Metabolic syndrome isn’t a single condition. Rather, it is a term that refers to a group of conditions that happen together. Having metabolic syndrome is a warning sign that a person is at risk for serious health problems. If your senior parent has been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, now is the time to take action to help them avoid complications.
What are the Conditions Included in Metabolic Syndrome?
The conditions that make up metabolic syndrome are:
-High blood pressure.
-Excess fat around the abdomen.
-High cholesterol.
-High triglycerides.
-High blood sugar levels.
-You might recognize these conditions as risk factors for other diseases. Having just one of them does not mean a person has metabolic syndrome. Instead, three or more of them must be present.
What Complications Could Occur?
When a person has metabolic syndrome, they are at a greater risk for serious conditions, including:
Diabetes: The obesity associated with metabolic syndrome can cause a person to become insulin resistant, which can lead to diabetes.
Stroke: High blood pressure and high cholesterol can both cause plaques to build up on artery walls. These plaques can cut off blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke.
Heart Attack: The same plaques that can cause a stroke could also cause a heart attack.
What Can Be Done?
Your parent can prevent complications of metabolic syndrome by making lifestyle changes and by taking medications as recommended by their doctor. Lifestyle changes that can improve or reverse metabolic syndrome are:
-Weight Loss: Even losing a small amount of weight can improve the body’s ability to utilize insulin. The loss of as little as five to ten percent of a person’s body weight could help prevent diabetes or other problems.
-Physical Activity: Being physically active could help your parent to lose weight, but even if it doesn’t, it can still help with other aspects of metabolic syndrome. Exercise can lower blood pressure, help with insulin resistance, and lower cholesterol.
-Eat a Healthy Diet: Eating a balanced diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can improve the factors that make up metabolic syndrome. It may also help your parent to lose weight.
An elder care provider can help your parent to improve or reverse metabolic syndrome. An elder care provider can help your parent to be physically active by going for walks with them, driving them to group exercise classes or the gym, or monitoring them so they can exercise safely at home. Elder care providers can also cook healthy meals. They can also be a source of encouragement while your parent works toward losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering home care services in Hillsborough, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
Sources
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms/livingwith
https://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrome/how-do-you-treat-metabolic-syndrome#1
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/metabolic-syndrome
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916
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