In modern lifestyle, stress, irregular eating habits, habit of working at one place for hours and physical inactivity have started hollowing the health of people from within. The result of this unhealthy routine is-Metabolic Syndrome. In the language of medical science, it is also called 'Syndrome X' or 'Insulin Resistance Syndrome'. It is not a single disease in itself, but a deadly group of five serious health risks. When these conditions start developing together in a person's body, the risk of heart disease (heart attack), stroke and type-2 diabetes increases three times to five times. The most dangerous thing is that its initial symptoms emerge so silently that people completely ignore them considering them to be normal fatigue or the effect of increasing age.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and major global health institutions, if a person has any of the five conditions given below three or more conditions When found together, he is clinically considered to be suffering from metabolic syndrome:
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Abdominal Obesity: Waist circumference more than 40 inches (102 cm) in men and more than 35 inches (88 cm) in women (according to Indian standards, waist circumference more than 35.5 inches i.e. 90 cm in men and 31.5 inches i.e. 80 cm in women is considered at risk).
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High blood pressure: Constant blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or above, or taking blood pressure medicines for this.
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High fasting blood sugar: Morning blood sugar level of 100 mg/dL or more without eating anything is a clear sign of prediabetes.
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High Triglycerides: The level of fat in the blood i.e. triglycerides is 150 mg/dL or more.
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Low HDL i.e. good cholesterol: HDL levels fall below 40 mg/dL in men and below 50 mg/dL in women.
The onset of metabolic syndrome does not directly cause severe pain or sudden symptoms. The body gradually gives many subtle signals, which are important to recognize in time:
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Continuous increase in waist circumference (Apple-Shaped Body): The first and clearest warning sign is the accumulation of fat only around the stomach and navel, despite the rest of the body being thin. This is visceral fat (fat around the internal organs), which disrupts the functionality of insulin by secreting toxic chemicals.
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Extreme drowsiness and brain fog immediately after meals: If you feel unbearably sleepy, heavy, or have trouble concentrating after eating a heavy or carbohydrate-rich meal, this may indicate an 'insulin spike' and insulin resistance.
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Darkening of the skin of the neck and armpits (Acanthosis Nigricans): The skin on the back of the neck, armpits or near the elbow joints suddenly becomes velvety black or dark brown. People often mistake it for dirt, whereas it is a dermatological sign of excess insulin in the blood.
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Skin warts or skin tags: The sudden appearance of small painless skin bumps or warts on the face, neck or body folds is also associated with excessive insulin levels and hormonal imbalance.
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Sugar Cravings: When cells become resistant to insulin, they are no longer able to absorb glucose from the blood as energy. Due to this, the body feels lack of energy and the brain keeps sending signals to eat sugar, tea, pastries or things made from flour.
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Frequent urination and excessive thirst: The problem of getting up frequently at night to urinate and dry mouth begins when the kidneys work harder to remove excess sugar.
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Unexplained fatigue and lack of energy throughout the day: Despite getting complete sleep of 7 to 8 hours at night, feeling tired as soon as you wake up in the morning and feeling a little short of breath while climbing stairs is a proof of faltering metabolism of the body.
Metabolic syndrome is not an incurable disease. By making some basic changes in lifestyle in time, it can not only be stopped but can also be completely reversed:
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Eliminate sugar and ultra-processed foods from the diet: Stop consuming packaged chips, cold drinks, white bread, refined flour and added sugar. Fill half of the plate with green leafy vegetables, salad, pulses and whole grains (millet, jowar, ragi).
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Daily Physical Activity: Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (like brisk walking or jogging) and strength training two days a week. By keeping the muscles active, insulin sensitivity starts improving immediately.
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Reducing belly fat: Losing just 7% to 10% of your total body weight can see dramatic improvements in triglycerides, fasting sugars and blood pressure.
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Stress Control and 7 Hours of Deep Sleep: Chronic stress increases cortisol hormone in the body, which causes belly fat to accumulate and increases blood pressure. Make a habit of pranayama, meditation and sleeping at fixed time.
If you are above 30 years of age and have a sedentary lifestyle, get your lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c – three-month sugar average), and uric acid test done at least once a year. When caught early, metabolic syndrome can be completely cured with diet and exercise alone without any lifelong medications.