free lessons from a chiropractor

In 61 years I've never been to a chiropractor, but started going two weeks ago. I'm sold!! It's so helpful and I'm feeling better.

1. I'm thinking more about my posture, especially with keeping head located over spine, instead of jutting forward like a turtle. (Isn't that what we look like when we sit at the computer? Our heads come forward. He said today that the average human head weighs about 10-11 pounds. He said to imagine 5 lb bags of sugar--two of them, perched above your spinal column. They can either be supported by the strong backbone--good alignment---or they can jut forward creating pain in all those places. You got it….back of neck, shoulders.

2. He's much more interested in maintaining a healthy body through nutrition and good supplements, rather than prescription drugs. He's not against prescriptions, he just thinks that we can minimize their use if we take care of ourselves.

3. He's working on great gut bacteria (eewwww!). Probiotics are great, magnesium is essential. But those yucky foods (sugars, processed foods, too much white wheat) just crowd out the good bacteria. Eating sugar, or foods that immediately turn into sugar in your body, is a lot like throwing fertilizer all over the bad bacteria in your gut. Then the good ones don't stand a chance. In just 2 weeks, my insides feel a lot happier---all from probiotics and magnesium and watching the diet.

4. I've been doing exercises that are harmful to me (with a lumbar area that is practically straight instead of curved, and arthritic deterioration going on.)
---kettle bells are out for now.
--lifting bar bells is not good for me
--seated hand weight exercises are good. I can bicep curl or overhead press 20 pounders, but I shouldn't lift that from the ground.
--planks, pushups are good
--Yoga back bridge is fantastic--strengthens core and glutes and is spine friendly. Planks are fine.
--sit-ups, crunches, even bicycles for abs ---all not good for now

I've often wondered why my strength exercise program is so stop-and-go. I keep hurting myself, then take a few days to recover, then those few days turn into a month (whoops.) I've got to exercise more intelligently. Walking, biking, and elliptical (all of which I love) are completely fine for aerobics. Even swimming isn't good for me, even though in general swimming is great for arthritis. Too much pressure on the shoulders and neck. Maybe later.


Anyway, it's a real eye-opener to me to have a doctor that is so focused on nutrition and wellness. I do love my regular doctor too, but it's refreshing to have somebody try to figure out the problem rather than immediately writing another prescription.