Avoiding Metabolic Syndrome-Toronto Nutritionist

With our five new food groups: fast, frozen, fried, junk and processed, is it any wonder that one in five Canadians have Metabolic Syndrome? Your health is in your hands and understanding what Metabolic Syndrome is can save your life.

Your waist circumference is a good indicator of health issues. Abdominal girth is the predictor for your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and hypertension and more. When your waist circumference is greater than 35 inches for a female and 40 inches for a male, Metabolic Syndrome is likely present.

All of this leads to inflammation in the body. Part of the problem is that toxins are being absorbed from the gut causing inflammation, which results in abdominal fat. One-way to determine if you are at risk is to have your doctor perform a C – reactive protein test, a simple blood test to determine if inflammation is present in the body. The best tool to reverse inflammation is not a drug but the food you put in your mouth.

In a world where Diary is the Queen and Burger is the King, it is no surprise that so many people today have major health issues.

Growing up in the sixties and seventies, it was rare to have an overweight classmate.  It was an oddity to see young people with abdominal fat hanging over their jeans. Today, we see overweight people everywhere.  What changed?  Our food manufactures have modified food so much with additives and artificial flavours, that our bodies are no longer getting the simple nutrients they require. These modified foods are addictive and alter the chemistry of the body while whole, live foods like fruit and veggies are becoming the rarity.

It is a misnomer that fruit contains too much sugar! Fruit raises your glucose level slowly, whereas processed foods spike your glucose levels. The real problem is the glycemic index of our foods. Simply put, food burns fast or slow. “White foods” are the real problem. Those foods are muffins, cakes, donuts, pasta, white rice, ice cream, bagels .pancakes, deserts, cookies that make up 80% of the average person’s diet.

Blood glucose is the primary nutrient for all nerve cells, which is regulated by insulin. Sugar is a treat not meant to be consumed in large quantities. Your pancreas can become overwhelmed by the constant surge of insulin caused by too much sugar, which can create an insulin insensitivity. The increase in insulin concentration leads to high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high adrenalin high cholesterol and hemostasis (which means your blood can clot faster leading to strokes). All these symptoms lead to Metabolic Syndrome.

Prevention is the key in a world that is so busy and where food preparation is no longer a priority. As a busy person, I understand that when a person is hungry, the urge is to eat compulsively, often making poor food choices.  Making conscious choices is the start to health and avoiding Metabolic Syndrome.

Preventing health problems begins with what you put into your mouth. If man made it, don’t eat it. If it comes in a bag, box, pick up window, it probably is processed and high in sugar. If it has passed a chemistry lab on the way to your mouth it will be a problem as well.

Go back to nature. Add those five to seven veggies a day in salads, stews and soups. Eat two to three fruits a day. Add oatmeal and ground flax to your diet. Grab a handful of almonds and walnuts before that biscotti. Add two tablespoons of flax seed oil to your diet. Eat eggs; they are so good for you. Quinoa takes only fifteen minutes to cook and is one of nature’s perfect foods. Eat avocadoes and watch your skin glow. Bypass the coffee shops treats. Instead eat an apple.

Make nutrition fun and colorful and enjoy your newfound energy. Lastly, exercise is the final touch to your vibrant health. If you don’t use it you lose it. I recommend a minimum of one hour of exercise a day. That can be as simple as a walk, swim, bike ride, or yoga class.

Take charge of your health and remember let food be thy medicine!

In health,

Jane Durst Pulkys!