Have You Got Syndrome X??

No, it's not the title of the latest sci-fi movie. 'Syndrome X', also known as 'The Metabolic Syndrome', is a collection of symptoms which, when they occur together in one person, indicate a predisposition to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

Experts estimate that about 25% of the population have the condition - not surprising when you consider the general trend towards unhealthy, inactive lifestyles today. That means that 1 in 4 people have this potentially fatal condition.

Scary, huh? It's true though, so you'd better be aware of it, because you or someone you know, may be at risk.

How do you know if you've got Syndrome X? The symptoms include:

-Excessive fat in and around your abdomen ('central obesity'): yup, those love handles are danger signals, baby!

-Blood fat disorders - low HDL ('good cholesterol') and high triglycerides.

-Raised blood pressure (130/85 or higher)

-Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (where your body can't properly use insulin or blood sugar): this right here is actually thought to be the underlying cause of the syndrome itself...it's also why the syndrome is called 'prediabetes'...

-Easy clotting of blood.

Because the syndrome is generally associated with insulin resistance, the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. When you are resistant to insulin, your body tends to store fat. When you're sensitive to insulin (the normal state), your body releases any excess fat available.

Two factors which lead to insulin resistance are excessive fat (overweight people are more likely to be resistant than others) and physical inactivity.

What can you do TODAY to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and the other serious illnesses related to Syndrome X?

-Get active. Begin to walk every day. Briskly. Start with 15 minute walks each day, then gradually increase until you can walk for 30 minutes each day. Don't make excuses now: if it's too cold outside then walk inside your house, up the stairs, etc. You don't need a fancy gym membership to get active, just find something you enjoy doing and stick to it. Then incorporate strength training exercises every other day, such as the six simple ones described in this post...

-Start eating right. Eat at least 5 times a day, and make the portions small. 

--Eat only when you're hungry and stop eating once you feel full.
--Cut out all grains and processed carbohydrates, eat lots of unprocessed foods esp vegetables and fruit (in the ration of 3 veg: 2 fruit. or 4veg:1 fruit per day if you are overweight...),
--Eat lean cuts of meat unless you're eating grass fed, free range organic animals free from hormones and pesticides and antibiotics.
--Get a decent supply of healthy fats (eg saturated fats from sources above, coconut oil for cooking, olive oil - raw, unheated; mono -unsaturated fats)
-- Drink lots of water.
--Take high quality nutritional supplements which are guaranteed to be potent and bioavailable (easily absorbed into your bloodstream), to round out/complete your healthy eating regimen.

-Bottom line here: if you're overweight, you need to lose the excess fat and get physically active in order to make your body sensitive to the insulin it makes. Doing this greatly reduces your risk of such life debilitating conditions as Diabetes, Heart Disease,  Strokes and the like.

Even if you're not overweight, make sure you're physically active and eating the right type of food in the right amounts.

Don't put this off any longer. 

Syndrome X is a real and present danger and you could be at risk.

Stop reading this right now, and go for your 15 minute walk. This minute. Go ahead - do it NOW.