Why do some people seem to get sick more than others? Does it all really have to do with bad genes or bad luck? In the old days, we used to believe that. The healthcare system believed that your destiny was locked away in your genes.
The Human Genome Project
What’s fascinating is that the Human Genome Project uncovered that there were actually a lot less protein encoding genes than they originally thought. How could this be?!
With less genes than originally thought, how can we explain the different outcomes people have in their health and throughout their life if we don’t have a gene for it?
Epigenetics.
Health outcomes are not as much deterministic as they are influenced by our environment, habits, behaviors, and adaptability.
What is Epigenetics?
Epigenetics actually means the EXPRESSION of the genes which actually indicates that WE control our genes rather than our genes controlling us. This is really cool stuff.
We have a lot more control over our health than we ever thought we had in the past.
How we eat, how we move, how we breathe, how we sleep, and how well our neurological system is functioning all come into play when it comes to the health and robustness of your immune system.
1. Nutrition
Eat whole foods. It is MORE important what you don’t eat versus what you do eat. Stay away from processed foods. Kids are especially sensitive to artificial coloring, preservatives, and flavoring.
2. Movement
Push. Pull. Run. Jump. Bend. Twist. Squat. Lunge. Just move. And move every single day.
Set the example for your kids and be a leader for yourself and your family.
3. Breathe
The majority of your breathes should be slow, deep breathes in and out through your nose with equal time spent breathing in and then breathing out. The magic number is a 5.5 second inhale and a 5.5 second exhale through the nose. It improves vagal tone and maximizes oxygen delivery to the tissues. Never breathe through your mouth. Your nose is meant for breathing and your mouth is meant for eating, drinking, and talking.
4. Sleep
Get a minimum 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Kids need more – 9-10 hours of sleep minimum. Stop making excuses for not sleeping enough until you really make an effort to optimize your life. If you are working 2-3 jobs as a single parent to provide for your kids and are struggling with your sleep, it is totally understandable and you have my utmost respect. But for many of you, your lack of sleep is due to spending too much time watching television or messing around on your phone. Put that stuff away and get some rest.
5. Neurological Function
When your nerve system is interfered with, you shift from a parasympathetic state to a sympathetic one. This drives the stress response. Blood pressure increases. Heart rate increases. You get aberrant input into the brain where the brain becomes ramped up like an engine redlining. Blood sugar gets dumped into the bloodstream, and if it is chronic, you get hormone dysregulation and you fry your adrenals. You become hyper alert and can’t seem to calm your mind or your body down.
This leads to a restless or shallow sleep and maybe even sleeping pills which don’t actually help us sleep better. They just make us unconscious. Sleep and unconsciousness are not the same thing.
This chronic stress response also shuts down the immune system which increases the susceptibility to getting sick.
Then when we do get sick we blame it on our genes.
It is not our genes. Our genes play a role, but a much bigger role is epigenetics, or the expression of our genes.
The type of chiropractic care that we provide, NeuroStructural Correction, can help to reduce stress on the nerve system and drive your body from high sympathetic tone to better parasympathetic tone.
This may have a powerful effect on the immune system.
We hear about it every day in the office. Patients of ours are sleeping better, having more energy, and getting sick less.
If you’s like to learn more about how to Kick the Sick, join us in our Precision Health | Charlotte-Matthews Facebook group for a LIVE conversation on this topic. Be a great friend and invite someone with you.
See you on the inside!
All the best,
