By Scott Kuper, DC
The arrival of the winter months means two big things to all of us. First and foremost, winter brings the happiness that is brought through family and friends and the traditions of the holiday season. Secondly, winter brings cold and flu season, along with a lot of holiday stress that leaves us more vulnerable to getting sick. We at Body Logic want to make sure that all of our patients stay healthy enough to enjoy all of the happiness this time of year has to offer.
Chiropractic manipulation is designed to improve the function of your joints, thereby decreasing abhorrent activity in the nervous system. One portion of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system controls involuntary actions of the body such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and immunity. The autonomic nervous system is connected to the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and bone marrow, all of which are responsible for producing the body’s immune response to infection and disease. By regulating the function of the nervous system through chiropractic adjustments, the immune system can perform its job at a higher capacity.
As far back as 1975, the chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute Ronald Pero, Ph.D. conducted research which concluded that chiropractic patients have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care. In 1992 clinical research proved that when an adjustment was applied to a restricted thoracic joint, white blood cell counts rose significantly which lets the body fight off infection better. So getting a chiropractic adjustment regularly not only helps you move better with less pain, it also helps you stay healthy from the inside out. This is especially important at this time of year, when we all are feeling run down and germs seem to spread like crazy.
This week most people are still recovering from consuming all of that delicious turkey and stuffing. A lot of people also take the long weekend as an opportunity to bring decorations out of the attic, clean the gutters, and string lights both inside and outside of their house. Each year Amanda and I see an increase in acute musculoskeletal pains related to patients exerting themselves in ways that are unique to this time of year. Chiropractic treatment can help with those issues while simultaneously giving your immune system a boost.
Massage can also be a great relief to both the mental and physical stresses brought on by the holidays. Massage can decrease fatigue from late nights wrapping presents, alleviate sluggish digestion brought on by all the delicious cookies, cheese platters, and tasty seasonal brews, and can work out those kinks we all get from traveling “over the river and through the woods” to celebrate with loved ones.
Whether you need a massage to get a break from it all, an adjustment to fix an ache or pain, or take some preventative measures to maintain a strong and healthy immune system, the staff at Body Logic is here to help you be your best through the winter season. So call the office today to schedule an appointment, and feel free to ask us any questions you may have about how we can help you personally.
References:
Kent, Christopher. Models of Vertebral Subluxation: A Review. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. August 1996, Vol 1:1. Pg 4-5
Sternberg EM, Chrousos GP, Wilder RL, Gold PW. The stress response and the regulation of inflammatory disease. Ann Intern Med 1992; 117 (10):854
Brennan PC, Triano JJ, McGregor M, et al. Enhanced neutrophil respiratory burst as a biological marker for manipulation forces: duration of the effect and association with substance P and tumor necrosis factor. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1992; 15(2):83