Nerve disorders ranging from autism in children, and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in seniors, represent just a fraction of the growing number of nerve conditions that are affecting people of all ages in our society today. So much so that Robert Zieve, MD recently wrote in an article called Neurological Disorders: The Growing Epidemic of the 21st-Century, that chronic neurological diseases are fast becoming the debilitating epidemic of our time.
Different than the headline grabbing diseases such as cancer and heart disease that frighten us because they are potentially deadly, chronic neurological diseases can destroy our quality of life including our ability to think, be active and relate to other people. They also have the potential to cause chronic pain and suffering that can last for decades and making us a burden to our loved ones which is something that nobody would want.
Dr. Zieve also states, “Having a healthy brain and nervous system is vital to being able to think clearly without which our active will lacks intelligent guidance and is weakened”.
Your nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. Keeping your nervous system healthy as a priority and a part of your lifestyle is essential if you want to be healthy today as well as over the course of your entire lifetime. As the master controller, problems in the nervous system can cause or mimic any condition or disease you can name. This includes problems with the heart, lungs, hormones, stomach, intestines, reproductive glands as well as your arms, legs, fingers and toes.
A healthy nervous system is essential for you to be able to adapt to your environment in a healthy way. Dr. Zieve states, “We live in a toxic world. The great majority of chemicals we now take in daily were not on the planet 30 years ago. These toxins become neurotoxins, damaging the nervous system.”
You can control your exposure to many of these toxins by making healthier nutritional choices and avoiding environmental toxicity whenever possible. Chiropractic examinations are more important than ever because they evaluate the health of the spinal column and the nervous system. Spinal subluxations, one such condition that is extremely common in adults and children, can alter the function of your nervous system and affect your health on every level even though it may lie asymptomatic for decades.
Conditions that affect your nerves can occur during the birth process, vaccinations, learning to walk, unhealthy foods, contact sports, stress, sitting too much and environmental toxicity, just to name a few. Waiting until neurological symptoms to show up means that your condition may have already become chronic. Don’t let this happen to you.
Good nutrition is vital to a healthy nervous system and can help the body heal and prevent the effects of neurotoxins. Protein and amino acids are vital as they provide the building blocks for neurotransmitters. Strict vegans may need to supplement their diet with amino acids to fill any gaps that exist in their diet. B-complex vitamins also are important for nervous system function.
Keeping your nervous system healthy can make a difference in your long term health and well being as well as you body’s ability to resist and adapt to your environment. Don’t wait for a crisis to force you to act. Make the health of your spine and nervous system a top priority.