Dr. LaFrance will sit down with you on your initial consultation and gather information from you as to what your nutrition goals are. On this visit you will be introduced to a BIA (bioimpedance analysis system), HAQ, DSQ and zinc tally test.

What is the BIA?

• The BIA includes a direct measurement of resistance, reactance and phase angle.  The analyzer provides information on lean body mass, fat mass, body cell mass (BCM) and extra cellular mass(ECM), ECM to BCM ratio, total body water, intracellular water, extracellular water, body mass index, basal metabolic rate
• This test is convenient and fast
• Analyzer test results are accurate to within 0.1 percent of resistance and 0.2 percent of reactance and phase angle

Understanding your Bioimpedance Analysis

• Body Fat: Is the body’s last metabolically active storage tissue, technically known as “adipose tissue”.  With advancing age, even if our body weight doesn’t change much, most of us tend to gain fat and lose heavier muscle tissue.  This is a disease process called sarcopenia (muscle loss) like osteopenia (bone loss).
• Lean Body Mass (LBM): Lean Body Mass consists of muscle, bone and other vital organ tissues of the body, in short, everything that is not fat.  LBM is one of the most crucial components of the body to preserve and build.  Protein provides the building blocks for the maintenance and growth of LBM, which determines approximately 90 percent of the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) of the body.  Lean Body Mass is also known as Fat Free Mass (FFM).
• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Basal Metabolic Rate is the rate of our body’s chemical processes when it’s at rest.  The BMR tends to decline with age, largely because the amount of muscle tissue on people’s bodies tends to decline with advancing age, a situation that can be reversed through good nutrition and regular exercise.
• Body Mass Index (BMI): Body Mass Index is a ratio between a person’s body weight and height.  It is a mathematical formula that correlates somewhat with body fat.  In general, if your BMI is high, you may have an increased risk of developing certain diseases including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and others.  BMI is a better predictor of disease risk than body weight alone.  Competitive athletes, body builders, women who are pregnant or lactating, growing children or frail and sedentary elderly individuals should not use BMI as the basis for estimating their body fat content.
• Total Body Water (TBW): Total body water reflects the amount of water in your body.  Care must be taken to avoid becoming dehydrated during exercise and dieting.
• Intra-Cellular Water (ICW): Intra-Cellular Water is that portion of the Total Body Water that is found inside metabolically active tissue cells like muscle cells.
• Extra-Cellular Water (ECW): Extra-Cellular Water is that portion of the Total Body Water that is found outside metabolically active tissue cells like muscle cells.
• Phase Angle: Phase Angle is based on total body resistance and reactance and is independent of height, weight and body fat.  Lower phase angles appear to be consistent with either cell death or a breakdown of the cell membrane.  Higher phase angles appear to be consistent with large quantities of intact cell membranes and lean body mass.  Phase angle is a health outcome predecision and usually increases as the result of optimal health based on good nutrition and consistent exercise.

What is a HAQ: Health Appraisal Questionnaire?

• The information from this questionnaire will help you keep track of how your physical, mental and emotional states respond to changes you make in eating habits, priorities, supplement program, social and family life, level of physical activity and time spent on personal growth.

What is a MSQ: Medical Symptoms Questionnaire?

• This is a questionnaire that asks you to rate symptoms based upon your typical health profile for your head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth/throat, skin, heart, lungs, digestive tract, joints/muscles, weight, energy/activity, mind, and emotions.

What is a Zinc Tally test?

• Zinc is a mineral that is very important in many factors in the body.  Some of these include the energy cycle and detoxification.  Your bodies relative zinc level can be tested by having you hold the zinc tally solution in your mouth until you experience a taste change.  When your zinc stores are depleted the solution tastes like water.
• It was estimated that more than 50 percent of consumers are integrating some form of alternative therapy into their healthcare programs in hopes of living longer and healthier.
• Many foods, nutritional supplements and herbal therapies are gaining recognition for their ability to prevent, control or even reverse so many of the diseases that affect millions.
• Dr. LaFrance  will use the information from the BIA as well as the information from the paperwork to assess your risk for serious preventable diseases.  This can be used to develop a nutrition program that over time reduces risk.
• If it is disease prevention, weight management or just making better food choices, there are many easy strategies to help you be more healthy.

Ultrameal Challenge

In the past, Metagenics, a medical foods company, puts on a continent wide Get Healthy Get Lean Challenge.  The purpose of this challenge is to have participants from all over North America participate in a 12 week program.  During these 12 weeks, each individual will be given a personalized diet and exercise program.  The weight loss and change of body composition is measured at the beginning and end of the 12 weeks.  Optimum Potential has been ranked the number one clinic in Canada for weight loss during the two years that this program was put on.  What this means is that on average the participants from our clinic lost the most combined body fat and had significant changes in their body composition.  Please contact our office to get started on the program.  This program is not a lose weight fast program.  It teaches you how to lose weight and keep it off.  No rebounds for you this time!