Chiropractic care is safe and beneficial to people of all ages. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your neck, back, shoulder or joints, visit a chiropractor for a consultation today. Look for one who practices with natural wellness in mind because it will improve your life.
When starting chiropractic care, the first thing to do is visit a chiropractor for an exam and consultation. It will help determine the underlying cause of any symptoms you are experiencing and whether or not chiropractic care may be right for you. It's also essential to find out your options, including the specific techniques your chiropractor may recommend.
The traditional form of chiropractic
Traditional or straight chiropractic is based on a philosophy that the body has an innate intelligence. It seeks to allow this force to correct any dysfunction in the body automatically. It was started by D.D Palmer, who said that all disease was caused by displaced vertebrae which interfered with the innate intelligence allowing it to heal naturally. Straight chiropractors focus on the health of the spine and the nervous system, and the endocrine system. It aims at removing interference in this innate intelligence.
Traditional chiropractic is mainly concerned with spinal alignment to restore the proper function of the nerves. It also seeks to correct any imbalances in the muscles of the body as well. The main goal is to restore normal function and eliminate pain.
But what if you want more than just relief from pain or a specific problem?
In addition to normal spinal alignment, many people are looking for other ways to nourish and treat the body. It is where core or functional chiropractic comes into play. It takes a more holistic approach to how our lifestyle choices affect our bodies and how we can improve them. Chiropractors who practice functional care are trained to educate their patients on just how our day-to-day activities and habits can affect us. They look at the body as a whole instead of individual systems. They focus on how lifestyle choices affect everything from digestion, sleep, posture, postural alignment, and so much more.
When you look at how our daily lives can affect us in ways that we may not even realize, it is easy to see why core or functional chiropractic is a great choice. It considers your lifestyle choices, diet, and nutritional needs while working with one of the most powerful healing forces in the body: your spine.
Functional chiropractic is far more than just a simple adjustment; it is a whole-body experience that will leave you feeling revitalized and refreshed from head to toe.
Functional chiropractic is what Drs. Ed and Sandie McCuiston espouses that chiropractic care should not be limited to spine adjustment but a whole-body experience. What sets them apart from other methods is the holistic approach they take to healthcare. They focus on reducing pain and work with patients to address their lifestyle and diet to prevent future ailments and chronic conditions. They use the 5 Essentials plan approach, focusing on core chiropractic treatment, nutrition, mindset, oxygen, exercise, and minimizing toxins.
The core of chiropractic
The core of chiropractic is the spine and spinal column. It is the focal point of the adjustment and subsequent release of pressure. The primary goal of chiropractic care is to improve spinal range of motion and reduce pain.
The spine itself houses the spinal cord, which sends messages from your brain to every part of your body through nerve endings called myelin sheaths that cover each nerve cell. When these myelin sheaths are damaged, nerve endings can send wrong or distorted messages to your brain. Chiropractors have a unique way of identifying and correcting spinal displacement, allowing the nervous system to repair itself and restore the body's ability to heal itself naturally.
Chiropractic adjustments can relieve pressure on nerves within the spinal column and restore proper nerve flow from the brain to the rest of the body. The spinal manipulation involves gentle manual adjustment of joints within the spine. These adjustments allow for a greater range of motion and will help reduce back pain. A regular chiropractic care treatment can help improve posture, reduce stress and anxiety, balance hormones, and decrease the incidence of illness because of reduced inflammation in the body.
Chiropractic care relies on non-invasive techniques and will usually involve a combination of spinal manipulation, massage, conditioning exercises, and lifestyle modifications.
Nutrition
Nutrition is the cornerstone to good health and longevity. Nutrition is defined as taking in and digesting food, nutrients, fluids, and air. It encompasses healthy eating, proper body hydration, and taking supplements.
Healthy eating means consuming a healthy, varied diet that meets your nutritional needs. The best way to get good nutrition is by eating real food. Avoid processed foods and eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains whenever you can. You could even try juicing (i.e., having fresh vegetable juices).
Proper hydration is essential for the body to work. We need water for every cell in the body. The brain is about 80% water, and so are the blood and muscles - it's vital for maintaining healthy joints. Hydration can also be via fruit juice, smoothies or shakes, soda, and most notably, sports drinks. These drinks can help replenish lost electrolytes but are high in calories and sugars, leading to fat gain or other diseases. Plain old water is still the best for hydration.
Taking supplements provide extra vitamins and minerals that the body may not produce enough or at all. If you are deficient in a specific nutrient, supplements can help fill the gap rather than simply relying on what you eat.
Mindset - change your mindset to better your health.
Mindset is a term that gets bandied around in sports psychology literature, but what does it mean? A mindset is a psychological approach that people take towards tasks and challenges. We need to have "healthy living" in our mindset to have a brighter future ahead.
A healthy life is not only about eating the right food or exercising every day, as other aspects need to be addressed. Having "healthy living" in my mind means having a positive mindset that can affect one's entire body, and it does not just end on one's physical appearance.
A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body, and learning to be happy with yourself will help you cope well with life's challenges.
Oxygen and exercise - learn how oxygen can improve your life.
What happens if you don't get enough? The first thing that will happen is that your cells won't produce as much adenosine triphosphate (or ATP). ATP is the molecule in your body's cells that essentially acts as a "battery" and is the energy source for all activity. When your cells don't have enough ATP, you feel fatigued and burned out. Over time if oxygen levels continue to drop, your cells will become so starved for oxygen that they start shutting down non-essential activities—including immune responses, growing new tissue, and certain types of thinking. Without enough oxygen, your body will begin to show signs of aging and could start to deteriorate.
To get the most from your oxygen, you first need to ensure it is getting into your lungs; otherwise, your body won't complete all of those essential tasks. Fortunately, many different exercises can help improve circulation and increase oxygen in the body: perform cardiovascular exercise regularly (step aerobics, running, swimming, etc.) to increase blood circulation and deliver oxygen to your cells.
Minimize toxins - learn about the different ways you can reduce toxins in your life
Detoxifying your body will help you lose weight. It will also reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and give you more energy to live an active life. Drs. Ed and Sandie McCuiston of Touch of Life Chiropractic in Shelby Township, MI, recommends the following ways to eliminate toxins from your system:
• Reduce processed foods, refined sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs from your diet. These substances create toxins in the body that may cause disease later on;
• Exercise regularly, particularly running or jogging in the fresh air and getting plenty of sunshine. Exercise is an excellent method to stimulate better energy flow through your body;
• Eat small meals frequently rather than two or three big ones daily. Taking too much food at one time will congest your digestive system;
• Breathe deeply through your nose and avoid mouth-breathing. Mouth breathing is not very good for you;
• Drink six to eight glasses of water every day and add a pinch of salt if your kidneys are not working well. That will dissolve early toxins in the system and promote urination;
• Do enemas or colonics regularly. Doing five or six per year will help you eliminate toxins that have accumulated in your colon over time; and
• Do yoga.
Armed with these ways to detoxify your body, you will stay healthy longer. The benefits of a cleaner body could include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature aging.
Drs Ed and Sandie McCuiston
Touch of Life Chiropractic
46755 Hayes Road Shelby Township, MI, 48315