Seperating the Facts from the Fiction

The following is an article from the Chiropractic Wellness Magazine. Written by their fitness editor: Doug Caporrino.

Chiropractic is only for back and neck pain.

FICTION.....

Chiropractic is for overall health and well being. Anyone that is interested in having an active healthy and thriving life should make chiropractic part of their regime.

Like every other system in our body that requires regular maintenance, your nervous system is no exception. It is the "Center of Your Universe" as I like to refer to it. Your nervous system is involved in every single movement, thought, feeling and action that goes on in your body and mind. When there is even the slightest disturbance (subluxation), all other systems can be thrown off. Our bodies were meant to be in balance not out of it. With the countless amounts of toxins and stressors that we are exposed to daily, your body becomes overloaded. Chiropractic, nutrition, supplementation, and exercise all play a roll in bringing the body back into balance.

Think of your spine as the circuit breaker panel in your home. If one of those circuit breakers is switched off, then you have no power going to that area of your house. Your spine is your circuit panel, and your body is your house. When there is a subluxation, your body is not getting power to one area of it. This may effect digestion, hormone balance, muscle response, memory, eye sight, liver function, and the list goes on and on.

So the next time someone tells you that Chiropractic is just for the back and neck pain, educate them on what it really does.

If you eat a well balanced diet, you do not need supplements.

FICTION.....

If we lived in a world where we hunted and gathered our own food, and were not exposed to a countless amount of toxins on a daily basis and didn't eat fruits and vegetables that were covered with herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, then I may agree. Oh, and did I forget to mention food that has been grown and picked, travels across thousands of miles, and stored for weeks on end before it reached your table. One more thing to take into consideration is our nutrient depleted soils that are not being replenished with organic materials. So the spinach that you thought was packed with nutrients may only be packed with half those same nutrients of 50 years ago.

Ninety-five percent of the population is likely deficient in one form of vitamin or mineral. Even at the levels that the FDA recommends, which are levels that only prevent disease, not promote health, you don't stand a chance of getting what you need on a daily basis. Yes, I am sorry to say that the cards are stacked against you. The good news is that after reading this article, you may do something about it. And I don't mean going to the store and buying of an off-the-shelf multivitamin, many of which are not formulated for proper nutrition. You should go to your local health professional and get a recommendation first. Chiropractor's Blend is an excellent place to start.

Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, said that "ever illness and disease can be traced back to a vitamin deficiency in the body." Now when a medical doctor tells you that supplements just create expensive urine, maybe you can explain to him or her that the body will use what it needs and then excrete the rest. Also keep in mind that the average MD receives little to no education on vitamins or supplements. I don't believe they have ill intent, just not enough information.

The key to living healthy is addressing the cause not the symptoms. The average senior citizen in this country sees an average of 5 doctors, all of who prescribe a medication without consulting the other. Also, no one is required to do the studies on what effects medication A has on medication B that may have an effect on medication C. Pretty scary.

Yes, we are an over-medicated and over-consumptive society and most likely malnourished. We certainly were not born to thrive on cheese puffs, purple drinks and cheeseburgers.

I get all the hydration I need from coffee, soda and juice that I drink daily.

FICTION.....

With the vast amount of caffeine, which not only dehydrates you but also leaches the bones of minerals, high fructose corn syrup, which we now know contains high amounts of mercury, and sugar infused juices, which causes insulin resistance and obesity, your body is THIRSTY!!! For water.

Most of us take it for granted. But have you ever taken a moment to stop and think just how important water is to you? For the human body, water is truly a vital resource. You can go weeks without food but only 5-7 days without water. When the water in your body is reduced by just 1 percent, you become thirsty. At 5 percent, muscle strength and endurance declines significantly, and you become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, delirium and blurred vision occur. A 20 percent reduction results in death.

There is no more important nutrients for our bodies that water. No other substance is as widely involved in the processes and makeup of the body. A man's body is about 60 percent water, and a woman's is approximately 50 percent. Did you know that the human brain is about 75 percent water?

Every day, we lose 2-3 quarts of water through urination, sweating, and breathing. Since many of the processes within the body rely greatly on water, it is important we replace our fluids regularly to compensate for this loss.

Water is needed for protection as well. It keeps your mouth moist and washes away dirt and grime on your eyes. Water even lubricates our joints, keeping them from getting stiff and making sure motion is smooth. We use to digest food in the gastrointestinal tract, to access stored energy for muscles and organs, and for countless reactions. When we exercise, water loss through sweat can reach 1-2L per hour! If you are exercising in warm weather, water should be replenished every 15 minutes in order to keep muscles strong and body temperature down. This is especially crucial for long endurance events, which is why cyclists (who strip away every unnecessary ounce of equipment) still carry water with them.

So cheers and drink up. Water can be your best friend when it comes to your health.

I can feel a cold coming on.
FICTION.....
Your body talks to you on a daily basis. The question I have for you is "are you listening?" There are people that know when their body is going into a dis-ease state. Paying attention to the signs is what makes all the difference in the world. Are you tired, thirsty, achy, and/or unable to focus or concentrate? These are all signs that something is out of balance with your body. Correcting it as quickly as possible with menu, supplements, chiropractic, acupuncture, or even just rest will make the difference between a speedy recovery and a lengthy one.

So the next time you feel something coming on, listen to that little voice in your head, it's telling the truth.