2 Keys to a Healthier Life I've been hearing a lot about metabolic syndrome, but really didn't know what it meant. So I did some research.

I've been hearing a lot about metabolic syndrome, but really didn't know what it meant. So I did some research.

According to PubMed Health, a website specializing in reviews of clinical effectiveness research with easy-to-read summaries for consumers, metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors including a large waist size, high triglycerides, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. More and more Americans are being diagnosed with the syndrome, as more and more Americans struggle with weight issues. This is cause for concern, as complications from these risk factors include Type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, peripheral artery disease - none of which sound like fun.

The good news is that we have the power to control, or even prevent all of these dire consequences by doing two simple things; 1) If you smoke, quit, and 2) Lose weight. Isn't that amazing? As I've said before, it's not easy easy, but it is simple. In order to lose weight, we need to do two things.

Key #1 We need pay attention to what we eat. Limit the red meat and eat more oily fish. Examples of oily fish are: Salmon, Mackerel, Trout, Tuna, Herring, Swordfish, Carp, and Eel. Anybody got any good eel recipes? I've written before about what's working for me is to cut way back on my carbs, getting most of them from fruit and veggies. But we all lose weight differently. The trick is finding out what works for you.

Key #2 According to the site, we need to do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days. If you're ADD like me, sometimes it's easier to do three 10 minute walks, and that's okay, it counts. Find something that you enjoy doing so it doesn't feel like torture. I am so lucky that where I live there are multiple, gorgeous places to walk, and the weather is never too bad. My friend, Nan, who lives in beautiful Vermont, but where the winters are long and cold, swears by Leslie Sansone and her Walk at Home DV's. I just checked out the site, and it looks like fun. I think I'll buy one for windy, rainy days like today is here.

We need to keep track of our cholesterol levels and our blood pressure. If you need to be on medication, take it, but losing weight and exercising can help get both of those things under control. Isn't that cool?

As I've been learning more and more about people living with chronic conditions, I'm becoming increasingly aware of how what we eat and how much we move our bodies are the keys to how we manage those conditions. So many of those chronic illnesses are within our own power to manage. Realizing I have that power makes it a lot easier for me to eat right and get out there and go for a walk.