Many of our patients are pursuing the annual whim of "New Year's resolutions" to get serious about their health and fitness.
The current trend is the "quick fix" – but common sense tells us that good health is a process – an investment, if you will – and investments take time to give good dividends. Being healthy takes some active thought and action on the part of the individual – not just popping a couple of vitamin tablets every morning! That's where you can help. When your patients come in this year looking to you for advice on how to get healthy, what do you have to offer them?
"Patients just aren't as healthy as they [once] were and many are not responding without the addition of good nutrition," says Canton, Ohio DC Dr. Jeffrey Fedorko.1 Chiropractic manipulation is a powerful treatment in restoring spinal function, opening up nerve flow, and allowing the body to grow and heal. But even under the best circumstances, healing takes time – you can't cheat the body's normal healing mechanisms.
Think of a high-end sports car – the engine can be tuned to spec, but without the right fuel and lubrication, it just won't run right. Our bodies are the same – the structure can be aligned, but we still need the right fuel (think nutrition) for the engine to run smoothly.
In our practice, we start with a food and chemical sensitivity test, followed by micronutrient testing. Everyone is different and has different needs. We are able to reduce inflammation by identifying and removing triggers, and then supplement with the appropriate nutrients specific to each patient's needs.
But you don't stop there – this can quickly default to the same idea of "just taking my vitamins." As the body flushes out irritation and starts to function better, nutritional needs should and will change. Re-evaluation and modification of each patient's nutritional needs should happen at regular intervals.
As the body starts to assimilate and engage the needed nutrients, stretching and exercise become just as important. Again, the adjustment is important, but if the supporting tissues are not flexible or stable enough to support the manipulation, the body tends to default back to the same dysfunctional mechanics.
It is our practice to help our patients identify their goals and work toward them. With all the advertising noise out there, it's easy to get confused. Our approach is not to micromanage the patient's diet, but rather to provide scientifically supported supplementation advice that supplies nutrients essential to healing.
In our fast-food, drive-through-window society, it is easy to forget about good nutrition. Most people have no idea how little nutrition is actually in the food they eat on a daily basis. The following is a partial list of nutrients lost in processed foods: vitamins B1-B6, biotin, vitamin E, chromium, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, fiber, and essential fatty acids. That's a lot of lost nutrients.2
So, why talk about nutrition in relation to chiropractic when so much of our focus in on spinal manipulation? Thinking about nutrition can be daunting. But remember that beyond the vertebral subluxation is an entire network of support tissues.3 When injured, our bodies require collagen production to repair these tissues. The quality of this tissue depends directly upon the quality of the collagen, which depends directly upon the availability of essential nutrients.4
Vitamin C (which must be supplemented) and vitamin B6 are necessary to provide elasticity to new collagen repair fibers. Carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren's contracture are just two examples of connective-tissue disorders that respond well to vitamin B6 supplementation.5-8
After alleviating the functional pressures on the joint with manipulation, the cartilage degeneration can be halted and even reversed with supplementation of specific nutrients. Again, this should then be supported with appropriate rehabilitative activity.
When working with a patient to help them reach optimal health, chiropractic care is important, but there is more to complete health than just manipulation. Good rest, adequate exercise and proper nutrition are also essential for total health.
If a patient does not respond as well as hoped to manipulation, it may very well be because they are not getting the nutrients needed for the body to adequately heal and hold the treatment. Take the time to step back and make sure you are addressing the scope of your patient's needs and help them achieve optimal health. Yes, it takes time and effort, but your patients will respond better to your care and will thank you for the difference you make in their life.
References
- "Five Reasons Why Incorporating Nutrition Will Launch Your Success, Plus One Tip on Getting Started." Document from the Chiropractic Summit.
- USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6. Nutrient Data Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2007 Dec.
- Wan JM, Haw MP, Blackburn GL. Nutrition, immune function, and inflammation: an overview. Proc Nutr Soc, 1989 Sep;48(3):315-35.
- Franzblau CF, et al. Chemistry and Biosynthesis of Cross-Links in Elastin. In: Chemistry and Molecular Biology of the Extracellular Matrix (Balazas, Ed.). Academic Press, 1970:617-641.
- Ahmadieh H, Arabi A. Vitamins and bone health: beyond calcium and vitamin D. Nutr Rev, 2011;69:584-598.
- Carr AC, Frei B. Toward a new recommended dietary allowance for vitamin C based on antioxidant and health effects in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1999;69(6):1086-1107.
- Palacios C. The role of nutrients in bone health, from A to Z. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2006;46:621-628.
- Merle BM, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2016 Apr;103(4):1135-44.
Click here for more information about Douglas R. Briggs, DC, Dipl. Ac. (IAMA), DAAPM, EMT.
Melissa Crispell is a certified nutrition specialist, certified wellness coach, certified natural healthcare practitioner, friend of First State Health & Wellness and nationally-recognized speaker.