Fat loss, weight loss, personal trainer, training programme. Syndrome X

Syndrome X - The disease of the new millennium

As the incidence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease continue to escalate, could the root of the problem be today's typical diet which although low in calories, is high in carbohydrate and sugar? Scientists in reputed journals such as The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and The Lancet are now reporting on the cluster of symptoms collectively referred to as Syndrome X. Although people are still quite unaware of Syndrome X, it affects most of us over the age of 30 to some degree. The collection of symptoms, which make up Syndrome X include high blood pressure, high triglycerides (blood fats) and cholesterol, obesity and blood sugar disorders. Ultimately these symptoms increase the likelihood of heart disease, type II diabetes and even some cancers. If you suffer from sluggishness after eating, are overweight especially around the middle (whatever you eat!!), have symptoms of hypoglycaemia (dizziness and irritability without food, drowsiness during the day, mood swings, sugar and stimulant cravings), and have maybe been told you have high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, you are likely to benefit from the advice given below.

The term Syndrome X (other times referred to as Metabolic Syndrome or Insulin Resistance Syndrome - IRS) was coined by endocrinologist, Gerald Reaven in the late 80s. The condition develops largely as a result of the body's inability to cope with our modern diet and inactive lifestyle - the symptoms of Syndrome X owe their existence largely to the high intake of carbohydrate (especially refined flour products and sugar) and the low-quality protein and low-fat diets which we have come to perceive as healthy. Impeccable scientific research indicates that the traditional food pyramid should in fact be called into question. Put this together with common nutritional deficiencies (such as chromium, magnesium, selenium, B vitamins and essential fats), prolonged stress and a lack of exercise and your body simply cannot cope. The symptoms and risk factors associated with Syndrome X speed up the aging process and impact either directly or indirectly on all the major degenerative diseases, which threaten our later lives.

Insulin Resistance

Central to the development of the symptoms of Syndrome X is insulin resistance, which refers to the reduced ability of the hormone insulin to perform its many functions in the body. As well as controlling blood sugar, insulin also helps control your appetite, fluid balance, growth hormone levels (which keep your body lean) and it regulates the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. When we eat carbohydrates, whether in the form of fruits, vegetables, bread, rice, sweets or biscuits, the body breaks down the carbohydrate into the body's main source of fuel - glucose. Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas to help the body absorb glucose from the blood stream into the cells. When levels of insulin remain elevated (as they will with a high sugar, high carbohydrate diet) the adipose tissues (fat store cells) and other target cells eventually become insensitive to the insulin and glucose cannot be burned by the body for energy. The body compensates by producing more insulin and hyper-insulinaemia ensues. This chain of events has a number of physiological consequences - enzyme activity can be disturbed, such as lipoprotein lipase, which is responsible for clearing fats from the blood stream. This can lead to raised triglycerides, increased body fat and an increased risk of heart disease: It also becomes increasingly difficult for the body to handle glucose and carbohydrate, blood pressure increases and full-blown Syndrome X can ensue.

Other contributors to insulin resistance include an element of genetics, alcohol intake, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.

Sugar - carbohydrate in its deadliest form

The human metabolic machinery evolved to thrive on a diet low in carbohydrate, high in protein from lean meat and high in essential fats. However, since the industrial revolution the modern western diet has become packed with sugar and refined carbohydrates in the form of white flour products like bread, pasta, biscuits, sugary drinks and cereals. All forms of sugar can have a negative effect on insulin balance. Recent studies at the University of Toronto and the University of Minnesota, suggest even fructose (sugar derived from fruit), which is widely used by food manufacturers to sweeten foods and is often promoted as a healthy alternative to normal sugar, can be dangerous as it stimulates the liver to secrete triglycerides, just as bombarding the liver with insulin does.

While we know eating a diet full of sweets and confectionery won't do us any good, many of us don't understand that foods labelled as '99 percent fat-free' are often laden with sugar and sweeteners, which may be even worse for us than some fats.

Do you have any signs or symptoms of Insulin Resistance?

• Cravings for carbohydrates, sweets, fizzy drinks or stimulants like caffeine?
• History of yoyo dieting and an inability to manage your weight? Weight-gain particularly around the middle?
• Frequent urination and thirst?
• Disordered blood lipids - high cholesterol (above 240mg/dl) or triglycerides (above 160mg/dl)?
• Have a family history of diabetes?
• Have symptoms of blood sugar imbalance (irritability, dizziness without food, cravings, difficulty waking, drowsiness during the day)?

If you answered yes to half of these questions, it may be time to think about re-balancing your diet along the lines of the advice given below. If you don't show any current symptoms but are still eating a diet that is high in carbohydrate, even if it is low in fat, it is still worth trying to incorporate the following guidelines, which should form the basis of any healthy diet.

Dietary Recommendations

• Avoid all forms of processed sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, galactose, lactose) cutting out all sweets and confectionery, sugary drinks and convenience foods.
• Reduce your intake of saturated fat from red meat, fried foods, crisps and snacks. Instead, increase your intake of essential fats, which are particularly high in oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon and seeds such as linseeds (flaxseed) and pumpkin seeds. These omega 3 oils have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in both healthy people and people with diabetes. They also promote the increase of good cholesterol, so are protective against heart disease.
• Limit the amount of dense carbohydrate you consume in the form of bread, rice and pasta.
• Chose a low glycaemic index diet. The glycaemic index is a measure of how quickly a food releases sugar into the diet (see diagram below). For example - not all vegetables and fruit are good to promote insulin sensitivity - watch out for starchy vegetables like carrots, potatoes and parsnips, choosing green vegetables in preference. Similarly an apple, grapefruit, cherries or pears may be a better choice than watermelon. Aim for foods with a glycaemic index below 50.

	High (limit)	Low (increase)		High (limit)	Low (increase)
Fruit			Breakfast Cereals
Watermelon	72		Cornflakes	84
Pineapple	66		Weetabix	69
Cantaloupe Melon	65		Shredded Wheat	67
Raisins	64		Muesli	56
Apricots	57		All bran		52
Mango	55		Porridge Oats		49
Banana	55
Paw paw		54	Vegetables
Kiwi fruit		52	Parsnips	97
Grape		46	Beetroot	64
Orange		44	Sweetcorn		55
Peach		42	Raw Carrot	49
Plum		39	Frozen Peas	48
Pear		38
Apple		38	Starchy 'staples'
Apricots (dried)		31	French baguette	95
Grapefruit		25	Rice cakes	82
Cherries		22	Baked potato	85
			Brown rice	65
Snacks/Drinks			Basmati rice	58
Corn crisps	72		Instant Noodles		46
Mars Bar	68		Oatcakes		54
Muesli Bar	61
Popcorn		55	Dairy
Crisps		54	Ice Cream	36
Orange Juice		46	Yoghurt	36
Apple Juice		40
			Pulses
Sugar			Baked beans		48
Glucose	100		Lentils		25
Honey	58		Kidney Beans		29

• Be sure to include some good quality protein with every meal and snack. Good protein sources include fresh nuts and seeds, pulses and beans (lentils, chick peas etc), lean chicken, fish and cottage cheese.
• Some studies have shown that high salt intake may also reduce insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals, so it is worth watching how much salt you add to your food and avoid salty preserved meats and sausages.

Lifestyle Recommendations

• Reduce chronic stress: Under chronic stress, cortisol levels remain high for prolonged periods of time, interfering with the ability of insulin to deliver glucose to the surrounding cells and tissues. This results in the now familiar pattern of elevated blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and increased fat deposits as well as adrenal exhaustion. So aim to get a balance in your life and make time for some relaxation
• Increase exercise: A resistance training programme will improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with Syndrome X. In addition, increased exercise will improve many of the risk factors associated with the syndrome. Consult a personal trainer or fitness expert for a fat loss programme as weight-loss does improve insulin sensitivity.
• Increase exercise: Strength (resistance) training improves insulin sensitivity in individuals with Syndrome X. In addition, increased exercise will improve many of the risk factors associated with the syndrome and weight-loss does improve insulin sensitivity.
• Reduce smoking: In most studies, cigarette smoking and the use of nicotine replacement products, has been associated with insulin resistance.
• Reduce alcohol consumption: Alcohol puts a strain on the body's ability to balance blood sugar and depletes the body of vital nutrients. It is best kept to a minimum and red wine is the preferred choice because of its cardio-protective effects when drunk in moderation.

Vitamin and Mineral Status

Deficiencies in the minerals magnesium, chromium and zinc are common in individuals with Syndrome X, so it is worth getting your mineral levels checked (see below). Clinical trials have shown insulin sensitivity can be improved with the use of some supplements: Vitamin E (at 800-1350 iU per day); Coenzyme Q10 (at 120mg/day); glucomannan fibre (at 8-13g per day). The latter is a type of water-soluble dietary fibre, which has been shown to improve blood cholesterol control, insulin sensitivity, triglyceride levels and high blood pressure.

Testing

There are a number of tests, which may help if you feel you may be suffering from symptoms of Syndrome X. You may consider the following: Hair Mineral Analysis - to discover your mineral and toxic metal status; Glucose Tolerance Testing - to look at how your body is managing its blood sugar level and Adrenal Stress Testing - to review your adrenal function. For more information on any of these, contact one of the nutritionists at Totalbeing on 0845 658 5658

Research News

Fat Supplement GLA With Fish Oil Lowers Cholesterol in Women.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jan 2003:77 37-42 Many studies have shown that supplementing the diet with fish oils, rich in the omega 3 fats EPA and DHA tend to reduce blood levels of triglycerides and increase levels of HDL (good Cholesterol). In the past however, studies have had mixed results when testing whether increasing the intake of fish oils can reduce levels of LDL (bad Cholesterol). This study looked at whether adding the anti-inflammatory omega 6 oil GLA, to the supplement programme changed cholesterol levels. The study involved 31 women and researchers compared the effects of EPA and DHA supplementation by itself to that of EPA, DHA and GLA together. The combination of the three oils tended to reduce LDL cholesterol by 12 percent. A combination of a 4:2 ratio of the supplements 4g EPA and DHA, 2g GLA resulted in an average 15 % reduction in non-HDL cholesterol concentrations, which translates to over a 40% decrease in heart disease risk.

Exercise Reduces Diabetes by Reducing Insulin Resistance
Achives of Intern. Medicine 2000; 160:2108-2116 This study involves 5159 men between the ages of 40 and 59, with no history of heart disease, type II diabetes or stroke. The men were then followed up over the next 20 years and it was demonstrated that individuals with a lower level of physical activity were more prone to diabetes and had higher levels of insulin resistance.

Focus on food

This week's recipe is taken from The Optimum Nutrition Cookbook, by Patrick Holford and is ideal for anyone suffering from any of the symptoms associated with Syndrome X as it is high in essential fats, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.

Ingredients (serves 2):

4 Small cooked smoked mackerel fillets; 1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and sliced; 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced; assorted salad leaves; sunflower oil (1 dstsp). Dressing: Whisk together - 1 dessertspoon extra-virgin olive oil: juice of half a lemon; 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon of horseradish relish; a bunch of fresh chives - chopped.

Place the fillets under the grill to heat through. Mix the avocado, mango and salad leaves together and add dressing. Heat the sunflower oil in a small pan and add the sunflower seeds - toast lightly. Place the warm fillets on the prepared salad and top with the toasted sunflower seeds.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with onions, pepper and poached eggs. (serves 4)

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into 'chips'. 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped; 2 leeks, trimmed and chopped; 4 Tbsp olive oil; 4 eggs; Seasalt and black pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Saute the leeks and green pepper in the oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, salt and pepper, stir and simmer for 15 minutes until the sweet potato is soft but still firm.
3. Place the cooked ingredients in an ovenproof dish and bake at 190°C/375°C for 30 minutes.
4. Crack the eggs and let them drop over the vegetables. Plce the dish under a medium grill until the eggs are set. Serve immediately.

Nutrion Archive Index

Walking back to happiness	The Rise of Obesity in our Children
To Sunbathe or not to Sunbathe?	What are we like?
Just don't mention the alcohol	Coping with cellulite
It's Not Like the Good Old Days	Why wheat can be a problem
Giving up Smoking	Vegan Nutrition
Alcohol and Nutritional damage	Vitamin Supplements
Breakfast	Headaches
The truth about vitamin C	Eating For a Healthy Pregnancy
Spring clean your skin	Insomnia
Is a low-fat diet good for you?	Supporting the Liver
Nutrition in Focus	Insulin Resistance
Syndrome X	Detox Treatment
Colds and flu	Super Foods for Fitness
Gout	Headache
Haemorrhoids	Pre pregnancy
Post Pregnancy	Acne From Hell 3
Acne From Hell 2	Acne From Hell 1
Case 3-3. Age 27 Female	Case 3-2. Age 27 Female
Case 3-1. Age 27 Female	Case 2. Male 30yrs
Case 1. Schoolgirl aged 15 yrs	Spring Clean
Summer/Spring Clean	Low Blood Sugar
Irritated Bowel Syndrome	Diarrhoea
Constipation	Wind
Water Retention	Berber Argan Oil
Digest and Absorb	Food Pyramid