I already know what the conversation is going to be like in the office this week. You see, where we live, we saw a massive shift in weather over the weekend.
On Friday afternoon, we drove in so much snow that our car actually got stuck in a huge snow drift. It was -9 degrees, very windy and the kind of weather that made you wonder if you fell asleep that night and woke up in next January.
Today (just 2 days later) as I write this, the kids are bouncing on the trampoline in shorts and t-shirts and sipping lemonade in 18 degree sunshine. There’s nary a speck of snow from Friday to be seen.
This week, we will see students home sick from school, parents with sinus infections and coughs, and of course, the ever present barf bugs that rage through households.
Why? Everyone will say it’s the change in weather.
If that explanation makes you rub your chin with skepticism, it should. Let me just be really clear on this point: weather does not make us sick. If it did, everyone in Southern Ontario would be sick this week.
Let’s reverse engineer the problem in order to solve it. What keeps us healthy? A well-functioning immune system. If your immune system fails you, you have the potential to fall prey to the viruses and bacteria that are ALWAYS in our environment, and you may get sick.
How do we make sure our immune system is working optimally? Again, let’s reverse engineer it. Guess what controls your immune system and tells your immune machinery what to do.
That’s right…your NERVOUS SYSTEM.
Your brain speaks to your body through your spinal cord and nerves and tells every system how to function. This includes the immune system!
If your nervous system isn’t functioning at 100%, you have a CORE PROBLEM. CORE problems can result in problems you know of, like getting sick, and problems you may not even be aware of.
It makes sense, then, that the most important strategy for staying healthy at any time of the year is to make sure your brain and nervous system are working as well as they possibly can in order to optimize whole body function. That includes immune function!
For those of you under regular care in our office, make sure you stick to your schedule and get checked when scheduled.
For those of you who perhaps have been a little busy and gotten off schedule or maybe fell out of care for awhile and need a health status update, now would be a great time to have a new Neuro-Structural examination performed.
What Else Can Help Keep You Healthy?
Optimal health at any time is achieved best when your body’s requirements are addressed. With that in mind, see the following list of smart health habits.
- Eat By Design – your body needs proper nutrition to function at its best. Feed your body with nutrient dense foods high in good fats, proteins and micronutrients.
- Move By Design – movement stimulates nerve system activity, which is why it is a basic requirement for health. Movement also stimulates endorphins, happy hormones and growth hormone (if movement is at high intensity). The increased blood flow and oxygen intake also helps to keep us extra healthy.
- Think By Design – keeping stress levels at their minimum by balancing all the key areas of your life truly helps your immune function. Your physical health is often a reflection of your mental/spiritual state of mind. Health in how you think often results in a healthy body.
** These 3 requirements for health (eating, moving and thinking well) are so critical that we have created our By Design series of workshops to address them. If you haven’t been to each workshop, click on the events page on our website and register.
www.ElevateChiropractic.ca/Events
4. Vitamin D – is critical for strong immunity long term. We cannot generate vitamin D, nor can we get it from our food. The only way to produce vitamin D is through safe sun exposure and supplementation with the correct dose of vitamin D drops. We recommend Innate Choice drops (you can get them in the office), but there are lots of good brands out there.
5. Probiotics – again, this is one of the few supplements we feel meet the body’s requirements for health. Your gut is the largest source of immune cells in your body. Your gut also has billions (maybe more!) of healthy probiotic organisms that help you fight invading bacteria and viruses. Like vitamin D, probiotic use is a long-term approach to staying healthy. The Innate Choice probiotic is available in the office, but any health food store will also carry many quality options.
If you have any questions, make sure you comment below, post on our Facebook page or ask me when you’re in for your next check.
If it’s been awhile or you’re new to Elevate Chiropractic, and you’re ready to have a health review and check, click below to book your appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!
http://www.elevatechiropractic.ca/contact-us/
Dr. Craig