The Backbones of Optimal Wellness: Chiropractic Care Coupled with Health Foundations
When I was in high school, a new chiropractic office opened in my neighborhood. My mom and I were eager to add chiropractic care to our health regimen. I quickly developed an interest in what “Doc” was doing and was fortunate to not only become a patient, but a chiropractic assistant as well! This was such an eye-opening and inspiring experience for me. I knew the body was incredible and quickly learned of its amazing ability to heal itself! I credit my experiences as a chiropractic assistant with piquing my interest in Holistic Health, and well, the rest is history!
Evidence-supported benefits of chiropractic care include relief from pain, decreased dependency on pain medications, improved mobility and flexibility, reduced inflammation, enhanced sleep, stress reduction, and immune support (keep in mind this list is by no means exhaustive). Since I am a Doctor of Natural Medicine and see clients in need of immune support every day, I would like to explain how chiropractic care coupled with balanced health foundations can offer you optimal wellness.
Your health foundations consist of the key pillars that support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. These main pillars include hydration, nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress management. Pairing these pillars with chiropractic care can help maximize your wellness potential. Let me explain how they complement one another…
Proper hydration allows our body to regulate a variety of functions, sustain energy levels, support metabolism, and have a positive effect on our overall mood. Staying hydrated can enhance the effectiveness of your adjustments. Did you know that intervertebral discs are up to 85% water? Staying hydrated can help prevent stiffness and herniated discs while offering continued elasticity and f lexibility to these important “shock absorbers.” When hydrated, your muscles are more flexible and can help you achieve more chiropractic success. When you are hydrated, your joints are easier to manipulate during an adjustment. Sometimes, the body releases toxins after an adjustment. Staying hydrated can ensure that you are properly flushing these toxins out of your body. Your nervous and circulatory systems are positively impacted by chiropractic care. Coupled with proper hydration, lymph can flow more easily and deliver nutrients throughout the body. Now would be a good time to pause and take a sip of water!
Proper nutrition focuses on foods that are alkalizing and anti-inflammatory. The gut is our second brain; therefore, it is extremely important to have a healed gut for optimal wellness. However, spinal misalignment can have a negative effect on the gut-brain axis. Chiropractic can help to restore function of your digestive organs such as the stomach, intestines, and liver. Nutrients are absorbed and assimilated more easily, while waste is removed more efficiently. Stress can also play a role in our digestive health. When we experience stress, our cortisol elevates, and digestion shuts off. Chiropractic care can regulate the nervous system toward minimizing stress and allow the digestive tract to continue functioning optimally. Adjustments can help to lower inflammation while improving circulation at the same time. An anti inflammatory diet is the key and compliments chiropracticcare beautifully. Take a moment to think about your favorite anti-inflammatory food to eat!
Proper sleep should consist of seven to nine hours of uninterrupted, solid rest. When we sleep, our body rests, restores, and heals itself. Chiropractic care can offer better sleep in a variety of ways. Adjustments can ease pain, release muscle tension, improve circulation, and optimize nervous system regulation. As already stated, adjustments can help lower cortisol and help release melatonin (a natural sleep hormone). Chiropractic care helps to regulate the sympathetic nervous system allowing for better “resting and digesting.” Chronic pain can keep you up at night, but adjustments can help to reduce tension, inflammation, and pain, allowing for more restful sleep. Optimal circulation and oxygenation help to repair and restore the body while asleep. Chiropractic care can help to ensure that these processes are able to perform with ease, allowing deeper and more restorative sleep cycles. In fact, studies have shown that receiving regular adjustments for a minimum of four weeks can help improve issues with light sleeping, depression, anxiety, and overall quality of life. How did you sleep last night?
Proper exercise should incorporate a variety of fitness techniques, including cardio, strength, and flexibility training. Chiropractic care can complement the physical body beautifully. Through adjustments, the body will be able to move more fluidly and with greater flexibility. Muscle activation is primed, coordination is sharpened, and strength is enhanced. Since adjustments allow for better blood flow and reduced inflammation, the body can recover more quickly from workouts and minimize stiff or sore muscles post-workout. Less aching and pain can lead to greater enthusiasm about staying physically fit. When was the last time you got moving?
Proper stress management can include a variety of techniques to improve emotional well-being and cultivate a positive mindset. The nervous system must be regulated to maintain emotional balance. Speaking of balance, adjustments can help to support the body with sympathetic to parasympathetic shifts and vice versa. As already stated, chiropractic care can reduce cortisol spikes, which are responsible for increased stress. Let’s face it…when we are upset, our muscles get tight, and our stress response is increased. Tense muscles can have a negative effect on our well-being. Chiropractic care can release tension and alleviate this unwanted pressure and stress. Manipulation releases endorphins while increasing serotonin to counter anxiety and help us to feel better overall. Take a moment to recognize where you might be holding tension in your body…now try to “let it go.”
So, as you can see, chiropractic care is not only about adjustments. Rather, it is part of a functional whole-body approach to wellness. Chiropractic care can realign the spine, optimize nervous system function, offer pain relief, improve circulation, enhance sleep, and help to manage stress. In essence, regular adjustments can help support your body’s innate ability to heal itself. Since foundations are the “backbones” of health, it only makes sense to support them with chiropractic adjustments to achieve optimal wellness for your life.
-Heather Lynn, BCDNM Appears in Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine Issue #87
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