The term “wellness” is becoming common and being used by many holistic care groups to describe the type of care they are offering. Merriam Webster defines wellness as “the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.” From Wikipedia, we read, “Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well- being…In other words, wellness is a view of health that emphasizes the state of the entire being and its ongoing development.”

The Importance of Chiropractic

A few years ago, the ICPA sent out a survey to its members asking for the reasons why parents bring their children to chiropractors. The number one reason reported was “wellness.” Parents are recognizing the importance of chiropractic care and the significant role it plays in the family wellness lifestyle.

The Nervous System’s Role

Let’s look more closely how your doctor of chiropractic contributes to your family wellness. Back to basic chiropractic science, the adjustment reduces nerve system stress allowing the body to function in a greater state of health. As the nerves in your spine regain proper function, all systems of the body are improved. This is because the brain and nervous system is considered the master control system of the entire body. It orchestrates and regulates all other body systems. There is no question that optimal health is dependent on the best performance of the nervous system.

We also know that when our nervous system is healthier, our minds function more efficiently as well. In chiropractic, our specific work with spinal nerves has a significant effect on the way we think and behave. An overloaded, ill functioning nervous system cannot handle additional physical or emotional stress. Pathways has published many articles supporting the positive effect the chiropractic adjustment has had on people’s thoughts and feelings. In one issue, a young boy diagnosed with ADHD said this to his mother about the adjustment, “it takes the noise out of my head.” How profound is his statement in realizing the direct correlation between a healthy nervous system and the ability to think and feel clearly?

So too, our feelings and attitudes have a direct correlation to the function of our nervous system. Current science is demonstrating the direct relationship between our thoughts and feelings and our nervous system performance. In other words, feelings of despair and hopelessness create a stress overload and as we’ve discussed, an overloaded nervous system creates malfunction in our bodies.

The chiropractic philosophy of health is: recognition, respect and trust in the body’s innate purpose to heal and be well. Understanding this empowering view of health is a huge benefit to reducing stress to the nervous system when feelings of despair and fear about healing are replaced with hope and confidence. Current scientific studies are showing us that hope and confidence are essential feelings for true and lasting healing and wellness.

Chiropractic care is pioneering the wellness movement because of its unique ability to enhance the performance of our nervous system on both of these levels. Join the many families who have made chiropractic care the largest natural healing movement today.

Modified excerpt from Nerve System Function Wellness