Metabolic Issues

About

Metabolic syndrome refers to the presence of a group of conditions (insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, abdominal obesity and hyperlipidemia) increasing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, or all three. Metabolic syndrome is also referred to as insulin resistance syndrome.

Symptoms

Most disorders associated with metabolic syndrome don’t have obvious symptoms but are characterised by:

Large waist circumference (abdominal obesity)
Symptoms of diabetes – increased thirst and urination, fatigue, blurred vision
High blood sugar – causes blood clots
High blood pressure – often found in people with insulin resistance
Elevated triglycerides – a type of fat in the blood
High levels of LDL cholesterol (also known as bad cholesterol)

If you are suffering from any of these issues you may be at risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Causes

The causes of metabolic syndrome are complex and interconnected:

Family history or genetic predisposition.
Obesity — contributes to the development of insulin resistance, associated with higher levels of triglycerides and low LDL cholesterol which increase the formation of atherosclertoic plaques leading to cardiovascular disease.
Insulin resistance — leads to higher levels of insulin and glucose, precursors to developing type 2 diabetes. High insulin levels cause elevated blood pressure due to excessive sodium retention in the kidneys.

At least 25% of adults in the UK have metabolic syndrome.

4.9 million

people in the UK have diabetes

More than 6 in 10

people in the UK are overweight or obese

2x

more likely to be admitted to hospital if you have diabetes

Treatments

Metabolic syndrome poses a major health hazard, but the good news is that it is largely preventable.

Knowing the risk factors and making healthy nutrition and lifestyle changes can lower your chances of developing metabolic syndrome and its related health problems.

Nutritional Therapy

Food is your friend.

Dietary changes are the first line of treatment as they have been shown to be effective when preventing and controlling metabolic syndrome. It is well known that diets high in calories, sugars, saturated fats and low in fibre contribute to its associated conditions.

We assess your diet and lifestyle to establish metabolic risk factors and make changes in the form of a personalised Nutrition & Lifestyle Action Plan, ensuring adequate intake of anti-inflammatory foods rich in antioxidants, known for their positive effects on hypertension, insulin resistance, triglycerides and improving overall heart health.

We also focus on weight loss/management to reduce stress on the heart. Losing just 3-5% of your current weight can help manage cholesterol, diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Lifestyle Coaching

Empowers you to be at your best.

Metabolic syndrome is a chronic condition that requires changes in your lifestyle.

Within your nutritional consultation, we assess your lifestyle habits and look to introduce positive changes that can beneficially impact all features of metabolic syndrome:

Exercise – losing weight lowers blood pressure; increases insulin sensitivity and HDL (“good”) cholesterol; lowers LDL (“bad”) and triglycerides; reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes.
Stress and sleep management – high cortisol leads to abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and higher levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.
Smoking and drinking

Functional Testing

Harnessing the power of science.

We first discuss if any existing blood tests have been carried out by your doctor. If not, we can either refer you to get tested free of charge with your GP, or alternatively, we offer a metabolic syndrome profile measuring:

Insulin – fasting glucose levels, plus glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C).
Lipid profile – cholesterol (HDL and LDL) and triglyceride levels.
sdLDL – measures the amount of small dense LDL particles a patient has. This marker is thought to be a better predictor of atherosclerosis than total LDL.
C-peptide – a reliable indicator of insulin production.
C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) – measures inflammation as part of cardiovascular risk.

BOOK A FREE DISCOVERY CALL

To ensure the continued practice of safe and reliable therapy, all consultations are currently being conducted virtually.

Satisfied Patients

Natalia L

IBS

I had the best experience with Carmen! she is very kind and knowledgable. I came in because I had difficulties with IBS, Carmen helped me follow a diet with supplements and in no time I was able to manage it. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I can finally feel comfortable in my body ♥️

Fraser R

Digestion, Food Allergy, Skin Condition

I highly recommend Carmen at Nutrition Diets. As a Coeliac I've always had a very sensitive stomach and have battled with gut problems for the majority of my life. Recently I've been having problems with my skin where I've been getting acne like symptoms. I got in touch with Carmen and explained what was happening to me, she was very clear in coming up with a plan and organised some tests for me. Once the results came back for those tests, we had a consultation where she explained what was happening to me and why, it all made sense when she expressed that certain foods were more problematic than others (Fermented foods made my skin worse etc.), she knew exactly what was wrong with me (gut permeability and liver toxicity) and I was put on a protocol to help heal my gut and liver. 3 months later my skin has totally cleared up and I can feel a noticeable change. Carmen is very knowledgeable, she clearly knows what she is talking about and on top of that is passionate about what she does. I would highly recommend getting in touch with her even just for an assessment. I have already recommended her to friends and family who have gut problems.

S. Khan

Digestion

Carmen went through my microbiomes tests and helped me understand what I needed to do to improve my gut health. She's also a very friendly and nice person to speak with.

Nicola A

Candida, Weight Loss

I have seen Carmen on several occasions over the past 3 years, she has helped me get candida and acidity under control with diet and supplements. I not only feel better but also lost the weight that I struggled for years to lose. I have always been extremely happy with Carmen’s wealth of knowledge, caring attitude and continued after care. I will always come back to Carmen when I need help in the future.

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