NEW JERSEY COPS ■ MARCH 2014
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What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome refers to a collection of health problems that
are triggered by certain processes in your body. Generally, having
metabolic syndrome increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes
and stroke. There are five main health conditions — or risk factors
— associated with metabolic syndrome, and they often occur
together.
Having just one risk factor for metabolic syndrome increases the
chances that you could develop heart disease. The more risk factors
you have, the more your short- and long-term health is in jeopardy.
Here is a description of some of the Risk Factor Conditions:
Overweight/obese with a large waistline: Heavy in stature with fat
in your stomach and midsection, rather than other areas, like your
hips:
• Waist measurement of more than 35 inches for women and
more than 40” for men.
• High triglyceride level: Too much of a certain type of lipid (fat)
in your bloodstream.
• Triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher.
• Low HDL cholesterol level: Not enough HDL, the “good” type
of cholesterol, in your bloodstream:
• HDL level lower than 50 mg dL for women and lower than 40
mg/dL for men.
• High blood pressure: The force of blood in your arteries is too
high, which can damage your blood vessels and your heart:
• Blood pressure of 130/85 mmHg or higher.
• High fasting blood sugar: The amount of glucose (blood sugar)
in your bloodstream is too high, which could be a sign of diabetes:
• Blood sugar level of 100 mg/dL or higher
Why do metabolic syndrome risk factors develop?
There are many causes of metabolic syndrome conditions,
including family health history of insulin resistance (when the body
cannot use the hormone insulin correctly, leading to high blood
sugar levels and weight gain), having an inactive lifestyle, and taking certain medications that cause weight gain. Medical research
has also shown that if you have two
other conditions — excess blood clotting and inflammation or swelling
throughout the body — you may also
develop metabolic syndrome.
Why are law enforcement officers and first responders particularly at risk?
As you know, the daily work of law enforcement officers and first
responders demands great physical and emotional commitment.
The stressful work conditions such as responding to unpredictable,
intense and possibly life-threatening activities puts you at increased
risk for some of the factors of metabolic syndrome, such as high
blood pressure.
Other occupational elements also contribute to your risk:
• Irregular physical exertion: Long periods of relative inactivity
between emergencies can cause weight gain and obesity.
• Unhealthy diet/limited availability of healthy food options can
lead to high lipid levels and contribute to insulin resistance.
• Exposure to loud, disruptive noises like sirens and alarms can
cause spikes in blood pressure.
• Increased risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has been
shown to increase heart rate and cause changes in blood pressure
What can you do to reduce risk of metabolic syndrome and its
causes?
The first step in reducing your risk of metabolic syndrome is making healthy lifestyle choices that include losing weight, working
toward a more active lifestyle, eating a healthy diet, and stopping
smoking. Be sure to talk with your doctor about specific ways of
incorporating these elements into your daily life. If necessary, your
doctor can also prescribe medications that may help reduce your
risk of the conditions associated with metabolic syndrome. d
This message is sponsored in conjunction with The First Responders Foundation.
Midlife crisis or midlife transition?
Recently at Cop 2 Cop, we have heard officers
describe breakdowns in their marital and family life
that seem to follow a trend. Perhaps it is this long and
stormy winter that has us all “stir crazy” with our
loved ones, and all we need is a little sunlight or a
spring break to change our lives. Or perhaps it is the
stage in life that many officers and their families face
that marks a midpoint in our lives commonly known
as a “midlife crisis?”
According to what Kathleen Doyen wrote in a
recent WEB MD article, a midlife crisis is the stuff of
jokes and stereotypes – the time in life when you do
outrageous, impractical things like quit a job impulsively, buy a red
sports car or dump your spouse.
For years, midlife crisis conjured such images. But these days, the
old midlife crisis is more likely to be called a midlife transition - and
it's not all bad. Crisis often doesn't fit the description, according to
mental health experts, because while it can be accompanied by serious depression, it can also mark a period of tremendous growth. The
trick is to realize when the transition is developing into depression
so you can get help.
A midlife crisis might occur anywhere from approximately age 37
through the 50s, and with whatever term, the crisis or transition
occurs around significant life events, your youngest child finishing
college, a "zero" birthday announcing to the world that you're entering a new decade or the loss of a parent. Men and women a ɔ