It’s the time for fresh beginnings. And maybe you’ve decided that in 2015 you’re going to start taking better care of yourself. One step in the right direction would be to schedule a visit to a chiropractor. Making sure your spine is properly aligned is a good way to make sure your body is firing on all cylinders. “Why in the world will that help my health?”, you might ask. Please humor me with some attention and thought to the following.
Your spinal cord passes through the spine and nerves emanate from it to all parts of the body. Vertebrae—the small bones that make up the spine—can be knocked out of line by anything from normal wear and tear to the trauma of an accident. When out of line, a vertebra could be hampering the function of a nerve that runs to an arm, for example, resulting in a shoulder problem. What if that nerve is the one that goes to your intestines or kidney?
The theory behind chiropractic, much like osteopathy, is that the body, when working properly, is capable of healing itself. By proper communication from the body to the brain and vice versa, your body will self regulate, keeping you healthy. Many wellness focused chiropractors are motivated by applying this philosophy of healthcare. And they can be a great part of your healthcare team if this approach makes sense to you. Typically, I have found that if you are one that does not like to take a pill for everything, and realize that health is more than merely the absence of symptoms, then you really should consider this type of provider in your life. For those of you who would think, “better life through pharmaceuticals” or “I’ll wait till I need surgery”, consider this…. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine (460-370 BC), described manipulative procedures in his monumental work known as the Corpus Hippocrateum. He wrote, “Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases.”
If you’ve had a nagging ailment—anything from headaches to back pain—a chiropractic examination and adjustment could be just what you need. And if you’re feeling good, a spinal adjustment might send you home feeling even better. Your chiropractor can also send you into the New Year with advice on nutrition and exercise to keep the coming year a healthy one.
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