You are born to live a life of vitality, strength, peace and happiness – you are supposed to be healthy your entire life. That life should be long and full of joy, excitement, pleasure and fulfillment. However, it does not always happen that way. Too many people are not living to their potential; they are living with physical and mental disease. It isn’t right. You have the potential for physical and mental health and you owe it to yourself to drink from that deep well.

What are some of the things you can do to reclaim health for yourself and your family to maintain your health throughout the years?

1. Stay subluxation – free.
The chiropractic profession discovered that internal structural distortions called subluxations can cause serious health problems. Subluxations stress your nervous system and interfere with communications among your organs, glands, muscles and other body parts – including your brain and your
immune system. Subluxations can be caused by any trauma: difficult birth, falls, accidents, emotional upset, chemical toxicity, overwork or a combination of factors - i.e. physical, chemical or emotional stress while you are tired, overworked or malnourished. In addition to all of the above, Chiropractic
can help everyone live a drug-free, healthy lifestyle.

2. Cleanse yourself of toxins.
To ensure perfect health, we need to keep our bodies free of toxins that can interfere with the function of our nerves, muscles, glands, tissues and cells. These toxins include mercury, aluminum, copper and other heavy metals found in vaccines and dental amalgams (“silver” fillings). Toxins can also
arise from dental infections, root canals, cigarettes and environmental pollution. A common source of toxic pollution is drugs, whether over-the-counter, prescribed or recreational. It is wise to limit drug use as much as possible. Read up on prescription medications you or your loved ones may be taking and discuss them and other options with your healthcare provider.

3. Stay hydrated.
Drinking alcohol, coffee, sugary soft drinks and even distilled water actually dries you out. Dehydration has been linked to depression, high blood pressure, disc problems, muscles weakness, heart problems, vision problems, fatigue, exhaustion and many other physical and mental conditions. Drinking good quality spring water or filtered water (you can add a dash of sea salt) is very good for you and necessary to prevent disease and maintain good health.

4. Stay physically active.
Your body was made for action. You played hard when you were a child – don’t stop. Good exercise makes your heart, lungs and other internal organs healthy and lengthens your life. The best exercise is intensive exercise (it gets your heart pumping and lungs working). As little as ten minutes of
intensive exercise (including rest breaks) per day is much more effective for weight loss, strength and lung and heart (cardiovascular) health than an hour of jogging. In fact, the latest research reveals that jogging damages your joints and weakens your heart and lungs reserve capacity. You don’t
have to be in overdrive mode all the time. A nice walk with a friend can also do wonders for your physical and mental health.

5. Get enough rest.
Sleep is a necessary ingredient to health. A great way to destroy your physical and mental health is to run yourself into the ground. You’ll be six feet under before your time. Insufficient sleep has been implicated in everything from cardiovascular disease to obesity to impaired immune response. It can also create stress, disrupt relationships, and make a person more accident prone.

6. Exercise your heart.
Your mind, heart and spirit need to be exercised just like your body. Keep the excitement of life’s potential alive. Meditate, pray, sit in the company of wise men and women, explore life’s mysteries and question blind devotion to authority and dogma. Discover the excitement of being alive. Take little steps at first, larger ones will follow.

7. Enjoy nourishing relationships.
This is perhaps the most important aspect of life and of health. Those in committed relationships live longer and are healthier. People who feel disconnected from others are sicker and die younger. The more connected you are the happier you are. Nourish deeper connections to family, friends and co-workers. Anger, fear, loneliness and disconnection weaken your immune system while emotions of gratitude and love are the most healing.

People sometimes ask how chiropractic can improve their health. The answers depend on whom you ask.
For some women menstrual and pregnancy problems have been resolved through Chiropractic. A mother whose child was helped may say that Chiropractic is for ear infections, asthma or colic. A teacher may say it has helped students with dyslexia, vision and learning disorders. Others may declare Chiropractic for back aches, disc problems, arthritis or high and low blood pressure. Chiropractic care connects people to their healing potential.