Weight Loss Testing Overview:
In order to gauge your current state of health, our clinic will often request copies of your last two years of medical testing and will often recommend further testing as needed. Our clinic does request some testing that is and not commonly performed in more "mainstream" medical clinics. 24-hour heavy metal testing with provoking agent, neurotransmitter analysis, food sensitivity testing, comprehensive stool testing and Candida antigen testing are commonly recommended by our medical staff. Some of these are discussed in detail in the links in this section.
What to Expect on Your First Visit:
First office visits typically last 45-60 minutes. Your doctor will review your intake form with you and gather a detailed medical history. A partial physical exam is usually performed and medical records are often requested from your primary care physician and/or other doctors. Specialty laboratory testing may be recommended. Most clients are offered an initial protocol consisting of nutritional supplementation, dietary and life style recommendations.
First Visit: Blood Test
To assess and identify kidney, liver, blood sugar and other key factors such as blood cholesterols. The results are explained to the patient, giving him/her a fuller understanding of the blood chemistry, so that they may take control.
Patients are required to fast for 14 hours before the test. Water may be drunk freely, but not tea, coffee, juices or other beverages. Appointments are normally arranged for mid-morning so that food and drink can be consumed up to 8pm the previous evening. On the day of the appointment, any prescribed medication should be taken with water as normal.
Patients are recommended to bring food to eat after the blood sample has been taken. Diabetics should advise the clinic, and separate arrangements will be made.
First Visit: Urine Analysis
To establish exactly how the kidneys are functioning. Patients are required to collect urine over a period of 24 hours. This should be as near the date of the blood test as possible, but must not include the 14 hours fasting period prior to the appointment.
A recommended timetable is that the first urine of the day should be excluded, than all subsequent urine for the next 24 hours collected in clean plastic containers. (If collection starts at 8am, this process must be followed until 8am the following day.) Eg. Appointment 10am Friday, fasting commences Thursday 8pm. Urine collection starts Wednesday 8am. until Thursday 8am.
Containers should be clearly labeled with the patient's names and brought to the clinic at the time of their appointment.
First Visit: Resting ECG for Doctors Report
The electrocardiograph (ECG) determines the condition of the heart and measures its actions and the pulse.
The doctor in charge reports any findings in his medical notes.
Specific Weight Loss Testing:
Body Impedance Analysis
What is the Body Impedance Analysis?
The Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method is an affordable way to estimate body fat percentage.
The general principle behind BIA: two conductors are attached to a person's body and a small electrical charge is sent through the body. The resistance between the conductors will provide a measure of body fat, since the resistance to electricity varies between adipose, muscular and skeletal tissue.
Indications and Contraindications
The Body Impedance Analysis may be done on clients who are looking for a good way to track their progress in weight loss by recognizing the percent of body fat in the body.
Body Impedance Analysis must not be used on people who have pacemakers.
How do you prepare for the Body Impedance Analysis?
Factors such as eating, drinking and exercising must be controlled since hydration level is an important source of error in determining the flow of the electrical current to estimate body fat. It is advisable to avoid consuming alcohol and coffee, doing exercises and prolonged stay under the sun 24 hours prior to the test.
How does it feel? How long will it take?
The electrical current that is used to measure the body fat is kept on a low level that a person undergoing the BIA will not feel anything at all. It is a harmless procedure that will last no more than two minutes.
Expected effects after the test:
There are no adverse effects following the BIA test.
Results:
Males:
| Age (years) |
Too Low (%) |
Ideal (%) |
Overweight (%) |
Obese (%) |
20-30 |
< 8 |
8-19 |
19-25 |
> 25 |
31-40 |
< 8 |
8-19 |
19-25 |
> 25 |
41-50 |
< 11 |
11-22 |
22-27 |
> 27 |
51-60 |
< 11 |
11-22 |
22-27 |
> 27 |
61-70 |
< 13 |
13-25 |
25-30 |
> 20 |
71-80 |
< 13 |
13-25 |
25-30 |
> 30 |
Females
| Age (years) |
Too Low (%) |
Ideal (%) |
Overweight (%) |
Obese (%) |
20-30 |
< 21 |
21-33 |
33-39 |
> 39 |
31-40 |
< 21 |
21-33 |
33-39 |
> 39 |
41-50 |
< 23 |
23-35 |
35-40 |
> 40 |
51-60 |
< 23 |
23-35 |
35-40 |
> 40 |
61-70 |
< 24 |
24- 36 |
33-42 |
> 42 |
71-80 |
< 24 |
24-36 |
36-42 |
> 42 |
Notes:
Factors that affect the accuracy and precision of this method include instrumentation, subject factors, technician skill, and the prediction equation formulated to estimate the Fat Free Mass. Criticism of this methodology is based on where the conductors are placed on the body; typically they are placed on the feet, with the current sent up one leg, across the abdomen and down the other leg
As men and women store fat differently around the abdomen and thigh region, the results can be less accurate as a measure of total body fat percentage. Another variable that can affect the amount of body fat this test measures is the amount of liquid an individual has consumed before the test. As electricity travels more easily through water, a person who has consumed a large amount of water before the test will measure as a lower body fat percentage. Less water will increase the percentage of body fat
The Right Diagnosis and Treatment Weight Loss
Once the comprehensive review is completed for each patient, our doctors and our team of medical professionals will evaluate your diagnosis. At this point, our doctors will spend one on one time with you to interpret and explain your results. Together you will explore your goals and discuss your treatment plan options. These treatment plans can be implemented using multiple modalities such as medications, hormones, diet, supplements, behavior and lifestyle changes, and alternative therapies. Our doctors will prescribe a preventative and comprehensive treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and fits into your lifestyle.
Patients Medical's Personal Approach to Weight Loss Our doctors and our team at Patients Medical will regularly monitor your progress and track the effectiveness of your program making adjustments if necessary. Our goal is to support you and advise you every step of the way.
We work in conjunction with your existing doctors. Any gaps between specialists are filled to ensure we support your overall health and well-being. While we treat serious medical conditions such as Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, anxiety, depression, and heart disease; the primary objective of our staff is prevention and early detection of disease.
Start Your Road to Health with Patients Medical
Be informed, inspired and transformed with your own personal holistic consultation at Patients Medical. For those that can make the journey, we are happy to welcome new patients to our medical clinic in New York City. Call us at 1-347-269-4748. We are here to listen and help.
We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, New York, NY 10017.
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Date of Publication: 07/21/2009
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009