Leyla weighs in: Do you have the metabolic syndrome?
The metabolic syndrome is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. An estimated 76 million Americans have the metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome. I’ve discussed this topic often enough but because of the silent danger of this pandemic, it merits repetition.
The good news is the metabolic syndrome is completely reversible with diet and lifestyle changes! 
On your own, this is what you can do: First, measure your waist. Is it 35” or greater (women), or 40” or greater (men)? If it is, make appropriate changes to your food selections, be mindful of your eating behavior and begin an exercise program.
With your doctor, find out the following: Do you have high blood pressure (greater than 130/85)? How about your triglycerides? Are they above 150mg/dl? What about your HDL cholesterol? Is it less than 50mg/dl (women) or 40mg/dl (men)?
More with your doctor: Is your fasting blood sugar 99mg/dl or higher? Actually, even 90 is questionable.
If the answer is yes to any three of these questions, you have the metabolic syndrome.
While not part of the criterion to diagnose metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance is an important feature. Ask your doctor for a fasting insulin or C-peptide (a reasonable proxy).
Now, tell your doctor to put away the prescription pad and send you to a qualified nutritionist who can help you REVERSE ALL OF THESE RISK FACTORS without the side effects of drugs.
To your health!
