26/11/2023
HIJAMAH FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME
What Is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.
The term "metabolic" refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase your chance of developing a disease.
Here, "heart disease" refers to coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary (heart) arteries.
Plaque hardens and narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow to your heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, a heart attack, heart damage, or even death.
Metabolic Risk Factors
The five conditions described below are metabolic risk factors. You can have any one of these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together. You must have at least three metabolic risk factors to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
A large waistline. This also is called abdominal obesity or "having an apple shape." Excess fat in the stomach area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than excess fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
A high triglyceride level (or you're on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood
A low HDL cholesterol level (or you're on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called "good" cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries. A low HDL cholesterol level raises your risk for heart disease.
High blood pressure (or you're on medicine to treat high blood pressure). Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup
High fasting blood sugar (or you're on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.
Overview
Your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke increases with the number of metabolic risk factors you have. The risk of having metabolic syndrome is closely linked to overweight and obesity and a lack of physical activity.
Insulin resistance also may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body can’t use its insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells where it’s used for energy. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar levels, and it’s closely linked to overweight and obesity. Genetics (ethnicity and family history) and older age are other factors that may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome.
Outlook
Metabolic syndrome is becoming more common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults. In the future, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease.
What are the risk factors for metabolic syndrome?
The set of risk factors for metabolic syndrome generally include:
Obesity - generally in the abdominal region. Outwardly, this is manifested as excess fat tissue in and around the abdomen of the person.
Insulin resistance or intolerance to glucose - this means that the body cannot properly use blood sugar or insulin
Proinflammatory state - higher amounts of C-reactive protein in the blood
Prothrombotic state - higher amounts of fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 present in the bloodstream
Atherogenic Dyslipidemia - disorders in the blood fat, with high levels of ‘bad' cholesterol and low levels of ‘good’ cholesterol
Higher blood pressure.
People who suffer from metabolic syndrome are at a much greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as other diseases.
What are the symptoms of metabolic syndrome?
You may recognise some of the following symptoms of metabolic syndrome:
Tiredness - particularly after meals
Inability to focus properly - ‘brain fog’
Acanthosis nigricans - browning (hyperpigmentation) of folds of skin such as on the neck, armpits, groin and between the buttocks.
Most commonly, patients suffering from metabolic syndrome will exhibit two major symptoms:
Abdominal obesity
Resistance to insulin
It is possible to prevent or delay metabolic syndrome, mainly with lifestyle changes. A healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. Successfully controlling metabolic syndrome requires long-term effort and teamwork.
Hijamah or Wet Cupping Therapy
A regular session of hijamah removes occlusions from blood vessels that are plugged with arterial plaque at the same time removing acidic waste materials and toxins helping to curb these "risk factors" to minimal and allowing the body to work at its optimum levels thus naturally increasing the metabolic functions within the physiology of the body inshaAllah.