If you are just joining us, we are wrapping up our series on Secrets From The Vault. We started out this year looking at some real world ideas and applications for getting and staying healthy that include:
- Diet
- Rest
- Exercise
- Sound Nervous System
We explored the concepts of Margin and Built-ins as a way to consistently integrate good habits before going on and looking at some of the biggest bang for the buck approaches to stress reduction, diet, and exercise.
Fittingly for a chiropractor, I am going to wrap things up over the next few weeks by looking at what it means to have a sound nervous system!
The Nervous System is Made Up of Many Blocks
For purposes of study, the nervous system is often divided up into different sections:
- Brain and Spinal Cord
- Peripheral Nerve System (everything outside the spinal cord)
- Autonomic Nerve System (portions that regulate automatic activities in the body like breathing, digestion, etc.)
- Motor Nerve System
- Sensory Nerve System
In addition, it has long been recognized that the nervous system is more than just a series of chemical reactions and cells. We, as humans, have cognitive thought that is driven by our perception of the world around us.
If you want a healthy nervous system, you have to address all of these, not just one!
Nourishing the Nervous System
Nourishing the nervous system is a balancing act. Push it too hard and you can burn it out, under-stimulate it, and it will atrophy. We will be exploring how to keep it healthy through three lenses:
- Physical Activation
- Mental Activation
- Reducing Mechanical Distortion
While these aren't the only factors involved in health maintenance of this "Master System," they do represent areas we haven't covered yet in previous posts: how you eat, how much exercise you get, and the quality of your rest can all impact how healthy your nervous system can be!
Take some time over the next few weeks to consider the other posts in this series and work on integrating the concepts and ideas. They will help you as you move into designing a program to care for one of your most valuable assets.
Next time, we will go over specific (and easy ways) to plug in and charge up your brain and nerve system health.
Yours in Health,
Care Chiropractic
Lafayette, Indiana