It is possible to maintain good health as you age rather than succumb to “inevitable” degenerative conditions.
Degenerative conditions are not inevitable if you take actions to control and optimize your metabolism.
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. During this complex process, calories in food and beverages are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. When the metabolism process goes awry there are negative consequences for our health.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Every 5 seconds someone is diagnosed with a condition caused by metabolic disorder and every 10 seconds somebody dies from a metabolic health issue. Metabolic Syndrome is one of the most important health challenges we currently face.
A much bigger emphasis needs to be placed on educating people about Metabolic Syndrome and its factors. The factors of Metabolic Syndrome are:
- Fasting blood glucose level of 107 mg/dl or more (insulin resistance)
- “Good” HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg/dl or less for a male and 50 mg/dl or less for a female
- Blood triglycerides level of 150 mg/dl or higher
- Waist circumference of more than 40” for a male and 35” for a female
- Being overweight
- Taking medication for high blood pressure
- Taking medication for high blood sugar.
Any one of the above factors indicates a person has a metabolic disorder – an imbalance or deficiency – that negatively affects the way their body functions at the cellular level. If a person has 3 or more factors, this is commonly referred to as Metabolic Syndrome and the risk of a serious health condition increases even more.
These factors reflect common degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, and heart and cardiovascular disease.
The prevalence for high blood pressure is about 63% among those aged 60 and over in the US and the prevalence for diabetes is about 10% of the population (34.2 million people).
The factors of Metabolic Syndrome are increasingly common. In fact, up to 30% of U.S. adults have Metabolic Syndrome and about 44% of people over 50 years of age are affected by it.
What Causes Metabolic Syndrome and its Factors?
The factors of Metabolic Syndrome can be the result of long-term nutritional deficiencies. The body requires a comprehensive range of nutrients to function optimally – protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
It’s becoming more and more difficult to obtain the nutrition we need to stay healthy from the foods we eat, so many people have nutritional deficiencies without being aware of it.
Dietary Impact on Health
The human body developed on this planet over the past 2 million years. During all but the last 8,000 of those years (and 8,000 years when you are talking of an evolutionary time frame is but the blink of an eye), the human body evolved eating meat, fat and high fiber vegetables, with some roots and tubers.
Eight thousand years ago the “agricultural revolution” took place, with man learning how to domesticate grain. Virtually overnight, man became dependent upon carbohydrates as the main source of food. Archeologists point to that exact time period that the average height of man dropped by two inches and all of the degenerative diseases we have today developed in the society of that time.
Since World War II this situation has become even worse with the increased consumption of simple carbohydrates, sugar, processed foods and introduction of cans and bottles with known hormone disruptors.
If we continue with the currently accepted diet, the number of people with diabetes worldwide will continue to increase. Right now, it’s estimated that 463 million people have diabetes worldwide.
What Can You Do to Decrease the Risk of Degenerative Diseases, including the Factors of Metabolic Syndrome?
The lifestyle changes that will help with the factors of Metabolic Syndrome can include eating a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fat. This will support a healthy metabolism and weight loss. The key is to try to maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise is also important. Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
Providing the body with targeted whole food nutrition at the cellular level in the form of supplements can help provide the specific ingredients the body needs to address metabolic disorders.
The outlook for people with metabolic disorders, including Metabolic Syndrome, is positive if the symptoms are managed.
The Importance of Supplementation as We Age
Today, it can be difficult to get the high quality, concentrated nutrition that the body needs to maintain optimal health from the foods available. For this reason, it’s become very common to support our diet with dietary supplements.
People with Metabolic Syndrome could benefit from supplements that support:
- Maintaining a normal blood sugar level
- Optimum cardiovascular health
- Boosting the immune system
- Reducing inflammation.
Natural Plant-based Ingredients
Scientific studies have demonstrated the nutritional and health benefits of natural plant sources. Plant-based foods and supplements support the World Health Organization report, Technical Series Report 916, page 42, which states, “We should eat a diet consistent with the diet our genes became programmed to respond to.” Genetically our bodies are designed to respond to plant nutrition.
Take action now to address degenerative conditions and support healthier aging.