- Unhealthy eating habits can cause Syndrome X - Wellness Uncovered
Scientifically known as "metabolic syndrome," this condition refers to a group of symptoms were insulin resistance is the main deficiency, says nutrition author Jack Challem. “You cannot have Syndrome X without insulin resistance, which then leads directly or indirectly to a specific group of associated symptoms: glucose intolerance, obesity, blood-fat abnormalities and hypertension,” Challem states.
What Causes Syndrome X?
Syndrome X,insulin resistance means that the body’s ability to burn food is severely diminished. According to Richard Huemer, M.D., one of the root causes of this disease is an unhealthy lifestyle that includes the over consumption of processed high-carbohydrate foods such as sweets, breads and pastas made from white flour, which eventually lead to an addiction to sugar and carbohydrates. Apart from insulin resistance, Syndrome X increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, eye disease, Alzheimer’s and various diseases related to aging, Huemer adds.
How Does it Affect You?
In the beginning your body produces extra insulin for normal functions, but increased insulin raises blood pressure, which in turn impacts on the liver and raises the level of triglycerides (fats in the blood), and reduces the production of HDL (good cholesterol). With the body constantly fired up to produce excess insulin, the pancreas eventually deteriorates and chronic insulin-dependent diabetes can arise, says Tabitha Hume, dietitian and consultant at Sandton Clinic, South Africa, specialising in the dietary and lifestyle management of metabolic syndrome, and author of The X Diet: Exploding the Diet Myth and The X Diet Cookbook.
Syndrome X: The Big Picture
Affecting close to 75 million Americans, Syndrome X is the disease of the millennium. It is estimated that over three million South Africans have it. “In my practice, I’d estimate that six out of every eight of my patients have Syndrome X, and most of them have no clue what it is, or that they’re affected,” says Hume. It would be easy to dismiss metabolic syndrome as a new name for a host of health problems related to aging, but according to Women’s Health Connection, research shows that it is becoming more prevalent among younger people, with varying symptoms such as insulin resistance and far more serious health conditions.
This could be your first encounter with Syndrome X, you might be affected or maybe not. Before you panic, here is what the experts have to say: “It is advised that individuals who wish to avoid Syndrome X avoid alcohol,” says Challem; “be especially vigilant about avoiding alcohol, sugar, and white flour. The resulting excess insulin in the bloodstream prompts the damage associated with Syndrome X," says Dr. Dean Ornish, author and preventative medicine expert.
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