Meditation is good for your heart. This is the message recently (in the year of 2006) conveyed by the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study reported that transcendental meditation (TM), a relaxation technique, reduced the risk factors of coronary heart disease in a 4-month clinical trial. Significantly reduced insulin resistance and lower blood pressure were found for patients who meditated. These patients also had more stable functioning of the autonomic nervous system that controls heart and other involuntary muscles.

There is closed relationship between stress, meditation, and heart health. It is evident that severe emotional and physical stress raises adrenalin levels or sympathetic drive, which in turn can lead to higher blood pressure or in worst case, may even transiently impair the ability of the heart to contract well. Stress can also cause the body to become less responsive to insulin, which is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the body. If you are already pre-diabetic or have metabolic syndrome, risk factors for heart disease, this condition will worsen. Meditation or any activity that can reduce stress levels is useful to improve blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.

What affect your brain is connected to what your heart functions. Emotional distress affects part of the brain function, which affects the sympathetic drive and so, the heart. The happier your brain is, the better your heart functions.

What is meditation? This is simply the practice of closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing as you go into a state of deep rest. It is a technique that can benefit not only your mind but also your body. It can actually reduce your risk of collapsing from heart problems by modulating your body’s response to stress. In short, meditation is a practice that involves calming your mind and body.

TM is an effortless technique practiced for about 15 to 20 minutes twice daily. It allows a person to attain deep rest for the body and mind. A suitable time to meditate is when the person is not feeling tired, hungry, or irritated. He or she should feel comfortable and be in a positive frame of mind.

Drugs cannot effectively reduce stress levels and should not be considered as the primary approach. A happy, spiritual or emotional heart is basically good medicine. This is an advice from a friend of mine who is also a consultant cardiologist. So, perhaps you may wish to consider meditation as one of the alternatives to help you reduce your stress level.

Reversing the Metabolic Syndrome

What is the Metabolic Syndrome?The metabolic syndrome is a collection of high-risk symptoms including elevated lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), hypertension and a proinflammatory state. Having the metabolic syndrome places the individual at high-risk for heart disease and diabetes. Men are more prone to developing the metabolic syndrome due to their natural tendency to deposit excess fat as visceral adipose tissue (VAT) also called intra-abdominal fat. Postmenopausal women are also at risk due to lower estrogen to androgen ratios. The shift from a pear shape to an apple shape displays this hormonal shift. In fact, the apple shape is primarily caused by VAT as opposed to subcutaneous (fat under the skin) fat.The American Heart Association has established standards for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome. The patient must have 3 of the following conditions:1. Waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women.2. Triglycerides greater than 150 mg/dL.3. HDL Cholesterol less than 40 mg/d for men, less than 50 mg/dl for women.4. Blood pressure greater than 130/85 mm Hg.5. Fasting glucose greater than 100 mg/dL.What causes the Metabolic Syndrome?The metabolic syndrome appears to be caused by insulin resistance and the associated accumulation of VAT. VAT releases inflammatory adipocytokines, which contribute to the proinflammatory state. Fatty liver is also strongly correlated with VAT [1], and is a likely cause of the elevated lipids.VAT accumulation correlates with fasting insulin, total whole-body glucose disposal, glucose oxidation and nonoxidative whole-body glucose disposal [2]. Also, factors associated with insulin resistance are also correlated with VAT accumulation, including triglycerides [3], hepatic lipase [4] and HL/LPL ratio [5]. Likewise, factors inversely associated with insulin resistance are also inversely correlated with VAT accumulation including HDL [3]. How can the Metabolic Syndrome be reversed?Improving insulin sensitivity is of primary importance. This requires an improved diet along with exercise. 1. Lose weight. Weight loss greatly improves insulin sensitivity.2. Upgrade your fat intake. Saturated fat significantly worsens insulin resistance, while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially omega-3) improve it [6].3. Exercise. Even something as simple as daily walking reduces visceral adipose tissue areas and improves insulin resistance [7].4. Minimize stress. Cortisol appears to be involved in VAT accumulation and insulin resistance.5. Eat more fiber. Fiber improves insulin sensitivity and is associated with lower amounts of VAT [9]. Pectin appears to be an especially effective fiber for reducing VAT [10].6. Take supplements. Pantethine [11], taurine [12], calcium [13] and tea [14] all improve insulin sensitivity and reduce VAT.David SpeltsFat Loss Nutrition[1] Kelley DE, McKolanis TM, Hegazi RA, Kuller LH, Kalhan SC. : Fatty liver in type 2 diabetes mellitus: relation to regional adiposity, fatty acids, and insulin resistance. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 10/2003.[2] Laakso, Markku: Insulin resistance, body fat distribution, and sex hormones in men. Diabetes, 2/1/1994. [3] R. B. Terry, P. D. Wood, W. L. Haskell, M. L. Stefanick and R. M. Krauss: Regional adiposity patterns in relation to lipids, lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipoprotein subfraction mass in men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1989. [4] C. E. Tan; L. Forster; M. J. Caslake; D. Bedford; T. D. G. Watson; M. McConnell; C. J. Packard; J. Shepherd: Relations Between Plasma Lipids and Postheparin Plasma Lipases and VLDL and LDL Subfraction Patterns in Normolipemic Men and Women. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 1995. [5] Despres JP, Couillard C, Gagnon J, Bergeron J, Leon AS, Rao DC, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Bouchard C: Race, visceral adipose tissue, plasma lipids, and lipoprotein lipase activity in men and women: the Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training, and Genetics (HERITAGE) family study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 2000. [6] Riccardi G, Giacco R, Rivellese AA.: Dietary fat, insulin sensitivity and the metabolic syndrome. Clin Nutr. 8/2004.[7] Miyatake N, Nishikawa H, Morishita A, Kunitomi M, Wada J, Suzuki H, Takahashi K, Makino H, Kira S, Fujii M.: Daily walking reduces visceral adipose tissue areas and improves insulin resistance in Japanese obese subjects. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 11/2002.[8] Gluck ME, Geliebter A, Lorence M.; Cortisol stress response is positively correlated with central obesity in obese women with binge eating disorder (BED) before and after cognitive-behavioral treatment. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 12/2004.[9] DS Ludwig et al: Dietary fiber, weight gain, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in young adults. Journal of the American Medical Association 1999. [10] Hendricks KM et al. High-fiber diet in HIV-positive men is associated with lower risk of developing fat deposition. Am J Clin Nutr 78: 790-5, 2003. [11] Osono Y, Hirose N, Nakajima K, Hata Y: The effects of pantethine on fatty liver and fat distribution. J Atheroscler Thromb, 2000. [12] Nakaya Y, Minami A, Harada N, Sakamoto S, Niwa Y, Ohnaka M: Taurine improves insulin sensitivity in the Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rat, a model of spontaneous type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr, Jan 2000. [13] Soares MJ, Binns C, Lester L: Higher intakes of calcium are associated with lower BMI and waist circumference in Australian adults: an examination of the 1995 National Nutrition Survey. Asia Pac J Clin Nutrition, 2004. [14] C. Wu, et al: Relationship among Habitual Tea Consumption, Percent Body Fat, and Body Fat Distribution. Obesity Research, September, 2003.

It seems like everywhere I travel I continue to hear the five diabetes myths. The myths are circulating from one generation to the next. Everyone seems to believe these folklores. I have decided to take all of the mystery out of these myths and give you what actually works with the new technology today.

1. Sugar causes diabetes. How many times have you heard this one? I lost track of how many times someone has either asked me or made a statement of this. This is a myth, and the truth is, consuming a lot of sugar does not cause diabetes. Someone did not get diabetes by becoming a cookie monster. Type 1 diabetes is a result of autoimmune damage to the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas. The insulin secretion is not enough or completely absent. Therefore, the hormone insulin is injected or administered via pump. Type 2 diabetes is a result of a metabolic syndrome. People with Type 2 produce their own insulin but are unable to utilize it properly. It most often affects men, women and children who are overweight. This no longer is “adult-onset diabetes.” Children are getting Type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.

2. If you do have diabetes, you cannot have any sugar, it must be sugar-free. This is a myth, and the truth is our bodies not only recognize sugar, but they know how to use it. For me, personally, wheat raises my blood sugar more than white sugar. If you do want a safe sugar substitute, I would recommend vegetable glycerin.

3. I can no longer have too many carbohydrates. This is another myth. It is not how much carbohydrate, but what type that makes the difference. Actually, some foods that are low on the glycemic index get in the way of good insulin function. Some foods can lower one individual’s blood sugar but increase another’s. Are you eating beneficial foods or avoids?

4. Exercise always lowers blood sugar. This myth has been around for a long time. However, if the body does not have enough insulin for proper glucose utilization, exercise will raise your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is over 200mg/dL before exercising, the exercise will only make your blood sugar go higher. When the body is conditioned and there is enough insulin, the blood sugars will lower. Physical exercise is one of the important aspects to living as if you do not have diabetes.

5. You can no longer live a “normal” life after being diagnosed with diabetes. This myth is one of the strangest ones. I believe that once you bury Type 1 or 2 diabetes you can live a happy and healthy normal life. My life has been better than normal! Nick Jonas is a 14-year-old living a normal life after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November 2005. Nick is a member of the Jonas Brothers Band. He has said, “At first, I was worried that diabetes would keep me from performing and doing everything a teenager likes to do, but my career is really ramping up.” Way to go Nick! Best wishes for a great life!

About the author: Julie Wanner Rossetti is the author of Diabetes Can Be Sweet … Once You BURY It, and President of Diabetes Done Right, where she specializes as a diabetes consultant. Visit Diabetes Done Right

It seems like everywhere I travel I continue to hear the five diabetes myths. The myths are circulating from one generation to the next. Everyone seems to believe these folklores. I have decided to take all of the mystery out of these myths and give you what actually works with the new technology today.

1. Sugar causes diabetes. How many times have you heard this one? I lost track of how many times someone has either asked me or made a statement of this. This is a myth, and the truth is, consuming a lot of sugar does not cause diabetes. Someone did not get diabetes by becoming a cookie monster. Type 1 diabetes is a result of autoimmune damage to the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas. The insulin secretion is not enough or completely absent. Therefore, the hormone insulin is injected or administered via pump. Type 2 diabetes is a result of a metabolic syndrome. People with Type 2 produce their own insulin but are unable to utilize it properly. It most often affects men, women and children who are overweight. This no longer is “adult-onset diabetes.” Children are getting Type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.

2. If you do have diabetes, you cannot have any sugar, it must be sugar-free. This is a myth, and the truth is our bodies not only recognize sugar, but they know how to use it. For me, personally, wheat raises my blood sugar more than white sugar. If you do want a safe sugar substitute, I would recommend vegetable glycerin.

3. I can no longer have too many carbohydrates. This is another myth. It is not how much carbohydrate, but what type that makes the difference. Actually, some foods that are low on the glycemic index get in the way of good insulin function. Some foods can lower one individual’s blood sugar but increase another’s. Are you eating beneficial foods or avoid them?

4. Exercise always lowers blood sugar. This myth has been around for a long time. However, if the body does not have enough insulin for proper glucose utilization, exercise will raise your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is over 200mg/dL before exercising, the exercise will only make your blood sugar go higher. When the body is conditioned and there is enough insulin, the blood sugars will lower. Physical exercise is one of the important aspects to living as if you do not have diabetes.

5. You can no longer live a “normal” life after being diagnosed with diabetes. This myth is one of the strangest ones. I believe that once you bury Type 1 or 2 diabetes you can live a happy and healthy normal life. My life has been better than normal! Nick Jonas is a 14-year-old living a normal life after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November 2005. Nick is a member of the Jonas Brothers Band. He has said, “At first, I was worried that diabetes would keep me from performing and doing everything a teenager likes to do, but my career is really ramping up.” Way to go Nick! Best wishes for a great life!

About the author: Julie Wanner Rossetti is the author of Diabetes Can Be Sweet … Once You BURY It, and President of Diabetes Done Right, where she specializes as a diabetes consultant. Visit Diabetes Done Right

Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

Researchers don’t have to rack their brains to figure out the whys and wherefores of the high Diabetes type 2, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, incidence that plagues us nowadays because the reason is quite obvious: our lifestyle. In general, our diet, our level of activity (none in many cases) and our size, have taken a turn for the worse and Type 2 Diabetes is the price many of us will end up paying for it. The good news is that neither your lifestyle nor your risk of developing diabetes is cast in stone. You can stop diabetes by being physically active, following a balanced diet, and losing weight.Metabolic syndrome or syndrome XIn addition to physical inactivity and obesity, two major risks for diabetes, we cannot forget other health risks such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, resistance to insulin, and low levels of HDL cholesterol , the good guy, that contribute to the alarming number of diabetes cases. All these health conditions form the Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, a dangerous cocktail that according to many studies done during the last few years is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Who is at risk for Diabetes Type 2? To know if you are at risk for diabetes type 2 or diabetes Mellitus, check the following lines:1. Your waist measures over 90 centimeters (35 inches) if you are a man, or 80 centimeters (32 inches) if you are a woman2. Your blood pressure is over 120/80 mmHg3. Your fasting blood sugar level (early in the morning, before having anything to eat) is over 100 mg/dl4. Your LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl5. Your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl6. Your triglycerides level is over 150 mg/dlIf you have three or more of the above conditions, it means you have a metabolic syndrome and, as a result, a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other pathologies.Preventing obesity is crucialAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, 80 percent of the people who have Diabetes Type 2 were overweight at the time of the diagnosis. So, if you are overweight but you have not had a diabetes diagnosis, you are lucky. However, be on the alert because those extra pounds can result in a pre-diabetes type II condition before you realize it. To know if you need to lose weight, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of a person’s weight in relation to height. It is determined by dividing the weight (in kilograms) by the square of the height (in meters).Key results:BMI

Mediterranean diet

What is the next phase in healthy eating? According to Robert Ancill, President of The Next Idea, Los Angeles based Restaurant Consultancy consumers are taking increasing interest in Mediterranean cuisine. In 2007, The Journal of the American Medical Association reported, a combination of the Mediterranean diet, moderate exercise and drinking, and no smoking can lower mortality rates by 65 percent. What is the Mediterranean diet? It%26rsquo;s heavy on the olive oil and light on meat and dairy. It also includes lots of fish, vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts and legumes. The first study was conducted over 12 years (1988%26ndash;2000) by researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and other European universities. Twenty-three hundred healthy people between the ages of 70 and 90 were surveyed about their eating habits and physical activities. Another study conducted at the Second University of Naples found that people who suffered from %26ldquo;metabolic syndrome%26rdquo; improved after following a Mediterranean diet. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Symptoms include being fat around the middle, having high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and improper processing of glucose. After two years, only 44 percent of those on the Mediterranean diet still suffered symptoms. Ancill reports that The Next Idea has experienced a larger than normal interest in Mediterranean concepts both from entrepreneurs and restaurant investors. In a recent interview Robert Ancill commented; %26ldquo;Possibly we will eventually see a Healthier consumer if such a trend gains traction in the market place, the question is whether operators will understand the unique economics of executing a Mediterranean menu%26rdquo;.

It seems like everywhere I travel I continue to hear the five diabetes myths. The myths are circulating from one generation to the next. Everyone seems to believe these folklores. I have decided to take all of the mystery out of these myths and give you what actually works with the new technology today.

1. Sugar causes diabetes. How many times have you heard this one? I lost track of how many times someone has either asked me or made a statement of this. This is a myth, and the truth is, consuming a lot of sugar does not cause diabetes. Someone did not get diabetes by becoming a cookie monster. Type 1 diabetes is a result of autoimmune damage to the insulin-secreting beta cells of the pancreas. The insulin secretion is not enough or completely absent. Therefore, the hormone insulin is injected or administered via pump. Type 2 diabetes is a result of a metabolic syndrome. People with Type 2 produce their own insulin but are unable to utilize it properly. It most often affects men, women and children who are overweight. This no longer is “adult-onset diabetes.” Children are getting Type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.

2. If you do have diabetes, you cannot have any sugar, it must be sugar-free. This is a myth, and the truth is our bodies not only recognize sugar, but they know how to use it. For me, personally, wheat raises my blood sugar more than white sugar. If you do want a safe sugar substitute, I would recommend vegetable glycerin.

3. I can no longer have too many carbohydrates. This is another myth. It is not how much carbohydrate, but what type that makes the difference. Actually, some foods that are low on the glycemic index get in the way of good insulin function. Some foods can lower one individual’s blood sugar but increase another’s. Are you eating beneficial foods or avoid them?

4. Exercise always lowers blood sugar. This myth has been around for a long time. However, if the body does not have enough insulin for proper glucose utilization, exercise will raise your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is over 200mg/dL before exercising, the exercise will only make your blood sugar go higher. When the body is conditioned and there is enough insulin, the blood sugars will lower. Physical exercise is one of the important aspects to living as if you do not have diabetes.

5. You can no longer live a “normal” life after being diagnosed with diabetes. This myth is one of the strangest ones. I believe that once you bury Type 1 or 2 diabetes you can live a happy and healthy normal life. My life has been better than normal! Nick Jonas is a 14-year-old living a normal life after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November 2005. Nick is a member of the Jonas Brothers Band. He has said, “At first, I was worried that diabetes would keep me from performing and doing everything a teenager likes to do, but my career is really ramping up.” Way to go Nick! Best wishes for a great life!

About the author: Julie Wanner Rossetti is the author of Diabetes Can Be Sweet … Once You BURY It, and President of Diabetes Done Right, where she specializes as a diabetes consultant. Visit Diabetes Done Right

Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

Researchers don’t have to rack their brains to figure out the whys and wherefores of the high Diabetes type 2, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, incidence that plagues us nowadays because the reason is quite obvious: our lifestyle. In general, our diet, our level of activity (none in many cases) and our size, have taken a turn for the worse and Type 2 Diabetes is the price many of us will end up paying for it. The good news is that neither your lifestyle nor your risk of developing diabetes is cast in stone. You can stop diabetes by being physically active, following a balanced diet, and losing weight.Metabolic syndrome or syndrome XIn addition to physical inactivity and obesity, two major risks for diabetes, we cannot forget other health risks such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, resistance to insulin, and low levels of HDL cholesterol , the good guy, that contribute to the alarming number of diabetes cases. All these health conditions form the Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, a dangerous cocktail that according to many studies done during the last few years is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Who is at risk for Diabetes Type 2? To know if you are at risk for diabetes type 2 or diabetes Mellitus, check the following lines:1. Your waist measures over 90 centimeters (35 inches) if you are a man, or 80 centimeters (32 inches) if you are a woman2. Your blood pressure is over 120/80 mmHg3. Your fasting blood sugar level (early in the morning, before having anything to eat) is over 100 mg/dl4. Your LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl5. Your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl6. Your triglycerides level is over 150 mg/dlIf you have three or more of the above conditions, it means you have a metabolic syndrome and, as a result, a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other pathologies.Preventing obesity is crucialAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, 80 percent of the people who have Diabetes Type 2 were overweight at the time of the diagnosis. So, if you are overweight but you have not had a diabetes diagnosis, you are lucky. However, be on the alert because those extra pounds can result in a pre-diabetes type II condition before you realize it. To know if you need to lose weight, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of a person’s weight in relation to height. It is determined by dividing the weight (in kilograms) by the square of the height (in meters).Key results:BMI

Complete Information on Abdominal obesity metabolic syndrome with Treatment and Prevention

A syndrome characterized by a group of conditions that are considered leading danger factors for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is associated with abdominal obesity, blood lipid disorders, inflammation, insulin opposition or full-blown diabetes, and increased danger of developing cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome, sometimes refered to as Syndrom X is characterized by the presence of increased fasting blood glucose, obesity (especially in the abdominal region), elevated serum triglycerides, elevated blood force, and reduced HDL cholesterol. People with the Abdominal obesity metabolic syndrome are at increased danger of coronary eye disease and new diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls and character 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome has get progressively popular in the United States.Other conditions associated with the syndrome include physiological inactivity, aging, hormonal instability and hereditary predisposition. Some people are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance. Acquired factors, such as excess body fat and physical inactivity, can elicit insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in these people. Most people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity. Hispanics and Asians seem to be at greater risk of metabolic syndrome than other races are. Proposed criteria for identifying patients with metabolic syndrome have contributed greatly to preventive medicine, but the value of metabolic syndrome as a scientific concept remains controversial. The presence of metabolic syndrome alone cannot predict global cardiovascular disease risk. Genetics and the environment both play important roles in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Some people are at risk for abdominal obesity metabolic syndrome because the medicines they take may cause weight gain or changes in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. These medicines are most often used for inflammation, allergies, HIV, and depression and other kinds of mental illnesses. Getting more physical activity, losing weight and quitting smoking help reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels. These changes are key to reducing your risk. The Dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet and the mediterranean diet, like many healthy eating plans, limit unhealthy fats and emphasize fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains. Smoking cigarettes increases insulin resistance and worsens the health consequences of metabolic syndrome. Aspirin therapy may help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Cholesterol drugs may be used to lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, if they are elevated, and to raise HDL levels if they are low. If diabetes is present, the goal of treatment is to reduce the increased risk for heart disease by controlling all of the risk factors. The main emphasis in the treatment of metabolic syndrome is to lessen the effects of the underlying risk factors that can be controlled, such as overweight, lack of physical activity, and an unhealthy diet. Avoid processed or deep-fried foods. Eliminate table salt and experiment with other herbs and spices. Use of drugs that decrease insulin resistance e.g., metformin and thiazolidinediones, is controversial; this treatment is not approved by the FDA in the US. Many other studies have supported the value of increased physical activity and restricted caloric intake to treat metabolic syndrome.

Detailed Information on Metabolic disorder

Metabolic disorders are genetic conditions where enzymes used to digest food do not function properly. They can lead to mild to severe brain damage, physical disability, organ failure and even death. Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. Food is made up of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Chemicals in your digestive system break the food parts down into sugars and acids, your body’s fuel. Your body can use this fuel right away, or it can store the energy in your body tissues, such as your liver, muscles and body fat.The main features of metabolic syndrome comprise insulin resistance, hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol abnormalities, and an augmented risk for clotting. Patients are most often overweight or obese. Metabolic syndrome is quite common. Approximately 20%-30% of the population in industrialized countries have metabolic syndrome. Many medical conditions, genetics and the environment both play important roles in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Genetic factors influence each individual component of the syndrome, and the syndrome itself. A family olden time that includes type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and early heart disease greatly enlarged the chance that an individual will develop the metabolic syndrome. Environmental issues such as low activity level, sedentary lifestyle, and progressive weight gain also contribute significantly to the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is present in about 5% of people with normal body weight, 22% of those who are overweight and 60% of those considered obese. Adults who continue to gain five or more pounds per year raise their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by up to 45%. Obesity is likely the greatest risk factor of metabolic disorder. Additional risk factors of metabolic disorder include smoking, eating an excessively high carbohydrate diet, lack of activity, and consuming an alcohol-free diet. The treatments for metabolic disorders vary, depending on what type of condition is involved and how severe the symptoms are. Weight reduction usually requires a specifically tailored multifaceted program that includes diet and exercise. Sometimes medications may be useful. Metformin (Glucophage), usually used to treat type 2 diabetes, also has been found to help prevent the onset of diabetes in people with metabolic syndrome.