Growing up Well-Adjusted can be a funny thing; my chiropractor was, and still is, my uncle. Needless to say, I got adjusted weekly, if we were healthy or sick, when we were active or hurt, and it was always a family affair. Being raised in the chiropractic paradigm I’ve seen firsthand how a Chiropractic Lifestyle facilitates an Optimal
Expression of the true innate potential for living in individuals of all ages. On April 5,2017, my beautiful daughter came into the world and into our hearts. Like myself, she had the unique privilege of having her spine checked within moments, beginning her life Clear, with a fully functioning Nervous System, completely free from interference.
We chose to name her Lola, for my grandmother. She was born at home, naturally, without medication, or medical intervention. While home birth is not right for everyone, it was absolutely the best choice for us. My wife is a long-time yoga practitioner and instructor, with an emphasis on mindfulness and meditation. We wanted our baby to be born naturally, and to facilitate the process we felt it important to be in a comfortable, relaxed environment. So, where better than our home? In many ways we began preparing well in advance with visualizations and conception affirmations to ready her mind, body and spirit for a healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Throughout the course of her pregnancy she practiced yoga, meditated, got adjusted, stayed hydrated, took prenatal supplements, and ate a whole-food primarily plant-based diet. We enhanced our knowledge by reading, taking classes, and training ourselves for the upcoming event.
Labor began about a week early with a yawn and leak as we were getting ready to go out to dinner. We adjusted our meal plan, and it became apparent that we wouldn’t have an opportunity to rest before things “really got going.” As she progressed, our midwife and birth partner arrived; each fulfilling their roles with fluid synchronicity which upheld our space with peace and calm. Our daughter arrived hours later with no complications, just as we had planned. The experience was perhaps the greatest personification of the Chiropractic Objective to simply remove interference and allow the Innate Intelligence of our being to lead. It’s impossible for me to deny it; taking into consideration the conditions necessary for conception, the purposeful development of a fully formed human, and the immense power present during labor and delivery. It’s never been clearer to me why people who are regular with their Chiropractic Care report shorter smoother labors, easier pregnancies, fewer interventions, and an overall enhanced quality of Life!
Looking back, I’ve come to realize how truly special my own chiropractic upbringing had been. Growing up I experienced few bouts of illness, no allergies, no prescriptions, no antibiotics, never an over the counter medication, clean food, good water; a true expression of Health. When I began college and sought care as a patient I had the opportunity to experience a variety of chiropractic approaches, and soon gained an awareness of how I had taken my exceptional care and Chiropractic Lifestyle for granted.
I opened my practice in October 2009 and my first practice member was my grandmother, she wasn’t bashful about divulging who her favorite grandchild was, and as soon as the state faxed over my license number she began care. After all, Grandma was how this whole Chiropractic thing got into our family in the first place, she was introduced to vitalistic health care while working as a nurse in the UK. She was over 80 when she became my first client, but was an exemplification and a testament to the power of regular Chiropractic Care! Grandma truly expressed her potential for healthy living; having experienced few minor procedures, filling just 1 prescription for glaucoma, and by living her life with vigor. Through her eighties grandma continued to travel internationally, volunteer, and care for her family in ways that many aging Americans cannot care for themselves. When she transitioned from her physical self last January I had the privilege of being beside her, just as she had been there when I entered the world at home.
Being present to witness the Chiropractic Lifestyle as it begins and ends is the most powerful personification of the interwoven cycle of Family, Life, Health, Vitality, and Love.