Heart Health and Chiropractic
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. As of 2021, the death rate (based on data from 2018) from cardiovascular disease is 217.1 per 100,000. That means someone dies of CVD every 36 seconds. In addition, someone has a stroke every 40 seconds, and someone dies of a stroke every 3.5 minutes.
Only about 24% of the population reported engaging in adequate aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. STILL, 1 in 6 males and 1 in 8 women are smokers. There is also a growing number of people using e-cigarettes—the long term effects of which are still to be fully realized.
This is a problem that truly has reached epidemic proportions. The predominant mantra is prevention: proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management. However, when people have heart disease, the most common approaches include drugs and a variety of surgeries, including by-pass surgery.
The conventional view of heart disease is that it occurs in the arteries due to a build-up of plaque, causing blockages. According to this view, the plaque builds up to a degree that restricts blood flow, causing a heart attack. However, research is beginning to show that most heart attacks are likely caused by an imbalance in the central nervous system (CNS), and the autonomic (unconscious) nervous system (ANS), which control the function of our internal organs. In an article written by Thomas Cowan, MD, he states that bypass surgery provides only the smallest of benefit for most people. This is because sites (arteries) that are over 90% blocked—in almost all cases—compensate for that blockage by developing collateral blood vessels. What this means is the body knows the blockage is occurring and is taking it upon itself to alter its own physiology to keep the blood flowing to the heart. It may seem outrageous, but angiogram studies have down new blood vessels branching off blocked arteries, carrying blood to and from the heart.
That is the power of your amazing body!!
Electrical impulses from the brain play a vital role in heart function. Impulses from an improperly functioning nervous system has a major negative influence on heart function and can lead to heart attacks. YES—proper nutrition, physical activity, and stress management are integral to your heart (and overall!) health. These nourish your nervous system and lowers your risk of heart disease.
As a chiropractor, I correct imbalances in the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. When I adjust the spine and remove subluxations, particularly the upper back and upper neck, there is a direct connection from the nerves in those areas to the heart. Getting the pressure off the nervous system allows optimal flow of information between brain and body, resulting in better function.
The moral of the story?
LOVE YOUR SPINE AND YOUR HEART WILL LOVE YOU!
COME GET YOUR ADJUSTMENT TODAY!
