Hello fans,

For those who have been following the blog, you may remember that this spring I’ve been working with Dr. Chad Updike at AlignLife Chiropractic in Waunakee to learn more about chiropractic care.  As a newbie who didn’t know much about what chiropractic health was all about, I’ve learned a ton in the last month.  Here are the top five things I’ve learned:

5. Chiropractic school is nearly identical to medical school in the first two years!

4. Chiropractic care is not just about your spine and it’s not just for people who have been in car accidents.

3. Your spinal cord affects nearly everything in your body as it really is the center of your nervous system.  Spinal problems (called subluxations) can affect everything from headaches to digestive problems to numbness in your extremities.

2. Chiropractic care is considered part of a more natural or holistic health approach, which may be part of the reason it’s become more popular lately.

1. Awareness – the biggest takeaway I’ve received is just awareness about how what I do everyday affects my spine, which in turn affects my entire body.  Watching out for twisting motions in my exercises, icing for pain relief vs. heat, and making sure I’m using the proper pillow are all simple things that I can do to maintain and improve my overall health and hopefully live an active and pain-free life throughout adulthood.

Dr. Chad has been adjusting me in three areas for the last month, and I can truly say I feel a difference in my neck and shoulders, which is great considering the amount of tension I usually feel in that area (around race dates it can get pretty bad!).  It’s pretty awesome.

Thanks Dr. Chad for helping watch out for me, so I can watch out for my little girl!