Syndrome X: The Silent Killer

Syndrome X, also known as "metabolic syndrome," is a cluster of symptoms that revolve around  insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. And it is as powerful a predictor of coronary heart disease as elevated cholesterol or LDL "bad" cholesterol, if not more so. Some 60-75 million other Americans have Syndrome X, and research indicates that it may be responsible for as many as 50 percent of all heart attacks -- or more.

In Syndrome X: The Silent Killer, Gerald Reaven, M.D., the pioneering Stanford University doctor who discovered Syndrome X, lays out the causes and effects of  this devastating disease and explains why:

• Carbohydrates can be just as harmful as red meat or butter.
• Lowering your total cholesterol level to the "perfect" range may not shield you from a heart attack.
• A diet high in "good" fats (as much as 40 percent of calories) is actually better for you.
• The Zone diet, the Atkins diet, and the American Heart Association diet can each be dangerous ore even deadly under certain conditions.
• The Syndrome X diet and exercise program will  keep you healthy and protect your heart, even if you do not suffer from insulin resistance.

Dr. Reaven's Six-Step Syndrome X Program is based on good science, backed by solid documentation and many published studies. And while this complicated disorder makes it impossible to come up with a magical "one size fits all" program to keep it under control, Dr. Reaven finds ways to make it relatively easy for readers to find they own best solutions.

PRAISE FOR SYNDROME X

"This comprehensive, clearly written volume should be a welcome addition to both patients' and their doctors' health shelves. It offers a detailed explanation of the causes and potentially devastating effects of Syndrome X, a six-step program to identify and manage the disease, as well as a diet plan..."
- Publisher's Weekly

"An excellent book on a disease that is becoming more common in the American population."
- Library Journal