Learning Library Blog

“The game of life requires the edge that chiropractic care provides.” – Jerry Rice If you look at the statistics chiropractors treat between 8-13 percent of the population which totals about 30 million visits a year. While that is a huge number that leaves a big percentage of the population that has no experience with chiropractic. So today I want to bring it back to the basics of chiropractic. We are going to go back to school and explain what chiropractic is and why it has become the most popular and effective alternative treatments sought by the public. First, chiropractors are primary care physicians that treat patients whose health problems are associated with the bodies muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems…especially the spine. The Association of Chiropractic Colleges defines chiropractic as a healthcare discipline that emphasizes the inherent recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health. In addition, doctors of chiropractic recognize the value and responsibility of working in cooperation with other health care practitioners when in the best interest of the patient. Now, that is a lot to take in so let’s break it down some… Chiropractic is a big part of the healthcare system that focuses on the inherent healing power of the body. You see, from the day you were born you have inside you all that you need to fight disease and heal when injured. Chiropractic treatments help that inborn part of your body to flourish by removing interference that is hindering its optimal functioning. What interferes with that optimal function is usually an issue with proper alignment and structure of the spine which we call the Vertebral Subluxation. This is a mechanical compression and irritation to spinal joints and nerves. This misalignment and pressure on the nervous system interrupts the proper nerve signals that lead to improper functioning of the body and its systems. Your body will not feel and function the way it is supposed to which leads to premature breaking down of the joints and leads to a state of Dis-ease in the body. This Dis-ease causes a breakdown of the proper functioning of the systems of the body thus creating chronic states of dysfunction which leads to pain and disease. To allow the body to heal properly this state needs to be restored to its proper position. We are trained in how to find those vertebral misalignments and realign them through very specific and gentle adjustments. By restoring that alignment you allow healing power within our bodies to flourish and restore you to a much healthier state thus reducing pain and symptoms. Chiropractic is a complementary approach to mainstream medicine and it’s been proven to be one of the safest approaches to naturally treating patients with a wide range of symptoms or conditions. If you are looking to find a natural and safe way to improve your health or deal with a medical issue, we can help.

We all know that feeling.  It starts with a tickle in the back of your throat.  Then the congestion and postnasal drip and body aches start.  That’s right you are getting sick!  Yep cold and flu season is here.  EVERYBODY FLEE IN TERROR!!!! Ok, ok stop I am kidding.   In the past few decades we have been inundated with products to kill every microbe both good and bad.  From hand sanitizer to anti-bacterial soap we were and are in an era of excessive hygiene that has not equipped our bodies with the knowledge it needs to fight off diseases. In fact in 2016 the FDA banned the use of many to the antibacterial chemicals in soap over fears of their safety in long term use including the most common one Triclosan. But it does seem lately that the fear of getting sick and actually getting sick has become an overwhelming issue.  Kids can’t miss school!  You can’t miss work!  I want you to listen very carefully.  For the vast majority of us it is ok to get sick!  Without exposure to viruses and bacteria we cannot develop a strong immune system and while sometimes the stronger ones overtake us for a short period of time and we get sick, it is necessary. I like to call getting sick “a little exercise for your immune system”.  Now being sick is defiantly not fun but there are natural things you can do to prevent getting sick and lessen the time being sick. First actually get exercise! Exercise has shown to stimulate immune activity as well as lower stress and when you lower stress you become less susceptible to infection. So the more you move the quicker your immune system reacts. Second eat better and supplement if necessary. Eating well including fruits vegetable and nuts will help provide your body with the nutritional building blocks needed to support the immune system in fighting off the diseases.  Stay away from sugar.  Sugar has shown to slow down immune system reaction time.  Supplementing with Vitamin C has shown to reduce severe complicating symptoms and Vitamin D3 is extremely important in activing our immune systems.  Without enough Vitamin D3, which we tend to be deficient on in the winter due to lack of exposure to sunlight, T-cells have shown to not activate and thus we lose time in fighting infections. Thirdly, and most near and dear to my heart, is keeping your body properly adjusted through chiropractic.  Chiropractic adjustments allow for proper nerve flow and brain to body communication.  The brain controls every function of your body, including your immune system, so having that pathway clear will only have a positive effect on the proper function of the immune system. So while it may suck to get sick it is a normal and needed part of life. Without the small immune battles you will not be prepared for the big ones. Taking natural steps to prevent and build up your defenses is that best way to deal with it.  Your body has everything it needs to fight just make sure you give it the best chance you can.