Following a comprehensive consultation, an examination will be performed to establish your health baseline. This is accomplished through the use of what is referred to as Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis measures the impedance or opposition to the flow of an electric current through the body fluids contained mainly in the lean and fat tissue.

Impedance is low in lean tissue, where intracellular fluid and electrolytes are primarily contained, however impedance is high in fat tissue. Therefore impedance is proportional to body water volume (TBW). 

Once your baseline is established FirstLine Therapy can begin, and the results of your therapy can be measured on a regular basis. 

With FirstLine Therapy, you'll learn simple things you can do every day to take control of your health-such as diet, exercise, stress management, and appropriate nutritional supplementation. Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes are the first, and possibly the most important therapy doctors can prescribe to treat many chronic health problems. Lifestyle changes are now recommended as the "first line of therapy" for treating chronic illness or reducing the risk of other serious health conditions, such as: 

• Heart disease
• Strok/Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Overweight/Obesity
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• Alzheimer's disease  

Lifestyle choices are also the key to addressing other health concerns and symptoms, such as: 

• Fatigue
• Hormone imbalance
• Low sex drive
• Stress-related symptoms
• Poor memory or lack of mental clarity
• And many others  

Many of these health problems can be reversed or even treated by adopting a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle starts with knowledge-the knowledge to make informed decisions that impact your health every day. With this program you'll also get easy ways to track your progress, tips for success, reminders, and other support that will help you achieve your goals.

FirstLine Therapy will help you: 

• Address the underlying cause of common health problems
• Take control of your health by providing you with the necessary tools
• Live your life in a way that improves your health
• Feel good now, and maintain good health for years to come

FirstLine Therapy works because it is based on:

• The most current scientific research
• Concepts proven in recent controlled clinical studies  

MultiCare Rehab will personalize your FirstLine Therapy program or other lifestyle programs base on your individual health concerns. We will also recommend a medical food program to address one or more of the following specific concerns:

• Inflammatory conditions 
• Blood sugar dysregulation
• Altered body composition (high fat-to-lean tissue ratio)
• Hormone imbalance
• Liver toxicity, environmental sensitivities, or gastrointestinal restoration

Each program includes a specific, clinically designed dietary plan to maximize effectiveness of the nutritional support and is designed to fit the way you live: tasty recipes, portable and delicious nutritional support, simple exercise, and reliable outcomes.

There are three key reasons that make FirstLine Therapy (FLT) different than conventional lifestyle programs: 

1. FLT is about more than just weight loss. 

• FLT can help you lose unhealthy fat while retaining healthy, lean muscle. 
• FLT integrates body composition testing (fat & lean tissue ratios)-because being thin doesn't necessarily mean you're healthy.  
• An imbalance in body composition (gaining too much fat or losing too much muscle) can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, altered cholesterol levels, etc.  
• Loss of muscle results in loss of ability to burn calories, which makes it much more difficult to maintain weight loss over time.  
• FLT focuses on lifestyle factors that are the underlying cause of many health problems.  

2. The FLT eating plan is different. 

• Most diets focus on NOT eating-not eating fat, not eating carbs, or just plain not eating much of anything. With most diets, success is based primarily on will power.  
• The FLT eating plan emphasizes the need to eat, and to eat frequently.  
• The focus is on eating THE RIGHT KIND OF FOODS-the right kind of fat, the right kind of carbohydrates, and the right kind of protein-all in the right portion size.  
• FLT incorporates a low-glycemic-index eating plan based on the latest scientific research that will help you maintain stable blood sugar and energy levels.
• According to recent studies, low-glycemic diets are more effective than lowfat diets in treating obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.  
• People report less hunger and more energy, making it much easier to stick with the program.  

3. FLT incorporates medical foods and dietary supplements. 

• Using appropriate medical foods and dietary supplements as part of this program can improve the effectiveness of the program for you and help you achieve your health goals.  
• Medical foods are designed to address the unique nutritional needs of patients with specific health concerns.  
• Dietary supplements provide targeted nutritional support for specific functions, such as healthy blood cholesterol or blood sugar levels, joint function and mobility, or healthy hormone metabolism.  

4. FLT has been demonstrated to be effective in controlled clinical trials.