Metabolic syndrome When reality bites it bites hard

Metabolic syndrome When reality bites it bites hard

Metabolic syndrome affects about a quarter of adults and represents a constellation of signs, symptoms, and abnormal biochemical markers.

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Metabolic syndrome

I recently saw my GP to arrange a referral for a colonoscopy (it’s been four years since my last one and I’m overdue for a gastroenterologist to insert a fibre-optic telescope into my colon via my anus) and in the consultation we discussed the need to undertake some pathology testing including a full blood examination (hæmatology) and multiple biochemical analysis (clinical chemistry). That is, I’d have my blood collected by a professional phlebotomist and the work would be undertaken by pathologists and medical laboratory scientists who form the backbone of modern medical practice.

Declaration of Interest. I’m a medical laboratory scientist and a pathologist!

Multiple biochemical analysis

The results came back and showed some abnormalities in my blood chemistry which coupled with my central obesity (or if you’re fancy adiposity) and mild hypertension added up neatly to a full house of signs, symptoms, and abnormal biochemical markers for metabolic syndrome.

Let’s go low carb

The advice from my GP is to change to a low carbohydrate (low carb) diet so that means no more bread, pasta, and rice. I also need to watch my intake of starchy vegetables and saturated fats. So unlike a previous low carb lifestyle which was rich in meat and fat, I need to focus on vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables and capsicums and peppers. I’ll add in my nuts and seeds too. I’ll eat more fruit too but no fruit juice. Hopefully, I can slow down the progression of metabolic syndrome.

I have a friend at work who likes to remind me that sunflower seeds will scrape the crap from the inside of my bowels. I like sunflower seeds. I often add sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to my salads for a better mouthfeel.

Walking and exercise

I started walking for 40 minutes every day earlier in the year, so I will need to make it vigorous walking rather than a stroll at 4 am to the Belconnen Owl Statue and back.

I’ve never liked jogging and it’s fair to say I’m not a runner. I love swimming but with two frozen shoulders and a desire to exercise for free, I will walk with vigorous intent. I also have worsening ichthyosis vulgaris and swimming in chlorinated water really plays havoc with my skin. Exercise is important to slow down the progression of metabolic syndrome.

Perhaps I need to start thinking about living near the sea anywhere north of Texas (the town on the Queensland and NSW border, not the panhandle state in the USA). I love my job though, so no moving in the near future.

It adds up badly

I’ve been doing daily measurements of my mass, blood pressure and pulse rate for a while now. Every time I have my blood pressure measured by my general practitioner or consultant physician (note the term physician in many Commonwealth [nee British Empire] countries is different to the North American interpretation of the word), the so-called “white coat” effect happens. My blood pressure goes up.

If you’re middle-aged or older and have a bit (or a lot) of a belly, here are some links with easy reading descriptions of metabolic syndrome.

US National Institute of Health

US Cleveland clinic

AUS Victoria Health

Australian Government HealthDirect

The good thing for me is that I do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. However, I do eat too much food, and often food that will not help with insulin resistance, cardiovascular health, liver health, or kidney health. I may as well stop drinking Diet Coke too and just drink tap water.

What have I watched this week?

Masterchef Australia

It’s hard to beat a week of Nigella Lawson on the show. Next week is Legends Week. I look forward to seeing how it goes. Watching Nigella doesn’t help me with motivation about metabolic syndrome.

Star Trek: Deep Space 9

Blaze of Glory

This episode sucked me in with a discussion of purée of tube grub. We see action from the Marquis and we see Eddington return and then depart for the final time (if you know what I mean?).

National Rugby League

Round 10

Well, who would have thought it would happen. Not too many weeks ago in round 4, the Sydney Roosters convincingly defeated the Brisbane Broncos 36:4. On Friday night (round 10), the Brisbane Broncos came back and defeated the Sydney Roosters 15:10. The Roosters are the gun team, but with star back, Cooper Cronk in the sin bin, the Broncos took the advantage.

LAW & ORDER

I’m liking Fred Thompson as the new District Attorney, i.e., Arthur Branch. I tend to think of him most as Admiral Painter in Hunt for Red October (one of my favourite movies and truly wonderful hearing a Scottish actor speak Russian with a Scottish accent).

I love Thompson’s Alabama accent. It’s a stark contrast to the other accents for a show portraying life in New York City.

What have I listened to this week?

Meet the Microbiologist

This week it wasn’t so much meet the microbiologist but meet the undifferentiated person wanting to produce plant-based meat substitutes in an effort to remediate the damage created by modern agriculture including the excess production of carbon dioxide and methane by farmed livestock, especially, cows. Impossible meat may be a solution in some ways to metabolic syndrome.

What have I eaten and photographed this week?

This is a gallery of photographs. Click on one image and scroll through the rest of them.

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Yummy Lummy this week

Peanut paste sous vide chicken thigh, spicy peanut sauce, and curry Sichuan roast cauliflower. This is a transition meal to help with metabolic syndrome.

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Final thoughts

• Have you heard of metabolic syndrome?
• Do you want to buy a breadmaker?
• Do you see your GP (family doctor) regularly?