How is chiropractic care a holistic practice?
A holistic health care practice is one that takes into consideration the physical, psychological and chemical aspects of one’s health to achieve true optimal health. Generally, a holistic practitioner works together with their patient to find the root cause of their problem to formulate a treatment plan that will help them to achieve a common health goal. They also assist their patients to achieve a proactive approach to their health by educating them on the need to maintain healthy lifestyle habits and regular check ups for prevention and early detection. To determine whether Chiropractic falls within this scope of practice, there need to be an understanding on the philosophy behind Chiropractic.
Chiropractic was founded on the scientific premise that the body is self regulating and self healing. To maintain the state of this innate intelligence in the body, Chiropractic focuses on the maintaining the relationship between the structure of the body (musculosketal system) and the function of the body (nervous system). This innate intelligence is governed by the nervous system which is made up of the brain, the spinal cord and all the nerves that stem from it. The nervous system is housed and protected by the skull, the spinal column and pelvis. Chiropractic theory explains that the accumulation of physical, emotional or chemical stresses on the body overtime causes dysfunction in the spinal bones or joints, which then subsequently creates pressure on the nerves that regulate these bodily functions. This dysfunction is called a “subluxation”. The subluxation distorts vital messages that get sent to and from the brain along the affected nerve, thus affecting the body’s ability to self-regulate and heal, which ultimately leads to pain, symptoms, dysfunction and disease. Chiropractors are well trained to find the subluxation and correct them through a specific force applied to the joints called an “adjustment” or what most patients have simply come to know as the “crack”. Once the structural and functional relationship of the body is restored, that’s when a strong foundation is created for achieving optimal health and healing. The goal is then to determine the cause of the patient’s subluxations and educate them on the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent them falling back into a state of poor health.
This allows you to understand how Chiropractic takes a proactive holistic approach in your health care because it assesses and considers all aspects of your lifestyle and tailors a unique approach to each individual to achieve optimal health. Your overall health is a product of your consistent habits, just like it took you many years of poor habits to reach poor health, it would take equally as long to reverse this and reach optimal health. It is never a quick fix, as health is a journey, not a destination. It requires persistence, consistency and patience. Keep in mind that progress rate is different for everyone, as your healing journey is never linear but always fluctuating, so be ready to take the first step and keep that momentum going or you will end up going around in circles.
Following on from this, it is now more important than ever to prioritise our health, especially in these tumultuous times with COVID-19. A strong immune system is the opitome of good health, which is a crucial aspect in the fight against viral diseases. So to leave you with some parting advice and tips to stay holistically healthy as the world is going through isolation, try regularly stretching and doing some light exercises at home or outside whether you have the necessary equipment or not, keep moving regularly, stay well hydrated, eat light regular balanced meals, supplement with the necessary vitamins and minerals, avoid purchasing unhealthy snacks and beverages, avoid staying on your devices too long, maintain adequate sleep, maintain healthy lifestyle habits, occasionally get some fresh air and sunlight, keep in contact with your friends and family with a call or text, inform someone immediately if you aren’t coping well emotionally and stay in check with your Chiropractor or health practitioner. This pandemic will soon be over so stay hopeful and have faith!
I hope this gives you clarity and insight into the Chiropractic world and inspires you to take action with your health.
Stay safe and be well.
Dr. Albert Huynh
Chiropractor
Body Align Recovery
