What does it mean to be healthy? Does it mean your body is symptom free? Does it mean all your bloodwork comes back as normal? Will someone in their 20s be healthier than someone in their 60s? These are the questions weve been answering throughout our monthly series as we reviewed all the systems in the body; nervous system, lymphatic system, skeletal system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, digestive system, respiratory system, immune system, excretory system, reproductive system, and muscular system. I wanted to end this series by giving my top 6 strategies for a healthier you that addresses every one of these systems.

Top 6 Strategies for a Healthier You

Get Adjusted. A chiropractic adjustment helps to relieve stress from the nervous system. The nervous system is in charge of all the functions in the body. This means a chiropractic adjustment can help with not only calming the nervous system, but also improving digestion, strengthening the immune system, and relieving tight muscles in the muscular system, just to name a few.

Get Moving. Whether its walking, biking, or lifting weights, movement helps to strengthen muscles, improve circulation, and increase oxygen intake through our respiratory system. 30 minutes per day for 5 days per week is the recommended amount of movement the human body needs.

Hydrate. Almost every process in the body requires water to function. Water aids in digestion, helps eliminate toxins through our lymphatic system, and allows our muscles to glide over our skeletal system. Dehydration can cause muscle cramps, nausea, and dizziness or confusion. You should be drinking about half your body weight in ounces of water. Unfortunately, water in coffee, juices, or soda doesnt count. Many flavor additives contain artificial sweeteners which are unhealthy to the body. Look for water flavorings that have stevia or monk fruit to sweeten them.

Eliminate Processed/Packaged Foods. Processed and packaged foods have many additives in them to allow them to last on the grocery store shelves. These additives can interfere with our digestion, hormone regulation, and clog up our cardiovascular system. The best way to avoid these foods is to shop around the outside perimeter of the store and avoid the inner aisles as much as possible.

Take Good Quality Supplements. A recent study found that spinach grown in 1951 contained 50 times more calcium than our spinach of today. We have over farmed our land with chemicals that have depleted the soil of nutrients. This is why its important to take supplements.

However, the quality of the supplements you are taking matter. High quality supplements are better absorbed in the body and are more likely to be utilized. These aren't going to be found at Walmart or Walgreens. Work with a professional on picking out the correct supplements for your body.

Sleep. You should be getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Lack of sleep significantly decreases your ability to fight germs, causes a sluggish brain, and allows our lymphatic system to get backed up impeding its ability to remove waste from the body. Our bodies heal when we sleep. It is the time for our bodies to reset and get ready for the next day.

Just because you are symptom free doesnt necessarily mean you are healthy, and age has nothing to do with it. Are you following these 6 strategies to be proactive about your health instead of being reactive when you do have symptoms show up? Take charge of your own health. You do not have to do this alone. If you're not sure where to start, come see me. I would love to help get you started on your health journey.

This wrapup ends our 2023 series Caring for Me in 2023. I hope you have enjoyed the information and have been able to apply it to your own lives. For this next year we will be looking at 12 surprising problems chiropractors can help with such as headaches and carpal tunnel. Stay tuned for the next article to learn what all 12 will be.

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At our Wellness Class we will cover all 12 systems including how they all interact and can affect each other. If you missed a class you were hoping to get to, now is your chance. As always, I will be available to answer questions so bring your questions and get ready to learn! Please join us at our Beaver Dam location for this FREE class on Tuesday, December 12th at 5:30pm

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Yours in Health,
Dr. Stephanie Tyjeski

Dr. Stephanie graduated in December 2016 with her Doctorate in Chiropractic at Logan University. She continued on at Logan University to receive her Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. She is also certified as a Digestive Health Professional through the Loomis Enzyme Institute. She currently works at Tyjeski Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center and recently received the Five Under Forty Award.