Recipe of the Week

Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.

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During a recent conversation with my walking group, I brought up my concern about the enormous increase of people who have what is called 'metabolic syndrome'. No one had ever heard of it but they were all keen to learn more just in case they had it!  Interestingly, that would be almost impossible with this group of older ladies because they are all very active and pay a lot of attention to what they eat and drink.

So, already you have guessed it. It is entirely down to your lifestyle as to whether you would ever be diagnosed as having it.  Basically, ‘metabolic syndrome’ is a cluster of health conditions that puts you at greater risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes.

The considerable problem with this syndrome is that you may not have any symptoms that cause you to seek medical advice, so you may live with it for many years and not even know you have it. It is estimated that a quarter of adults in the UK suffer from it and an even greater percentage than that worldwide.

Metabolic syndrome has only been known about since the late 1980s when the combination of several conditions together was identified. It coincides with the rise in obesity levels and the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.

 

What are the Leading Causes of Metabolic Syndrome?

• Being overweight or obese, particularly around your middle (abdominal fat). It is important that you measure your waist.
   
• High Blood Pressure (known as hypertension). Unless you test for it you will not know if you have it!
   
• High Cholesterol. You need to know your level of Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL- referred to as the 'bad' cholesterol) compared with your High-density Cholesterol (HDL – referred to as the 'good' cholesterol).
   
• High Triglycerides. This is the amount of fat circulating in your blood and a standard blood test is all you need. 
   
• High blood sugar (glucose) leading to what is called insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. A blood test will show this.
   
• Being inactive. Sedentary people are more at risk.   

It is thought that if you have three or more of these conditions then you have metabolic syndrome and your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes is very high. Most of these causes require you to get tested or you will be totally unaware of the risks. 

 

Lifestyle Change is the Key

It is so easy to write about lifestyle changes but we know that it is one of the hardest things to do – habits developed over a long time require a huge commitment to change and establish new, more healthy ones. But it can be done and for those who know they have at least three of those conditions mentioned above, then that may be all the motivation you need to make it happen.

• Change your diet.  Particularly work at reducing the amount of sugar in your diet. It serves no nutritional purpose, ruins your teeth and is the leading cause of the development of insulin resistance. Also completely cut out snacks between meals – snacking is a new habit promoted by the food companies.
   
• Get active!  Whatever you currently do, think about whether it is enough. One lady I know recently had to visit the health centre regarding a joint problem and was asked what exercise she did. She walks a lot and comes to my classes once a week. She was shocked to hear that she was not doing enough and particularly needed to focus on more strength work. Music to my ears as you can imagine!
   
• Reduce Alcohol.  I recently read in a science magazine that there is no justification for any amount of alcohol. Difficult to read when you enjoy the odd tipple! When we are told it is rich in polyphenols which are good for us, the argument in this article was that there are plenty of other sources of polyphenols!  Basically, we need to be very mindful of our intake.
   
• Don't Smoke!  Thankfully, I rarely come across a smoker these days. You see a lot more vapers of course, and we are not yet sure of the long-term effects of that addiction. Alarmingly, it has taken more than 50 years to reach this point.

Get Tested

In the next few weeks in my bit for this Newsletter, I will be encouraging you to look at further health checks and to test for all these conditions, so you can feel confident that you are at low risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Of course, some tests can be done in the comfort of your own home, such as knowing your BMI and your waist measurement and you can check your blood pressure with a home monitor, but some require you to visit your health centre to be tested by a health professional.

To live life well we need to be armed with this information!

1. Your exercise regime should include cardio, strength and stretch. This week check if you need to address the balance between the three.

2. If your daily 30+ minute walk sees you getting out of breath then that probably covers the cardio requirement, but if you want to really go for it try the HIIT Workout. Always remember to do the Post Walk Stretches every day.

3. Do 3 sessions of Strength work.

Did you know... 
 

Saint George's Day, celebrated on the 23rd April, is the feast day of England's patron saint. It is the traditionally accepted date of the saint's death and, by chance, coincides with the birth and death dates of English playwright and poet William Shakespeare.

The Royal Society of St. George is an English patriotic society established in 1894  with the noble object of promoting "Englishness" and the English way of life. 

The society quickly attracted the support of many distinguished public figures in England and throughout the then-British Empire. Its first Royal Patron was Queen Victoria and the society has enjoyed the Patronage of every reigning monarch since. Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II granted the society its own Royal Charter in 1963 and the society was further granted a Coat of Arms in 1990.

The objects that are specified in the terms of its Royal Charter are:

• To foster the love of England and to strengthen England and the Commonwealth by spreading the knowledge of English history, traditions, and ideals.
• To keep fresh the memory of those in all walks of life, who have served England or the Commonwealth in the past, to inspire leadership in the future.
• To combat all activities to undermine the strength of England or the Commonwealth.
   
• To further English interest everywhere to ensure that St. George's Day is properly celebrated and to provide focal points all the world over where English men and women may gather together.