| The Cottage Family Chiropractic Center, P.C.. |
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The Five Factors of Health
There are essentially five components that, when applied in conjunction with one another, lead to a full and healthy
life.
1. Positive Mental Attitude: Having a positive mental attitude requires that we guard our minds and be selective
about what images, words, and thoughts we allow into our conscience. It means being selective about what music
we listen to, what we watch on TV, what we look at in magazines, what we allow other people to say about us, and,
most importantly, what we say to ourselves. If looking in a fashion magazine is going to make you feel fat or less
than perfect, DON'T LOOK AT IT! If watching the news is going to upset you or make you fearful of your
neighborhood, DON'T WATCH IT!
Most importantly, we must protect our hearts from our minds. Carefully pay attention to what you tell yourself
throughout the day. Do you tell yourself, "good job" or "you're a really caring person"? Or, are you like most
people with an internal script that reads something like this: "I'm having a bad hair day," "my clothes don't fit right,"
"I need to lose weight," "I'm too impatient with my kids," "I'm crabby," "my feet hurt," "why can't I pay better attention
in my meetings?", "I wish I was more like so-and-so", blah-blah-blah-blah? You wouldn't keep a friend around too
long if this is all he/she ever said to you, would you? So, why are you doing it to yourself? Don't you deserve
better? We think so!
2. Nutrition: The old saying, "you are what you eat" is absolutely true. If we continuously put garbage into our
bodies, we are going to get garbage results. It is impossible to get maximum performance from a body that is
running on fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates. It is essential that you begin to incorporate more organic, whole
foods into your diet and start to eliminate caffeine, sugar, white flour, fat and alcohol. It is also equally important to
make sure you are drinking enough water. A good rule of thumb is that you should be drinking 1/2 of your body
weight, in ounces, of water. Therefore, if you weigh 130 lbs, you need at least 65 ounces of water/day. Add 8
ounces for every cup of coffee, tea, or soda that you drink, and continue to add more before and after you exercise.
3. Rest/Relaxation: How we rest is just as important as how we work and play. It is during times of sleep that our
bodies do the most work. This is when healing takes place. Our cells are constantly being replaced with new,
healthy ones, and the bulk of this activity happens when we sleep. So, how much sleep do you need? A good rule
of thumb is that you should be sleeping enough so that you are able to wake up on your own feeling refreshed and
ready to go. For some people, that means 8 hours, for others it is 6. Our sleep needs also depend on our health
status. If your body is trying to fight a bacterial or viral infection, it is going to need more sleep.
Another important aspect of rest/relaxation is to practice daily prayer, meditation, or devotional time. It is
extremely important to our souls and to our spiritual health to have some time during the day in which we can
reconnect with the Creator, Higher Power, or God. We desperately need time to center ourselves and to release
the stresses of the day. Our minds are on the go all day long and we need this quiet time to allow our minds to
rejuvenate.
4. Recreation/Exercise: It is vitally important that we experience some form of exercise on a daily basis.
Whatever activity you choose to do, it should be one that you enjoy. You are much more likely to stick with a daily
activity plan if you enjoy what you are doing and see it as fun. A great way to make any activity enjoyable is to
include someone else. Find an activity that you and your spouse like to do together, or find an exercise "buddy."
Better yet, include the whole family. Take the kids with you on a bike ride or a walk through the neighborhood after
dinner. The more we include our children in a healthy lifestyle now, the more likely they are to carry that lifestyle
into their future. And, with the rate of Type II Diabetes quickly on the rise, isn't this what we want for our kids?
5. Properly Functioning Nervous System: This means regular chiropractic care. Having your spine checked
on a regular basis for subluxations is the key to a healthy lifestyle. You can do all of the things that we just talked
about, but if you have a subluxation and the nerve that goes to your heart is experiencing interference and
less-than-maximum functioning, you are still going to have heart problems! Now, it might not happen as quickly as
with someone who doesn't eat right, exercise, or practice stress management, but it will still happen.
The best way to obtain peak performance and get the most out of all the other healthy lifestyle changes that
you are making is to remain subluxation-free. Your body will perform better and heal faster. Isn't that what we all
want? I know I do!
life.
1. Positive Mental Attitude: Having a positive mental attitude requires that we guard our minds and be selective
about what images, words, and thoughts we allow into our conscience. It means being selective about what music
we listen to, what we watch on TV, what we look at in magazines, what we allow other people to say about us, and,
most importantly, what we say to ourselves. If looking in a fashion magazine is going to make you feel fat or less
than perfect, DON'T LOOK AT IT! If watching the news is going to upset you or make you fearful of your
neighborhood, DON'T WATCH IT!
Most importantly, we must protect our hearts from our minds. Carefully pay attention to what you tell yourself
throughout the day. Do you tell yourself, "good job" or "you're a really caring person"? Or, are you like most
people with an internal script that reads something like this: "I'm having a bad hair day," "my clothes don't fit right,"
"I need to lose weight," "I'm too impatient with my kids," "I'm crabby," "my feet hurt," "why can't I pay better attention
in my meetings?", "I wish I was more like so-and-so", blah-blah-blah-blah? You wouldn't keep a friend around too
long if this is all he/she ever said to you, would you? So, why are you doing it to yourself? Don't you deserve
better? We think so!
2. Nutrition: The old saying, "you are what you eat" is absolutely true. If we continuously put garbage into our
bodies, we are going to get garbage results. It is impossible to get maximum performance from a body that is
running on fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates. It is essential that you begin to incorporate more organic, whole
foods into your diet and start to eliminate caffeine, sugar, white flour, fat and alcohol. It is also equally important to
make sure you are drinking enough water. A good rule of thumb is that you should be drinking 1/2 of your body
weight, in ounces, of water. Therefore, if you weigh 130 lbs, you need at least 65 ounces of water/day. Add 8
ounces for every cup of coffee, tea, or soda that you drink, and continue to add more before and after you exercise.
3. Rest/Relaxation: How we rest is just as important as how we work and play. It is during times of sleep that our
bodies do the most work. This is when healing takes place. Our cells are constantly being replaced with new,
healthy ones, and the bulk of this activity happens when we sleep. So, how much sleep do you need? A good rule
of thumb is that you should be sleeping enough so that you are able to wake up on your own feeling refreshed and
ready to go. For some people, that means 8 hours, for others it is 6. Our sleep needs also depend on our health
status. If your body is trying to fight a bacterial or viral infection, it is going to need more sleep.
Another important aspect of rest/relaxation is to practice daily prayer, meditation, or devotional time. It is
extremely important to our souls and to our spiritual health to have some time during the day in which we can
reconnect with the Creator, Higher Power, or God. We desperately need time to center ourselves and to release
the stresses of the day. Our minds are on the go all day long and we need this quiet time to allow our minds to
rejuvenate.
4. Recreation/Exercise: It is vitally important that we experience some form of exercise on a daily basis.
Whatever activity you choose to do, it should be one that you enjoy. You are much more likely to stick with a daily
activity plan if you enjoy what you are doing and see it as fun. A great way to make any activity enjoyable is to
include someone else. Find an activity that you and your spouse like to do together, or find an exercise "buddy."
Better yet, include the whole family. Take the kids with you on a bike ride or a walk through the neighborhood after
dinner. The more we include our children in a healthy lifestyle now, the more likely they are to carry that lifestyle
into their future. And, with the rate of Type II Diabetes quickly on the rise, isn't this what we want for our kids?
5. Properly Functioning Nervous System: This means regular chiropractic care. Having your spine checked
on a regular basis for subluxations is the key to a healthy lifestyle. You can do all of the things that we just talked
about, but if you have a subluxation and the nerve that goes to your heart is experiencing interference and
less-than-maximum functioning, you are still going to have heart problems! Now, it might not happen as quickly as
with someone who doesn't eat right, exercise, or practice stress management, but it will still happen.
The best way to obtain peak performance and get the most out of all the other healthy lifestyle changes that
you are making is to remain subluxation-free. Your body will perform better and heal faster. Isn't that what we all
want? I know I do!