Chiro-practical

Let Chiropractic Boost Your Immune System
We’re now into the busiest time of the year. Thanksgiving is in just a couple of weeks, and before we know it, Christmas will be upon us. This is the season for cold weather, rain, and the beginning of cold and flu season. During this time, do you feel run down, tired, and stressed? Do you seem to always get the cold that’s “just going around?” If so, there may be help out there you never even knew about. “But, Dr. Fry, I feel run down at this time of year because I have to run the kids everywhere, I have family coming in for the holidays from five different continents, and there just aren’t enough hours in a day.” If this is how you feel, please pay close attention; this article was meant for you.

Preliminary research indicates chiropractic care may help naturally boost your immune system. Misalignments in the spine called subluxation may disturb the proper flow of nerve impulses. When this occurs, several areas of the body may become affected and decrease in function, including the immune system.

Two separate scientific studies indicate chiropractic care improves immune response. A study published in 1991 looked at the effect of chiropractic adjustments on a particular white blood cell known as a pholymorphnuclear neutrophil (PMN). These are the cells in our body that help destroy the unhealthy cells both when we are feeling well and when we feel ill. This study revealed, “…pholymorphnuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes were enhanced in adults that had been adjusted by chiropractors.”

The second study demonstrates why, after being in an auto accident, some people feel sick and “run down.” This study shows us the first sensation we feel is pain. The second area affected is our immune system. This process normally occurs 24 to 72 hours after an accident. The injured area won’t properly communicate with certain areas of the brain.

Chiropractic adjustments are a very important step in maintaining a healthy immune system, but not the only step. A proper diet is also needed for our bodies to function properly. Fruits, vegetables, fibers, and a low amount of good fat are keys to a properly functioning immune system.

It’s a well-known fact we don’t get all of the proper nutrients needed from what the average person eats. Antioxidants are needed to help prevent free radicals, which are unstable atoms in the body that attack cells. Antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E, and selenium just to name a few. Supplements that include anti-oxidants are needed to properly combat free radicals in our bodies.

Two more essentials to a properly functioning immune system are water and low stress. Approximately eight glasses of purified water are needed each day—not only to promote proper circulation and digestion, but also to improve immune function. I strongly recommend purified water to my patients because we know purified water is free of contaminants and heavy metals.

You don’t have to live another winter in fear of becoming sick. If you feel as though you’ll have the same sickness you have every year, get help before you get sick. Schedule an appointment for a chiropractic check-up today, and ease your fears of becoming sick. TPW