Metabolic syndrome is 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 waist line not under the belly, as we know many of us say we are still fit in a 34 inch waisted pants. Many people, men and women, fit in to 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 it's 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 bodies chemistry altering the process for 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 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 of 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 bodies 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 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, 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 that patients are often told their is no cure for. We should be eating the rainbow of colors from our foods. If it is a brown color, like bread, cereal, pasta etc, do not eat it.

Jerry Bailey is a Chiropractic Physician, Certified Acupuncturist and a Functional Medicine provider. He has a Masters of Science in Nutrition and Functional Medicine. He works with patients on their health issues including IBS, Crohn's, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hormone imbalances, stress, fatigue, chronic pain/fibromyalgia, headaches along with back pain, neck pain and arm/leg pain. Visit www.lakesideholistic.com for more information.