Shutting off Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is by far the most common reason that people fail to gain control over coronary plaque. Learn how to beat this scourge.
Metabolic syndrome is known by a number of different names: insulin resistance, syndrome X, borderline diabetes. They’re all the same and lead to the same common destination: more coronary plaque, three-fold or greater risk of heart attack, greater risk for stroke, and diabetes. The pre-diabetic status of the metabolic syndrome can go on for several years. At some point, you cross the line into full-blown diabetes, and turning back becomes near-impossible. That’s why you should work to correct metabolic syndrome before you get to that point.
Metabolic syndrome can drive coronary plaque growth even when everything else, like LDL cholesterol or homocysteine, are corrected to perfect levels. Neglect of the metabolic syndrome is, without question, the most common reason your program can look perfect (excellent LDL cholesterol, for instance) yet your plaque continues to grow at an alarming rate.
You and your doctor will know that you have the metabolic syndrome if you have HDL <50 mg/dl, small LDL, triglycerides >150 mg/dl, high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, blood sugar of >110 mg/dl. The likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome escalates sharply above a body mass index (BMI) of 27, though some people even show some of the features at an ideal weight and BMI (suggesting a powerful genetic predisposition). Having this syndrome is a matter of degree. Any one of the above abnormalities qualifies you as having metabolic syndrome (in our strict definition*); the more of these features you have, the more metabolic syndrome contributes to plaque growth. Contrary to popular opinion, blood sugar can be in the normal range while any of the other aspects of the metabolic syndrome are active.
Metabolic syndrome starts with resistance to insulin
A fundamental derangement in the metabolic syndrome, borderline diabetes, and (adult-onset or type II) diabetes is resistance to your own body’s insulin, not a deficiency of insulin.
In fact, the metabolic syndrome means that you have too much insulin. Blood levels of insulin are high but your body’s cells have become resistant to insulin. Blood sugars go up, since sugar is unable to enter cells. A cascade of effects develop in domino-like sequence: increased triglycerides leading to a reduction in HDL, small LDL, VLDL, increased inflammation, greater blood clotting, higher blood pressure, and fatigue even with day-to-day life demands.
A crucial step to take that may help you in this situation is to increase your “insulin sensitivity”. Correct this fundamental defect and correction of the other phenomena will follow. Strategies that increase “insulin sensitivity” include:
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