How to Treat your Body Between Chiropractic Adjustments

So far, you've been doing great in keeping up with your New Year's Resolution to live a healthier lifestyle. Chiropractic visits are a part of your health care routine, and you're wondering what more you can do for the health of your spine. We've got a few suggestions that are easy to implement in your day-to-day activities.

Spine Health 101

There are numerous factors that play a role in the health of the spine. The basics are helpful in getting and keeping your spine healthy. These basics also help promote the process of getting back to health when we aren’t functioning at our optimal levels.

Proper Hydration

This one shouldn't surprise you: stay hydrated! You hear this time and time again, particularly because most people don't drink enough water. Your body is mostly made up of water, so it needs proper levels of water to function and heal properly. The spinal discs found between the vertebrae in your spine are largely made of water, therefore the health and movement of those discs require proper water consumption. In turn, the health and ability of those discs affect the health and movement of your entire spine. If you don't have enough water in your system, you won't have an optimally functioning spine. Make a goal of consuming 1/2 your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, aim to drink 70 ounces of water per day.

Proper Movement

The second component of the basics of spine health is proper movement.

Stretching

You can benefit the health of your spine greatly by adding a simple stretching routine to your day. If you have a pet, you've probably noticed that the first thing they do when they wake up is stretch. We could certainly learn a thing from them! If you were to stretch for five minutes each morning, it would create a positive shift in the health of your spine. 10 minutes each day and you’ll start noticing a significant difference, and 15 minutes daily will do wonders!

Balance

Truthfully speaking, many of us live unbalanced lives. For many, that includes holding prolonged positions, most frequently meaning sitting for long periods of time, particularly at work. Long periods of inactivity wreaks havoc on the spine. Just because we are physically able to sit for so long doesn't mean we should. Many of us can sit for prolonged periods and not experience symptoms, but this doesn’t equate it to a healthy choice.

The good news is that there is a simple fix: stand up and stretch every 45 minutes or take a walk around the office. If you don’t have that freedom, simply stand up and do a few minutes of light stretching or even some squats!

These basic steps are easy to add to your routine and will help your spinal health. These, in addition to your chiropractic adjustments will help improve your spine health and your overall health!