A few years ago, some friends of mine had to put a new transmission in their car. When they asked the mechanic what caused the breakdown, he told them it was because they had uneven wear on their all-wheel drive tires. Apparently, something as small as uneven tires can throw off the car computer. From there it tries to adjust for conditions that don’t really exist. This eventually caused stress on the transmission and over time caused it to wear out. When I heard this story, I couldn’t believe how similar what happened to their car is to what can happen in our bodies.
We tend to think about the parts of our bodies like the operate alone. Our medical system tends to follow this notion with a different specialist for almost every area in the body. If we have sinus issues we see an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. If we have digestive issues, it is a Gastroenterologist. A Cardiologist for the heart, a Pulmonologist for the lungs, the list goes on and on. Having specialists are important, but having this approach overlooks important factors.
Our bodies are greater than the sum of their parts. Because everything in our bodies is connected, and the brain coordinates with all our of systems, organs, and cells. These things work together to run the body. Just as something as small as missing a couple of tire rotations had major consequences for my friends, small changes in parts of the body can have major effects on the others.
There is an important link between our brains and all the cells in our bodies. The brain needs to be able to talk with the them and they need to be able to talk back to the brain. This is how the brain can control what happens in our bodies. The brain manages our blood pressure, keeps us from getting too hot or too cold, makes sure our spleen is producing enough red blood cells, and our kidneys are filtering our blood. This same communication is also how the brain controls the immune system.
It would be tough to rank things in our body from most importance to least because each part is so important, including our immune system. Whether we know it or not, our bodies are constantly under attack and without a properly functioning immune system, any of the trillions of invaders could infiltrate and cause a breakdown. Our own personal microscopic army is always ready to go to battle for us, but our brains are the generals. Our brains are constantly gathering information from the immune system to make sure that it can do its job. It sends and receives messages through our nerves to ensure that the immune system, and every other system in our bodies, can perform the task it was designed to do.
The idea of the brain and the nerves controlling the body is usually only explained mechanically. The need to move our bodies is important and adjustments help to restore and assure proper mobility. Yet maybe even more important is nervous system control restoration. When I make an adjustment, not only am I providing patients a chance to return to normal movement, but I’m allowing the connection between their brain and that area of the body to return to normal as well.
I can recommend treatments and give enzymatic support, but if the pathway between the brain and the body is not functioning well, those changes will not be as effective. Just as it is with our cars, all parts of our bodies need to be functioning well to be healthy. It does not matter how good your transmission is if your engine blows up. Having new tires will not do you any good if your brakes are shot. Because all parts of our bodies function together, when we are trying to achieve optimal health, we must take a total body approach. All sources of stress: mechanical, emotional, and nutritional must be addressed for the full potential of our bodies to be realized.
For optimal health, Williams Chiropractic & Internal Health Center can help your body heal and restore. If you feel like you've done all the right things and still aren't feeling your best, come in and talk with us about it today. We offer complimentary consultations – so you can achieve the health and wellness goals that have felt out of reach.