Addressing Components of the Metabolic Syndrome
Abdominal Obesity
- Lifestyle Modification:
- • Weight Loss
- • Increased daily physical activity
- Practical Advice:
- • Aim for a 20-pound weight loss over one year.
- • Plan for 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week.
Elevated Blood Pressure
- Lifestyle Modification:
- • Weight loss
- • Modest salt restriction
- • Increase fruits and vegetables
- • Incorporate low-fat dairy
- Practical Advice:
- • Aim for 20-pound weight loss over one year.
- • No saltshaker at the table and no added salt when cooking.
- • Have at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.
- • Three servings skim milk, low-fat yogurt, or cheese each day.
Suppressed High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol Level
- Lifestyle Modification:
- • Get help to quit smoking immediately
- • Weight loss
- • Increased physical activity
- • Replace carbohydrates with modest amounts of mono-unsaturated fats
- Practical Advice:
- • Talk to your doctor about options that will help you quit smoking.
- • Aim for 20-pound weight loss over one year.
- • Plan for 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week.
- • Replace cookies, candy and cake with small amounts of unsalted almonds, walnuts and peanuts as snacks.
Elevated Fasting Triglyceride Level
- Lifestyle Modification:
- • Weight loss
- • Reduce simple carbohydrates
- • Limit alcohol intake
- • Increase omega-3 fatty acids
-
Practical Advice:
- • Aim for a 20-pound weight loss over one year.
- • Reduce regular soft drinks and juices.
Switch to seltzer, water or diet soda.
- • Limit to one alcoholic beverage per day for women, two per day for men.
- • Eat fresh or canned fish at least twice a week.
Impaired Fasting Glucose Level
- Lifestyle Modification:
- • Weight loss
- • Increased soluble fiber
- Practical Advice:
- • Aim for 20-pound weight loss over one year.
- • Eat more whole grains and cereals (switch from white to brown grains)
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