilization in muscle and increases the amount of glucose produced in the liver, worsening insulin resistance. Therefore, we need to our weight and waistline regularly to avoid abdominal obesity. For preventative measures, we all need to start by preparing a tape measure and a scale at home. In South Korea, the waist circumference guidelines against metabolic syndrome are less than 90 cm for men and less than 85 cm for women.
You are recommended to keep within the waist circumference guidelines.
TIP 2. Weight control can help you to maintain healthy blood pressure!
When your weight is increased by about 10%, your blood pressure is elevated by 7 mmHg. Similarly, you reduce your weight by 1 kg, your systolic blood pressure is decreased by 1.6 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.3 mmHg. The most important way for you to manage your blood pressure is through weight control. A proper diet, regular exercise, and limited sodium intake can help you regulate your blood pressure without the need for medication.
TIP 3. Reducing carbohydrate intake can help keep your blood vessels clean!
Carbohydrate-rich meals cause an accumulation of fat, which can lead to hyperlipidemia. The staple food of South Korea is rice. This means that our diet can lead to the increased level of neutral fats, resulting in obesity and thereby worsening metabolic syndrome. However, if we decrease the ratio of carbohydrates in our meals, we can improve the hyperlipidemia.
TIP 4. Changes in life habits strengthen insulin resistance!
The insulin resistance found in most patients with metabolic syndrome is due to the impaired ability to regulate blood sugar caused by the weakened function of insulin that lowers blood glucose. In most cases, insulin resistance is acquired because of heavy drinking, overeating, obesity, and lack of exercise and in particular abdominal obesity, and stress. Fortunately, insulin resistance can be improved by our efforts. By changing our life habits (such as the lack of exercise and excessive calorie intake) and reducing the waist circumference can improve insulin resistance and prevent metabolic syndrome, and therefore preventing hypertension, dyslipidemia, arteriosclerosis, and/or diabetes.
TIP 5. Let's walk and walk away from metabolic syndrome!
The best way to avoid metabolic syndrome is through exercise. By doing moderate aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes every day and engaging in strength exercises to improve our physical strength, we can reduce our body weight and visceral fat as well as strengthen our muscles and raise basal metabolic rates. You need to exercise and burn at least 700 kcal to 2,000 kcal a week, and aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, rope-jumping, and climbing stairs are important. If you have difficulties in finding the time to exercise, you can do several short exercises, and this has the same effect. In addition, our daily activities have a similar effect as exercise, so it is recommended to be physically active
Both in the East and the West, metabolic syndrome is the main culprit for the increase in mortality rates and the occurrence rates of cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke, and coronary artery diseases such as angina pectoris and myocardial infarction due to a variety of clotting mechanisms. However, such risks can be reduced through early detection and changes in life habits such as weight control and the avoidance of smoking. It is very important to have a steady and regular diet therapy and exercise, and if necessary, to get medication instead of making intensive efforts for a short period of time.
