Focusing on Wellness May Lead You to Your Chiropractor
We all read a lot of health and wellness news, because that really is where the future is headed for all of us. We all know there is no percentage in getting stuck in junk food, binge drinking, or smoking. And most of us have the best of intentions to head in the other direction. But how do we get there?
How much do we really know about wellness?
And more important, what do we do first to make it happen? SpineHealth has boiled down the definition of wellness as a balanced diet, appropriate exercise and physical activity, restful sleep and positive lifestyle changes.
Getting specific, look at work posture and the load on the spine that we often feel as we sit in slumped, fixed positions for long periods of time. Fix it with ergonomic office chairs, good posture, and lots of breaks. Moving on to exercise avoid loss of range of motion with stretching exercises and maintaining regular 30 minute a day exercise stints. Then they point to nutrition, diet and weight loss. Extra weight stresses the back and creates back pain. A healthy diet provides crucial nutrients for body strength.
Sleep is equally important. Insomnia shows up with pain or neck pain. Get a good mattress, pillow and sleeping quarters. Finally, use yoga, pilates or tai chi to learn good body alignment and destress. Not smoking is critical. Smokers are susceptible to back pain and it is especially harmful to spinal fusion procedures.
Visiting the Chiropractor
If the essentials of wellness make sense, but you would like more individual guidance, your chiropractor may be an excellent place to start. The chiropractor sees good and bad practices every day and can quickly steer you away from poor choices.
The initial visit will start with a spinal manipulation to evaluate spinal health. Then a complete medical history review and discussion of daily activities will follow. The chiropractor’s goal is to maintain normal activity levels and seek to reduce pain without using medications or surgery. Along the way is ultimate goal will be helping you achieve the best possible wellness for you and your family. As the summer goes on the chiropractor can be a valuable resource on ways to be make the most of the season but still stay safe. Also any injuries can be treated early before they become chronic.
Make it a point to check in and set up a regular calendar of appointments now.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Ian D. Keating