Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Unlimited Health

Recently after an 8 mile run (my personal best) I had an ah-ha moment. During the long run, which did not seem so long thanks to my running partners, I was in disbelief of my accomplishment. I crossed a line mentally that I had drawn; a block if you will that I made up in my own head. It was a true testament to the fact that we have unlimited potential. Although I was already a subscriber to this idea, I realized that I still limit myself in many ways. It opened up the question if I can run 8 miles, how bad could 9 miles be? I guess I’ll find out this Sunday.

Other questions that it raised include, how many other times have I limited my powers and not explored just based on the little box I had put myself in? How many times have I missed a life changing moment because I played it safe? How many people did I miss out on touching because I did not speak up? Have you ever asked yourself this? Have you ever feared something and then realized it was not scary? We often do this to ourselves. It is a safety mechanism that we developed somewhere in our childhood. For example, mom always instructed us not to talk to strangers. This is sound advice for a child, but what about an adult? This same advice has catastrophic effects on people everywhere because meeting new people and building relationships is instrumental in achieving success.

Taking it one step further, I tried to envision a larger box. How far could we go? The answer is as far we think we can. Brings new meaning to Henry Ford’s quote, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, your right.” Or going by the children’s book The Little Engine that Could, “I think I can, I think I can….”

In terms of health, how healthy can we get? On one end of the spectrum, there are those who are close to death while some have diseases that will take years to die from. Others are sick; and of this population some will recover, others health will slide quickly. Some are just not sick. They have no symptoms, they get by every day. They consider the day as a grind; get through it so you can do it all over again. Others see the day as a chance to learn a lesson. Today’s mistakes will help us make better choices and decisions tomorrow so we can be our best self. To be healthy you must go get health every day, actively pursue it and if you think you reached it make your box bigger, think of something better because there is untapped potential that can be unleashed. This weekend it's mile nine for me. For others it may be mile 29 while others it may involve eating less, more frequently, while others decide to smoke one less cigarette tomorrow. Your health is yours for the taking, unlimited; without limits; limitless.

To me this is the true concept of wellness. Wellness is never reached its only pursued. Wellness is infinite health. Wellness is the journey. Wellness is the philosophy that says your health is unlimited.

In order to get healthy we must think about what it means to be healthy. We must picture it and compare this picture to our reality. We must take a mental snapshot and work toward it. The beauty is that this snapshot can be edited and replaced with new snapshots that depict an even healthier you, a new level of health.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Chiropractic is for Children Too!


We are often asked by our practice members, "When is a good time to have my child's spine and nervous system checked?" Our answer is always the same, "Now!"

If you have ever watched a child develop, you know that they are susceptible to physical trauma almost daily. These traumas may subluxate or misalign the vertebrae and cause stress to their nervous system. Why is this such an important issue for children? The nervous system is the master control system of the body and controls all other systems of the body, including the immune system. If there is stress placed on a developing child's nervous system, this may impair the childs ability to function optimally.

Ideally, children should be checked by a chiropractor right after birth. Even natural births can place considerable stress on the infants spine. Research has shown that children suffering with ear infections, colds, asthma and allergies often have spinal subluxations that are impairing the function of their nervous system. If it is determined that your child does need a chiropractic adjustment, you can be sure that the techniques used are gentle and proven to be safe.

As children are constantly building their immune systems through the things they are exposed to, it is crucial for their nervous systems to be functioning optimally. By removing stress to the nervous system, the healing power of the body is unleashed: the immune system functions more efficiciently, resistance to disease increases, and your child's body functions more efficiently. This results in an increased ability to respond to common stresses such as germs, temperature changes, humidity, toxins, pollen, etc.

More and more parents are searching for natural cures to common childhood health concerns. While chiropractic does not treat any disease, it removes interference to the nervous system and allows your body the ability to heal itself. Many parents have found that chiropractic care has had positive results in dealing with common health concerns such as colds, sore throats, ear infections, colic, asthma, fevers, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, falls, and spinal pain to name just a few.

Remember, all children function better with 100% nerve function. All children deserve the right to express their fullest potential. Chiropractic care for children is safe, gentle and effective. For more information on chiropractic and children visit: http://www.icpa4kids.org/