I can’t tell you how often I’m asked, “Wendy why are your kids so healthy?” “Wendy, what would YOU do with my child?”
Firstly I am not claiming to be, “Mother of the Year” — far from it. I share this with you because as a chiropractor, it is not surprising that my approach to nutrition and parenting is incredibly different to the norm.
Let me state that occasionally my kiddos do indeed get sick but they typically bounce back within a day. So in an effort to answer these questions that I am thrown daily, with this post I’d like to start to explore how we can boost the health of our children.
When it comes to raising healthy children how would a chiropractor and a medical professional proceed?
There are two major differences that exist between the ‘chiropractic wellness’ approach and the ‘medical approach’ to health as each sets a different goal and a different course of action.
Firstly the medical profession views the human body as a conglomerate of chemical and mechanical functions, so that when a health challenge arises doctors look specifically at the problem area and take a “we’ve got to fix it” approach. This might be through drugs or surgery. The focus being to alleviate symptoms and to address health issues in a disease- oriented model.
Wellness chiropractors see the body as a whole, acknowledging that the body works synergistically together, so that when one area of our body is taxed or compromised other areas can in time, become vulnerable. Most of us are aware that our nervous system controls and co-ordinates every function of the body but we may not appreciate that there a great number of stressors that accompany our modern lifestyle which tax our spine and nervous system.
These lifestyle factors move a body “out of balance” and compromise our health. (Fight or flight or sympathetic versus parasympathetic). Chiropractors ask questions like, “ How can we help the body recreate balance and good function?” and “What part of this person’s environment is taxing their health?” Chiropractors take a vitalistic view of the human body, respecting the body’s innate or inner intelligence and adjust the spine to stimulate the body’s natural ability to recreate balance, order and healing. While current health issues are addressed, wellness chiropractors are most excited about helping clients become proactive about all facets of their health.