1. Exercise - Exercise has been proven to reduce heart disease and cancer, improve circulation, increase energy, and even improve brain function. For example, incidence of breast cancer in women is 30% less likely if they exercise 3 hours per week. The incidence of breast cancer drops by 60% if they exercise just one hour more per week. Engage in a regular exercise program to promote better health
2. Nutrition/Diet - Studies show that we are not getting the nutrition we need from the foods that we eat. For example, spinach once contained 158 mg of iron per 100g. Today it contains only 2.2 mg of iron for the same serving due to soil degradation. Nutritionists strongly urge vitamin supplements and organic, non-processed foods to ensure better health.
3. Medical/Chemical - More than 2 billion prescriptions are written each year. The pharmaceutical industry is a $49 billion industry, causing 119,000 accidental deaths due to side effects from prescription drugs. 8.8 million hospitalizations occur each year as a result of adverse side effects to prescription drugs. Ask a lot of questions before putting prescription drugs into your system. What is the drug supposed to do? How does it work? Are there potential side effects?
4. Surgery- There are 50 million surgeries per year. Studies revealed that 30% (15 million) of these operations are unnecessary. Again, ask a lot of questions and always seek an independent, second opinion before proceeding with surgery.
5. Emotional/Mental - Some healthcare practitioners believe that all disease is caused by some emotional "dis-ease" (stress, depression, low self esteem, anger, etc.). Consider lifestyle or emotional changes as a way to promote better health.
6. Biomechanical/Structural - The spine has 24 moveable segments that hold and protect the spinal cord. Stress can cause asymmetric tightening of the muscles which can help pull joints out of alignment. Life’s physical traumas, accidents, improper bending, lifting, and even poor posture can all contribute to misalignment of the spinal column. Just like life’s physical and emotional pressures can cause misalignment of the spine, there are practitioners who can help correct or adjust these misalignments. If an injury can push a vertebrae out of alignment, it is perfectly logical that a highly trained spinal expert can "push" the vertebrae back into alignment (this simplifies the concept but makes the point).
Just as we go to a dentist to care for our teeth, millions of people every year receive spinal examinations and treatments. Spinal adjustments are a non-surgical, non-chemical (drugs) way of helping your body function at peak performance. Chiropractors are the doctors who specialize in spinal adjustments and treatment of related problems. People are seeking more natural alternatives for treating and improving health. Multi-discipline clinics, integrating chiropractic, nutrition, medicine, and other medical and homeopathic alternatives, are sprouting up all across America. People are becoming better consumers of healthcare.
Today, 9 out of 10 people will die from heart disease or cancer, and 68% of cancers are self inflicted from lifestyle choices (smoking, lack of exercise, etc.). A "Health Orientation" means that you are proactive about your health, rather than reactive. Don't wait for a problem before you take care of yourself. Regular spinal check-ups can help with a myriad of potential problems.
