The Chiropractic-Nutrition Connection

If you’ve seen a chiropractor before, chances are the topic of nutrition has been brought up.  Whether it’s to discuss the need for weight loss to help reduce low back pain or to fuel your body right for an upcoming race, we take nutrition into account for all patients.  Why?  Because we are what we eat!  Your well-being and quality of life are direct reflections of what you put in your body.  Your protein intake directly impacts the ability to recover from injury; your carbohydrate intake directly impacts your energy production; and your (proper) fat intake directly impacts your hormone synthesis.  When patients aren’t improving as expected we often turn to nutrition in hopes to finding another piece of the puzzle. Nutrition has an incredible impact on your ability to heal from injuries, whether acute or chronic.  Often, nutrition can be a final key to finding the missing piece to chronic joint pain and irritation.  Good nutrition habits combined with chiropractic adjustments, exercise, and proper sleep can be life changing.  Consider the following questions.  How is your food impacting your life?

1. Do you eat “fast” or “fried” food?
   1. Consider this: Fried foods directly increase the level of inflammatory chemicals in the body.
2. Do you eat processed sugar?
   1. Consider this: Sugar triggers the unnecessary release of inflammatory messengers, frequently in the joints.
3. Do you skip meals?
   1. Consider this: Skipping meals causes the body to release cortisol resulting in increased fat in the visceral tissue, contributing to unnecessary weight gain.
4. Are you drinking enough water daily?
   1. Consider this: Your muscles contain 75% water.
5. Do you eat enough protein?
   1. Consider this: Protein is made of amino acids, the building blocks of muscles.
6. Do you eat vegetables 4-5x/day?
   1. Consider this: The anti-oxidants found in vegetables are shown to increase your immune system by fighting the effects of inflammation.

Think about what you’ve been putting in your body lately.  Have any questions?  We’re here to assist in the journey to an overall optimal well-being!