Nancy’s story

 

Nancy is a active mom, wife and volunteer for her church. She enjoys helping others, and spends most of her time looking out for others’ needs. Whether that means she looks out for her kids, her husband, or her friends, she is always taking care of those she loves. She is respected in her church because she is someone they can depend. Nancy is always there to help, always bringing food to a new mother or visiting the sick with flowers. She doesn’t do it because it makes her look good. She does it because she would like to feel like she is fulfilling a purpose bigger than herself. At the end of the day, Nancy takes comfort in giving comfort to others. Sure, she sometimes feels a little undervalued, but that feeling is worth it if she left the day better than she found it.

Nancy’s behavior is the type of behavior that we would all want in a neighbor, caring. However, Nancy must understand that a consistent behavior of others before self, especially when it comes to healthcare, will crumble this idealistic life she has created.

Like moms often do, she puts her health choices last. She sees her mission (although she would never label it as this) in life is to help others. This is good for those around her, as she always seems to be there to help. When asked about her own health, she responds, “If I take care of others, I am sure one day if I ever need help, the favor will be returned.” The following statement may rattle some cages, especially if you can identify with Nancy:

This self-sacrificing behavior is detrimental to her health, and she does not realize this fundamental truth: If you do not take care of yourself, you can not take care of others.

Listen, if you are Nancy, you must care for your health first. Your number one priority is yourself. You MUST be healthy to truly help others be healthy as well. Step off the self-sacrifice pedestal and do something to make sure you are around for as many years as possible. Then and only then will you be able to decide what to do with those years.

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Healthy or sick?

Our bodies have an amazing ability: adaptation.

Adaptation means that you (without thinking about it much) are able to change to suit the conditions of the environment. Take the simplest of adaptation signs: shivering.

Assuming the temperature drops (as it did just this morning here), your body uses sensors that sense this temperature change. This information is then sent along the communication pathway within your body to  alert your control system that temperature has dropped. The control system then makes a CHANGE to react to this temperature drop. In this case, you shiver. A shiver allows the muscles to contract and relax to the point where you actually warm up your body through your muscular system. This simple act can make your body increase in temperature enough to prolong your survival.

This is just one example of adaptation within you. We all adapt, some better than others, to “stuff” going on in our environment. Which brings up a very important question. The answer to this question can literally stifle a nation’s healthcare system if answered incorrectly:

How do we know if our symptoms are a proper adaptation response (healthy), or signs that our body is not adapting properly (sick)?

I’d love to know your thoughts! Submit them here.

 

Dr. Mix

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Prepared

Lately there has been a lot of talk about preparedness: Survival training, bug-out bags, portable filtration systems. The list goes on and on…

When you think of what the core of chiropractic can do for you, it is really about being prepared: Prepared to fight the stress of life, whether that be emotional, physical or chemical in nature.

When thinking of preparation, the number one priority is to be as healthy as possible. Health starts with a healthy nervous system. If you are not utilizing chiropractic care, chances are very high that you are not as healthy as you can be. Without chiropractic, years are shaved off your life both in quality and quantity.

Be prepared, utilize chiropractic for a healthy life. You owe it to your loved ones to be prepared for life stresses.

 

Can you hear me now?

How much time will you give your health?

In this day of advanced electronic communication, we seem to be busier than ever. There is always an opportunity to be interrupted. Someone can easily reach you in a moment’s notice to get what THEY need. However, who is taking care of you?

Unfortunately, I believe we give our phones more attention than we do our health. However, this will have terrible ramifications if left unchecked. I see this daily in practice. The truth is that not everyone that comes to me will be able to reach the potential they desire.

One of our questions we ask every single patient  (we ask them multiple times throughout their care) is this:

“Where do you think your health is on a scale of 0-100, and where do you want to be?”

EVERYONE wants to be at a 100. Most realize they are not there. Yet, the next question we ask is telling of their value of health:

“How long do you think it will take to get there?”

Most believe they are able to reach perfect health in a relatively short period of time. I like big goals, with short timelines, however it is important to understand that if I do not reach a certain goal, I do not give up. Neither should you. Your health is your biggest asset. We work with the segment of the community shares this value.

Wellness is being re-defined

The basic definitions of words that chiropractors utilize are often misunderstood by the general population. For instance, “wellness”. For a long time, I was not able to understand why my conversations with words such as these were misinterpreted by others. Unfortunately, there are some very large companies that have hijacked the very meaning of the term, wellness. Let’s go to a source. From dictionary.com, wellness is:

An approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

*Notice that wellness is opposite of treating disease.

Right now there are pharmaceutical sales/marketing efforts that use the word, “wellness” in describing their approach to health, which is eradication of disease. I call this con-wellness.

Please note, this post is not intended to challenge the difference of treating disease and preventing disease. There are times for both forms of healthcare. However, using the word, “wellness” to mean something beyond it’s actual definition is an unethical marketing ploy that people need to acknowledge.

The issue becomes more serious than just a pet peeve, when you start to think about the customer that truly things they are practicing wellness, in an attempt to stay healthy and prolong a healthy life. Then, later realizes that they have been practicing emergency care instead of true healthcare. The visits to the hospital, the increased need for medications, the decreased life-expectancy will all bring this realization to light.

So, how can we learn before our health teaches us?

Try using a simple little intellectual test when it comes to your health decisions. One question might be:

Does this product or service alter me chemically, physically, or mentally beyond what is natural and normal?

This is not always an easy question to answer. However, a chiropractor, whose job is to remove interference to the innate ability you have with you to heal, is a professional that knows the definition between true wellness and con-wellness.

Mark yourself safe.

I’ve seen a trend on Facebook in the last year that asks if you are safe. I assume, a way to check on friends that are in affected areas of significant events. It is unfortunate that this has become even a question, especially with the advances our society has made over the past 150 years: travel, electricity, phone, farming methods. The list is exhaustive, and yet we still have to “mark ourselves safe”. However, this isn’t a political blog, so I will get to my point.

I can appreciate knowing how everyone is doing in the event of a true crisis, however maybe we can make a “mark yourself healthy” option on social media.

Thank for a minute a little deeper.

Unhealthy habits negatively affect most Americans today. One way to measure this, for instance, is use of the Heart Rate Variability (HRV):

Research has shown that an increase from low to moderate HRV, decreases mortality by 400%.

Pretty significant, right?

Please do not misunderstand, I am not suggesting that we should not be concerned about terrorists, stabbings on campus or riots on Wall Street. I am suggesting, however, that we concern ourselves more with items we have direct control:  Your health.

 

DIY

The human body is the ultimate D.I.Y.

The correct amount of oxygen is given to the correct amount of blood cells in the exact place that is most efficient in the correct percentage necessary for life. Truly, we could go on and on about the intelligent actions within you…and it truly is doing it yourself.

In fact, you are your own pharmacy. Your body distributes the drugs to the right places, in the right fashion and at the right time….and it does this by itself.

So what is our job?

Don’t interfere, interrupt, disrupt or harness the ultimate DIY within you, your own personal innate intelligence.

Legacy

The word, “legacy” is very important to our clinic, Adjust. It is one of our core values that serves as a litmus test for our objectives. Simply put, we make decisions that have positive affects long-term. What would be the opposite of this?

Temporary

There are many health practices that provide temporary change, temporary relief, or temporary changes. Sometimes this is necessary. However, if you are looking to have a better life experience, then thinking about your health 20 years from now is the best decision you could make.

When making decisions for your health, think legacy. How will the decisions I make today affect me 5, 10, 20, or 50 years from now?

 

 

Lent is done!

Lent is over, now what?

Due to my Catholic roots, I enjoy giving up something that is unhealthy for Lent. If you give up the right thing, it is a healthy change and a good way to test self-control. But, what happens after Lent?

After you are off the hook from your religious requirements, what happens to that unhealthy habit?

Is the habit a vice or an indulgence?

If I can honestly say that my habit is a vice, basically that it takes me away from what is truly important in my life, then it has to go. Sometimes removing yourself for 6 weeks from something just to see the result is well worth it to your overall health.

One thing I will never go without is a clear and healthy nerve system, and neither will my family for that matter. With this, you can and will adapt much better to your lifestyle, vices and all. It doesn’t mean the habits can be ignored. You should minimize as much stress to your body as you can. What I am saying is simply this:

A break from habits is a good thing. However, don’t forget the follow up that must be had to properly asses the damage after AND don’t forget what helps you adapt to these habits.

It’s time to give up

What are you willing to give up to reach your health goals?

I’m willing to be honest. Sometimes that comes across a little harsh to a potential patient that wants to know if they can be helped. Sometimes that answer is, “no”. No doubt, I do not hesitate to tell the brutal truth. So, when we talk about health goals or objectives for someone’s quality of life, I am not afraid to talk about what they will need to give up. Most doctors do not mention this…it’s not popular. It is much easier and friendly to string someone on about their decisions that are destructive.

Here is a truth that many find hard to hear:

You will not reach your goals doing the same thing you are doing now.

If you COULD reach that goal with your current practices, you would have it by now. Usually that change you have to make not only involves adding a healthy habit, but also giving something up.

Discover if we can help you here.