Good health is your natural state
You are born to live a life of vitality, strength, peace and happiness – you are supposed to be healthy your entire life. That life should be long and full of joy, excitement, pleasure, and fulfillment.
But it doesn’t always happen that way. Too many people are not living to their potential; they are living with physical and mental disease.
It isn’t right. You have the potential for physical and mental health and you owe it to yourself to drink from that deep well.
What are some of the things you can do to reclaim health for yourself and your family and to maintain your health throughout the years?
1) Stay subluxation-free
The chiropractic profession discovered that internal structural distortions called subluxations can cause serious health problems. Subluxations stress your nervous system and interfere with communications among your organs, glands, muscles, and other body parts – including your brain and your immune system. Subluxations can be caused by any trauma: difficult birth, falls, accidents, emotional upset, chemical toxicity, overwork or a combination of factors (i.e. physical, chemical or emotional stress while you are tired, overworked, malnourished, etc.).
People sometimes ask how chiropractic can improve their health. The answers depend on whom you ask. For example, a woman now free of monthly pain may say, “Chiropractic is for menstrual problems.” A pregnant woman may say, “Chiropractic is for a comfortable pregnancy.” A mother whose child was helped may say, “Chiropractic is for ear infections (or fevers or asthma or colic).” A teacher may say, “Chiropractic is for dyslexia, vision and learning disorders.” Another person may say “Chiropractic is for headaches,” while still others may declare chiropractic is for backaches, hearing problems, disc problems, arthritis, high or low blood pressure or a host of other problems.
Others use chiropractic as a way to maximize sports performance, improve overall health, and enhance balance, strength and fitness.
In addition to all of the above, chiropractic can help everyone live a drug-free, healthy lifestyle.
Subluxations are epidemic in our society; most people have subluxations and don’t know it. For that reason everyone needs periodic chiropractic checkups.
2. Eat nutrient-dense foods
Some foods give you an abundance of life-sustaining nutrients – these are known as “nutrient dense” foods. Other so-called “foods” have no nutritional value or even negative nutritional value – they drain you of nutrients. Among foods with negative nutritional value are highly processed “junk foods” manufactured with sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour. Processed foods that damage your body also include soda (pop), margarine, canola oil, corn and vegetable oils, and artificial sweeteners such as Nutrasweet™ (aspartame), Splenda™ and Equal™.
Genetically modified foods are to be avoided. Soy is especially unhealthy because it is difficult to digest, has a damaging effect on the thyroid and has hormone (estrogen-like) chemicals that are linked to early puberty and cancer. Exceptions are fermented soy products such as soy sauce, natto, tempeh and miso.Nutrient-dense foods include healthy fats and oils (olive and coconut oils, butter), grass-fed beef, and non-pasteurized raw milk and raw milk products. Organic foods are more nutritious than conventionally grown foods.
3. Cleanse yourself of toxins
To ensure perfect health we need to keep our bodies free of toxins that can interfere with the function of our nerves, muscles, glands, tissues and cells. These toxins include mercury, aluminum, copper and other heavy metals found in vaccines and dental amalgams (“silver” fillings). Toxins can also arise from dental infections, root canals, cigarettes and environmental pollution.
A common source of toxic pollution is drugs, whether over-the-counter, prescribed or recreational. It is wisest to limit drug use as much as possible. Read up on prescription drugs you (or your loved ones) may be taking and discuss them and other options with your healthcare provider. A detoxification protocol may be necessary to cleanse your body and various healthcare providers may assist you in this area.
4. Stay hydrated
Drinking alcohol, coffee, sugary soft drinks and even distilled water actually dries you out. Dehydration has been linked to depression, high blood pressure, disc problems, muscle weakness, heart problems, vision problems, fatigue, exhaustion and many other physical and mental conditions. Drinking good quality spring water or filtered water (you can add a dash of sea salt) is very good for you and necessary to prevent disease and maintain good health.
5. Stay physically active.
Your body was made for action. You played hard when you were a child – don’t stop. Good exercise makes your heart, lungs and other internal organs healthy and lengthens your life. The best exercise is intensive exercise (it gets your heart pumping and lungs working). As little as ten minutes of intensive exercise (including rest breaks) per day is much more effective for weight loss, strength and lung and heart (cardiovascular) health than an hour of jogging. In fact the latest research reveals that jogging damages your joints and weakens your heart and lung reserve capacity. You don’t have to be in overdrive mode all the time. A nice walk with a friend can also do wonders for your physical and mental health.
6. Get enough rest
Sleep is a necessary ingredient to health. A great way to destroy your physical and mental health is to run yourself into the ground. You’ll be six feet under before your time. “Insufficient sleep has been implicated in everything from cardiovascular disease to obesity to impaired immune response. It can also create stress, disrupt relationships, and make a person more accident prone.”
7. Exercise your heart
Your mind, heart and spirit need to be exercised just like your body. Keep the excitement of life’s potential alive. Meditate, pray, sit in the company of wise men and women, explore life’s mysteries and question blind devotion to authority and dogma. Open your heart to life’s possibilities. No one wakes up one morning suddenly old, with the sparkle gone from their eyes. It takes time for you to get old, and it takes effort to remain full of youthful excitement. If you are not growing and connecting to your purpose, exploring your potential and enjoying life, you are courting danger. Discover the excitement of being alive. Take little steps at first; larger ones will follow.
8. Enjoy nourishing relationships
This is perhaps the most important aspect of life and of health. The science of psychoneuroimmunology confirms what common sense tells us: people in healthy relationships are better off. Those in committed relationships live longer and are healthier. People who feel disconnected from others are sicker and die younger. The more connected you are the happier you are. Nourish deeper connections to family, friends and co-workers; explore social organizations, clubs and religious meetings. Anger, fear, loneliness and disconnection weaken your immune system while emotions of gratitude and love are the most healing.
Chiropractic can be your first step toward improving all the facets of your life
Chiropractic care connects people to their healing potential. Chiropractic can help open you to detoxification, relaxation, emotional healing and a deeper connection to oneself and others.
Chiropractic care helps people become more physically balanced. This often increases their energy and permits them to move – both physically and emotionally.
The mental/emotional benefits of chiropractic have been noticed since chiropractic’s inception. Correcting subluxations can improve mental function and relieve depression. Those under chiropractic care can at times experience retracing – where old physical and/or emotional traumas come to the surface to be released.
Start (or jump start) your healing journey with chiropractic to begin a healthier all-around lifestyle.
Let Dr. Johnson be your healthy lifestyle coach. If you want to find out more, check out what makes my philosophy unique among health care providers.
Always remember one of my mantras, "The more you know about how your body works, the better you can take care of yourself."
For more details about the natural approach I take with my patients, take a look at the book I wrote entitled: Reclaim Your Life; Your Guide To Revealing Your Body's Life-Changing Secrets For Renewed Health. It is available in my office or at Amazon and many other book outlets. If you found value in this article, please use the social sharing icons at the top of this post and please share with those you know who are still suffering with chronic health challenges, despite receiving medical management. Help me reach more people so they may regain their zest for living! Thank you!