In 2009 the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI, World Heart Federation, American Heart Association, and International Atherosclerosis Society agreed on the following criteria as a way to determine metabolic syndrome.
- Elevated waist circumference in men greater than 40”, in women greater than 34”. Also, the ration of the waist and hip measurement is a consideration in men the waist should be equal to or greater than .9% of the waist and in women it should be .
- Triglycerides that are greater than or equal to 150mg/dl
- HDL Cholesterol that is less than 40 mg/dl for men and less than 50 mg/dl for women.
- Blood pressure that is greater than or equal to 130 hg systolic and/or greater than or equal to 85mm hg diastolic.
- Fasting glucose that is greater than or above 100 mg/dl
If you have at least 3 out of the 5 listed above then you’re at high risk for having metabolic syndrome.
AIC is a measurement of how much sugar has been in the blood. A1C is also a factor that can be considered in determining your risk of developing or if you are on the road to either metabolic syndrome or diabetes. AIC at 5.2 or 5.3 can be an indication, you are definitely starting to develop metabolic syndrome, if you reach 5.6 or higher then you already have metabolic syndrome and may be headed for diabetes.
Find out about the causes and natural treatment options associated with Metabolic Syndrome in my next article in this series…
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Debi Farley is a licensed acupuncturists, Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and the owner of Acupuncture Clinic of Richmond, Virginia. Find out more about Debi Farley at www.debifarely.com.
