Regardless of what numerous spa and beauty ads tell us, self-care isn’t an indulgence. It’s also not strictly limited to women. And, you don’t have to be floating in extra cash to claim this important practice as your own. In fact, when you really unwrap what self-care is, you’ll see that is actually an important life discipline. That’s because practicing self-care causes us to look at our priorities and adjust or rebalance as needed.
Some good examples of self-care might be taking a relaxing bubble bath or going to a spa to get a massage. But there are also some practical day-to-day practices. This includes:
- turning off the show you’re marathon watching so you can get up for an early morning workout
- paying off that credit card rather than booking a fun trip
- saying no to doing something you don’t have time to do just to make someone else happy
However, few self-care practices are more effective at helping your rebalance than chiropractic care. Here’s why you should look at adding regular chiropractic adjustments to your self-care routine.
#1: Chiropractic care helps you look and feel younger.
Chiropractic care helps you improve your posture which is a tried and true method for looking and feeling younger. But it also helps improve these three foundation blocks of self-care: sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
Feel refreshed with better sleep.
Chiropractic care can help improve your sleep by reducing your body’s production of cortisol (the stress hormone). In fact, this study shows that every time you get adjusted by a chiropractor, your cortisol levels decrease! Chiropractic adjustments can also help decrease your risk of sleep apnea by relieving tension in your neck and stabilizing the tissues in the area to promote better breathing. Once the quality of your sleep is improved, it’s up to you to carve out enough time for improving the quantity. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night to keep your body and mind functioning at their best.
Kick your exercise routine into a higher gear.
Chiropractic care also helps keep your body moving freely, and with little to no pain. That is a great motivator when it comes to kicking your exercise routine up a gear. But back pain, neck pain, and other injuries aren’t the only things that can keep people from following through with an exercise routine. Another big culprit that takes down many is aches and pains caused by inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s response to injuries, illnesses, and toxins. Studies show that chiropractic can reduce that. By making sure your spine and joints are aligned, your nerves function as they should and your body’s biomechanics are able to return to normal. It also stops the production of neuropeptides in your body, which can help reduce inflammation.
Fill in any nutrition gaps.
AlignLife Chiropractors educate and promote total body wellness to patients. That’s why nutrition is an important component they look at when assessing your symptoms and helping you outline your health goals. Your AlignLife Chiropractor can test and uncover any nutritional deficiencies your body has, walk you through how it’s impacting your health, and create a customized nutrition program that can help you correct or fill any gaps your current diet has.
#2: Chiropractic care gets you back to doing more of what you love.
If you’re looking at some different ways to practice self-care, easing pain should top your list. A visit with your local chiropractor can help you move better and be more active. This could mean doing something extreme like spending the weekend hiking and biking or a basic day-to-day activity like doing yard work or playing with your kids and grandkids.
But helping people relieve pain relief is not the only thing chiropractic care does. At AlignLife, one of the key goals for patients is to make sure the body is functioning at its best. While your AlignLife Chiropractor will never say they can treat or cure you of a certain health condition, it’s important to note that many common health symptoms people go to the doctor for or are currently taking medicine for can be helped by getting your spine regularly aligned.
The reason for this is that misalignments or subluxations cause static in the signals your central nervous system sends out to the rest of your body. This can cause problems or “symptoms” with your digestive system, heart health, immune function, and more! So if you’re dealing with nagging aches and pains or even a list of “symptoms” you just can’t find relief from, make an appointment to see your chiropractor and ask how they can help get you back to doing more of the activities you love!
#3: Chiropractic care helps you be healthier and stronger.
No, chiropractic is not a cure-all solution, but it is one of the most holistic wellness plans out there. An important part of any good self-care routine should include tools that will help you achieve your health goals. The reason chiropractic is such a great wellness plan is that it believes in giving your body what it needs to heal itself from the inside out. What does that mean for you? Well first, while some prescription medications can and do help, they shouldn’t be looked at as the only solution as they may not always be needed. It also means that when you visit your AlignLife center, you can expect them to look at your whole body health… working to fix the root of your problems, not just your symptoms.
Looking for more ways to practice self-care?
In addition to going to see your AlignLife Chiropractor, you can also try out these self-care practices to help enhance your chiropractic treatments:
1) Drink enough water.
Yes, water… not coffee, not tea, not soda. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces a day for basic wellness and nutrition. But what you may not know is that chugging water after your chiropractic treatments is also important. The reason behind this is that proper hydration helps your body remove toxins from the body. When you get an adjustment, the toxins that have been building up in your body due to the misalignment are released. Drinking more water helps your body flush out these toxins faster and reduce any mild side effects your body might feel after the adjustment.
2) Take regular stretch breaks.
Simply getting up from your desk (or couch) every hour will help you reset your posture and stretch out your muscles. If your schedule can swing it, you might even consider going on a short walk to stretch your muscles. This all-too-overlooked self-care practice is a great way to keep your body active and moving fluidly throughout the day.
3) Stay positive!
Telling yourself you can’t do something is the quickest way to failure. If you stay positive and surround yourself with other positive people, you’ll be able to stay on track with your health goals and make the healthy lifestyle changes your body has been craving.
Want to learn more about how chiropractic care can help you?
Talk with your local AlignlLife chiropractor about how we can help you reach your health goals through regular chiropractic care, proper nutrition, and living a life you love.
