Metabolic syndrome refers to a group of conditions that commonly occur together. People with metabolic syndrome typically have large amounts of abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, and insulin resistance. A person who has metabolic syndrome has a higher risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes compared to someone without the condition.
You can reduce the risk of developing more serious issues if you have metabolic syndrome. It comes down to you managing it effectively. Staying on top of your metabolic syndrome requires managing your blood sugar levels by making lifestyle changes.
Read on to learn what you can do to help to improve metabolic syndrome.
Exercise Regularly
One of the best ways to control metabolic syndrome symptoms is to be more active. Exercise helps make your muscles more sensitive to insulin. This keeps your blood sugar levels lower. Your muscles will take up the glucose in your blood instead of circulating around in your bloodstream.
When choosing a way to be more physically active, think of workouts you’ll enjoy. In addition, finding an activity you know you’ll do regularly is best.
Frequent exercise is the best way to improve insulin sensitivity. Don’t select a form of exercise that’s too intense or hard to fit into your schedule. You may find yourself skipping workouts.
Instead, find an activity you’ll enjoy. For example, there’s hiking, biking, and walking around the neighborhood. Keep in mind that even less intense exercise can improve insulin sensitivity. For example, short walks are effective! So, find something you know you’ll enjoy doing.
Include More Vegetables and Whole Grains in Your Diet
Another lifestyle change you can make to control metabolic syndrome is adjusting your diet. Including more vegetables and whole grains in your diet will reduce how high your blood sugar rises after eating a meal.
You should look up the food’s glycemic index when choosing what to eat. This is a measurement of how quickly it will raise your blood sugar after you eat it.
Whole grains and vegetables have a lower glycemic index than simple carbohydrates. So they don’t raise your blood sugar as much. It may be challenging to avoid simple carbohydrates, but it’s necessary to improve metabolic syndrome.
Examples of simple carbohydrates include white rice and white flour. Avoiding simple carbohydrates helps keep your blood sugar under control. This is still the case even when you have insulin resistance due to metabolic syndrome.
Eat Smaller Meals
Another way to manage your blood sugar is to reduce your portion sizes. Small meals won’t affect your blood sugar levels as much as a large meal. Reducing your portion sizes can make you feel hungry between meals until you adjust. Between meals, you can snack on low-carbohydrate foods. Healthy snacks include nuts and vegetables. Snacks like these keep your hunger at bay without raising your blood sugar too high.
Manage Your Stress Levels
When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol has been associated with causing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Managing stress helps reduce the amount of cortisol your body releases.
Since you can’t control every aspect of your life, some stress will be inevitable. However, you can change the way that you respond to stressors. Meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy can help you cope with pressure and adverse events. They reduce the stress you experience and your body’s hormonal response.
Consider Using Cannabis
Cannabis has a range of benefits, and one of them is helping with metabolic syndrome. Specifically, CB1, a cannabinoid receptor, is known for having healing properties.
A CB1 inverse agonist works by binding to the CB1 receptor in the body. As opposed to activating the receptor, it blocks or reverses the activity of the receptor.
CB1 receptors are part of the endocannabinoid system. They help regulate a wide range of physiological processes. For example, they can help with appetite, pain perception, mood, and memory.
Researchers are also exploring using these drugs in combination with other therapies. They may be effective at treating obesity, metabolic syndrome, and certain types of cancer. You can learn more about CB1 here.
Conclusion
Making healthy lifestyle changes is the best way to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Effectively managing it ensures it doesn’t progress to heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
Exercising frequently and eating small, healthy meals helps keep your blood sugar levels low. This is important when you have insulin resistance due to metabolic syndrome.
Managing your stress through therapy or meditation reduces the cortisol your body releases. This, too, helps prevent metabolic syndrome from worsening.
Make small steps towards healthy living by adjusting your diet and exercise. All your hard efforts will help you reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.