How often do I need to go to the Chiropractor?

It's a reasonable question that we hear from nearly every new practice member.  Of course we need to work our schedules around our priorities, so it makes sense that we can plan ahead and project what care looks like.  But let's take a step back and see how this question may be loaded with judgement and misunderstanding.

The blog I'm writing today was sparked by a conversation that a Chiropractic practice member was having with their co-worker.  Their version is as follows:

Co-worker -"why do you go to the chiropractor so often? Do you have a bad back?"
Me - "No, but I probably would if I didn't take steps to prevent it"
Co-worker - "Sounds like a ripoff to me"
Me - "Yes, because the counter full of prescriptions is a wise investment"

Now let's take a look at that same conversation under a different lense:
Co-worker -"why do you go to the gym so often? Do you have bad muscles?"
Me - "No, but I probably would if I didn't take steps to prevent it"
Co-worker - "Sounds like a ripoff to me"

Sounds a bit silly, but we can try that again with another healthy lifestyle choice in question and see if it has the same impact:
Co-worker -"why do you eat healthy food so often? Do you have a bad stomach/digestive tract/physique?"
Me - "No, but I probably would if I didn't take steps to prevent it"
Co-worker - "Sounds like a ripoff to me"

Much like diet and exercise, Chiropractic is a healthy lifestyle choice. By keeping your nervous system clear of interference your body starts to function at optimal levels and not only do aches and pains go away, but chronic issues tend to respond and quality of life improves.

Health by choice, not by chance!

Raising Healthy Families in an Unhealthy World

Many people define health simply by waking without pain.  While this may be a convenient understanding it is far from encompassing all aspects of health and wellness.  How our bodies are responding to the demands put on them on a daily basis really gauges how we feel, both physically and emotionally.  To add more emphasis to the importance of our health, we are the first generation to have an expected life expectancy longer than that of our children.  With diabetes, obesity and other childhood diseases running rampant it's time to turn the tide.

First it's important to understand the different types of stress which are having an impact on our health.  Physical, chemical and emotional stress encompass the varying stressors we encounter, and while we cannot remove these stressors from our daily routine we can have an impact on how our body is adapting to the changes.

Chemical:

     Try to limit the toxic load you face by removing as much processed food as possible, cutting down on preservatives and being aware of sensitivities you may have to specific food types.

     Re-evaluate the medicine cabinet, if on prescription medication speak with your medical doctor on the necessity of the script as well as the benefits, risks, and possible alternatives.  Remember every drug has not only an intended effect, but also a long list of side effects.

     Get outside and away from highways and vehicle exhaust!  Sun exposure (in moderation) helps to supplement vitamin D3 and has profound impacts on both physical and emotional health.

Emotional:

     Find time for yourself.  Before we were "Mom" and "Dad" we were "Husband" and "Wife", we were "Daughter" and "Son", we were individuals with interests that made us happy.  Re-visit that which makes you happy, if eventually this can be a family activity that's wonderful, but you should not feel so obligated to everyone else that your identity is lost in the shuffle.

     We are all in this crazy world together and at times it's easy to forget that there is so much more going on outside of the microcosm that is work and home life.  Having a connection to something greater than ourselves helps to take a step back, breathe, and center.  For some people this may be church, for others it may be a hike through the mountains, still others may benefit greatly from meditation or yoga practices.  Find what works for you, not what works for everyone else.

Physical:

     Not a day passes that we are without physical stress.  Simply laying in bed has been shown to have disastrous health implications.  A body that stops moving starts dying, so get active!  Taking the kids to the park to run in an open field, you can bring a ball to kick or throw, but I know my little girl would rather just run around aimlessly.  Try to let go of structured activities and allow some freedom!

     Get adjusted!  Our nervous system is processing everything we experience every day from sights to sounds, tastes and smells, physical touch and thoughts.  Having someone who is focused on maintaining the function of your nervous system and trained to remove the interference (subluxation) will allow the body to continue to adapt to stress and can have profound impacts on sleep, digestion, emotional stability and your overall sense of wellbeing. 

It's easier to live a happy, healthy life when your body is functioning optimally.  By following a few simple steps we can assure we are doing the best, not only for ourselves, but our entire family.  Remember, everything you say and do is witnessed by the little ones we are around every day, lets start leading by example!

Physical, Chemcial, Emotional

Physical, Chemcial, Emotional

 

 

Tax day is tomorrow!

 

For the procrastonators among us that may insight a certain degree of stress, that emotional response is tied into the blog for this week.  Our bodies are under constant changes in the physical conditions, chemical environment and emotional state, all of which impact our overall health.  When functioning appropriately the body is able to adapt to these changes and the nervous system continues to send and receive messages to keep us well.  However, when the balance is lost and the body is unable to adapt appropriately we encounter something we experience the big "S" word, SUBLUXATION.  These subluxations interfere with the transmission of signals from the brain to the body and when left uncorrected we start to experience dis-ease.

 

By removing subluxations a Chiropractor is able to return balance to the system and the body begins to heal.  This is one of the big misunderstandings of what a Chiropractor does, not that the adjustment makes us feel better, but it allows the body to heal better!  This also relates back to why many practice members choose to get their body checked for subluxation even when they are not experiencing symptoms, because once the body starts to heal and a new "normal" is established, who wants to go back to suffering through life when they can be living it!

 

If you would like to find your new normal you can schedule online or call us at 303-651-1810.

Posture

Posture, How do YOU Stack Up?

Whether sitting, standing or sleeping, our posture alludes to not only confidence but also health status!  A spine is designed to have several curves, from front to back, which act as a spring and absorb pressures through the day.  A decrease in these necessary curves will change the way forces are transferred through the body and lead a body down a path of degenerative changes (arthritis) due to poor biomechanics.

For every inch forward the head moves it adds an additional 10 pounds for the body to support, decreases lung capacity by 30%, and leads to development of an exagerated mid back "hump".  Loss of the mid back curve (thoracic kyphosis) has been shown to have a 147 % increased risk for cardiovascular disease, even if they exercised, and an increase of 144% in mortality rate. 

But there's hope, even if poor posture has plagued you for years the necessary curves can return!  If you'd like to find out more on how YOU measure up, request an appointment with Dr. Tyler!

Safety Pin Cycle

Chiropractic & the Safety Pin Cycle   

 

        

So what does this safety pin have to do with anything?  How could we apply this to Chiropractic and the body?

A safety pin can take one of two positions, either open or, as we see above, closed.  When the safety pin is closed you can see it forms an oval.  This is how we can imagine the body when it is functioning at it's full potential.  The brain (clasp on top of the pin) sends out a message through the solid beam and reaches the destination at the other end (coil), which  responds to that message and sends a singal back to the top (clasp).  This is what we see go on in the body, where the brain will send out a message to an organ or muscle, the message reaches the target and a response is relayed back to the brain!  When this cycle is complete the brain gathers important information and makes appropriate changes to the system to achieve optimum health and everyone's happy!

But what happens when that safety pin pops open?  This is a problem that we call a "Subluxation".  This big "S" word is used to explain an interuption in the connection between brain and body.  If the communication between the two are interrupted the results may or may not be noticed right away.  Changes are subtle at first and get worse as time passes.  Symptoms are often presenting long after the subluxation occured, which is why it is so important that people are getting checked for any interuption in their nervous system, even when we may feel fine.  The idea of getting checked even when we are without symptoms may be foreign, and that's because in the '80s Chiropractic came to be known as great way to relieve headaches and back pain.  Don't get me wrong, getting adjusted does wonders for easing aches and pains, but if we stop at pain relief we are missing the bigger picture.

Visit your Chiropractor, get checked, and keep your system functioning!  If you don't have a Chiropractor it's time to get out and find someone who has the integrity of your nervous system as their priority, as only a Chiropractor is trained in detecting and correcting subluxations!