September 2011 – Syndrome X

The idea behind this issue is to help you identify the ‘criminals’ and arrest them before they commit the crime—because, in case of metabolic syndrome, prevention is not only much better, but much easier too.

The X Factor
cw-cover-september-11-250During World War II [WWII], Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany for about five years. Those years forever changed the life of Norwegians. But there was one unexpectedly positive outcome of the occupation: there was a sharp decline in deaths from heart attacks. Why? Because “Norwegians ate less fat, smoked less and were more physically active,” says a research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology [NTNU].

Not much has changed since the WWII. Even today, the best prescription for good health is nutrition-rich diet and sufficient physical activity, not to mention abstinence from lethal habits like smoking and drinking.

That is our message to all our readers on World Heart Day [September 29]: eat right and get enough exercise. That is also the message of our cover story writers, Scott Isaacs and Frederic J Vagnini, who underscore the magnitude of diet and physical activity in dealing with the cluster of disorders called metabolic syndrome, or syndrome X as it is popularly called.

At Complete Wellbeing, we have given another name to the syndrome: partners-in-crime.

Because, when they occur together, these disorders—increased blood pressure, elevated insulin resistance, excess abdominal fat or high cholesterol levels—increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

“Part of what makes metabolic syndrome complex is the way in which each of the disorders influences, or ‘aggravates,’ the others. For example, insulin resistance can cause abnormal blood fats [cholesterol], high blood pressure, and high blood sugar” write Isaacs and Vagnini. What makes their advice practical is that they don’t just stop at ‘what’ but also go on to tell you ‘how’.

Armed with powerful insights from this and other stories in the issue, you should find it easy to wipe out all crimes inside your body. The key is to follow the advice.

Read the full story here.

Manoj Khatri
Manoj Khatri has spent the last two decades learning, teaching and writing about wellbeing and mindful living. He has contributed over 1500 articles for several newspapers and magazines including The Times of India, The Economic Times, The Statesman, Mid-Day, Bombay Times, Femina, and more. He is a counseling therapist and the author of What a thought!, a critically acclaimed best-selling book on self-transformation. An award-winning editor, Manoj runs Complete Wellbeing and believes that "peace begins with me".

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