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Taking a Closer Look at Wellness

Understanding the vital and integral role that the nervous system plays in one's body function and thereby one's overall health and well-being, a chiropractor is trained to detect aberrations of the nervous system, or functional problems, termed the Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC), and then correct them through the application of specific "adjustments", to return proper function and restore health.

The VSC is caused by any of the multitude of physical, chemical, emotional, and environmental ongoing stressors one may be subjected to throughout the course of one's life. These inevitable stresses create interferences to the body's ability to properly communicate with itself, creating a dysfunctional internal state, thereby preventing the person from being well.

A chiropractor will detect VSC through various means. Among them may be a comprehensive history to determine any health concerns, the types, extent and duration of stress experienced, past and family health history, and other pertinent information. An extensive hands-on palpatory exam of the spine is important. Breathing, body tone, and energy are observed. Various orthopedic, neurological, postural, muscular, sensory, or other examination procedures may be performed. X-rays may be taken. Lifestyle and health habits are investigated. All of this and more is used to assess the extent of subluxation (VSC), in particular the degree of spinal kinesiopathology, neuropathology, myopathology, histopathology, or degeneration.

Once determined, an appropriate care plan is made and care can begin. Through the administration of an "adjustment", an intelligent corrective force is put into the body (the spine) which is met by a resistive force within the body, and used by the Innate (inborn) intelligence within every person to make a correction. There are dozens of adjusting techniques used by chiropractors, all with the same intent of removing the subluxation.

There are several aspects and contributory factors to one's health, and these are important to understand and investigate. A chiropractor may discuss and work with you in these areas.

What does all of this mean? It means that no matter who you are, what your age, and whether or not you feel sick, have any degree of symptoms, or feel you are in perfect health, you absolutely, positively will function at a higher level, be healthier, and live a higher quality (perhaps quantity) life, when you are actively engaged in regular chiropractic wellness care!

Everybody listen up!Do you care about your health? Of course you do. Do you take personal responsibility for your own health? If you're anything like the vast majority of Americans, the answer is absolutely not. (My apology to the extreme minority who do.) First, you must understand what health truly is so that you may then implement the practice of health

What is health? Everyone has his or her own views on what defines health. Interestingly, many of the views are very contradictory. As defined by Dorland's Medical Dictionary, "health is the state of optimal physical, mental, psychological, and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease". This is a rather broad definition and can be reasonably agreed upon to essentially be universally acceptable. It is important to notice here that health is NOT merely the absence of disease or symptoms, but is actually a measure of functional capacity. That is to say, health is really about the state of the body (and of the mind and spirit for those more esoteric thinkers).

The body is an organization of energy. This energy has a functional expression, which manifests itself in such a form, namely the human body, and is self-equilibrating, self-regulating, and self-maintaining. This incredible and non-duplicable task of auto-existing is performed by the INNATE intelligence within every living thing that natural, inborn wisdom of man. The INNATE operates through the vehicles of what we scientifically know as the systems of the human body (nervous, cardiovascular, immune, skeletal, etc.) Most notably, it flows through the nervous system.

Understanding and respecting the fact that the human body has the capacity to govern itself; it follows a priori that one's health is merely a measure of how efficiently it is adapting to its environment. All disease relate to the body not adapting to its environment. If the body's systems are working properly, the logical result is health. If the body is aberrant in its function, then similar logic dictates that disease processes will commence, and in time, symptoms may appear. TIME is a crucial concept. Every process requires time! Disease (or lack of health) is a process; a process whose end results are symptoms (and eventually death). So, understand that symptoms are not a good indicator. Or should I say not an accurate or complete measure of one's overall health.

Visualize a continuum, with life at one end and death at the other. Health would sit near the life end, and symptoms near the death end, with disease processes occurring along the continuum between diminished health and the occurrence of symptoms. Therefore, one can be symptom-free, feeling "healthy", yet not truly be at their optimal health and expressing their vitality maximally. Certainly, we would all opt to exist at our maximum life potential. Or would we? Few of us appear to take full action in this direction. Being at our full potential really is a choice, so let us see what it involves.

There is in a broad sense, five contributing aspects to health. Each of them is multi-faceted, interrelated and interdependent. It would be erroneous to try to rank them in order of importance because every person is unique, having their own biochemical makeup, their own genetic predispositions, their own lifestyles and habits, and their own wills and desires for themselves. However, it is easily recognized that each aspect has a definite role in promoting health, and when practiced prudently, maximize one's potential

The five aspects are:
1.) Nutrition
2.) Activity (exercise)
3.) Rest
4.) Nervous system function
5.) Attitude.

Let's take a closer look at each of them. (Remember, these are not listed/discussed in any particular order)

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