Metabolic Health

What is Metabolic Health?

Metabolic health refers to the process by which our bodies use energy from the food we eat. Metabolic Syndrome means that these processes are dysfunctional and that we are at increased risk for disease. In the US, the diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome is defined by having at least 3 of these risk factors:

  • Fasting blood glucose >100 mg/dL or taking medication for high blood glucose

  • A waist circumference >35 inches for women and >40 inches for men

  • Triglycerides >150 mg/dL or taking medication for high triglycerides

  • HDL cholesterol <50 mg/dL for women or <40 mg/dL for men

  • Blood pressure >130 systolic or >85 diastolic or taking medication for high blood pressure

The presence of just one of these factors is of concern, and with each additional risk factor, the chance of chronic disease such as Diabetes mellitus type 2 and coronary artery disease as well as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other chronic diseases increases significantly.

 

What causes Metabolic Disease?

While chronic diseases are triggered by multiple factors, Insulin resistance and low-grade chronic inflammation are the major concerns.

Obesity is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, and what matters is where you are carrying the excess weight.

Excess weight around our midsection is predictive of insulin resistance and metabolic health as the visceral fat that wraps around our inner organs has been shown to produce inflammation and increase insulin resistance and high blood pressure.

When we eat carbohydrates, our bodies do not distinguish where the carbohydrates come from, they all enter the blood stream as glucose. The only difference is how fast they are absorbed (orange juice or donut – very fast; brown rice and whole grains – much slower as the fiber is slowing down the absorption in the stomach). Once the glucose gets released into the blood stream, the pancreas is alerted to produce the hormone insulin to help move the glucose into the cells to be either used as fuel or to be stored.

The more carbohydrates we eat, particularly the empty ones without fiber that spike our blood sugar levels, the more insulin is produced. And with time, our cells grow resistant and don’t respond to the insulin as efficiently anymore. This leaves more glucose in the bloodstream and triggers even further insulin production.

At the start of this process, our insulin levels become elevated while the blood sugar is still well controlled

In the end, we develop Diabetes mellitus type 2 where even the maximum amounts of insulin the pancreas is now producing cannot control the blood sugar any longer and we have to give medication and eventually inject insulin.

As insulin does not only control our blood sugar but is also a fat-storing hormone, this is a vicious cycle – more insulin leads to increased fat-storing and weight which leads to worsening of the insulin resistance.

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