In part one of “The Microbiome and Health,” we discovered how we initially acquire our microbiome, or the collection of microorganisms that inhabit our digestive system. We learned that our initial exposure happens at birth, and we then build on this bacterial ecosystem with increased exposure to different foods, environments, people, and lifestyle factors. We also learned that our microbiome is linked to almost every part of our health. So, what is it about these little critters that’s so important? Has our microbiome changed over evolution? And, which parts of health and disease do our microbes influence exactly (and why is that important)?

Even as you lounge by the pool or relax on the couch watching Netflix, your body is performing basic, life-sustaining functions like breathing, cell growth and repair, and blood circulation. The amount of energy—or the number of calories—your body expends to sustain these functions is your resting metabolic rate (RMR).

Biomarker testing can unlock hyper-personalized recommendations based on the optimization of health, performance, recovery, longevity, and wellbeing. Monitoring your biomarkers at routine intervals—and following a custom plan to improve them—is a powerful way to transform your body over time while avoiding chronic illness and injury. Learn more about how biomarker analysis works and how often you should be testing yours.

Your sex plays a huge role in your body composition, which is why it’s especially important for women to seek out information that’s aimed specifically at them. The business of body composition is a very male-dominated one, so it can be hard to find a clear explanation of how body comp differs in women. And it does differ—a lot! In fact, body composition in women changes from day to day, depending on several factors, such as age, activity level, hormones, and hydration status.

Did you know that you have ten times the amount of bacterial cells than your own human cells in your body?

This collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, archaea, and protists, whose cells account for 10-fold more than our own cells, are what defines our microbiome.

What if I tell you that you may have a completely different glucose response to a cookie than your friend has, and this high or low response is dependent on the type of microbes YOU have. Would you begin to eat differently?

The bacteria living in our bodies are critical to our wellbeing - interacting with virtually all human cells. They influence many factors, such as the development of our immune system and how much energy we extract from the foods we eat. They make vitamins and minerals for us, they determine how high (or low) our blood glucose is after a meal, and they even decide whether we are happy or sad (10). There is much much more to their contribution, which we will discuss below and in future posts.

DEXA scan is notoriously hard to find, partly because it has been originally used for diagnosing bone density. As a result, it is often vastly unused by the general population.

The easiest way to locate and book a DEXA scan, especially for body composition, is through this DEXA scan locator.

My journey into nutrition began quite early. I was born and raised in a small coastal town in Poland called Gdansk, and I initially became fascinated with food, and all that encompasses growing, cooking, and eating, from my grandparents. My parents immigrated to the US when my sister and I were young (my dad came here when I was a year and a half, and mom came when I was 6 years old) and so we spent quite a bit of time with our grandparents before we joined our parents in the US in 1989. I was 7 and my sister was 6 at the time.

Learning from my grandparents was the foundation of my curiosity about food and health.

A DEXA scan is a high-precision type of X-ray that provides a comprehensive picture of your body composition. This includes body fat percentage, breakdown of fat mass vs fat-free mass, body fat distribution (incl. visceral fat), bone density, comparison with healthy ranges and population data (percentile, Z-score).

If your body fat percentage is higher than normal for your age, you should aim to decrease your fat mass, while maintaining or increasing your fat-free mass. If your bone density is lower than normal for your age, it indicates a risk for bone fractures. DEXA stands for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

Body fat percentage chart for Women:

Under 15%: Low Body Fat Risk.

15%-18%: Ultra Lean.

18%-22%: Lean.

22%-30%: Moderately Lean.

30%-40%: Excess Fat.

Above 40%: High Body Fat Risk.

Understanding the physiology of the body and how food is utilized within the body, can give you the tools to improve your metabolism properly and sustainably. It isn’t rocket science. Mostly, it’s about going back to the basics of health. It’s about focusing on your sleep, eating regularly, eating more whole foods, eating less packaged foods, reducing stress, and moving your body.

What is the difference between the BOD POD and the DEXA?

The BOD POD test will provide you with your total body fat and fat-free mass measurements. The BOD POD does not provide body fat levels by body part. The DEXA body composition measurement technology provides far more complete and precise information than any other weight and body fat assessment tool. The DEXA Scan provides data on total body fat percentage, total fat mass and fat-free mass, regional body fat results (trunk, arms, legs, pelvis and android/gynoid regions), along with bone density.

Ignore the naysayers, overcome the resistance, and equip yourself with accurate information about the condition of your body. While everyone’s body is different and everyone’s path to weight loss success will be unique to them, counting calories and keeping yourself accountable is a great start. The science of health and fitness has never been so available, effective, and energizing and there is no better time to dive in!

Most people have no idea what body composition really means or how understanding things like how they, personally, store fat and where, can help them make better health and wellness choices.

Think of body composition as a blueprint for your health that you can use to better understand your own way around your body. It’s a breakdown of all of the elements of your body and how they fit together to make you who you are: bones, muscles, fat, organs etc.

We’re exciting. to introduce our newest assessment: The The Seca mBCA Body Composition test. Results include: Fat Mass/Fat-Free Mass. Skeletal Muscle Mass. Visceral Fat. Body Composition Chart. Total Body Water/Extracellular Water and much more. The seca mBCA 515 is a medical Body Composition Analyzer, which is ideally adapted to the working conditions in hospitals and medical practices. A faster and simpler way to ascertain body composition, e.g., body fat and water, also has to be ensured. For another, the measurement results have to be reproducible under normal clinical working conditions. These exact considerations went into the development of the seca mBCA 515.

This article was originally published by SportTechie.

SportTechie’s Startups series looks at companies and founders who are innovating in the fields of athlete performance, fan engagement, team/league operations and other high-impact areas in sports.

Elevator Pitch: “We’re an aggregator of lab tests and a platform that helps you get results you can understand and apply.”

Body fat percentage chart for Women:

Under 15%: Low Body Fat Risk.

15%-18%: Ultra Lean.

18%-22%: Lean.

22%-30%: Moderately Lean.

30%-40%: Excess Fat.

Above 40%: High Body Fat Risk.

Abdominal, or visceral, fat is of particular concern because it's a key player in a variety of health problems — much more so than subcutaneous fat, the kind you can grasp with your hand. Visceral fat, on the other hand, lies out of reach, deep within the abdominal cavity, where it pads the spaces between our abdominal organs.

Visceral Fat: How to Measure It

DEXA Scan: It is well-established that both the distribution and volume of fat, especially visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is a predictor of future health.

The Resting Metabolic Rate or RMR is the minimum number of calories you need to perform basic functions, such as maintaining heart rate and body heat, breathing and keeping up brain activity. You will need this minimum amount of energy each day, even if you are not moving around.

The RMR measures how many calories you burn at rest, if you were to do nothing more than sitting all day.

The quarantine that followed the COVID-19 outbreak has forced most of us to become more sedentary, making it harder to maintain or lose weight. At-home exercise —whether it’s through virtual classes with your favorite trainer or with a new at-home exercise equipment— is a great way to stay active. However, it is also crucial that you adapt your nutrition to this new lifestyle if you would like to maintain or lose weight effectively.

Everything You Need to Know on How to Complete your At-Home Blood Test with Fitnescity. We highly recommend you watch the short video below before beginning and/or while completing your at-home blood test.

Make sure you are in a fasted state. The best time to complete the test is the morning.

Drink plenty of water before performing your screening. Being hydrated will help with blood flow.

Fill out all of the required personal information on the Test Requisition Form.