Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients.
Dr. Warrick Bishop, a cardiologist and author, discusses reversing metabolic syndrome, which he also calls the "modern syndrome." He explains that metabolic syndrome is not a disease itself but a warning sign of increased risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia. The syndrome is characterized by having at least three of five criteria: elevated waist circumference, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting blood sugar. The root cause is often insulin resistance, where the body's cells stop responding properly to insulin, a hormone responsible for energy storage. This resistance is exacerbated by modern diets high in carbohydrates and a sedentary lifestyle. Other contributing factors include sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and genetic predisposition.
To reverse metabolic syndrome, Dr. Bishop recommends reducing carbohydrate intake, focusing on whole foods and a Mediterranean-style diet, and engaging in regular physical activity. He also stresses the importance of managing stress and losing even a small percentage of body weight, as this can significantly improve insulin resistance. He emphasizes that sustainable lifestyle changes are key to long-term health and encourages listeners to pay attention to their "honesty strap" – their belt – as an indicator of progress. Future podcasts will cover saunas and underrated cardiovascular risk predictors.
Takeaways:
- Metabolic syndrome, also referred to as the ‘modern syndrome,’ is a cluster of conditions that significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia.
- The five criteria for metabolic syndrome are: elevated waist circumference, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated fasting blood sugar. A diagnosis requires having at least three of these.
- Insulin resistance, where cells stop responding properly to insulin, is at the core of metabolic syndrome. This is exacerbated by modern diets high in carbohydrates.
- Evolutionary history shows that the body developed mechanisms to store excess energy from infrequent carbohydrate availability as fat, but modern diets provide constant carbohydrate exposure.
- Factors contributing to metabolic syndrome include excessive carbohydrate intake, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and genetic predisposition.
- Reversing insulin resistance can be achieved by reducing carbohydrate intake, particularly processed carbs, and focusing on whole foods, similar to a Mediterranean diet.
- Regular physical activity is crucial for burning calories and improving metabolic health. The key is to find enjoyable activities that can be sustained long-term.
- Managing stress is important as chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, negatively impacting bodily functions and increasing blood sugar.
- Losing even a small percentage of body weight (5-10%) can significantly improve insulin resistance, especially by reducing visceral fat around organs.
- A simple indicator of progress in managing metabolic syndrome is the tightening of one’s belt, signifying a reduction in waist circumference and overall fat.
Australia, like the rest of the western world, has a heart problem.
Over 9 million people around the world die from heart disease every year.
Every 10 minutes, someone in Australia suffers a heart attack. And 21 lives are lost daily because of it.
The devastating fact in all of this is…
Almost every one of those cases could have been prevented.
This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their health literacy and gain information to help them make the best decisions about their risk of heart attack, their cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of diabetes, weight loss and general health. Join me on my personal mission journey to prevent Heart Attack on a global scale. If you like this podcast, I would be honoured by a 5-star review and appreciate if you let your friends and family know about this podcast; you may even save the life of someone you love!
Are You at Risk of a Sudden Heart Attack? How Healthy is Your Heart? Really?
Heart disease is the #1 killer in the Western World. In Australia, someone dies every 28 minutes from heart disease. That’s 51 people a day. In the US, someone has a heart attack every 40 SECONDS! Fortunately, many heart attacks are preventable. However, regular exercise and eating healthy are no guarantee you won’t succumb to this silent killer.
- 94% of Australians have at least One Risk Factor for heart disease.
- 59% of Australians have been Touched by heart disease.
- Yet only 3% of Australians have had a Full Heart-Health Assessment in the past 12 months.
Do the free heart check today at www.virtualheartcheck.com.au
Join the Healthy Heart Network and become part of our growing community!
Do You Want to Improve Your Heart’s Health and Reduce Your Risk of Suffering a Heart Attack? Join The Healthy Heart Network For Only $5 Lifetime Access (Valued at over $55)!
The Healthy Heart Network is designed to help members:
- understand the present state of their heart’s health
- recognise their current level of risk of suffering a heart attack
- Learn the positive steps they can take to improve their situation
Visit https://healthyheartnetwork.com/ and click on the JOIN THE FAMILY BUTTON
