Chiropractic Care and Heart Health
February is American Heart Month. While chiropractors are typically associated with back and neck pain, chiropractic care also plays a significant role in heart health. Regular visits to the chiropractor have been shown to decrease chest pain, lower blood pressure, improve nerve function of the heart, and improve lung function.
The Power of Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are the holy grail of chiropractic care. And for good reason too. A study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research suggests that chiropractic adjustments can reverse heart disease.
Everything in the human body links back to the spine. Located in the upper cervical and thoracic areas of your spine, the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves accelerate and decelerate your heart. A misaligned spine in this area can impair the brain’s communication with the body’s neural pathways and affect the regulation of your heart. This type of subluxation or misalignment leads to a myriad of problems from hypothyroidism, increased blood pressure, and even cardiac arrest.
Through a variety of gentle spinal manipulations designed to relieve pressure from a misaligned spine, your trusted chiropractor will work to prevent and reduce any heart issues.
Massage
Regular massage therapy has been shown to decrease stress and blood pressure levels. Studies reported in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reveals evidence that massage therapy reduces both systolic and diabolic blood pressure. High blood pressure is known to be linked with heart problems such as strokes and heart attacks.
Since high-stress levels and blood pressure are signs of a lowered immunity, massage therapy is also beneficial because it relaxes a person and increases your body’s immunity to fight against dangerous diseases such as heart disease.
Diet and Exercise
Obesity is associated with many heart conditions such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. All of these conditions raise your risk for heart disease. Your chiropractor aims to provide a holistic treatment plan that leaves our patients feeling and looking better than ever before. This includes a diet plan that perfectly fits your routine and lifestyle. A poor diet with unhealthy foods wreaks havoc on your immune system and leaves a person vulnerable to multiple health problems and illnesses.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, adults are recommended at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise such as walking or light bicycling, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity like basketball or running. But because of stay-at-home orders, many of us are stuck indoors and only go out for essentials. Just because we’re home doesn’t mean fitness ends. Your local chiropractor will work with you to develop an individualized exercise routine to get you moving more, even in the comfort of your own home.