Over the last 20 years the “acceptability” for chiropractic has steadily rose. The word is getting out and people are realizing the value of today’s chiropractic.
This week I wanted to share with you some of the science that is now available to prove, without a doubt, that adopting a chiropractic lifestyle is one of the best health investments you can make.
1. Chiropractic grow’s your brain.
Dr. Alois Alzheimer[ref]https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet[/ref] first discovered nerve cell damage in the human hypo-campus and Alzheimer’s Disease was discovered. In Alzheimer’s disease the nerve cells loose their ability to communicate and begin to die.
One of the ways people are trying to slow down the rate of Alzheimer’s is to exercise their brain through mental stimulation.
Dr. Roger Sperry, Nobel Prize recipient, states, “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine”.
The brain is actually stimulated and activated more from spinal motion than any other activity you can do. That includes learning a new language, playing a musical instrument or doing a cross world puzzle.
Today’s chiropractic is one of the biggest benefits to your longevity and health on so may levels because it directly stimulates your brain.
2. Chiropractic resists the damage from poor posture and sitting.
Poor posture is now becoming an epidemic.
In fact, the poor posture from sitting is now termed the “new smoking”.
The corrective type of chiropractic (we call that today’s chiropractic) is all about restoring proper posture and taking the pressure off the nerve system.
In fact postural and structural corrective chiropractic has been shown to improve general health status by 47% in a study of chronic pain patients[ref]Chronic Spinal Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Medication, Acupuncture, and Spinal Manipulation. Spine, July 15, 2003; 28(14): 1490-1502[/ref] compared to Celebrex or Vioxx (18%) and acupuncture (15%)
Poor posture has been linked to increased mortality in over 1052 scientific studies to date.
If that’s not a good enough reason to get to your chiropractor then I don’t know what will motivate you!
3. Chiropractic keep your joints from degenerating.
Several years ago, I was at a seminar where research was presented showing that a joint begins to deteriorate with as little as 7-10 days of immobility.
For that reason most of my clients rarely go a week without having their spine checked for subluxation (that’s when the joints are not moving through their full range of motion).
Further research has shown that if that mobility is not restored by 4 weeks, the damage is permanent and can not be reversed.[ref]Scientific Foundations and Principles of Practice in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. Feb 1 2007 by David J. Magee and James E. Zachazewski[/ref]
Combined with poor posture, I believe this is why so many people have spinal arthritis.
[ctt tweet=”Combined with poor posture, I believe this is why so many people have spinal arthritis.” coverup=”ec4D0″]
Spinal arthritis should not exist unless you have had a significant trauma but rarely do we see an x-ray of anyone over the age of 30 that doesn’t have early signs of osteoarthritis.
Something that doesn’t need to happen if chiropractic was part of everyone’s health care team.
I’m hoping that someday we will see people understand how critical it is to have a healthy spine and nerve system but without chiropractic in your tool box it won’t happen.
4. Chiropractic stimulates authentic wellness; not just “feeling” but actually healing.
We have a saying in chiropractic that it’s not how your feeling, it’s how your healing that matters.
[ctt tweet=”It’s not how you’re feeling, it’s how your healing.” coverup=”z6H24″]
And how your healing is 100% connected to the health of your nerve system. Not on how you are feeling.
I remember reading an article in Alive magazine (around 2006) saying that the average cancer patient has cancer 9 years before they feel it. Heart disease is known as the silent killer. How you are feeling is not a good benchmark for determining if you are healthy or not.
Somewhere in our cultural consciousness we have believed the myth that if I feel good than I must be healthy.
BUT if there was a way to ensure optimal nerve function in your body, do you think you have a better chance of being well AND feeling good?
Absolutely.
An October 2004 article in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that hyperkyphosis (the posture where the head and ribcage is curled forward) increased death rate by 144%.
And the major cause of death was atherosclerosis (blocked arteries).
Other studies have shown posture linked to increased death rates from lung problems, digestion problems and an entire host of other health issues.[ref]Relationship between peak expiratory flow rate and shoulders posture in healthy individuals and moderate to severe asthmatic patients. J Asthma. 2005 Nov; 42 (9): 783-6. Robles-Ribeiro PG, Ribeiro M, Lianza S. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Santa Casa School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil.[/ref][ref]Postural and Respiratory Modulation of Autonomic Function, Pain, and Health. Lennon J, Shealy C, Cady R, Matta W, Cox R, Simpson W. AJPM (American Journal of Pain Management) 1994; 4:36-39.[/ref]
So where is the chiropractic and longevity connection?
The connection was discovered by Alf Brieg in a landmark textbook called “Adverse Mechanical Tension on the Spinal Cord”.
Dr. Brieg found that when the spine is out of alignment, the spinal cord is stretched and interferes with the signals from the brain to the organs.
[ctt tweet=”When the spine is out of alignment, the spinal cord is stretched and interferes with the signals from the brain to the organs.” coverup=”pcNY9″]
Without proper nerve flow the organs degenerate and die. (Sympathetic Segmental Disturbances from the Medical Times 1921).
So if you feel good but your spine is out of alignment, you are not healthy.
In fact your organs and body is just suffering quietly (like in the cancer and heart disease mentioned above).
Today’s chiropractic, through structural and postural correction, gets the pressure off the spinal cord so you not only feel better, you heal better.
That’s why you absolutely need a chiropractor on your team if you truly want to live a long and healthy life. And that’s what the 100+Living Plan is all about.
If you are having trouble finding a chiropractor in your area that specializes in postural correction then connect with us.
Leave a comment below or contact us at our office (250-870-9136) and we’ll try our best to connect you with a chiropractor in your area that does corrective work.
I really believe that your best health and lifestyle mentor is a great chiropractor.
