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Foundations for Optimal Health: Energy

By Dr. Molly Casey

Foundations for Optimal Health: Energy

Where does your health trip you up? At some point we’ve all perceived there is that one thing we could shift that would make all else different. Do you pigeon hole your health to one problem? Do you get caught up in articles on the super foods, or (finally) this newly found condition/diagnosis that must be what you’ve really been dealing with all along, or the magic bullet exercise that is the answer to all your body/fitness struggles?

This is the fourth article in a series discussing the cornerstones of health and how shifting your focus to these cornerstones will change your health, your life and the way you deal with both. The first cornerstone of health is a properly functioning Central Nervous System, the second is learning to feed your cells and detox your body, the third is proper sleep and the fourth—well, read on folks, that’s where we are today.

Cornerstone No. 4: Cultivate and Move Energy

We are made up of energy—all things and beings are. That’s basic science. It’s easy to forget, sometimes it’s difficult to truly comprehend, what that means and it’s often hard to make sense of what role energy really plays in our health and wellness. Sometimes it’s easier to explain and understand on a bigger scale. Cities feel different right? Los Angeles has a very different feeling than New York and New York has a different feeling than Boston or Seattle or London or the small town in the middle of Nebraska. It’s because they have different energy. On a large scale, if the city weren’t cared for, nurtured with civil servants cleaning and keeping it safe, as well as citizens being engaged and doing their part, the energy of the city would drastically change. It would become stagnant and stale and eventually unsafe. We humans are exactly the same in that we carry different energy. And just like anything else in life, if you don’t cultivate or nurture and move it, our bodies become stagnant and unhealthy.

The energy that exists within us—when it ceases to exist, we cease to exist. Different cultures or groups have different names for this energy. Chiropractors call it innate intelligence, other names are chi/qi, vital force or life force energy. So how do we cultivate or nurture it and move it? It’s easy, we move our breath and our body and do things that make us feel alive.

Moving Your Breath

We examined the proper breathing technique in Part 2 of our discussion focusing on “Nutrients In, Toxins Out.” Not only is this important for feeding the cells and detoxing the body, but also for proper movement of the life force energy that makes you up and is a foundation of your health. Think of it this way: Breathing helps you air out and clean your energetic house; it’s imperative for your health.

Moving Your Energy

Your body is an energetic mass made of smaller energetic particles so regularly moving your body is a must for moving energy. There are two ways to do this. The first, which I recommend most highly, is to incorporate into your daily life a regular practice that was originally created with the intention of moving the life force energy within us—qigong (pronounced chee-kung), tai chi and yoga. These practices don’t need to be the only thing you do for moving your body but should be part of your routine. Five to 10 minutes of tai chi per day, every day can cause significant shifts in one’s life and health. The addition of three yoga practices weekly into your regular exercise routine will shift your health and your body, five will shift your life.

The second way is simply to bring the idea or intention of moving that life force energy within you, into your daily exercise routine. People generally go to exercise with a goal of becoming more fit, losing weight, gaining muscle and so on; rarely is the foundational intention of moving energy a part of it. So if you are absolutely against adding something different into your exercise routine, just bring that intention into your current routine. The funny thing is doing this, I put money on the fact you will eventually add those other options in as well.

Have fun. Engage in things in your life that make you feel alive. Many of us move through life the way we believe we are supposed to. Let me tell you folks, there is no “supposed to.” There are no rules. This is all up to you. So stop moving through life continually participating with people and things that simply drain your energy. Get out there and feel alive, even if just one time per week, whatever that looks like for you—maybe it’s hanging with your friends, getting outside for some alone time, or a day at the spa. Think of the last time you did this and how you felt after—rejuvenated, right? More alive? Happier? Like you could breathe a little easier? It’s because you cultivated and moved energy, your energy.

The Foundations of Optimal Health

In summary, have your spine adjusted by a doctor of chiropractic for a properly functioning nervous system, feed your cells and detox your body, start getting proper sleep, and cultivate and move energy. Shift your attention to these cornerstones of health and away from the symptom-based approaches and I promise you your life and health will improve. You will thrive. Here’s to the health and happiness meant for you!

 

About the Author: Dr. Molly Casey is a Doctor of Chiropractic who practices in the Los Angeles area. She works twice a week at The Joint’s Glendale, CA clinic.

 

 

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