Triglycerides over 150?     Check.
HDL cholesterol below 40?     Check.
Store fat primarily in your belly?     Check.

So maybe I don't have metabolic syndrome, but I might someday soon. 

Mirkin has this warning for me:

   Salt is a problem primarily for people with metabolic
syndrome (Lancet, March 2009).   You should be cautious about
using salt if you have trigylcerides over 150, fasting blood sugar
over 100, HBA1C over 5.7, two-hour-after-eating blood sugar
greater than 110, HDL cholesterol below 40,  store fat primarily in
your belly, or have a thick neck or systolic blood pressure over
120 before you go to bed at night.  Get a blood pressure cuff
and take you blood pressures several evenings before you go to
bed. If the systolic BP is greater than 120, you may need to
restrict salt.
       In my opinion, people who do not have the symptoms of
metabolic syndrome or high blood pressure usually do not need
to restrict salt....

Now recently I got my blood pressure taken and I topped 120 for the first time since I can remember.  I didn't just lip the cup either, I took a big ol ' step across the line.  At 124/74, I officially have high blood pressure.  I don't know if I have blood pressure that high at night.  Few resources are available to measure it at night, so I may not know for some time to come unless I get my ownsphygmometer (blood pressure cuff.)

I've started eating meat in place of the veggie meats I ate before.  They are substantially higher in salt (NaCl, thus the title.  Get it?)  The cheaper meats I favor due to budget constraints (hot dogs, bacon, hamburger) are higher still.  I may have added a few pounds too.  Veggie meats are lower in calories and high fiber.  The substitution has helped my wallet in the short run, but medical bills are a nasty drain over the long haul.

The pressure of keeping up with billing for my new company and increased demands at work might have tacked on a few more systolic points too.  The diastolic blood pressure (the second number) is even more critical but that is creeping up too.  I used to dip below 70 on a regular basis and now I'm in striking distance of the magic number 80.

Fortunately, maybe James, my workout wingman, may be holding me back from the brink I'm imposing on myself.  Stay tuned.

*DM


Next:  Stepping Up

THE CHART:

Week of 5/3/09
Activity                                Daily Output
Cycles                                    50
Bench Presses                          0
Curls                                      0
Lifts                                        0
Flights of Stairs                        8
Minutes Walking                        0
Seconds on Heavy bag               0    
Minutes Dancing Per Day            0
Push Ups                                  12          
Sit-Ups                                    4

Grade: B

Week of 5/10/09
Activity                                Daily Output
Cycles                                    30
Bench Presses                          0
Curls                                      0
Lifts                                        0
Flights of Stairs                        7
Minutes Walking                        0
Seconds on Heavy bag               0    
Minutes Dancing Per Day            0
Push Ups                                  6         
Sit-Ups                                    3

PLUS - 90 minutes skating

Grade: B-

Week of 5/17/09
Activity                                Daily Output
Cycles                                    50
Bench Presses                          0
Curls                                      0
Lifts                                        0
Flights of Stairs                        1
Minutes Walking                        14
Seconds on Heavy bag               0    
Minutes Dancing Per Day            0
Push Ups                                  10 
Sit-Ups                                    4

Grade: B+

Workout Partner's Progress:  Pushing hard.    Grade: A

Week of 5/24/09
Activity                                Daily Output
Cycles                                    60
Bench Presses                          0
Curls                                      0
Lifts                                        0
Flights of Stairs                        3
Minutes Walking                        6
Seconds on Heavy bag               0    
Minutes Dancing Per Day            0
Push Ups                                  12
Sit-Ups                                    6

Grade: A-

Workout Partner's Progress:  A few missed days, but what he does is rigorous.    Grade: B

Blood Pressure:  124/74

RECENT SYMPTOMS : Gum pocket, tooth cavity. Weight gain?  Hypertension?
ONGOING SYMPTOMS: Weak, clicking knees, Pain in right knee when kneeling and shifting knee to the right. Hyperhidrosis.
DIAGNOSES: Foot trauma from minor accident, suspected neuroma or hairline fracture to foot. Unknown injury to right knee, possible impact from small stumble (c. 2006) onto landing of concrete stairs. Injured knee joints from sprinting (c. 2007)

ONGOING TREATMENTS: Tri-Annual dental visits.

DRUG REGIMENS: Aspartame. (3 diet sodas daily) Caffeine (four cups of coffee daily. two colas.)
PROGNOSIS: Gradual decay of knee function.
POTENTIAL TREATMENTS: Fish Oil supplements. Axillary vacuum curettage, laser eye surgery, gum flap tissue surgery / bone graft, filling.

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