Assessment Overview

To get started on our experiments, you first will need to collect a full database of metabolic parameters and body measurements on yourself.  Then, when we begin experimenting with specific interventions to try and improve those parameters.  For example, if you lower body fat percentage, you can expect to see a decrease in inflammation and toxic fat and glucose levels. The body fat is the risk factor for the toxic glucose and fat levels.  So by removing or reducing that risk factor, you can actually measure the decrease in toxicity levels. Body fat is the central risk factor that starts the entire cascade of metabolic problems that lead to toxicity and ultimately disease.  Thus, by reducing body fat, you can see nearly immediate changes to your glucose and fat levels.  Body fat can change quickly after adoption of lifestyle changes and it is relatively easy to measure.  This makes it an ideal measure for the lifestyle experiment, and it will be a central theme of the book.

Most of the measurements I will describe in this assessment section are routine parts of the physical exam like weight, blood pressure and cholesterol level.  But others may require a discussion with you doctor.  I will point out the difference when we discuss the individual elements below.  But now is a good time to once again, reenforce the idea that a good relationship with your primary care physician is essential to getting the most out of these experiments.  If you have not recently had your doctor do a physical, now would be a good time to schedule one.  Take a few minutes to review the rest of this chapter so you know what measurements and blood tests you will need to collect after that physical.

The first set of elements that you will need to collect should be relatively easy.  These are regular parts of the routine physical exam performed in most physician offices throughout the US.  Here are the basic metrics we will be collecting:

1.     Measurements of Body Composition

a.     Body weight and Body Mass Index

b.     Body Fat Percentage

c.     Waist Circumference

d.     Muscle Mass

2.     Blood Pressure

3.     Measurements of Glucose Metabolism (Glycemic Control)

a.     Fasting Glucose Level

b.     Hemoglobin A1c

c.     Insulin Level

4.     Measurements of Fat Metabolism (Toxic Fat Levels)

a.     Lipid Profile

5.     Measurements of Inflammation

a.     Highly Sensitive CRP (C-reactive protein)

6.     Direct Measurements of Metabolism

a.     Resting metabolic rate