BIA – What and Why

When it comes to fat loss, the scale doesn’t always accurately reflect your progress. Changing the way you eat may result in your pants becoming loose and you may feel really good, however, when you step on the scale, the number may be the same, or it may show only a slight decrease, or maybe even a pound or two increase!

Why? This could be due to the female monthly cycle, or you may have gained some muscle mass if you’ve been working out. Whatever it may be, when the scale doesn’t reflect your progress, it can be frustrating and confusing. And this is the reason why the BIA is used.

BIA stands for Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, and is a quick and painless way to measure your body composition. Body composition means the different structures or parts of your body, and can measure body fat in relation to lean body mass. The
BIA can measure and track changes in the amounts of body fluids, fat, and lean body mass, which includes your muscles and organs. If you have had any recent weight changes, getting a BIA done can help you find out what is going on inside your body. Through this thorough report, Dr. Silverman can then create your individualized plan.

A BIA is also a good way to make sure you are staying as healthy as possible as it fosters early detection of an improper balance in your body composition. Although a BIA cannot tell you if you have lipodystrophy, it allows for earlier intervention and prevention. This is important so that you can develop a plan with Dr. Silverman to reach your health goals.

If you haven't had a BIA done before, it's important to know a couple of things so you will be better prepared. First of all, the BIA sends a very low electrical current that you will not feel throughout your body. If you have an automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator (AICD), you should not get a BIA done. BIA is perfectly safe for people with pacemakers.

The person doing the BIA test will then input some numbers your age, weight, height, and gender into a computer. Your results will then be printed.

The pH scale

The pH of a substance is measured and shown on a pH scale of 0 - 14. The pH scale below illustrates pH as it relates to our body and health:

pH balance of the body

How does this pH definition apply to the pH balance of the body and health?
The body works by a vast network of chemical processes. Digestion, absorption, metabolism and elimination are all achieved by chemical processes in the body.

All chemical processes have an ideal pH where they function optimally. The ideal pH of the human body is slightly alkaline (pH of 7.0 to 8.0). Furthermore, the blood must be maintained precisely at a pH of 7.4 (slightly alkaline) and the body works ceaselessly to maintain the blood pH.

pH is balanced when the amounts of acidity and alkalinity are fairly equal - around 7 on the ph scale. The pH balance of the body is constantly changing - the chemical processes of metabolism, for example, create an acidic pH environment and the body constantly works to balance it.

Some health conditions that may be caused, at least partially, by an unbalanced, acidic pH are:

• Immune deficiency
• Fatigue
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Bladder and kidney problems
• Joint pain
• Fungal overgrowth
• Hormonal imbalances
• Premature aging
• Headaches
• Bad breath
• Irritability and depression “Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food" - Hippocrates