This great blog comes to us from Dr. Kyle. Though getting adjusted this season seems like an additional stress, the benefits your adjustment will bring greatly outweigh the trouble of coming to the office.
1. Getting adjusted boosts your immune system.
The winter months are a common time for people to get sick. With people spending more time indoors and in closer quarters, germs get passed on more easily In addition, we tend to eat more unhealthy foods and have higher stress, both of which will decrease immune function, making us more likely to get sick. However, getting adjusted on a regular basis will help to boost your immune system, helping prevent any holiday sickness from occurring. A literature review done in 2016 in The Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found chiropractic adjustments to increase the activity of T-cells, which are the immune system cells responsible for fighting off pathogens1. Next time you feel a sickness coming on, be sure to get adjusted to help boost your first line of defense!
2. Getting adjusted regulates metabolism
Making adjustments to the spine helps to balance your autonomic nervous system, which is the system responsible for regulating all of your involuntary organ functions in your body. Chiropractors focus on balancing this nervous system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for resting and digesting food. Next time you overeat during the holidays, remember that chiropractic may help to speed up digestion!
3. Getting adjusted decreases stress hormones
When stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine get overproduced in our body, they can wreak havoc on our health. The long term effect of chronic exposure to these hormones include weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and heart disease. The best way to reduce these is by making lifestyle modifications to avoid stressful situations. However life often presents situations with unavoidable stressors. In this case it is best to help manage the overproduction for stress hormones by getting adjusted. A study published in the Journal of Australian Chiropractic found patients who got adjusted for 5 weeks had lower cortisol levels than the control group2. Help to offset the stress of holiday shopping and travel by getting adjusted!
4. Getting adjusted helps lower blood pressure.
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can add stress and make your body respond in ways other than producing stress hormones. High blood pressure is another side effect of extra stress. Making adjustments to the top bone in your neck, called the atlas, can help regulate the signal your brain sends to the body, resulting in lower systemic blood pressure3.
5. Getting adjusted increases mobility
Travel in long car rides and flying in cramped airplanes are common stressors that our bodies experience this time of year. Prolonged sitting can cause postural alterations, resulting in stiff muscles and joints. Maintaining your spine with regular adjustments will help improve posture and free up restricted joints. Make sure to get adjusted before and after your long holiday travels!
Sources
1. http://www.journalchiromed.com/article/S1556-3707(16)30028-1/fulltext
2. Tuchin PJ. The effect of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy on salivary cortisol levels. Journal of Australasian Chiropractic and Osteopathy, July 1998;7(2), pp86-92.
3. https://vertebralsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages 2017_1471_vansen_hypertension.aspx