YOU healthcare........literally!

Modern western health care is truly amazing. We now have the ability to read volumes of information from our DNA. We can do microscopic surgeries to correct problems unheard of just a decade ago. All sorts of bacteria and viruses can be identified and drugs tailored to target them. Many one-in-a-million diseases and conditions have been studied and can now be controlled with specialized drugs or equipment. Almost everyday, reports come out with some new innovation or "cure" to some previously ominous problem. I am awed and have great respect for those pioneers that push the limits of knowledge, always seeking the answer to the next great dilemma.

With all of the high tech science appearing everyday, it is no surprise that most people feel like it's way above their heads to take care of themselves or their families. Medical doctors are societies brightest and most dedicated people on earth....right? How could we ever be able to know enough to even try and take care of our own health? It's not surprising that most people feel completely overwhelmed when it comes to health care.

When I was in chiropractic college, I had a professor that would always remind us "common things happen commonly"; meaning that the majority of ailments we would see in our practice would be the same things over and over. It's not to say that we should ignore the potential of "the bad stuff", but most of the health problems people experience today are due to things that are common and predictable. Humans have changed very little over the last centuries. The basics are still the same.

When it comes to ways we become ill there are just 3 major categories of dysfunction: mechanical, chemical and emotional.

The mechanical aspect is what my patients hear me discuss the most. We are human machines and must be tuned and lubed just like any other machine. When properly aligned, the machine runs smoothly and lasts as long as possible. Chiropractic adjustments, exercise, and good body ergonomics are the basics in dealing with our body the machine. Carrying extra body weight is also a major factor. Just a few excess pounds can have a very negative effect. When added to every step you take, it can age your back, knees and feet at an accelerated rate, causing your joints to wear down early with degenerative arthritis. The extra weight is also a stress on your heart, digestion and quality of life.

Chemistry consists of the air, food and water we take in. Eat real food in moderate portions is really all it takes. The author, Richard Passwater, had two simple rules - If it wasn't around in its present form 100 years ago, don't eat it - and.... Only eat foods on the perimeter of the grocery store. These two rules just about cover it all. Real fruits, vegetables, meats and grains are what we are designed to run on and they tend to not be found on your grocery isles. In this day and age, we need to add vitamins and minerals to our diet. To make it simple, start with a good digestible, high B vitamin content, multi-vitamin mineral tablet (women with iron, men without iron). Everyone should take an essential fatty acid (eg. fish oil) capsule. I also now think that most of us need to add vitamin D3 to our diet also. Once you have taken these for a while, you may need to tailor your supplements a little more to fit your specific weaknesses.

Emotional health is also extremely important. I truly feel that most of lifes emotional issues could be remedied if the mechanical and chemical aspects of our life were in check. If we feel better, we are better. If we are in better shape, we have a better outlook, are more productive and can participate in life. If we have good nutrients and vitamins in our system, our nervous system and organs work better allowing us to see the world as it is and focus on the positives. I have seen numerous cases where people were said to be depressed, anxious and mentally "ill" respond very well to proper nutrients. When the brain is healthy and happy, we see the world in the same way.

So many of the "common" problems we have could be greatly reduced if we follow the above hints. Problems like: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, degenerative arthritis, some mental issues, and even some cancers, could be greatly reduced without having to be the smartest person in the world. Eat real food in modest portions, take basic vitamins and minerals, be active.

Sound simple? Quite frankly, it really is. You do have the ability to greatly effect yours and your families health. YOU healthcare....go for it.