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We are all happy to put 2020 behind us and look forward to a much better 2021! Some things are outside of our control, but there is much we can do to ensure health and happiness in the new year. Last year taught us that healthy people, with well functioning immune systems, were able to bounce off the Covid-19 virus and not get sick or had fairly mild symptoms. Many of the underlying problems, that worsened the outcome and lead to serve illness, hospitalization or worse, are lifestyle related. Obviously we can’t change our age, since being older is one risk factors, but we can greatly affect our general health and strengthen our health and immune systems with some daily lifestyle changes. They are all simple, but require daily attention!

1. Eat right! Healthy, preferably organic foods nourish us, supports healthy body composition and ensures optimal function of all our body systems. Weight loss is usually the most common new years resolution. This year, setting a healthy weight goal and reaching it, is more important than ever. Being overweight is one of the major risk factors for disease and immune compromise, if attacked by Covid-19 or any future virus.
2. Take vitamins and supplements that are known to increase health and boost immune function! Vitamin D3, Vitamin C and Zinc are important. A good multivitamin, Omega 3 fish oils and calcium are basics that everyone need in todays world.
3. Exercise daily! Even a half hour walk or why not enjoy the Minnesota snow and ice and go skiing, snowshoeing, or skating! These are great ways to both get exercise and fresh air!
4. Sleep 7-8 hours a night! Sleep is important for our bodies to rest and rejuvenate. Melatonin, that is naturally produced in our bodies during sleep, is an important factor in immune function. Melatonin is also the precursor to Serotonin. If you tend to suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) during the darker time of the year, sleep is even more important to help manufacture the building block to the “Happiness hormone”!
5. Water intake! A simple role of thumb is 8 glasses a day. Even slight dehydration makes your organs function less efficiently, makes you less focus and increases depression.
6. Regular elimination! If you follow the above outlined lifestyle this will take care of itself! Constipation or other bowel issue are almost always the result of an unhealthy lifestyle.
7. Get regular chiropractic care to eliminate any painful or restricted joint problems promote healthy body mobility and a body free from nerve interference. A well adjusted body is a healthy, happy body!

Chiropractic is the second largest healing art in the United States and is also a growing profession in the rest of the world.  Chiropractors go through the same rigorous education as a medical doctor but with an emphasis on natural healing instead of pharmaceuticals.  Chiropractors are licensed primary health care physicians in all 50 states and have the same level of responsibilities as a primary medical physician (M.D.) or osteopath (D.O.)

Chiropractic was founded in Davenport Iowa by Dr. D.D. Palmer in 1895.  Over the past 100 some years it has developed and changed, like medicine, but the main premise of chiropractic remains the same: If we have a fully functioning nervous system, the body is able to coordinate all its functions, self-correct and adapt to the environment.

The nervous system: the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves is the master control and coordination system that regulates all other systems in the body: your digestive system, respiratory system circulation system, immune system etc.

If your brain, which is an amazing “computer”, can properly detect and coordinate all body functions, the body will be healthy and all is well.

So why do chiropractors focus on the spine?  Your spinal cord in the “Super highway” of constant communication between the brain and the peripheral nerves, that has exits between all your 24 vertebrae and branches out to every cell of your body.

If there are misalignments of the vertebrae (Chiropractors call these subluxations) pressure or irritation can occur to the nerves, where they exit the spine.  This can, of course, at times cause pain, but it can also block the nerve flow information to and from the brain, kind of like a kink in a water hose, the water can’t get through or is limited to a trickle.

Just as a water hose with a kink can’t do a good job watering a lawn, and the grass will dry out, a “kinked” nerve will not be able to feed information from the brain to the organs or tissues it supplies.  Consequently, that part of the body will function less well and disease can develop.