Cellular Health
There are many long lasting stresses that we place on our bodies on a daily basis. These stresses, or insults, include: negative and anxious emotions, toxic chemicals, and environmental factors (sun damage, smog, etc.). Insults can take a significant toll on our bodies and cause us to age faster. Getting your bio-impedance test run annually is a simple thing you can do to address these daily insults.
The bio-impedance analysis, otherwise known as BIA, is a simple test that provides information on the health of your cells and how you age. Most physicians measure their patients’ body mass index (BMI), fat mass, muscle mass, and basal metabolic rate (BMR). In addition to this basic information, I also gather additional information through a BIA.
One of the most important numbers I look at is called a phase angle. This number roughly correlates to the thickness of your cellular membrane. The cellular membrane is the part of the cell that separates the inside of your cell from the outside, much like the walls in your house that separate outdoors from indoors. Just like we prefer the walls of our house to be sturdy and insulated, we want our cell walls to be nice and thick. Your phase angle, or the thickness of your cellular membrane, usually decreases with age. With some preventative measures, we can keep your cell membranes healthy and inhibit deterioration.
The next measurement I take has to do with the water inside your body. This number does not correspond to how much water you drink, but rather the functionality of your cell membranes. We want at least 60% of the water inside your body to be on the inside of your cells, within the cell membrane. This means that there would be about 40% outside of the cell membranes. Proper water balance requires healthy cell membranes, and is crucial for your cells to function optimally. Just like strong walls on a house keep the occupants warm and safe, healthy cell membranes retain water which is necessary for cells to work properly.
The best way to achieve proper cellular health is through a low lectin diet. A low lectin diet is one that is personalized based on your individual body and blood type. Over time, a low lectin diet will help increase your phase angle and balance the intra and extracellular water ratio. The proper diet is critical to this process; however there are a few other treatments which can speed up the progress.
A combination of lecithin (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol), ground flaxseeds, and about 5oz of a beneficial juice (which will vary depending on your individualized low lectin diet), will help increase your phase angle and balance out your water. To achieve the best results, combine all the above ingredients and drink this first thing in the morning.
If you do not feel comfortable or do not have time to mix your own drink each morning, there are a few premixed formulas out there that have these ingredients along with a few extra bonuses. Many formulas include uridine for RNA synthesis or trehalose for memory that will help you achieve the anti-ageing effect you are looking for along with the added benefit of mental stability.
If you are interested in taking control of your cellular health and addressing anti-aging, schedule an appointment with me, Dr. Brody to measure the health of your cells with our bio-impedance analysis, provide a personalized low lectin meal and recipe plan, and create a tailored natural treatment protocol.
Naturopathic Physician
(203) 366-0526
