| Dr. Kestner: Are you a “victim” of the new epidemic? |
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By: DR. MARK KESTNER, Post Columnist
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Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009 1:09 pm
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Metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions that are indicators of failing health in many individuals.
“Failing health” sounds worse than being “out-of-shape,” doesn’t it. Failing health sounds more ominous.
As long as we are just “out-of-shape” we can happily go on about our daily activities, albeit with the slightly aggravating feeling that we ought to do something about our circumstance. However, when we are faced with the truth that we have “failing health,” we are confronted with the dire reality of our certain mortality.
As you read this, you may want to decide which phrase of the two best describes your condition. You can easily make the call after I fill you in with a few tidbits. I suspect that most of the following will be familiar to you, and yet will be worth reading nonetheless.
Metabolic syndrome is the term used by doctors and researchers to describe the triad of conditions including elevated cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar that often results from prolonged moderate to severe obesity and overall lack of fitness.
Although in the past, most of the attention given to metabolic syndrome was directed at persons older than 40, the new reality is that anyone from adolescence on up can fall prey to this condition.
With advancing age (read “over 40”), the more susceptible one is to the combined effects of these three conditions that can damage your health. However, severely obese or moderately obese sedentary younger individuals can be affected as well.
In order to appreciate the massive impact this condition of failing health will soon have on our society, do this public health experiment. For this experiment, it not necessary to take any surveys, ask any questions, or do any scientific data gathering.
The next time you are in a public place with lots of people, take a critical look around you. How many of the people that you can see are obviously overweight? All that is required is a simple casual guess of whether someone appears to be at least 20 pounds or more overweight. How many appear to be carrying at least 40 pounds of excess weight? See how prevalent this problem is?
Besides simple body mass, fitness is a part of the metabolic syndrome. Of the people that you can see, how many would you guess could jog a mile? 100 yards? 100 feet?
For many of the individuals that you marked as being overweight or under-fit, the condition of metabolic syndrome will be a part of their medical history soon, if it isn’t already. If, while reading this, you have realized that you fit these descriptions, you are either out-of-shape or already in failing health.
In either case, don’t despair. With the right approach, most people with metabolic syndrome will find it possible to reverse their health decline.
That’s the exciting aspect of metabolic syndrome: In most cases the effects are reversible.
If you have come to the realization that your health is being affected or is likely to be as a result of prolonged moderate obesity and lack of fitness, you have many options that can turn your health around. In fact, a vibrant active lifestyle could actually be in your future.
However, it is important to realize that in most cases, intentional steps must be taken to reverse metabolic syndrome, and often professional assistance is necessary. Many physicians are now being much more engaging with their patients about their weight and fitness status.
Unlike many other conditions that may threaten the health status of their patients, this is something that can be addressed very successfully and often fairly inexpensively, and usually with compellingly dramatic improvements in overall health and wellbeing.
As I complete this column, I am in Arizona to attend a conference of the American Academy of Pain Management.
Last week I was in Atlanta to meet with medical doctors, neurological researchers, physical therapists and acupuncturists concerning the use of acupuncture in treatment of painful conditions.
Next week, I’ll tell you about some new advances in treatment of pain.
Dr. Mark Kestner
mkestner@drkestner.com
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