Weekly Wellness News

October 22, 2007

Feature: Crack Me, Doc!

I am quite limber, and the muscles in my back are loose and relaxed. This is good: I don't store tension there the way I used to and the way most people do. However, it also means that my spine is more free than most to do it's own thing.

Some people swear by accupuncture. For others, it's massage. For me, chiropractic is the doorway to more energy and less discomfort. I have seen a chiropractor somewhat regularly for years. I have a few spots that are always out of alignment, and a few others that generally need maintenance every month or so. I haven't yet found a chiropractor in my new home, and I'm starting to feel the effects.

When vertebrae are misaligned, they pinch against the nerves passing between and through them. In severe cases, the nerve function is entirely cut off, and we lose body function (paralysis from a broken back is a clear example). In less severe cases, nerve function remains but is diminished to some extent. This might manifest as numbness in some part of the body, or slower reflexes in localized areas, or inefficient digestion, or reduced sexual function. Additionally, when the body has to work harder to send signals everywhere, fatigue becomes an issue... the brain simply has to work harder to do the same job.

Chiropractors have a seemingly simple task: keep the vertebrae aligned. They are fighting an enormous battle, however, because we all intentionally do things that misalign our backs. We slouch, we hunch, and we fall asleep in strange places (recliner, couch, airplane seat, office desk... who's not guilty of at least one?). Add to that all the stress we put ourselves under and it's amazing our backs are able to function at all.

Proper stretching and strength training will help the back stay aligned in the first place. Even then, sometimes it just pops a little out of whack. Whether it's an accident (falling, a fender-bender, over-reaching for that tennis shot) or unconscious choices (bad posture, poor sleeping location), the back just needs the occasional check-up. A good chiropractor will spend a few minutes checking out your back, checking the muscles for tension and the spine for alignment. Then he or she will apply pressure in a few places, and after a little relaxing stretching, you're done.

It only takes a few minutes, and you'll feel your energy increase and your attitude sweeten. Think of it like an oil-change for your car: it's a quick, regular maintenance that can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. If you haven't seen your chiropractor lately, do yourself a favor and get a quick adjustment.

And if anyone knows where to find a chiropractor in Sachang-li, South Korea, drop me a line.

Other news

• I'm shocked... Shocked, I tell you! Fast food salt levels 'shocking' [news.bbc.co.uk]
• More shocks: Sandwiches 'rival crisps on salt' [news.bbc.co.uk]
• And a salty aftertaste: Warning over hidden salt in foods [news.bbc.co.uk]

From the editor

Ugh. I still haven't gotten my feedback form fixed. It's a simple thing, and I have just been so swamped with 'important' items that I haven't been able to attend to it.

Sorry last week's issue went out so late. A problem at my maillist server led to a delay of almost a day. I think many of you received two copies of the issue, too. My apologies for the wasted bandwidth.

Things are returning to normal, and hopefully the glitches will be a thing of the past soon.

Here's hoping your life isn't quite as discombobulated as mine...

Healthy thoughts,
Jeff

Copyright 2007, Jeffrey Eliasen.
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