If you've been diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome, it is not too late.  If you can exercise and lose the weight, you can beat the rap.  And drug therapy will be a part of your treatment.  Metabolic syndrome can be treated and reversed, even prevented...and you can live longer.

Metabolic syndrome is preventable and many of its risk factors are reversible. In some cases, medicines are given to treat metabolic syndrome, but it's likely that your doctor will first want you to try to make lifestyle changes – including weight loss, increased physical activity, and dietary modifications – to reduce your risk factors.

Central body fat
Studies of overweight, sedentary adults have found that those who start to exercise can lose, or at least not add to, their stores of abdominal fat.  Even moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, can help.  In fact, amount of exercise matters more than intensity of exercise.  So, if you walk briskly 5 hours a week, you'll do better than someone who participates in more vigorous exercise for a couple of hours a week. 

Exercise is half the equation -- making wise food choices is the other:

• By making wise food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Consider the serving sizes you eat. Reduce serving sizes of foods high in fat and increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you consume.
• Limit your fat intake to about 25 percent of your total calories. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you figure how much fat you need to eat.
• Keep a food and exercise log. By writing this down, you are more likely to stay on track.
• When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a nonfood item or activity.

Diabetes
There's a lot you can do to lower your chances of getting diabetes. Exercising regularly, reducing fat and calorie intake, and losing weight can all help. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels can also promote better health. Your doctor, a dietitian, or a nutrition or fitness counselor can help you make a plan. Here are some of the areas to consider in reducing your risk of diabetes.

Reach and maintain a reasonable body weight
Your weight affects your health in many ways. Being overweight can keep your body from making and using insulin properly. Losing even a few pounds can help reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. One way to determine if you are overweight is by checking your BMI (Body Mass Index), a weight to height ratio. See the following link to determine your BMI: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf

Be physically active every day
Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. If you're not a very active person now, start slowly. And talk with your doctor about the kinds of exercise that are safe for you.

Control diabetes with drugs
In some people, blood glucose levels can be successfully controlled with diet and exercise, but many people require insulin or drugs designed to overcome the body's
resistance to insulin.  

Dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia is a blood fat disorder that increases the risk for heart disease.  It occurs when the amounts of lipids in the blood (e.g. LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides) are higher or lower than normal.

It's estimated that a 1% reduction in LDL cholesterol is equivalent to a 1% reduction in risk for cardiovascular disease. So a treatment option that safely reduces LDL levels is an important component in battling elevated total and LDL cholesterol levels.

There are two basic ways to manage dyslipidemia. The first is to modify your lifestyle by changing your diet, managing your weight, increasing exercise, and quitting smoking. The other is to use one or more cholesterol-lowering medications while modifying your lifestyle. Both treatment methods are aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol, raising HDL cholesterol, lowering triglycerides, and reducing other risk factors for heart disease. Your doctor can help you determine the best course of action.

Statins, or cholesterol-lowering drugs, have been shown to be very effective in reducing LDL levels along with decreasing total cholesterol. They can also help to raise HDL cholesterol. The effectiveness of statins, along with their low incidence of serious side events and good tolerability, has made them the drug treatment of choice for managing dyslipidemia.

Tips for Dealing with Dyslipidemia

• Watch what you eat. Limit your total fat intake to 25% to 35% of your total calories each day. Most of your calories (50% to 60%) should come from carbohydrates, such as bread, cereals, rice, and grains. The other 15% of your total daily calories should come from proteins, such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans.
• Limit your intake of saturated fats to less than 7% of your total fat intake. Saturated fats, such as shortening, lard, or butter are solid at room temperature. Better sources of fat include vegetable, olive, and fish oils.
• Cut back on margarine and butter. If you use them, the whipped types are lower in fat than the type that comes in sticks. Be sure to use any type only in small amounts.
• Get moving. Do exercises that raise your heart rate such as walking, running, swimming, biking, or dancing. Work out for 30 to 45 minutes, 5 days a week. Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting a fitness program.
• Don't smoke. If you smoke, stop. If you need help breaking the habit, ask your health care provider about techniques or treatments that can help you quit.
• Limit your alcohol intake. If you are a woman or small man and drink alcohol, don't have more than one drink a day. If you're a medium- to large-sized man, don't have more than two drinks a day.
• Eat 20 to 30 grams of soluble fiber every day. Foods such as bran, beans, and peas help lower your bad cholesterol (LDL).
• Take your medicine. For many people, diet and exercise aren't enough; some people need drugs to help lower their cholesterol. You and your health care provider will decide which drug is right for you. You may need to take more than one type of medicine to get your cholesterol under control.