What Do Adjustments Do?

Probably the biggest chiropractic misconception revolves around the adjustment. Naturally, we chiropractors think the adjustment is pretty special. Along with sharing the principles of chiropractic it’s the most important thing we do.

Chiropractors understand that the underlying cause of many health problems is from nervous system disturbances along the spine. This often shows up as one or more spinal bones that are stuck and not moving correctly. Many think that a chiropractic adjustment puts the wayward bone back into its proper position with the bones above and below it.

It doesn’t work quite like that. If it did, all you’d need is just one adjustment!

Instead, consider this. Bones are static structures. They only move when acted upon by a muscle. And muscles only contract when commanded by your nervous system. That’s why chiropractic is actually about the quality of your nervous system, not the condition of your spinal column.

Your body does the actual healing. The energy I supply with the adjustment just helps things along. I use everything I know about anatomy, physiology and spinal biomechanics to partner with your body’s wisdom. Repeated visits help retrain muscles and with time, your body can “right” itself.

While it’s tempting for me to take credit for the amazing results I often see, it’s not me. I’m just the assistant.

You Are Not a Machine!

It’s convenient to think of our bodies as machines that take in energy and are able to perform millions of different tasks. Consider the increasingly sophisticated computers and robots that now do what humans previously did. Seeing ourselves as mere machines overlooks one critical difference. You and I are self healing. Machines aren’t.

It’s this self-healing capacity that intrigued the very first chiropractor. Why was it that one man would get sick, when another working beside him, exposed to the same germs did not?

This led D.D. Palmer to question the prevailing germ theory of the time. “It must not be the germ, but something intrinsic to the man,” he surmised.

This fear of germs still lingers in our culture. We mistakenly believe that killing germs will produce health. Yet, healthy individuals are perfectly equipped to handle just about any germ or virus that comes our way. In fact, your body is doing it right now without a single conscious thought from you.

Aren’t you glad you’re not a machine?

How Do You Spend Your Time?

What with fax machines, overnight delivery, drive up windows, microwave ovens, email and the like, it seems the latest time-saving technology does little more than increase expectations.

How we use time to fulfill our priorities can be a major source of stress. How you use this most precious of all resources reveals a lot about your purpose and what you value.

Many of us work 60- and 70-hours a week in the hopes of having a better life for our families. But our families hardly see us. Could it be that we actually find our work more rewarding and fulfilling than our families? Turns out that success, achievement and a sense of peace are not destinations. You can have them instantly by slowing down and counting your blessings. Embrace an attitude of gratitude. Check your priorities.

Stress is something we do to ourselves by what we think is important. And while chiropractic care can help each of us better accommodate stress, a better strategy is to slow down and make sure we’re investing our time in what’s really important.

What do you think is important?