Happy Spring!
I have been talking for a couple months about wellness. I have been asked recently what is the connection between chiropractic and wellness.
Chiropractic is truly the coolest profession out there, however it's just a big secret. Quite simply, we live our lives through our nervous system. Everything we do is controlled, regulated, and influenced by our nervous system. Lifestyle stress causes tension patterns along our spine called subluxation. Subluxations interfere with our expression of life and vitality. It is the simple procedure called the chiropractic adjustment that dissipates the tension patterns along the spine and nervous system, thus allowing the body to fully express itself.
When we plug too many things into an electrical outlet, the circuit breaker trips thus cutting the power to the outlet to prevent fires and other damange. A similar concept occurs within our spines as well. When we overload our nervous system with too much negative stress, the segments in our spine "trip" thus altering the energy to the affected areas to prevent further damage. Just like in our homes, we notice the more important circuits first. Also like in our homes, if the source of overloading stress remains present and unaddressed the circuit will continue to trip irregardless of our intentions.
Chiropractic, since its development in 1895, has always contended that ill health/dis-ease is caused by "thoughts, traumas, and toxins." In other words, emotional stress negatively affects our nervous system. Physical trauma, lack of physical activity negatively affect our nervous system. Poor nutrition, artificial stimulants, drugs all negatively affect our nervous system.
Chiropractic and wellness go hand in hand. It is my belief that wellness is fraud without chiropractic. You can't achieve true wellness while being subluxated. Chiropractors are the only licensed health care professional trained to detect and correct subluxations.
Choose chiropractic. Choose wellness in your life. Reclaim your life one day at a time for a lifetime!
Until next week,
BE FIT EAT RIGHT THINK WELL
- Dr. Steve
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Listening to Your Body
Happy Day!
Last week when I wrote, I did not realize what was ahead of me. I woke up last Monday morning with a severe sinus headache, chills, a persistent cough, and fatigue. I hated to do it, but I cancelled all my appointments for Monday. I figured patients would not appreciate me coughing all over them.
I'm not a pill popper. I very rarely take any type of medication. It isn't some sort of self-torture, but rather because I like to listen to my body. Symptoms are our body's way of telling us something isn't right. Commonly, it is our symptoms that are designed to protect us from outside invaders. Symptoms are our body's defense shield.
Sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, etc are lines of defense that are essential to our survival. Most over-the-counter (OTC) medications rob us of our ability to defend ourselves from outside invaders. Taking an anti-histamine to dry up a runny nose is like tying our hands behind our back and telling us to protect ourselves from someone attacking us.
Many people no longer listen to their body. Many are unaware of subtle changes that occur with the body. Instant gratification leads many people to reach for the antacids, Tylenol, or Benadryl. Many don't stop to think about what their body is trying to tell them.
Your body is intelligent enough to "know what to do" when it encounters danger. Modern medicine has robbed us of our ability to fight illness and infection the way our body was designed. Modern medicine works great for emergencies and crisis care. The common cold, the flu, sinus congestion, urinary tract infections are not emergencies or crises in most cases.
Adopting a wellness lifestyle requires you to be in-tune with and to listen to the messages your body tries to tell you. If your communication with your body has been one-sided for too long, it will take time to rekindle your relationship. Be patient. You won't regret it.
By the way, the sinus headache I had last Monday was terrible. After suffering all day, I decided to take Tylenol to ease the discomfort. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit better on Tuesday so I returned to the office. I didn't feel terrible enough to stay home again. Deep down I knew I wasn't truly better, but because I "felt" better I couldn't convince myself to stay home one more day to rest. As a result of not listening to my body, I came back too soon and prolonged the duration of my symptoms. Sometimes it is best to listen to your mind and other times it is best to listen to your body. Unfortunately, I listened to the wrong source this time around!
Wellness is something we can all achieve on varying degrees. Continue on your path to wellness, this week, by being more in-tune with your body.
Until next week, BE FIT. EAT RIGHT. THINK WELL.
- Dr. Steve
Last week when I wrote, I did not realize what was ahead of me. I woke up last Monday morning with a severe sinus headache, chills, a persistent cough, and fatigue. I hated to do it, but I cancelled all my appointments for Monday. I figured patients would not appreciate me coughing all over them.
I'm not a pill popper. I very rarely take any type of medication. It isn't some sort of self-torture, but rather because I like to listen to my body. Symptoms are our body's way of telling us something isn't right. Commonly, it is our symptoms that are designed to protect us from outside invaders. Symptoms are our body's defense shield.
Sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, etc are lines of defense that are essential to our survival. Most over-the-counter (OTC) medications rob us of our ability to defend ourselves from outside invaders. Taking an anti-histamine to dry up a runny nose is like tying our hands behind our back and telling us to protect ourselves from someone attacking us.
Many people no longer listen to their body. Many are unaware of subtle changes that occur with the body. Instant gratification leads many people to reach for the antacids, Tylenol, or Benadryl. Many don't stop to think about what their body is trying to tell them.
Your body is intelligent enough to "know what to do" when it encounters danger. Modern medicine has robbed us of our ability to fight illness and infection the way our body was designed. Modern medicine works great for emergencies and crisis care. The common cold, the flu, sinus congestion, urinary tract infections are not emergencies or crises in most cases.
Adopting a wellness lifestyle requires you to be in-tune with and to listen to the messages your body tries to tell you. If your communication with your body has been one-sided for too long, it will take time to rekindle your relationship. Be patient. You won't regret it.
By the way, the sinus headache I had last Monday was terrible. After suffering all day, I decided to take Tylenol to ease the discomfort. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit better on Tuesday so I returned to the office. I didn't feel terrible enough to stay home again. Deep down I knew I wasn't truly better, but because I "felt" better I couldn't convince myself to stay home one more day to rest. As a result of not listening to my body, I came back too soon and prolonged the duration of my symptoms. Sometimes it is best to listen to your mind and other times it is best to listen to your body. Unfortunately, I listened to the wrong source this time around!
Wellness is something we can all achieve on varying degrees. Continue on your path to wellness, this week, by being more in-tune with your body.
Until next week, BE FIT. EAT RIGHT. THINK WELL.
- Dr. Steve
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What Does It Mean to be "Well?"
Happy Daylight Savings Time!
Although this weekend was overcast, rainy, and cool, it sure felt good to have some added daylight in the evening hours! I'm just happy it wasn't snowing. I was pleased to run over 7.5 miles as I train for next weekend's St. Patrick's 10K.
I have been talking for several months now about the importance of adopting a wellness lifestyle. As you remember, I define wellness as: the degree to which an individual expresses health and vitality in any dimension of life."
Health and wellness are not synonymous. As you can tell from the definition, wellness isn't something you have or don't have. We all possess a degree of wellness. Also, you might notice that wellness is multi-dimensional. To move towards wellness, we must work on all three areas of wellness (physical, biochemical, and psychological) at the same time.
Wellness doesn't mean you are "invincible." Many people think if you live a balanced wellness lifestyle that you can never get sick or suffer from more significant illnesses. It is true that staying physically active, eating balanced nutritious meals, managing emotional stress and getting adjusted regularly will stack the odds in your favor. Unfortunately, life still happens. The only real cause of disease is the body's inability to adapt to/comprehend its environment. There is a limitation to what the body is capable of adapting to.
As the famous heart surgeon, Russ Reiss, once said (I'm paraphrasing), the odds are greater of you surviving open heart surgery if you bring a strong body to the table. Meaning, if you live a life of wellness it is possible you can still suffer a heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc. Your chances of survival and coming out of the health crisis on top are that much greater than your overweight, de-conditioned, depressed, diabetic, unemployed cousin. Another way of putting it, what would you rather live in if a tornado had to come through your neighborhood, a dilapidated mobile home or a solid brick home built to code?
As the stress of our culture mounts (i.e. unemployment, rising cost of living, sky-rocketing health care expenses, tanking stock market, terrorism, etc), we need to be stronger than ever. The stress of our culture is not going away anytime soon. Rather than retreating and playing defense, we must go on offense and grow through these times. Cellular biology dictates that growth and defensive physiology cannot occur at the same time.
Why this topic this week? I have developed a case of bronchitis. Rest is crucial to healing and getting better. Retreating, however, is not. Although I did take it easy today, I did not get down about it. I did not start eating potato chips, chocolate cake, etc. Actually, when you have illness symptoms it is best to increase your consumption of fruits, water, etc.
Next week, I will discuss why the symptoms of common illnesses are actually a blessing rather than our enemy (i.e. cough, running nose, vomiting, etc.)
Erie, join me in this wellness revolution! Let's reclaim our lives together!!
Until next week,
BE FIT EAT RIGHT THINK WELL
- Dr. Steve
Although this weekend was overcast, rainy, and cool, it sure felt good to have some added daylight in the evening hours! I'm just happy it wasn't snowing. I was pleased to run over 7.5 miles as I train for next weekend's St. Patrick's 10K.
I have been talking for several months now about the importance of adopting a wellness lifestyle. As you remember, I define wellness as: the degree to which an individual expresses health and vitality in any dimension of life."
Health and wellness are not synonymous. As you can tell from the definition, wellness isn't something you have or don't have. We all possess a degree of wellness. Also, you might notice that wellness is multi-dimensional. To move towards wellness, we must work on all three areas of wellness (physical, biochemical, and psychological) at the same time.
Wellness doesn't mean you are "invincible." Many people think if you live a balanced wellness lifestyle that you can never get sick or suffer from more significant illnesses. It is true that staying physically active, eating balanced nutritious meals, managing emotional stress and getting adjusted regularly will stack the odds in your favor. Unfortunately, life still happens. The only real cause of disease is the body's inability to adapt to/comprehend its environment. There is a limitation to what the body is capable of adapting to.
As the famous heart surgeon, Russ Reiss, once said (I'm paraphrasing), the odds are greater of you surviving open heart surgery if you bring a strong body to the table. Meaning, if you live a life of wellness it is possible you can still suffer a heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc. Your chances of survival and coming out of the health crisis on top are that much greater than your overweight, de-conditioned, depressed, diabetic, unemployed cousin. Another way of putting it, what would you rather live in if a tornado had to come through your neighborhood, a dilapidated mobile home or a solid brick home built to code?
As the stress of our culture mounts (i.e. unemployment, rising cost of living, sky-rocketing health care expenses, tanking stock market, terrorism, etc), we need to be stronger than ever. The stress of our culture is not going away anytime soon. Rather than retreating and playing defense, we must go on offense and grow through these times. Cellular biology dictates that growth and defensive physiology cannot occur at the same time.
Why this topic this week? I have developed a case of bronchitis. Rest is crucial to healing and getting better. Retreating, however, is not. Although I did take it easy today, I did not get down about it. I did not start eating potato chips, chocolate cake, etc. Actually, when you have illness symptoms it is best to increase your consumption of fruits, water, etc.
Next week, I will discuss why the symptoms of common illnesses are actually a blessing rather than our enemy (i.e. cough, running nose, vomiting, etc.)
Erie, join me in this wellness revolution! Let's reclaim our lives together!!
Until next week,
BE FIT EAT RIGHT THINK WELL
- Dr. Steve
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
