Many of my friends get a puzzled look on their faces when I tell them we are on our way to the chiropractor.

The usual response is, “Is everything okay? Did you hurt your back?” At this point, I find myself trying to explain a concept that seems unfamiliar in our current culture: the concept of wellness.

Wellness means taking physical, emotional, and spiritual care of our bodies BEFORE we experience a health crisis.

It also includes treating illness with alternative measures and modalities like acupuncture, nutrition, and aromatherapy.

Wellness is an integral part of everyday life in my family.

As a reward for our constant commitment to wellness, our family is free of many common health concerns that modern-day families face. Not one of us is on a regular medication of any kind, and we respond well and bounce back fast from infrequent illnesses like colds or flus.

This wasn’t always the case, however, for my husband and me.

We both suffered from horrendous sinus infections, allergies, and frequent illnesses as youngsters. I was not born into a “wellness mindset,” as I like to call it. I created it over the years I spent dealing with the numerous health issues I faced at a young age.

I was sick and tired of being on antibiotics and dealing with aftereffects. I was ready to look for more natural treatments for the health challenges that plagued me, and you can, too! In fact, I highly encourage you to be your first advocate in your own health.

Did you know that asthma is currently the most common childhood chronic disease?

A 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that more than six million children under age 18 in the United States have asthma. Also, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration, approximately 6.4 million children from ages four to seventeen had been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as of 2011, as reported by parents. Furthermore, a study funded by the CDC and National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that from 2002 to 2012 the rate of newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes increased by about 4.8 percent each year in children ages 10 to 19.

Currently, the World Health Organization reports that over a third of American children are obese, setting them up for a lifetime of health struggles.   

One of the sayings I use when working with clients is, “You either invest now or pay later.”

If you don’t focus on wellness now, you’ll be forced to focus on disease and healing at some point.

I realize that a common concern and challenge most people face is the expense of healthy food, unfortunately.

The USDA reports that from 1960 to 2007, “the share of disposable personal income spent on total food by Americans, on average, fell from 17.5 to 9.6 percent, driven by a declining share of income spent on food at home.” Americans currently spend around 10% of their income on food, which pales in comparison to the 20% that Americans spent on food in the early 1900s.

It seems we’d rather spend our money on expensive cars and purses than healthy foods and wellness services. When adopting a wellness mindset, you have to get comfortable putting a little more money toward the things that count, like higher grocery bills.

Wellness is a process – a permanent commitment to a healthier, better you! It is the realization that you and your family can take charge of your health and conquer any obstacles you may face.

The process of wellness is unique for each of us and includes such modalities as acupuncture, nutrition, yoga, chiropractic care, energy work, massage, herbal remedies, functional medicine, and much more.

These wellness modalities look to restore balance in the body. Imbalances from stress, poor nutrition, food sensitivities, leaky gut, and life can lay the foundation for many common health complaints. Most of these imbalances can be corrected through the above-mentioned alternative tactics – that is, alternatives to dependency on doctors and drugs.  

Now, don’t get me wrong here. If my daughter breaks her arm falling off her bike, you can bet I’ll be looking for the closest emergency room. But if someone in my family develops acne, migraines, or ear infections, just to name a few, you better believe that I will be pulling out my essential oils, vitamins, and herbs while setting up an appointment at the chiropractor ASAP!  

But why wait until someone gets sick or experiences a problem? You can start your family’s personal wellness path today!

I hope this inspires you to become more informed and proactive about creating a wellness mindset with your family, preventing disease, and keeping your mind open to exploring potential remedies to disease that are a little outside the allopathic medicine (Western medicine) box.

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Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/asthmadata.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/features/key-findings-adhd72013.html

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=76967

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p0412-diabtes-rates.html

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