As chiropractors we deal on a regular basis with peoples’ spine and spine related issues. Over the years we have given advice on how to look after your spine so that it can in turn look after you. We have narrowed it down to a number of things that people can do a regular basis to help keep their spine healthy and happy. These are not fool proof and don’t guarantee you won’t encounter any issues relating to your spine, however we have found these few points to be really effective in helping existing clients maintain and keep their spines healthy and happy.
- Exercise regularly
The recommended level of exercise is 30 – 60 minutes a day. Whether you prefer to do that through structured exercise classes, walking, running or playing a team sports. It doesn’t matter as long as you move and increase your heart rate daily. Exercise will ensure you capture the proper movement of the spine which will enable it to remain healthy.
- Proper nutrition
Getting a good balance diet of Protein, carbohydrates and fats will ensure you are fuelling your body properly. Avoiding processed and packaged foods is key to this. Another really important factor is the consumption of water. The long held adage of 8 glasses a day is all you need has now been superseded with the proper calculated amount which is 25ml per kilogram of body weight per day.
- Sleep/recovery
There’s has been enormous amount of information regarding the importance of sleep and how it helps in maintaining and improving the health of your body and your spine. Research now knows that we have to have 8 hours of quality sleep that allows us to move through all stages of our sleep cycle in order to keep our body and spine healthy on the inside. Sleep is when we allow our body to reset, heal and grow from all the activities and stress that we normally accumulate throughout the course of a day, especially those associated with our spines such as sitting, standing, lifting etc.
- Positive mindset
Having a good attitude towards life is not only beneficial to our emotional wellbeing but also translates to our physical wellbeing. We encourage our practice members to keep a daily diary of gratitude. We know that if we look for the blessings in our lives on a regular basis we generally have a more uplifting and positive vibe about our own life and that in turn helps others around us.
- Optimal functioning spine and nervous system
It goes without saying that keeping the spine healthy and happy is key to one’s wellbeing. This is where the power of the chiropractic adjustment comes into play. Having a spine that is moving in a biomechanically sound way will ensure the surrounding neural tissue will function more optimally and allow the person to operate at their best. So remember to keep up with regular chiropractic adjustments.
