First In A Two-Part Series

I desperately want to alert you to a health threat that is both insidious and largely unrecognized. A threat far more real and imminent than the risks posed today by the Avian flu to the US population. A risk that today affects 1 in 4 American's and growing daily.

You may be asking what is this and how come I haven't heard about it? The answer to the first question, what is it, is Syndrome X, Insulin Resistance or Metabolic Disorder. You generally have it if you suffer from just two or more of these factors; sugar metabolism imbalances and insulin resistance, unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, abdominal weight gain, food cravings, joint stiffness, fatigue and low energy, sleep disorders and mood swings. So what really is this "health boogeyman?

Dr. Gerald Reaven, a highly respected Stanford University Medical Center endocrinologist, was the first to answer the question. In 1998 he presented the results of 20 years of study that showed evidence of a new, little known syndrome that increases the danger of heart disease, diabetes and other health problems. According to research done by Dr. Reaven and his Stanford colleagues, Syndrome X is the cause of up to 50% of all heart attacking and strokes and is also linked to adult-onset Type II diabetes, the most rapidly escalating disease in America. Dr. Reaven estimates that upwards of 60 million American have two or more attributes of Syndrome X and that this risk is not just born by the elderly. In fact, Dr. Reaven says that the largest population group at risk is the baby boomer. But it is not just baby boomers who are suffering. Syndrome X is a growing problem for our children as well. With a staggering 25% of kids considered overweight, they are at high risk for heart disease and diabetes even in their 20s - an age when they should be very healthy. And they would be severely at risk for heart attack or stroke in their 30s and 40's. I think you'll agree that's a staggering thought.

Well, Dr. Reaven's greatest fears seem to be occurring faster than even he first thought. The New York Times in a January 9^h front page article titled "The Stealth Epidemic" reported that 1 in 8 New Yorkers has diabetes and that many do not even know they suffer. In less affluent or immigrant communities, the number drops to 1 in 6 or 7. The implication of what the NY Times reported will certainly be devastating to those who will suffer.. But there will also be other consequences. The medical cost to treat the people affected, rich and poor, will be enormous.

The second question is why haven't I heard much about this. The answer is two-fold. The first, most doctors just don't get it. When you visit the doctor and mention your lack of energy, the mood swings, unexplained weight gain or joint stiffness, their training tells them to "shower" you with prescription drugs. Truth is, while these drugs may help alleviate the symptoms, they do nothing to improve your underlying health! The second answer, also just reported in the New York Times on January 11^th in an article entitled "In the Treatment of Diabetes, Success Often Does Not Pay" observes that the medical establishment is phasing out preventive, low-cost health programs to deal with the increasing threat of diabetes because there's just not enough money in it.

They point out that "insurers, for example, will often refuse to pay $150 for a diabetic to see a podiatrist, who can help prevent foot ailments associated with the disease. Nearly all of them, though, cover amputations, which typically cost more than $30,000 and that patients have trouble securing a reimbursement for a $75 visit to the nutritionist who counsels them on controlling their diabetes. Insurers do not balk, however, at paying $315 for a single session of dialysis, which treats one of the disease's serious complications."