Losing weight and taking on a more active lifestyle has been known to reverse Syndrome X. This may lead one to ask, “What is the best diet for Syndrome X?”  The best diet for Syndrome X involves more than just eating healthy foods. In order to keep blood sugar levels in check and lower insulin resistance, a person should eat at regular times each day and practice good portion control as well.

Finding the best diet for Syndrome X actually involves finding the best diet for you. It also involves careful planning. A good meal plan will fit your schedule and your normal eating habits. How much weight you should lose, what medications you take, what time of day you take your medications, and how often you exercise should also be taken into consideration. Therefore, it is recommended that a person who wants to find the best diet for Syndrome X speak to a dietician or nutritionist about these factors. Consulting with these types of professionals will help you put together a diet plan which is perfect for you.

 

The Mediterranean Diet

 

The Mediterranean diet may be the best diet for Syndrome X. According to WebMd.com, the Mediterranean diet has to be found to prevent heart disease as well as prevent and help control the risk factors of Syndrome X. These risk factors include high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

So, what is a Mediterranean diet? USA Today describes it as follows:

“The Mediterranean diet is a pattern marked by the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products; weekly consumption of fish, poultry, tree nuts, and legumes; high consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily from olives and olive oils, and a moderate daily consumption of wine or other alcoholic beverages, normally with meals. Red meat intake and processed foods are kept to a minimum.”

The Mayo Clinic describes the Mediterranean diet as a heart healthy eating plan, stating that the Mediterranean diet has been shown, through research, to have reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality, cancer, and cancer mortality, as well as reduce the incidence of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. So, it may not be only the best diet for Syndrome X, but for many other medical conditions as well. MedicalNewsToday.com provides the following guidelines for a Mediterranean diet:

  • Lots of plant foods
  • Fresh fruit as dessert
  • A high consumption of beans, nuts, cereals, and seeds
  • Olive oil as the main source of dietary fat
  • Cheese and yogurt as the main dairy foods
  • Moderate amounts of fish and poultry
  • No more than about four eggs each week
  • Small amounts of red meat each week
  • Low to moderate amounts of wine
  • 25% to 35% of the calorie intake should consist of fat
  • Saturated fats should make up no more than 8 % of the calorie intake

 

Syndrome X Recipe

 

Sautéed Salmon and Mediterranean Vegetables is a heart-healthy dish that anyone can enjoy. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

  • 10 mushroom caps, thinly sliced
  • 4 diced baby tomatoes
  • 4 salmon fillets, 4 oz. and 1 in thick
  • 3 tsp. of olive oil – divided
  • 3 fresh minced garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ chopped red onion
  • 2 diced prosciutto
  • 4 chopped spinach leaves
  • 1 torn fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

Begin by heating up ½ teaspoon of olive oil over low heat in a nonstick skillet. Next, sauté the prosciutto, for approximately 5 minutes or until it is crisp. Now, stir in the garlic and turn off the heat.

In a large nonstick skillet, add 2 tsp. of olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the mushrooms and allow them to sauté until they are golden (approximately 10 minutes). Next, stir in the tomatoes and allow them to cook for an additional 3 min. Then add the spinach and basil and allow them to cook for 3 more minutes. Now it is time to stir in the garlic and prosciutto mixture, then cover to keep warm.

With the salt and pepper, season the salmon fillets. Then heat the remaining ½ teaspoon of oil, using the same skillet which was used to cook the garlic and prosciutto mixture. When the oil is well-heated, place the salmon in the skillet (skin-side down). Allow to cook for 10 minutes. The fish should flake easily. The skin should stick, for the most part, to the skillet. Remove the remaining skin with a spatula.

To serve, divide the vegetables among 4 plates. Top each plate with the salmon. For the best results, serve immediately.

Total cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4