A special thanks to Anthony Imbesi, D.C., a Cumming, GA Chiropractor, for providing this article.

Chiropractic has always embraced a healthy lifestyle, incorporating a whole food-based diet and exercise to maintain an overall well-being. By eating well, exercising regularly, and getting chiropractic adjustments as needed, your body is able to keep inflammation at bay and let you enjoy an active lifestyle. Lately, the medical field has started to promote healthy lifestyle changes to improve long-term health outcomes. Research has shown the benefits of diet modification in preventing or reversing chronic health conditions versus helping to control them with drug therapy. This evidence has been able to prove that the chiropractic lifestyle was beneficial to their patient base after all.

The nondrug approach was not always the most popular or easiest treatment to follow, but it turns out to be a time-tested protocol that has been proven again and again by scientific research. I have personally been practicing what I preach in private practice for over 25 years. My family is active and we rarely get sick. The whole family is not on any maintenance drug therapy. My wife and I look and feel younger than our age. The combination of whole foods, exercise, no bad habits (smoking, heavy drinking or drugs), family bonding, laughter, and chiropractic care has worked well for us.

Studies like the Blue Zones show some insight into why this has worked so well. They looked at areas throughout the world that have healthy populations that live to 100+ years without the disability we experience in the United States. The combination of the Standard American Diet and a sedentary lifestyle has wreaked havoc on the population. Obesity rates have steadily climbed and so have the rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke.

I practice in Forsyth County Georgia where Dr. Leila Denmark M.D. practiced medicine for many years. I brought my son to see her when she was 102 years old and still practiced in her cabin on her family's property. She saw how fast food and convenience packaged goods were ruining the health of the children she treated. She dispensed old-fashioned common sense advice. It wasn't mainstream, but it was always effective and stood the test of time. She died when she was 114 years old. Fad diets come and go, but common sense should always rule the day. Plant-based diets have been getting more attention in the popular press lately. Small portions of animal protein in addition to a predominantly plant based diet as detailed in the Blue Zones studies, have shown to protect against dementia and age related disability. Research shows that these types of diets have the best outcomes over time, versus trendy fad type programs.

Moderate exercise incorporated into your daily routine works best for injury prevention and conditioning throughout your lifespan. Excessive exercise has detrimental long-term effects to the body and reduces longevity. The body does not seem to recover fast enough or efficiently as we age. My grandmother lived in Italy for most of her life. She walked around town and never drove a car. Meals were prepared by her with local ingredients. She moved to the United States for a while to be closer with her family. Meals were prepared for her and she has driven around instead of walking. She gained weight and her health declined over the time she lived here.

Many families do not talk to each other or ever eat meals together. We eat dinner and as many other meals together as we possibly can. Life and work have a tendency to get in the way, but we prioritize this aspect and make the effort. We travel together and take day trips to different parts of Georgia to spend time with our family. Experimenting with different foods from other countries at restaurants around the city makes family time fun and entertaining. Chiropractic has never been the first choice for many people, but it makes sense to give it a try. Studies show that only about eight percent of the population have been to a chiropractor in the United States.

Multiple research studies have concluded that chiropractic treatment is very effective in treating back pain, neck pain and headaches. It should be the first line of treatment, with drugs following if not successful and lastly, surgery if all else fails. With no side effects, chiropractic is a clear choice. Medication always has some type of side effects with long-term use. Studies have shown that spinal surgery is not very successful and has a very low satisfaction rate with patients. In consideration of these facts, surgery should be the last option and only when all other conservative treatments have been exhausted. Imitation is the ultimate form of flattery.

The medical profession is more widely accepted among the treatment-seeking population. So the medical field has now coined the term Lifestyle Medicine. It touts a healthy approach to eating and exercise. But incorporating medication taints the overall benefits of the programs. Some try to incorporate designer drugs for longevity or anti-aging effects. True pioneers in the field like Dr. Dean Ornish M.D. have been promoting diet, exercise, spiritual and emotional well-being for years. These are the protocols that have stood the test of time and have been highlighted in the Blue Zones as well.

I am living proof of these long term benefits and invite you to stop by and visit with me. My goal is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible and back to an active lifestyle. Look for the big red CHIROPRACTOR sign in town. I'll leave the sign on for you! 

By Dr. Anthony Imbesi, D.C.
https://www.tonyimbesidc.com/