Maintaining optimal health is a challenge for most people and can greatly affect the quality of your life. At Auburn Chiropractic Associates, we want you to experience the best life possible. This can be done by receiving up-to-date information, effective recommendations, and quality care. We strive to equip patients with preventive strategies, lifestyle changes, and comprehensive care to truly get to the root of the problem. Here are some tips to start living a happier and healthier life!
1. Sleep
Getting a night of uninterrupted sleep is very helpful in improving you0r mood, cognition, and productivity. Good sleep schedules are proven to boost your immune system, prevent weight gain, increase productivity, and help you feel calm and more content. Quality sleep can also help relieve headaches and reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines.
There are many steps you can take to increase the effectiveness of your sleep. One of the most obvious ways to maximize your sleep hygiene is to keep a clean and comfortable bedroom. Also, establishing a nightly routine such as showering/bathing, and reading will help your body prepare the brain for sleep. It is beneficial to establish a regular bedtime. Avoiding caffeine, sugary snacks, exercise, computers, cell phone usage, and TV screens within two hours of your bedtime will also increase your sleep quality.
Chiropractic care can help you achieve healthy sleep cycles. Proper spinal alignment reduces cortisol–the primary stress hormone–levels and promotes relaxation. Optimal cervical alignment may also prevent/reduce symptoms of sleep apnea.
2. Exercise
Exercise is known to boost your mood by the release of endorphins “the natural opiate.” Additionally, you feel better due to the increased oxygen as respiration and heart rate increase. These are physiological responses to exercise. Emotionally you feel better because you are doing something that is known to be healthy. This factor can be increased by exercising in a natural setting. Socialization while exercising is also beneficial for cognitive and emotional well-being. Chiropractic treatment can help you feel better so you may enjoy exercising and become more consistent with your regimen.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
A well-balanced diet can provide the body with the nutrients that are vital for health and energy production. These nutrients are essential for proper body function. A healthy diet is based on eating as many whole foods as possible. Food that is highly processed is less nutritious and vitamins, minerals, and fiber is lost during the processing. Processed food may taste good due to the added salt, sugar, and fat but these additives are not healthy. It is a good practice to read the nutrition information on the label of food containers. Remember that the recommended daily allowance for sodium (salt) is 2.3 grams, which is a little over one teaspoon. The recommended daily allowance for foods that contain “added sugar” is 25 grams (6 teaspoons) for women and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men. A healthy diet is beneficial for your physical and mental well-being. Increased intake of vitamin B12 can boost serotonin and help regulate your mood. Vitamin B12 is found commonly in fruits and vegetables. Foods such as kale, nuts, avocados, and eggs are also known to reduce anxiety. A wholesome eating plan fuels your body with the energy it needs and encourages your overall well-being.
Recently, gut health has been a huge topic of conversation trending across the web. Your gut and brain are connected physically with millions of nerve cells, most notably, the vagus nerve that courses from the brainstem through the neck and down to your abdomen. Having a healthy diet plays an important role in regulating digestion, heart rate, and respiration. It can help reduce feelings of stress, promoting a sense of relaxation and calm. The gut and its microbes also control inflammation and make many different compounds that can affect your overall health including brain health. The gut has the ability to influence emotional behavior within the brain.
Eating nutritious foods and staying hydrated can also help you avoid being sick. A healthy lifestyle is beneficial in preventing stomach aches, headaches, coughs, and colds. Overall, there’s a large variety of nutritious foods out there that can benefit your health and happiness.
4. Stay Hydrated
Being properly hydrated is essential for your health. You can live months without food–although not recommended–but you can only live three days without water. When your body is properly hydrated your blood pressure, electrolyte balance, body temperature, and digestive activity are favorably affected. Water is also necessary for healthy joints. The joint capsules are dependent on the cushioning of the synovial fluid that reduces friction in the joint.
To determine the correct amount of water in your diet, 64 ounces is a general suggestion for most adults. Large people need more water and small people need less. If you are working outside in the heat, you will need to replace the water that you are losing at a ratio of six ounces for every 20 minutes of heavy manual labor. Also, check the color of your urine; if the color of your urine is dark–and not affected by vitamins or medications–you are probably dehydrated. If the urine is light yellow you are probably adequately hydrated.
5. Live Intentionally for Wellness
Leading a life with purpose and intention helps to encourage you to make the most of your time and energy, and to live your life to the fullest. Research even proves that having a sense of purpose is beneficial to your well-being. Having a sense of purpose and intention can help you to create a life you enjoy. It will give you reasons to get up in the morning, it will motivate you, and you may end up having experiences and adventures that you never thought were possible. Living with intention can show you care for others, for yourself, and for the world around you.
6. Improve Your Breathing
Breathing can actually serve as a way to be intentional in your day-to-day life. Many people get so caught up in everything going on around them that they forget to breathe effectively. In fact, breathing is one of the most underutilized tools we as humans have the ability to do. Deep breathing can guide your body away from stress and toward relaxation. It can help allow your mind to slow down and focus on what’s essential, or focus on the good. Breathing techniques can help you to turn off your “fight-or-flight” response and to enjoy the present moment. Even just two minutes of intentional breathing can help boost your health and happiness. Breathing can also improve your balance and posture, which can improve your mood and self-esteem.
How Auburn Chiropractic Associates Helps!
The staff at Auburn Chiropractic Associates strives to inform and equip patients with information that can be used to manage their health wisely. However, we are here to diagnose, advise, educate, and treat the patient in order to assist in solving the problems that result in pain and dysfunction. Chiropractic is one of the most conservative, least invasive methods of treating the body and promoting wellness.
Dr. Tracy Hartford has practiced chiropractic for 32+ years. She grew up in Auburn, attended Auburn City Schools, graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Movement Studies in 1984, and graduated from Palmer Chiropractic College in 1990.
Dr. Hartford has always been an active person. In her youth, she was a gymnast and enjoyed tap, ballet, jazz, and baton. She rode horses and competed in western pleasure events as well as enjoyed trail riding and hunter-jumper style riding. She enjoyed cheerleading at Auburn High School as well as track and field. She was a national champion powerlifter–105 lb. weight class–with the Auburn University women’s powerlifting team. She also played on the Auburn University women’s club soccer team. As an adult, Dr. Hartford enjoys golf, tennis, and cooking. Dr. Hartford enjoys hiking and biking with her husband, Jamie. She continues to maintain her strength and endurance with regular cardio exercises and weight training.
At Auburn Chiropractic Associates, we value honest and open communication with our patients while providing quality services and cultivating a passion for healthy lifestyles. We will be happy to assist you with your health goals. Please call for an appointment at 334-826-2225.