By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic
Los Alamos
The term ‘financial wellbeing’ is the ticket to freedom, or so we are told in Western society. Money gives us security but, beyond fulfilling our basic need for shelter and food, money does not guarantee health.
If given the choice, most of us would pick being healthy over a full bank account. Our healthcare system is focused on sick care over prevention because at the end of the day, sick care is more profitable. Countries with nationalized healthcare systems prioritize prevention and see health as a right, not a privilege.
I’m not saying this type of system doesn’t have issues, it’s just a philosophy I personally resonate with. Teach people how to prevent illness by giving them the education they need to make healthier choices. Knowledge is power after all and a healthy body gives us the ultimate freedom.
Contrary to popular thinking, being healthy does not mean the absence of disease. In other words, you can be diagnosed with an illness and still have the ability to make decisions which improve your wellbeing. The World Health Organization defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity’.
There are three main pillars of health that we can focus on: nutritional/chemical, emotional/spiritual and structural/physical. It’s all about balance, too much focus in one area and the other areas suffer. To score on wellness we need to cover all three bases, ideally on a daily basis.
Nutritional and chemical health means taking time to read food labels, avoiding additives, excess sugar and processed food. In addition, being selective about the use of cleaning products, air fresheners, pesticides and beauty products reduces the amount of chemical exposure we get from the environment. Emotional and spiritual health is improved when we pray, meditate and reduce negative noise from social media or mainstream media. Mindset work is also very useful because it helps us change negative internal dialogue and helps us understand that we are in control of how we see things regardless of what is going on around us.
Finally, structural and physical health are affected by how much activity we get, how much time we spend outdoors and whether or not we listen to our body when it’s sending pain signals. We can make positive change in this area by moving and playing more, using proper ergonomics, learning how to use a foam roller and learning proper breathing techniques.
When our structural system is overloaded, preventing us from being active we can use chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture and massage therapy to get ourselves back on track.
My final bit of advice on building your most valuable asset is not to get stressed about things that are out of your control.
The juniper pollen is kicking my butt right now but there is nothing I can do to lower the wind or pollen count. What I can do is use an indoor air purifier, exercise inside, take a daily shower, watch my diet, get acupuncture and an adjustment, load up on antihistamines and supplements. Focus on what you can change and start with one or two small changes in each area. You may not have the time to exercise for an hour every day or the budget to buy organic chemical free products. Figure out what works best in your situation and don’t focus on what you can’t do. It’s much easier if you integrate these changes in small increments. Choosing to park farther away, read food labels and cook from scratch does not require changing our schedule and budget. Furthermore, shifting mindset on how you set and fulfill your health goals hits the emotional/spiritual portion of the
Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is located in the Mary Deal building on Trinity.
