A special thanks to Scott Cabrera, a Park Ridge Chiropractor, for providing this article.

Good health has a variety of dimensions. Many people think they are healthy if they have no outward symptoms or pain. I am sure that many of us know of people who seemed to be healthy on the outside but were found to be afflicted with some form of disease or illness.

I believe that we all have the ability to become healthier individuals.

So where do we start? We can start with what we put into our minds and bodies.

We have to be careful with what we allow into our mind. We have to guard our minds against negativity, worry and pessimism. For example, if we dwell on negative events that we see on the news it is much more probable that we will begin to think negatively as well. Negative thinking will increase our stress levels and there is a plethora of research on how stress can adversely our health.

We always have a choice to focus on the positive and to live with an attitude of gratitude. I have a gratitude list that I review before I go to bed at night and I also review it upon awakening in the morning. We tend to get what we focus on so when we focus on positive things, we get more positive results in our lives.

We also must eat properly in order to be at our optimal level of heath. Sometimes we can make eating right more complicated than it needs to be. Next time you eat something ask yourself the following question. Is what I am about to eat bringing me closer to what I want in my life or further away from it? Also, the closer your food to its natural state, the healthier it will be. Processed foods contain an abundance of additives designed to extend their shelf life. Unfortunately, the more the food is processed, the less health benefits it retains.

Another important element essential for health is exercise. The human body was meant to move. Sadly, most people do not get nearly enough exercise in their day. As many jobs are sedentary, we need to make it an even bigger priority to get out and get moving. We would be happy to help prescribe a proper exercise program for you if you are not sure where to start.

Another important aspect of our health is the integrity of our spine and nervous system. Most people know that proper diet and exercise is important but many people are not aware as to how the health of their spine and nervous system is related to their overall health. I became keenly aware of the importance of spinal health when I was studying in college for my undergraduate degree. I was in the weight room in our dorm building and I was doing some pretty heavy free weight squats. On my eighth repetition I felt a very sharp pain in my lower back. I put the weight back up on the rack and basically crawled my way back to my dorm room and fell into my bed. Three hours later I could not get out of bed. I called some of my friends and they helped my get to the nurse’s station. The nurse took one look at me and realized that I needed more help than she could provide. She sent me to an orthopedic doctor who advised me to have injections and consider possible surgery. Discouraged, I went to seek two more medical opinions and received the same advice. I knew that there must be a better way and I called a trusted friend for advice. He told me to see his chiropractor because of how much he had been helped. I went to see the chiropractor and he was able to get me stronger and better than I was before I injured myself, without taking a single pill. My chiropractor’s name was also Scott and we became good friends. After receiving my bachelor’s degree I found myself in an unfulfilling job pushing papers all day and I knew that I really wanted to dedicate my life to helping people. That’s when I took my two weeks of vacation and spent it with Scott in his chiropractic office. I basically fell in love with the profession of chiropractic and decided to go back to school to become a chiropractor. Now I am able to do for others what my chiropractor had done for me. I really love what I do!

Your spine protects a large part of your body’s nervous system. That is why proper spinal alignment and stability are so critically important to our overall health and vitality. A visit to our office is a great place to start on your road to vibrant health. We will take a look at all of these important areas of your health and find ways for you reach for higher level of health. Not only for yourself, but for everyone who loves you and depends upon you.

Arguably, the most important step in becoming your healthiest self, is the willingness to get started! With so many demands on our time sometimes we fall into the habit of inaction. One of the best ways to get yourself motivated is to have a big enough WHY. Remember who loves you and who needs you to be healthy. We all have people who love us and depend upon us. When it gets difficult to make the right choices, just remember that we are not only doing it for ourselves but for our loved ones as well. Sometimes that alone will help us to get up early to exercise, make the proper food choices or take care of a pain that has been nagging us and limiting our lives.

By Dr. Scott Cabrera, DC
www.feelgreatchicago.com