You may be thinking that a chiropractor in Portland can only help you with back or neck pain treatment, or maybe a sports injury treatment – but did you know that chiropractic adjustments have also been shown to boost your immune system and help your body fight off illnesses?
Your immune system is controlled and influenced by the performance of your autonomic nervous system, and spinal misalignments are a prime reason for compromised nervous system function. Eliminating misalignments in the spine can help to reduce strain and balance your nervous system, which, in turn, improves the function of your immune system.
In addition to regular trips to your favorite chiropractor in Portland, there are a number of things you can do for yourself to help boost your immune system and ward off illness:
Nourish your body.
One of the easiest things to do is to take nutritional supplements and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, zinc and calcium. Another easy nutritional change is to drink plenty of water every day.
Avoid the big bads.
Limit your intake of caffeine, sugar and salt, which can compromise your immune system. On a different note, caffeine and sugar should also be avoided because they are inflammatory agents and can counteract the work you’re doing as part of any neck pain treatment or sports injury treatment.
Minimize stress.
Another element that will help boost your immune system and contribute positively to any treatment you’re working on is to minimize stress. When your body and mind are stressed, all of your systems have to work harder, making them more vulnerable to viruses and illnesses. Very often, people who are stressed don’t get enough sleep, and this hurts your immune system as well. Ideally, you should find an outlet for any stress built up from your daily work or home life, and get plenty of rest each night to keep your nervous and immune systems humming along optimally.
[ photo by: ciccioetneo ]
