Metabolic syndrome - there's a 1 in 4 chance you have it.

The name of this condition suggests something rare and horrific, but in fact it’s the most common condition that I encounter daily as a wellness therapist.

First of all let’s see what it is. It is a group of risk factors which in fact are very common abnormalities. The symptoms include insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, abdominal obesity, reduced HDL (good)-cholesterol levels, elevated triglycerides, inflammation and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Prevalence is increasing in line with the number of people who are overweight or obese, with reportedly one quarter of the Western population estimated to have this condition. We use multiple criteria to define metabolic syndrome.

The factors that can cause metabolic syndrome include having an inherited genetic tendency towards insulin resistance, being overweight and being physically inactive. This means that you can develop the condition if you were born with the tendency to develop insulin resistance and you make it worse by putting on weight and not exercising enough.

Preventing metabolic syndrome is quite easy and reversing it is feasible, more so with professional guidance. What is required is a no-brainer:

Lose weight
Get moving
Eat healthy
Stop smoking
Reduce alcohol consumption and make better drinking choices
Manage your stress
(and when absolutely necessary) take medication to control high blood pressure and cholesterol levels