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You may recently have heard in the news about a sinister-sounding
condition called Syndrome X. No, this isn't a newly discovered disease,
but rather a new term for a cluster of conditions, that, when occurring
together, may indicate a predisposition to diabetes, hypertension and
heart disease.
The term was first coined by a group of researchers at Stanford
University to describe a cluster of symptoms, including high blood
pressure, high triglycerides, decreased HDL and obesity, which tend to
appear together in some individuals and increase their risk for diabetes
and heart disease. HDL, known as the good cholesterol, and triglycerides
are components of fat found in the blood.
The term also has been linked with another term--insulin resistance.
Insulin is the hormone responsible for getting energy, in the form of
glucose, or blood sugar, into our cells. A person who is insulin-resistant
has cells that respond sluggishly to the action of insulin. Following a
meal, this person will have elevated glucose circulating in the blood,
signaling yet more insulin to be released from the pancreas until the
glucose is taken up by the cells. Experts suggest that 10 to 25 percent of
the adult population may be resistant to insulin to some degree.
People who are insulin-resistant often have elevated triglycerides.
Elevated triglycerides usually coincide with low HDL. People who are
overweight show signs of insulin resistance more often than people who are
normal weight. So, although no cause and effect relationship can be
clearly established--this is truly a case of the chicken and the egg--the
association between these factors is a concern, especially because any of
these symptoms, alone or in combination, increase one's risk for heart
disease.
Ten to 20 people out of a hundred are resistant to insulin. So, what
should you do if you suspect you're one of them? Or, what if you do have
several of the cluster of conditions associated with Syndrome X? Because
these conditions occur in a cluster, the steps you take to bring one of
the conditions into a healthy range will likely improve the others. For
example, if you're overweight, simply losing up to 10 or 15 percent of
your current body weight can bring blood pressure down and increase your
cells' sensitivity to insulin. Exercise is an important component of
weight loss. It also raises HDL blood levels, even without weight loss.
Steps to help bring triglycerides down include a diet low in alcohol and
refined carbohydrates like soda, table sugar and high fructose corn syrup,
which is widespread in prepared foods and listed on labels. Contrary to
what some think, this is not in conflict with the Dietary Guidelines
recommendation to eat 55 percent of total calories from carbohydrates,
primarily complex carbohydrates. The key words here are "complex
carbohydrates," such as grains, beans and vegetables, rather than
sweets and desserts, and the total number of calories being consumed--just
enough to maintain or achieve desirable weight.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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