Beyond the Adjustment
By Joe Stoeckel
For those of us who have embraced the chiropractic / holistic world, it is no secret that we benefit physically and emotionally from chiropractic adjustments as skilled hands bring our spine into alignment. Subluxations are minimized as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are brought into balance. It is a method, unique to each doctor as they enhance the human body’s amazing ability to heal through Divine intelligence. Despite all of its benefits, chiropractic adjustments are only a piece of the puzzle to leading a healthy and optimal life. There are additional ingredients within the mixing bowl of health that are necessary to maintain the benefits of the adjustments and maximize their effect.
We are comprised of millions of cells that need to be in a homeostatic (balanced) state in order to be healthy and live life to the fullest. If the cells are introduced to toxins and nutrient deficiencies, they begin to malfunction resulting in sickness and disease. Stress also has a negative effect on our cells, be it physical, chemical, or emotional. In the most basic sense, the goal of the holistic caregiver is to provide a method for the body to rebuild damaged cells and provide a clear pathway for them to flow. Our cells need to move, unaltered and undamaged through the maze of nerves, organs, and glands that they themselves create and become the human body. It is up to each of us to provide an optimal environment within ourselves.
In order to create this utopia in which to thrive, we need to understand and utilize the fundamental building blocks that lie before us. I once read that how we eat, how we drink, how we exercise, how we rest, how we breathe, and how we think are the six essential elements to overall health.
They are absolutely critical pillars that uphold our well-being, each as important as the other. If one or more fail or weaken, they impact our physical and or mental condition, resulting in a lack of homeostasis and eventual sickness and/or disease. To complicate matters further, these six essential elements are sources of stress if in a diminished or low-performing state. We also need to draw from the energy that resides within all things and recognize the tremendous gifts of faith, hope, and love. It is these ideals that become the Ten Commandments of Health.
The most important is how we think. It is the binding link of awareness that connects the rest. If we have faith, it brings about hope. If we have hope, it brings about love. The recognition of love brings awareness of a Higher Power and the recognition of the Divine Intelligence. This Divine Intelligence provides the energy that drives our cells and provides the life within our bodies. Eating and drinking provide the necessary nutrients to these cells. Exercise and rest provides strength and regeneration. Finally, the inhaling breath of life freshens the soul and brightens the world around us.
Listen to the conversations within your head. Are they full of worry and anxiety, or full of thanksgiving and gratefulness? Are the food and drink which you consume full of chemicals and toxins, or are they natural and healthy? Are your muscles soft and flabby or hard and toned? Can you walk through your daily routine without becoming winded? Do you take time out of the day for yourself and take a moment to enjoy the short time that we are here? Do you recognize and utilize the gifts that have been given to each and every one of us? Does your life have purpose, striving to make this world a better place because you are in it? These are the choices that bring about the music of life. As the songs within Classic Rock say: Be Good to Yourself, Don’t Stop Believing, and Roll with the Changes.
The chiropractic holistic world gave Joe Stoeckel his life back after complications from routine gallbladder surgery in November of 2014. He lives with his wife Melissa and is the proud father of three grown children Andy, Katie and Kelly. In his spare time, Joe enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, woodworking, music, and reading. He has written a book about his journey through the impossible titled No Time To Cry. It is available on Amazon Books in both paperback and eBook for Kindle.