Metabolic syndrome is a combination of issues that occur together and increase your risk of heart disease, cancer and early death. It is characterized as having high blood pressure, elevated glucose levels, elevated cholesterol levels (high triglycerides, low HDL, high LDL) and a waist circumference of at least 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women. Men, this is around the waistline, not under the belly, as we know many of us say we still fit into 34-inch waist pants. Many people, men and women, fit into this category, or are well on their way to having this condition.

The long-term effects of this disorder are fairly obvious, as each condition has well-known effects on long-term health. Long-term under-management of glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and weight have known effects - just look at society today. Once a medication is prescribed for any of the above-listed elevations, it changes the body's chemistry, altering the process by which the body is able to heal from any perturbation. With the prescription of one medication there is for sure the next one and the next one, to attempt to counteract what we are causing ourselves.

The way we eat and what we eat have the greatest influence on our health and longevity. If you pick up any prepackaged food, you will see the primary ingredients are some form of grain, dairy and sugar. All of these have very little value to the body except for calories. These man-made foods are high in calories and very low in nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients). These food choices greatly increase glucose, cholesterol and inflammation in the body, while decreasing the body's immunity.

A simple and effective way to treat metabolic syndrome or any of the above-listed individual disorders is through diet alone. If it comes in a box, bag, can, made by man or with a label, do not eat it. If it is a whole vegetable, fruit or lean meat, then eat it. There is nothing in grain, dairy or sugar that we cannot get from a vegetable, fruit or lean meat.

Often patients, after they stop their intake of grain, dairy and sugar, are able to be taken off their medications by their physician. They lose weight, their aches and pains go away, they are able to exercise again, and their mental clarity returns, to name but a few amazing side effects of eating healthier. This is a base plan for most chronic, systemic diseases for which patients are often told there is no cure. We should be eating the rainbow of colors in our foods. If it is a brown color, like bread, cereal, pasta, etc., do not eat it.

Dr. Bailey is an Acupuncturist, Functional Nutritionist and Chiropractic Physician. He holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Western States Chiropractic College. He graduated with clinical honors from the college's Outpatient and Student Health Clinics.

Dr. Bailey recently graduated with the first of its kind Masters of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. In addition, he holds a bachelor's degree in Health and Fitness in Preventative and Rehabilitative Prescriptive Programming, and Human Nutrition. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture.

Contact Dr. Bailey at Lakeside Holistic Health in Coeur d'Alene at 518 N Fourth St., (208) 758-0568, or in Liberty Lake at 21651 E. Country Vista Drive, Ste. F, (509) 385-0218. www.LakesideHolistic.com