Metabolic syndrome (MetS)
What is metabolic syndrome (MetS)?
Metabolic syndrome is a group of serious disorders, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides – that occur simultaneously, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, aneurysm, deep vein thrombosis and diabetes among others.
Having just one of these disorders does not mean having metabolic syndrome. But any of these disorders increase the risk of incurring a serious illness. Having more than one of these disorders can raise your risk substantially.
If you have metabolic syndrome or any of its components, profound changes in lifestyle can delay or even prevent the occurrence of serious health problems.
Expert Advice
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Which mushrooms have useful properties for the MetS?
Maitake
Shown to reduce levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids (fats)
Several studies show that in diets rich in fats, Maitake decreases cholesterol levels, triglycerides and lipid to values close to those of groups with normal diet.
In relation to body weight, Maitake reduces the accumulation of lipids (fats) in the body. Also the results in lipid levels in the liver suggest that Maitake improves fat metabolism.
Shiitake
Combats the accumulation of fat and reduces triglyceride levels
Their unique compounds have shown to reduce obesity.
This mushroom is also able to combat the accumulation of fat, reduce triglyceride levels and and regulate body weight gain. It would thus prevent the formation of atheromas in the blood vessels, acting positively against cardiovascular pathologies.
Reishi
Reduces triglyceride levels and increases HDL cholesterol levels
Reishi reduces triglyceride levels and increases HDL cholesterol levels in those with high cholesterol levels and hypertension, thus improving disease ris and factors associated with obesity. It generally also has shown to reduce cardiovascular risk. The capacities of Reishi polysaccharide extract also extend to the reduction of triglyceride (fat) concentration.
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Nutritional recommendations and general healthy habits for the maintenance of a good state of health
- Avoid meat products, especially red meat and derivatives such as sausages.
- In general, you can not take baked goods or pastries.
- You should also avoid the consumption of pre-cooked and dried fast-food type soup soups.
- Avoid or reduce salt consumption to a minimum. When you consume it, choose preferably unrefined salt. You can substitute the garnishes of the meals with spices, for example.
- When cooking and seasoning your dishes always use extra virgin olive oil, prioritizing its consumption in crude.
- Our advice is to take fatty or semi-fatty fish (blue fish) 2 to 3 times a week. Varies the species: salmon, red mullet, sardines, horse mackerel, bonito, tuna, mackerel, anchovy, etc.
- Increase the daily consumption of vegetables.
- Do not drink alcohol.
- Do not consume industrial processed products rich in sugars, salt, oils and additives that are harmful to health (cookies, toast, bread, industrial cereals …).
- It prioritizes the consumption of whole grains and avoids refined flours (white bread, pasta, biscuits …).
- The preparation techniques of preference are: cooking, steaming and grilling. Do not take fried, breaded, barbecued or barbecues.
- It is important that you increase physical activity: walking, running, swimming, aerobics, going up and down stairs … The best thing is that you schedule it as a daily activity.
- Do relaxation exercises if you feel stressed or overwhelmed or if you have muscular tensions, since that feeling of tension may indicate that your stress levels are higher than normal. The use of these techniques will help you to regulate the alterations of stress hormones and to relax the tensions that your body presents, both physical and emotional.
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