An individual’s diet significantly impacts their overall well-being and is a key to optimum holistic health. Likewise, chiropractic treatments help patients embrace a drug-free, surgery-free approach to pain relief and musculoskeletal problems. The connection between chiropractic care and nutrition is that they both address the entire body, improving overall health instead of just putting a bandaid on current symptoms.
This is why chiropractors often emphasize the importance of functional nutrition as a part of your overall treatment plan.
The Role of Nutrition in Inflammatory Disease
Pain or discomfort around the joints is a common reason people seek a chiropractor’s help. This type of pain often arises from inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including diabetes, arthritis, allergies, and hypothyroidism.
In most cases, adjustments significantly improve the patient’s pain and discomfort. However, adjusting their diet often has a remarkable impact on the severity of these inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.
Research proves that positive diet changes can reduce inflammation throughout the body. Reducing inflammation levels directly impacts other symptoms, including pain.
A chiropractor trained in functional nutrition can offer specific diet advice based on symptoms. However, the experts generally recommend that patients eat more fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to adding these foods to your diet, patients should restrict their consumption of processed foods, such as fast-food meals or sugary sweets. Drinking more water and avoiding soda or alcohol may also help relieve inflammatory disorders.
Better Health Through Improved Nutrition
Chiropractors learn about nutrition as a part of their education, concentrating on the body’s response to the foods, vitamins, and nutrients consumed. By contrast, medical doctors often receive no specialized training in nutrition and its holistic benefits.
Chiropractors understand the connection between nutrition and overall health and will use this knowledge when developing care plans for their patients. Here are some examples of functional nutrition working with chiropractic care for optimal benefits:
Lower Back Pain: Lumbar pain restricts movement and can cause discomfort for a patient when they sit, stand, or walk. In some cases, people are rendered nearly immobile by the pain. In addition to adjustments, your chiropractor may recommend vitamin D to patients, as low vitamin D levels are associated with lower back pain.
Fatigue: A person’s diet directly influences daily energy levels, and specific vitamins and nutrients are required to stay in excellent health. A diet without proper nutrients can cause lethargy and fatigue, but these conditions can be treated by increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Organ Function: Chiropractors can provide relief in ways beyond needed spinal adjustments. Their focus on holistic treatment allows them to offer advice about medical issues like gallstones or liver dysfunction, which can often be relieved by restoring proper levels of B vitamins in the body.
Compromised Immune System: Diet and nutrition directly correlate to how the immune system functions. An improper diet makes it harder for the immune system to fight viruses and bacteria that could cause illnesses ranging from mild to severe. Those who regularly consume a healthy diet also heal more rapidly from diseases or injuries. Access to information about proper nutrition will boost confidence about taking control of one’s health.
Bring the Body into Complete Alignment
Chiropractors align bones and adjust spines – but they also focus on chiropractic nutrition to maximize the benefits of traditional chiropractic treatments. Combining smart nutrition with chiropractic adjustments may reduce chronic pain and migraines more effectively. Attacking these issues at their root offers tangible results and long-term improvement.
However, not everybody benefits from the same diet. Consult with your chiropractor or healthcare professional to discuss your unique dietary plan.
Dr. Ryan Johnson provides innovative chiropractic services and diet and nutrition counseling to Sarasota area residents and visitors.
