Nature Is Kind

Nature is rugged and unforgiving at times, but generally nature is kind. Nature has her laws that must be obeyed. Violate them and you may be harmed, either emotionally or physically. Obey and all things good and great may be yours to command.

Nature reveals herself to the wise, the thoughtful and the generous. However, she tends to hide her secrets from the foolish, the sluggard, and the selfish.

It is true that the wicked sometimes use her laws in a hurtful manner, only because nature's laws are impartial. They work identically for the just and the unjust, even the wise or the foolish when they have eyes to see and make use of truths revealed. On the other hand, the foolish sometimes stumble along and blunder onto truths overlooked by the wise.

Nature reveals the elements of wealth and beauty, the source of strength and power, and the paths that lead to splendor and abundance. But this happens only as mankind becomes capable of understanding and appreciating these things. Nature points the way. She provides the laws, partially opens the gate, yet leaves to you the thrill of discovery and the joy of accomplishment. Nature is truly the handmaiden of God, as she gives or withholds, she tantalizes and restricts, she builds or destroys, yet only in accordance with basic laws that are impartial in application.

Nature is kind to your body which has been called God's masterpiece. Your body is a house of clay formed of bones and muscles, glands, and organs, blood vessels and nerves. These are all arranged in systems that function according to natural laws. Each system serves a purpose and together they form a unit that grows to maturity, functions with perfection, and finally dies and disintegrates back into the elements from which it came.

Nature's laws are constantly at work nourishing, making repairs, filtering out poisons, utilizing foods, and harmonizing functions. She provides pain as a warning, repairing hurts, and with it all, sustains life as best she can, even with the crippled and maimed that have run afoul of nature's laws.

How does sickness and health intervene regarding nature's laws? The answer is simple and logical. On occasion, the emotions get out of control and run counter to nature's laws. Bear in mind always that love builds as hate destroys; courage is uplifting; fear undermines and is severely harmful. You are the captain and are responsible for your soul. You must keep your emotions under control, especially when so many around you are constantly attempting to control your life.

The other element vital to health and function is the nervous and hormonal systems that stem from the brain and spinal cord. The spine IS the key to health, but it also is subject to shock and strain due to nature's laws. This disturbs function, lowers resistance, and subsequently leads to dis-ease. Correcting those problems can clear nerve channels and Mother nature, being ever so kind, restores health and makes possible a more plentiful life for you to enjoy.

                 
                      "Everything in nature acts in conformity with law." Immanuel Kant

Salute The Morning

The morning is the resurrection of day accompanied by all its promises, its opportunities, its joy, its sorrow, its beauty, its enchantment, its encouragement, and at times its disappointments.

The morning comes after a night of rest, a period of oblivion, silent and dreamless at its best, and on occasion following a night of horrid dreams and misery. Nevertheless, in either case the morning awakens to the song of birds and the sound of industry. The witnessing of the approaching day as it sends its shafts of light over the hills and through the valleys. Then follows the rising sun and the glitter of dew diamonds upon the flowers and grass, or in the winter, the sparkle of frost or snow. How wonderful a gift from God! Those who do not arise early miss something of enchantment that can be found at no other time or place.

Perhaps your excuse is that you work late and must have your rest, or are ill and wakeful, dozing off at the break of day. How can you be expected to thrill with the coming of the morning when so often it bodes only troubles and disappointments, work and struggle to make ends meet?

Does this note of pessimism throw a wet blanket on the joy of living? Well, sometimes there is an excuse for it. All people do not get the same breaks in life, nor do they have the same opportunities to enjoy the wonders of the morning, especially when they live in crowded quarters or are surrounded by smoky, noisy industry. There are surely occasions when one may feel gloomy or entertain thoughts of resentment, with the wonders of nature often becoming obscured by the greed of man and his striving to achieve or to acquire wealth.

Then again illness may play into the picture. The strain and struggle of the day are disturbing and distracting factors, especially when the spine and nervous system are involved thus forming the basis for physical and mental problems. These problems may be diagnosed in  many different ways and treated with endless so-called cures that do not cure.

Science teaches that there is a cause for every effect. This is also true respecting the health of the body.

Health is a natural state of being that is the normal expression of life and function within the body manifest through the emotions and the nervous system. The emotions are yours to command. The thoughts you think and your attitude toward life play an important part in how you feel, but by no means are they the entire answer.

Anatomically, the spine encases the spinal cord, a great bundle of nerves that extends from the brain throughout the length of the spinal column. Between the vertebrae are openings through which all nerve trunks emit to separate into millions of fibers forming a direct contact between brain cells and tissue cells, a fundamental essential factor to life and health.

Kindness is one thing you can't give away ... it will always come back!

Time and Life

Time is as vital as life itself, yet time is different in relation to the laws of the universe.

Time is an element of eternity. It may be recorded in split seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, or even eons.

Life is a minor element of time shared alike by everyone. The only difference is the length of its span and purpose.

Time may be used either constructively or consumed to no advantage. Some people waste time; others mark time, unable to make decisions; some procrastinate with little purpose in life, not realizing that time once recorded is gone forever.

Time, like talents, must be invested wisely to bring about the best returns. Time wasted is like talents buried. No one profits, least of all the one who squanders his or her time to no purpose.

Time is of greatest value when organized and made to serve a dual purpose or multiple needs. The organization of time requires skill, thought, planning, and the elimination of lost motion so that a maximum of benefit may be obtained with a minimum of effort.

To appreciate time in its fullest measure requires normal health and cooperation with the laws of nature which govern all things in the universe.

Your body is said to be God's masterpiece. In a measure all the laws of nature are expressed therein through the various functions of the body. These functions are regulated and controlled through the medium of the nervous system that stems from the brain and spinal cord.

Anatomically, the spine is the strength and support of the body. It holds you erect; it supports the head that houses the brain. The spine also encases the spinal cord and provides openings between the vertebrae through witch all nerve bundles emit before separating into countless fibers that provide a medium of communication between brain cell and tissue cell, akin to an electric circuit between power plant or modern home.

To provide electric service, the circuit must be unbroken; in your body nerve channels must be clear so sensation can reach the brain freely enabling responding mental impulses to direct and regulate function in the glands, organs, and muscles of the body.

On occasions, due to spinal shocks and/or strains, nerves are "pinched". This in turn disturbs function, lowers resistance and in time can result in dis-ease regardless of the diagnosis or the treatment employed.

"People who live in glass houses might as well answer the doorbell."

Tackle Anxiety & Stress

When I ask my patients if they have anxiety symptoms, many of them deny it, but then they will say they feel "stressed." It is as though there is a negative stigma about the word anxiety.

Why is it that our society thinks it is abnormal to have some level of anxiety when the modern American life is so stressful? This anxiety is a natural response to alert us to the fact that there is something in our life that is causing ongoing stress to our body. It is an adaptive response to protect ourselves so that we can alter the trigger to prevent long-term damage to or drain on our body and health.

What we do with this physiological signal is what determines whether the anxiety ends up being harmful long-term or being helpful in altering the stressful event so as to maintain health. In short, what we do with anxiety is what's important.

When we feel stressed or anxious, it is our body's way of telling us that the current situation is not optimal for healthy functioning; that our body and mind don't like it and that it could cause negative health impacts in the long run. It is important for us to identify these situations because long-term stress can lead to adrenal fatigue and increased inflammation in our body, which leads to unhealthy states.

So, when we feel anxious, how can we overcome it? We need to remove the anxiety-provoking cause, and if we can't, we need to initiate adaptive behaviors so as to lessen the overall negative impact. Removing that cause is sometimes not possible (as is often the case with family members or work). In these situations, we have to find ways to lessen the stress and impact on our body from these stresses.

When we are anxious, our body's cortisol level rises, along with levels of several other hormones associated with stress. Cortisol is a stress hormone in our body; if it is secreted at elevated levels over time, it may lead to adrenal fatigue. Your adrenal gland is one of the organs that act almost like a battery in your body. When it is exhausted from chronic stress and anxiety, its overall function diminishes and your body's inflammatory status worsens, leading to a decrease in overall health and endurance.

By implementing intentional moments during the day of mind-body techniques, you can keep the adrenal strain and anxiety from being a constant drain on your health and give your body necessary periods of respite from the stress.

There are numerous versions of mind-body techniques. Examples include breath work, self-hypnosis, imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, and music therapy. I also discuss with my patients other treatment options such as manual therapies, including chiropractic and massage, that may decrease anxiety.

Should symptoms persist, we discuss supplements and/or herbs that may help to facilitate the calming process. There are a wide variety of herbs and supplements that may help with anxiety. For example, chamomile tea is calming, as is passionflower and hops teas, just to name a few. Certain supplements are also helpful for anxiety such as L-theanine, other amino acids, and various minerals, herbs, and vitamins.

There are multiple reasons for telling your doctor of your anxiety symptoms. Besides treating you according to their expertise, they can guide you in regards to the supplements you may need and refer you for mind-body therapies as well as behavioral therapy if that's what you want.

Another reason to inform your doctor about anxiety is that chronic stress can lead to worsening of many chronic conditions including heart disease, hypertension, and autoimmune diseases, just to name a few. This way, your doctor knows to keep a closer eye on these issues in case they arise; or if you already have these health issues, they can monitor you more closely.

Use the anxiety feeling as a signal that your body is not liking the situation you are in. Use your anxiety as a tool to help you figure out which situations are going to have a negative impact on your health and well-being. If the anxiety symptoms are too overwhelming, you can turn to your doctor for guidance to help you manage your symptoms and make sure a healthy, normal reaction to stress stays healthy.

Ultimately, the question I like to ask my patients is this: Would you drive your car across the country without any rest? Of course not. So, why would you drive your body at high levels of constant stress without doing something about it?

The human body is a powerful, magnificent machine, and we should treat it with all the gentleness and care that it deserves so each of it can continue to "drive" it for many more years to come.

Five Tips To Ease Anxiety:
1) Music. Use all of your senses to help you de-stress. If music brings you joy, incorporate that into your relaxation time. If certain scents help you relax, then relax in an environment where that scent predominates. Your senses can help you to maximize your de-stressing time!

2) Stretching. Make sure to take a few minutes every 1-3 hours to stretch, relax, and calm your mind. You can't run at top speed all day long every day, so remember to take time to slow down your mind and body. Your body will thank you for it!

3) Diet. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet full of vegetables, low sugar foods, omega-3's, and plant-based proteins like nuts. Eating at regular intervals with these healthy foods will help to keep your mood stable.

4) Exercise. Exercise raises endorphins in the body and is a great way to de-stress. So, put on your athletic shoes and go for a walk around the block even if you can't make it to the gym. Any exercise, even in short intervals several times per day, is beneficial to your mind and will help to calm anxiety feelings.

 5) Sleep. Sleep is essential for our body to achieve a state of balance and to avoid feeling stressed. Our body likes rhythm; that's why regular sleep hours and regular eating times are helpful in keeping the body running smoothly. Help your body achieve that feeling of equilibrium by making time to rest and eat regularly.