Spring is right around the corner and that means it is time to do some spring cleaning. With that, I feel that it is also important to make time to clean up our lifestyle and to make sure you and your family are healthy! But what does that mean? Well, I am sure you know all about eating right and exercising, but what about being truly healthy.
What does it mean to be truly healthy? According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. So, what that means is that you or your child may appear to be healthy, but that may not actually be the case. What I want to share with you are 6 silent signs that your family may not actually be as healthy as what you think…
I want you to promise me that once you know this information, you will act on it! Once you know better, you must do better!
So here they are:
1. DIFFICULTY SLEEPING
When our bodies are healthy, we sleep well, wake up feeling rested and energized for the day, but when we are not, we may be tired, feel run down, and not have energy to play with our kids the way we would like. When we let this go on for too long, we are no longer able to think clearly and then when we get into a stressful situation (maybe your child has a rough day, you burn dinner, or your boss is being unreasonable) lack of sleep only makes these events more dramatic.
2. POOR POSTURE
Without changing your position, I want you to take a deep breath in and see how long you can hold it…. 30, 45, 60 seconds? Now, sit up nice and straight with your shoulders back, and take a deep breath in and see how long you can hold it? Could you hold longer? That is because you have better posture and your lungs are able to hold more oxygen! Your posture affects much more than your ability to breathe, it affects your digestive and cognitive function, and also your appearance!
3. WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM
Oh, this lovely flu that has been going around and around this year… how many of you have struggled to get over it in a reasonable time frame? When the body is healthy, a signal is received about an “invader” and then your glands are told to release antibodies to eliminate the problem. But when we are unhealthy, these signals are not noticed, and the immune system is not activated at 100%, which leads to symptoms appearing, and sometimes staying around for long periods of time! Not fun, especially when your child has a chronic runny nose and cough!
4. BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS
Do you feel foggy, unable to focus? Does your child have attention problems, maybe act out more than you think they should? This could partially be caused by the body needing to work to overcome your primitive reflexes that should have disappeared when you were a young baby. When they are still around, our brains need to work twice as hard and this can lead to a lot of cognitive/behavioral problems. These issues can also be related to our diet and are a sign that our body is not working quite the way it should be.
5. RESPIRATORY ALLERGIES
Have you ever wondered why some people are more sensitive to dust, dander and pollen than others? Some people can barley go outside when the trees are blooming while others enjoy a wonderful picnic under a flowering tree! Which are you? I have always thought, if this person can handle it, then why can’t another? It is the way that our body processes these fibers and some people find them to be “invaders”, while others see them for what they are - dust, dander and pollen. When the body is healthy, it knows what a true invader is and does not put up its high defense response to the dust, dander and pollen!
6. DIGESTION PROBLEMS
Dealing with a little one that has not had a bowel movement in a few days is not a fun task! And honestly, dealing with an adult that has not had a bowel movement in a few days is not either… Digestion is how our body utilizes what we need and gets rid of the excess. When we are healthy, we process our food properly and have frequent BMs. But when we are not, we may have infrequent BMs, have gas/bloating, and may have reflux issues. Not a fun way to live life!
So, if you have difficulty sleeping, notice that your posture is not quite like it should be, maybe your child is still trying to get over that cold, you may be lacking mental clarity, dreading the upcoming season change due to the increase in pollen or are tired of dealing with a colicky baby, let us know! Chiropractic care, along with a few small lifestyle changes can positively impact your health and we would love to serve you and your family!
You now know better, go ahead and do better! This means having your child, your spouse or even yourself evaluated by a chiropractor. And don’t forget about your friends- who wants to see them struggle with these issues? I know I hate seeing unhealthy people, especially when I know what can help them live a healthier life!
So back to the spring cleaning… Below you will find a wonderful handout on how to Clean Green! I hope you enjoy and happy cleaning and Happy Spring!
