LOS GATOS, Calif., Oct. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Los Gatos chiropractor wishes to make area residents aware of a technology that can yield important information about their body composition and point them toward better health and wellness practices. According to Dr. Judy McGrain of McGrain Chiropractic, a technique known as BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) Assessment uses digital calculating technology and electrical sensors to determine the ratio of fatty tissue versus lean tissue. "This technique helps us figure out whether our Los Gatos, Saratoga and Campbell chiropractic clients are actually carrying too much fat," she says. "Excess fat can have a serious negative impact on health."
Dr. McGrain points out that every human body relies on a certain amount of fat for internal insulation, protection of bodily organs, and as a source of stored energy. Fat is one of the four major ingredients that make up the body alongside water, minerals and proteins and form lean tissue and bone. An unusually high ratio of fat to these other ingredients, however, is considered undesirable. "Excessive fat has been associated with numerous health conditions," she explains. "Diabetes, back pain and joint deterioration from carrying too much weight, high blood pressure, heart and coronary artery disease -- these and other physical problems can all result from an abnormal body composition."
While those who struggle with obesity may already be aware of their need to shed excess fat, the problem is not limited to these individuals, according to Dr. McGrain. A person whose weight falls into an accepted normal range could still have a disproportionate body fat ratio. "These people may face some the same risk factors as an obviously overweight person without even realizing that the problem exists," says the Los Gatos chiropractor. "That's why the BIA assessment is so important."
A BIA analyzer calculates body composition from data relayed through electronic sensor pads. The patient is attached to a pair of sensor pads, and then lies quietly on an examination table as the analyzer does its work. Tiny electrical impulses sent through the pads are either conducted by water and lean tissue or impeded by fat. The resulting data gives details of the patient's ratio of fatty tissue to lean tissue.
"Once we have this information, we know how best to proceed with health and wellness programs that can normalize body composition," says the Los Gatos chiropractor. The customized health and wellness programs may include a combination of exercise, weight loss, nutritional advice and supplementation, diet plans and other lifestyle counseling. Additional follow-up BIA assessments can then reveal how well these programs are working for participating Los Gatos, Saratoga and Campbell chiropractic clients.
In addition to BIA assessments, McGrain Chiropractic offers Los Gatos, Saratoga and Campbell chiropractic services including pain relief and injury recovery through spinal adjustments, massage therapy, spinal decompression and customized fitness/weight loss programs.