Diet for Metabolic Syndrome?

Question
Hi
My husband has something our doctor calls Metabolic Syndrome which if untreated to lead to diabetes and heart disease.
He has begun taking meds to bring his blood pressure down, and is jogging several times a week foe exercise.
However,he is unable to lose the big belly and extra weight associated with the syndrome.
He tried very low calorie for a month and lost only a couple pounds but was tired all the time, then went on the Atkins diet. He got tired of not being able to eat bread and potatoes and didnt lose weight.
He eats about the same amount of food as me and I am 5'6" 155 pounds.He slowly gains and I stay the same.
I dont think the doctor believes how much he eats and exercises but I see it.
Any suggestions on diets?

Answer
Metabolic syndrome involves high triglycerides, and a tendency toward insulin resistance, and high blood pressure, and pre-diabetes. The goal is to limit refined carbohydrates, and eat food with low glycemic index. Look at switching to sweet potatoes and whole grain breads in small amounts. Eating every few hours will help keep the insulin at a more even level. Include folic acid and B 12 vitamins to help the body keep the homocysteine levels down. Hopefully the thyroid has been checked. Low sodium diet is a must for the blood pressure. Absolutely no added salt, and read all sodium labels on packages. The goal for sodium... no more than 1000mg/day. Research shows that walking is just as good as jogging, so don't overdo it on the heart. Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and fresh meat. Nothing processed. Bedtime snack could be protein. Drink water. No Aspartame products. The goal is to keep the inflammation out of the body, keep the sugars low, and make sure the carbohydrates are complex, rather than refined. Add weights or resistance to the workout. Belly fat seems to coorelate to heart disease.....but Heart Disease happens for many reasons and starts when we are very young. We are a "heartfelt" species, and emotions can "burden" our hearts. It is important to be happy and have quality of life. Learn some stress-relieving techniques and do deep breathing exercises. Calories are not necessarily the issue. It's what we eat that is more the issue. My books can help with "mindful" issues. www.nogainnopainbook.com. Cholesterol lowering drugs are controversial, as some say it can hurt the body and lead to alzheimers. Keep up the good work and all the research you are doing.

1. Prev:Being Overwight, dealing with it, and how to get to a more healthy weight?
2. Next:Baby Fat