Chiropractors have observed for years that patients under regular chiropractic care, regardless of age, report experiencing fewer infections. What is the physiology behind this? Why do patients insist on claiming this? What does the science say?
One of Dr. Whitbeck's patients told him that her grandmother used to say to her "my chiropractor doesn't MAKE me well he KEEPS me well"
Just being O'malley the dog, I don't know everything but I see Dr W's patients have several things in common that seem to keep them healthy.
Positive Attitude - Dr W askes every patient when he first walks in "tell me good news"! A positive attitude can improve your immune system and may help you live longer, according to a University of Queensland study. The research, published in Psychology and Aging has found that older people who focused on positive information were more likely to have stronger immune systems.(1)
Good nutrition - "While it is best to get most of your nutrients from foods, it is not always possible. The best strategy is to know where you fall short and add supplements to fill the gaps. The experts on our, FullScript Supplement page have identified some “immune Support” supplements that all adults should consider taking.
Sleep - Getting a good night’s sleep 7-8 hrs is essential to supporting your immune system (dogs get lots of sleep;-) and many patients find that chiropractic treatment helps them achieve this goal, with treatments that help with relaxation and pain relief. Numerous studies have reported the benefits of a good night’s sleep, and now researchers from Germany have found that sound sleep improves immune cells known as T cells.(2)
Exercise often - optimum is 20-60 min 5 days a week, but even 10 minutes every other day helps; "If you look at the evidence, people who exercise more in general get fewer infections and also have lower incidence of cardiovascular disease," says John Campbell, Ph.D., professor at the University of Bath in England, who studies exercise and immune system function.(3)
Adjustments - Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to boost the coordinated responses of the nervous system and immune system. Wellness based chiropractors analyze the spine for subluxations and give corrective adjustments to reduce the stress on the nervous system. A 1992 research group found that when a thoracic adjustment was applied to a subluxated area the white blood cell (neutrophil) count collected rose significantly. (4)
So my advice (remember I am O'Malley the dog) is to CALL Dr Whitbeck and set up a consultation
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