METABOLIC SYNDROME
Metabolic Syndrome is defined by the American Heart Association as having three or more risk factors such as high blood glucose levels, low levels of HDL(the good cholesterol), high levels of triglycerides, high blood pressure, or a large waist circumference(more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men). It has been estimated that 1 in every 6 Americans meet at least three of the above criteria. Why is this important? Metabolic Syndrome raises the risk of developing more serious conditions such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Think of metabolic syndrome as a warning bell sounding an alarm as to where the body may be headed.
The Functional Medicine approach to metabolic syndrome would be to run very specific tests to determine the overall health of the different systems of the body and then based upon these results, design an individualized plan to address the imbalances found through targeted nutraceuticals, lifestyle changes, and diet.