The Dental Hygiene Analogy Should we have been taught to go to a Chiropractor like we go to a Dentist? Yes No The answer to the question is in the analogy… Important details you might need: Daily stress on our spine is like bacteria in a tooth Spinal stress (injury or non-injury related) affects children […]
Hugging is definitely a powerful way to improve anyone’s day, especially when done a certain way. More on that in a moment.
But first, are you aware of just how much a hug can benefit you chemically and electrically?
Research shows that a good hug has many benefits for sickness, dis-ease, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and stress.
Here are 9 good reasons to hug more often:
- The act of hugging instinctually builds trust, safety and a sense of community. This helps encourage healthy communication and a sense of being connected with others.
- Hugs can instantly boost oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is a powerful hormone that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. It helps with loneliness, isolation, or anger. Hugs are like a drug, but without side effects. In this case, addiction is encouraged.
- Holding a hug for an extended period of time can increase serotonin levels (another powerful neurotransmitter), thus elevating mood and creating a sense of well-being and happiness. It’s as if our internal pharmacy relies on hugs to keep the doors open.
- Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum combined with the emotional charge of a hug can stimulate the solar plexus (a nerve bundle in the abdomen). This can stimulate the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells.
- Hugging can relax muscles and reduce tension by increasing circulation within soft tissues.
- Hugging boosts self-esteem and the ability to love thyself. All the attention and tactile stimulation we received though hugs as children leaves an imprint or memory within our nervous system. Hugging reminds us that we are important and worthy of love.
- Hugs balance out the nervous system. The galvanic skin response of giving and receiving a hug shows a a change in skin conductance. These changes suggest that a hug initiates a more relaxed, parasympathetic state within the nerve system.
- Hugs teach us that there is equal value to giving and receiving in life. Hugs remind us that love is meant to be given and received.
- Hugs are like a mini yoga or mediation session. They teach us to be present and in the moment. They remind us to be conscious of our heart, our feelings, our breath, and the moments that matter most in life.
As Chiropractors we advocate the importance of a healthy nervous system, which makes hugging a side effect free prescription for better health.
There is a saying by Virginia Satir, a respected family therapist, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.”
One last thing…
If only a proper hug will benefit us so greatly, what constitutes a proper hug?
Well, hugging someone like they have cuddies or as a mere courtesy will not do. It needs to be a full embrace with a sense of meaning and intention.
Just commit to it. You deserve it. So do they.
On a personal note…
As a loving husband, I get plenty of hugs from my beautiful wife every single day. But, after writing this article I am inclined to double my dosage.
Truth is, the most important part of my day for the last several years is the hug we have upon delivery of the coffee to her bedside. Apparently, I innately knew that this is the best way to start the day.
Now, we just have a few other reasons to keep doing it forever and ever, Amen?
written by Dr. Craig Burns, DC
How Can We “Turn The Power On” In Our Body, And Keep It On For The Rest Of Our Lives?
This poster actually says a lot about how our body works, don’t you think? Have you ever thought about how nerve energy runs our body or how it influences our state of health and happiness?
Sadly, most of us were never taught this. Fortunately, it’s never too late to learn more about a big idea like this and use it to our advantage.
What Is The Short & Simple Explanation?
Our body is an electrical system… nerve energy is what regulates bodily function… it flows from our brain down to our body through our spinal column… it flows through channels formed by the bones out to organs, glands and muscles… it supplies everything with much needed energy and information.
With that being said, the two most important questions we would want answers to is:
What happens if the flow of nerve energy becomes compromised?
- Abnormal function and dis-ease
What can happen if restore or maintain the flow of nerve energy?
- Proper function and health
What Is The Short & Simple Conclusion?
Let’s keep the electricity flowing properly through our spine and keep the “lights on” to all the pieces and parts that those nerves go to.
Let’s keep our POWER ON with chiropractic.
This is just what smart, health conscious people know and do nowadays.
Would you agree?
Real World Examples Of This Principle?
It may be you or it may be someone you know… but, if it looks or feels like the power is not on… please know that there is hope. Find a good wellness-based Doctor of Chiropractic. They can do things for us and teach us things that nobody else can.
It’s not just okay, it is perhaps the best thing a parent could do for their child’s health and well-being.
Truth is, we are very rough on our body when we are young and reckless.
Ever slide down the stairs on your butt, jump off of something you shouldn’t have, or play sports as a child? Much of what children do in their youth would put a middle aged body on bedrest for a week.
The truth is, these developing bodies need more attention than we were led to believe.
A seemingly insignificant fall or jarring event can literally alter the course of their future by altering the health of their spine and posture. Shockingly, it’s not just the bones in their back that we need to be worried about. It’s what inside that matters most.
No, this is not your momma’s speech about self-confidence. We are talking about the spinal cord and the spinal nerves (our body’s central nervous system). This complex electrical system is basically our body’s operating system. If that gets even mildly irritated or stressed, we’ve got problems!
Just think about this for a second… how important is it that the operating system on your computer or mobile device, or the one in your vehicle or home actually works properly on a regular basis? Sadly, we were never taught to think about the one inside our own body, were we? This is why we cannot allow stress in our spine to promote interference or disturbance to our nervous system (our body’s operating system).
Chiropractors refer to this common problem as a subluxation… a condition whereby the spine is not aligned properly or moving properly which promotes dysfunction of the muscles and joints, the nerves and organs, and even the brain.
Can you see how all those slips and falls, the rough housing, the backpacks, and the long hours sitting in school can take a toll? In fact, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) states that the average child will fall over 2,000+ times before they hit puberty, and many of those falls will be traumatic enough to cause bigger problems later in life if not adequately addressed.
Besides helping a child grow and develop properly (i.e. avoid scoliosis and bad posture), chiropractic care has been shown to help with a host of other common issues like bedwetting, a weak immune system, allergies and asthma, ADD / ADHD / SPD, etc. How is this possible? Again, it comes down to how the relationship between the spine and the nerve system can influence bodily function from the inside-out.
If you think about it, a well-cared for spine and nerve system is essential to a healthy childhood. Chiropractic care is known to reduce nerve stress and improve nerve function. Again, what is coordinating the growth and development of that little body? That’s right, it is our central nervous system, which just so happens to run through our spinal column.
So, with all this being said, could the benefits of chiropractic care not only help a child achieve optimal growth and development, but also determine their potential for health and happiness later in life? Many health experts nowadays are saying YES!
This is why every family should see a wellness-based Doctor of Chiropractic. It’s not just for aches and pains. It’s because they can do things for us, and teach us things, that nobody else can.
“One day every parent will come to see that taking their children to the Chiropractor is as necessary and beneficial as taking them to the Dentist.”
How To Find The Best Chiropractor Near You For Pediatric Care & Advice?
Tip #1: Call ahead and ask if they specialize in seeing kids and infants. Some do. Some do not. It’s always best to simply ask.
Tip #2: Look for the most popular Chiropractor near you. Look at how many Google reviews they have from happy clients and customers. For example, you could perform a Google search like Chiropractor in Centennial Colorado to check their online review status. Check neighboring towns as well. The best ones are worth driving to!
Have Questions, Need Help?
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