Five Factors for Great Health: The Chiropractic Lifestyle
May 2005
by Ken Savage, DC

How many of us, if we had a new Ferrari, would run it until it broke down without changing the oil and tuning it up. Yet, we do that with our bodies. It is time to stop. Is simply living a life without symptoms is good enough for you? Not for us! Here at Chiropractic First, we are dedicated to having the people we serve, live a life that is better than just to simply exist. In order to achieve a better, healthier vital life, we must ensure five vital factors are in good working order, or at least start working on them to achieve good health. Below are the five factors of health that will ensure your body is running optimally. Begining with the first, each factor builds self-esteem, focus, desire and energy for the next factor, creating a "positive momentum" to improve your vitality and health.

1. A HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM The nervous system controls our entire body. That is why chiropractic care is so important, to help relieve nervous system interference. When under Chiropractic care, your body can express its full healing capacity and maintain the energy needed to have operate at 100%. Eliminating drugs, medications and alcohol are vital to maintaining a healthy nervous system as well.

2. POSTIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE Achieving balance in life, reducing stress, striving towards goals and dreams contribute to a positive outlook, which is a major step towards great health. With high stress or unresolved emotional issues, we cannot be healthy.

3. REGULAR EXERCISE Our bodies are made for motion. Use it or lose it. Recent studies show that regular exercise can extend life by 40%! So get moving in some way! Walk, swim, ride. It doesn't matter. Just do something now! If you can achieve factors 1 and 2 above, then you will then have the energy and desire to get out and exercise. This starts the momentum of doing the right things and getting them into your routine lifestyle.

4. PROPER REST AND RECOVERY Listen to your body. Most of us do not get enough rest. To be vital and have that vibrant energy, we must get rest. When you are ill, you must take off a few days or even a week to restore the immune system. If you are achieving the three factors above, you will be on a postive high, put out more energy and regulate your body. In turn, you will sleep more soundly and more efficiently and regulate your body.

5. PROPER NUTRITION You are what you eat! Are you a lean strong celery stock or a floppy, fat cheeseburger? It is fun to splurge once in awhile, yet what we eat daily is vital to a high energy body system. Again, the positive momentum of doing the right things in life, achieving the above four factors, helps provide the self-esteem, desire and routine to start eating the right things. You will want to eat the right things, instead of chosing the wrong foods that you think will make you feel better.

Chiropractic is the only healing profession that focuses on the five factors for health. Medications can only bring about relief and temporary changes and surgery can only help for crisis repair. Both medications and surgery also have side affects. What chiropractic can do for you, along with you taking action on the above five factors is the only way to better health for you and your family!

To great health,

Dr. Ken Savage & the Chiropractic First Team