Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The oil light in your car.

What do you do when the oil light comes on in your car? Even those with the most basic car smarts will….. well you guessed it, check the oil level, and then add some oil if needed. Cost: $2.49 for the quart of 10W-30 motor oil. There are some out there, who for some reason or other just ignore the light. They continue to drive their car until it will not drive anymore. Worse yet they find some black electrical tape and cover the light. Out of site, out of mind. When the inevitable break down occurs, the cost is thousands. The damage irreversible. Our bodies are no different. Symptoms are like the oil light; an indicator that something needs to be checked out. It’s your first warning telling you that if you do not do something, crisis will ensue. Do something now about your health. Scan your body’s dashboard. What are your symptoms telling you?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

More reader friendly blogs coming your way.


After a nearly four months of blogging, Dr. Jessica and I have made some important distinctions in in the blogging arena. First we started reading others blogs and commenting on what we liked and didn't like and got the wheels turning on how we can improve our blog and make it more "reader friendly". Our goal is to educate and empower you as a reader about health issues that relate to you and to inspire you to make great health decisions that cumulatively will change your life.

In the future look for a shorter blog entry that comes more often. The style of the blog will be more personal than academic. Also slightly more opinionated to create discussion. Feel free to voice your opinion, or ask questions by responding in our blog or simply email us at DRJ@RhinebeckChiropractic.com.

Lastly, keep up to date with our blogs by subscribing n the RSS feeder so you know when new posts are available for your viewing pleasure.

Get ready.......

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Strengthening Your Immunity


Understanding immunity is vital in grasping our body's innate ability to heal itself. We are born with an innate or genetic immunity. While we were in our mother's womb, we received immunity through her exposure to different pathogens. As we came into the world, if we were breastfed, our mother continued to pass immunity to us, through her superfood breastmilk. Throughout our lives we continue to build our immunity through exposure to different pathogens. Each time we are exposed to a virus or bacteria, our body identifies the foreign invader & produces an antibody to protect us. Our body remembers every immune response we have had, & protects us from having symptoms or getting "sick" a second time. For example, most of us know that once we have had chickenpox, we cannot have it again.


We are exposed to different pathogens either naturally or artificially. Natural exposure is when we have the flu for example. We feel ill & spend a few days resting & allowing our body to heal. No matter how many more time we are exposed to that flu virus, we will not get it again. Artificial exposure is obtained through vaccination. You are injected with a solution that contains the pathogen (along with many other substances or additives). Your body reacts by producing antibodies in the same way as described before.

The more we are exposed to, the stronger our immune system becomes. This may be different that what you originally believed. Most people subscribe to the germ theory & use it to explain why we get sick. Germ theory was developed by Pasteur in the 1800's. He believed that the human body was pure & sterile. He theorized that if airborne pathogens, or germs, contaminated the body, sickness would result. However, we know today that the human body contains 20 times more bacteria in our body than cells. We have a normal "good" bacteria that help us digest & assimilate our nutrition daily. Bacteria is not only plentiful in our immune system, but necessary.


Our body has some fantastic systems in place for fighting pathogens. In fact, the body is constantly renewing itself & making changes to facilitate rebuilding. 98% of the atoms in the human body are renewed each year, with about half of the water molecules, or 70% of the body, being replaced every 8 days. Blood plasma renews itself every 10 days, white blood cells every 2-3 weeks, red blood cells every 120 days, & our entire blood supply every 3-4 months. Our skin renews itself every 28 days, the stomach lining replaces itself every week, & the liver regenerates every 6 weeks. It is clear to see that the human body is an amazing self healing, self regulating organism.


For some reason we agree with this fact when we think about getting a cut, or breaking a bone, (body heals itself), but we seem to forget about it when we think about getting a cold, flu, or other common illness. The fact is that we cannot escape germs. They are abundant everywhere. We must replace this ideal of "fighting germs" with strengthening our immunity. If we support our body properly, we can look forward to having better health through better immunity. Below is a list of simple tasks to use towards improving your immunity:


1. Eat organic, whole foods, many vegetables & fruits


2. Avoid processed foods, sugars, hydrogenated oils, bleached flours, & high fructose corn syrup


3. Check with your health care provider to see if Essential Fatty Acids & Probiotics would be of benefit to you.


4. Remove toxins from your life: chemicals, alcohol, smoke, plastics, dyes, additives, etc.


5. Limit pharmaceutical drugs that cover up symptoms & in some cases are unnecessary


6. Maintain a positive mental attitude


7. Exercise five times a week


8. Get at least 6 hours of restful sleep each night


9. Practice quiet time each day (prayer, meditation, yoga, etc.)


10. Get adjusted! Research shows people who receive regular chiropractic adjustments have immune system competency that is 200% greater than those who don't!


For more information on strengthening your immunity, attend one of our advanced wellness workshops with Dr. Jessica. Upcoming dates: 12/9 @ 10 am & 12/18 @ 5pm.