When the influx of information is too much for the nervous system we activate a stress response. When we can’t adapt to that stress response, whether it be trauma (physical) thoughts (emotional) toxins (chemical), the results are subluxations; intelligent adaptations that produce symptoms such as pain, etc. These symptoms are a warning that something is wrong.
At times of ease, our nervous system strategies focus on replenishment and restoration of bodily functions (rest & digest). However, when our nervous system is under continuous stress (fight or flight), habituation and normalization occur quite quickly causing our body to maintain that level of stress whether it’s necessary or not. During times of dis-ease our bodies will go into a defensive posture, which slows healing and recovery.
The vagus nerve, the main nerve of our parasympathetic (rest & digest) nervous system controls specific body functions such as our digestion, heart rate, and immune system. During times of dis-ease in our body, the vagus system’s function is compromised, majorly limiting the bodily functions it is responsible for.
Within chiropractic, the vagus nerve is extremely important because of the link between the essential nerves, the spine and the brain which comprise the nervous system. Thus, receiving a chiropractic adjustment can help your nervous system and your vagus nerve function better. This, in turn, helps your entire body work better, and go into a parasympathetic state (rest & digest), which allows the body to rest, repair and digest.
It is also very important to notice that this healing process is enhanced by developing a positive mindset. Our mind has a significant impact on our bodies, just as our bodies have an effect on our mental state. Through movement, we notice a change in our mental attitude, whereas staying inactive feeds negative thought patterns and habits. Our spines have the most joints in them, every time we move a joint our bodies produce happy hormones, when we move our spine, we in turn, move our minds. No one is constantly positive however by steering towards approaching life with a gracious attitude, we are able to help our bodies maintain a state of ease allowing it to rest, repair and digest.
Living in a society with such rapid changes makes it even more important for us to find effective strategies to manage stress and prevent ourselves from becoming overwhelmed. By understanding the link between our mind and body we are able to learn how to react, adapt, thrive and optimize our lives in a state of health and well-being.