Last month you met Rob, a writer, and Toni, a costumer, who each want to become fitter and healthier. They’ve begun their alive makeovers by undergoing a naturopathic assessment to discover what they’ll need to work on to achieve optimal health.

Rob and Toni’s naturopathic doctor gave each of them a clinical examination and a written assessment, outlining the individual adverse consequences of malnutrition. In addition, the assessment recommended nondrug remedies to prevent the development of more nutritionally associated conditions.

The clinical examination included weight, height, and body mass ratio; blood pressure; laboratory tests (blood, urine); and a bioimpedence assessment.

Neither Rob nor Toni were surprised to learn that they needed to improve their ratios of lean muscle to fat mass, but much of the dietary information they received from Dr. Sciortino about their health status was new to them.

Toni's Diagnosis

• below normal lean muscle mass; above normal fat mass
• essential fatty acid deficiency (shown as dry skin and hair)
• hypoglycemia associated with headaches due to irregular eating habits
• gastrointestinal difficulties

Toni's Directions

• a multivitamin/mineral for general health
• protein and fruit shake twice a day to address hypoglycemia
• digestive repair formula (2x/day with meals) to aid absorption
• magnesium (150 mg/1 at bedtime) for insomnia
• melatonin (3 mg/1 at bedtime) for insomnia
  

Rob's Diagnosis

• slightly high LDL (bad cholesterol) level
• zinc deficiency (shown as white spots on fingernails)
• below normal muscle mass; above normal fat mass
• possible liver dysfunction

Rob's Directions

• a multivitamin/mineral for general health
• protein and fruit shake twice a day
• vitamin C as an antioxidant (1,000 mg/2x day)
• milk thistle for liver support (100 mg/3x day)
• a digestive enzyme (3 x/day with meals)
• essential fatty acids (600 mg omega-e + 300 mg DHA/2x day)

At the end of their six-month makeovers, Rob and Toni will receive another naturopathic examination and assessment to see what improvements in health–if any–they have made.

Toni Takes an Open Minded Approach

This month I consulted a naturopathic practitioner. With her friendly smile, Dr. Nigma T. Sciortino has great enthusiasm for helping people achieve and maintain optimum health.

When I called to make my first appointment, I was directed to their website, healthydoc.com, for the evaluation form I could fill out in advance and bring with me to save valuable appointment time.

New Territory

After arriving at the office, my evaluation form was checked and I was weighed. Ugh! Dr. Sciortino gave me a thorough physical examination. I learned that my blood pressure really is too high–it’s not just my “white-coat” phobia, shooting the pressure up temporarily.

Then my body composition was measured using bioimpedance analysis. A non-invasive test sometimes used by naturopathic doctors, bioimpedence analysis measures the ratio of body fat to muscle, basal metabolic rate, levels of intracellular and extracellular fluid, and hydration.

The Bottom Line

Dr. Sciortino explained the results of the bioimpedance analysis. I am not only dehydrated, but I also have:

• below-normal cellular health and integrity
• below-normal lean muscle mass
• above-normal fat mass
• above-normal basal metabolic rate

It seems there is absolutely nothing normal about me! To achieve normal readings, I will have to completely adjust my current lifestyle, re-evaluate my approach to nutrition, and rethink my dietary misconceptions.

Transitions

First of all, I had to bid farewell to my morning coffee and replace it with green tea, black tea, and rooibos. Sugar is now replaced with honey, maple syrup, or stevia. My much-enjoyed breakfast bagel, made with white flour, is also passing permanently from my plate. I shall miss it, but not the roll of fat around my middle it was helping to construct. The sprouted grain bread that has stepped in to take its place is very tasty, especially when topped with almond butter.

When Food isn’t Enough

I was hoping that changing my eating habits would be enough to set me on the right path; unfortunately, today’s factory-farm foods cannot provide all the necessary nutrients. So it is with some trepidation that I start this makeover with a variety of capsules and sachets to set me straight.

Source: alive #292, February 2007