The bioelectrical 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.
To schedule an appointment, please contact the front desk of the Personalized Natural Medicine Clinic, located in the heart of Newtown, Connecticut.