A Change in Perception

I think most of us would say we’re a creature of habit.  We drive the same route to work.  You don’t even have to think about it.  We have typical morning routines where we’re just kind of going through the motions.  I do the same thing with exercise and my running routes.  I gravitate toward exercises that I don’t have to think about too much, and there’s an ease to just going out for a run on the same route as always.  But changing up the routine a bit can help with our brain health, our neuroplasticity, the ability for our brain to change and learn new things. 

On my trail run at Red Top Mountain recently, I opted to do the homestead loop.  A 5 mile tried and true route that has elevation, scenery, at just the right distance.  Sometimes, I opt for 2 loops, and most of the time I’m running in a clockwise direction, and sometimes I run both loops in the same direction (more often than not).   It’s nice to know where the tough parts, where the hills are, where it’s tricky.  But on this recent run, I ran the second loop counterclockwise.  It’s like a whole new trail, a whole new experience.

But this change in direction got me thinking about chiropractic care (makes total sense, right?!)  We process our entire world through our nervous system.  We can perceive something as a threat, when in actuality it’s not, and our body will respond in a fight or flight manner.   Sometimes we need a change in perception, a change in how our body sees and responds to a situation in order to give our brain and our body a chance to learn a new reponse. 

I have personally experienced how regular chiropractic care allows my nervous system to react to situations in a more appropriate manner.  I see it in my patients every day.  We measure it with the nervous system scans in the office by assessing how the autonomic part of the nervous system is functioning.  Adjustments help our body and brain communicate more optimally.  It allows for the brain to send an appropriate response to stressors – good and bad. 

Chiropractic care is not just about pain points and symptoms.  It can be about so much more.  It can be about promoting health and wellness.  It can be about helping your body adapt to stressors more optimally.  When we alleviate the pain points and symptoms, that’s great, but another benefit can come when we stay under care, and allow our body to “change our perception” and respond appropriately.

Perception, by definition, is what we make of something based on our experiences, senses, and observations. It’s how we take in information about the world around us and process those details into an understanding of reality.

So I challenge you to break up your routine a bit.  Challenge your brain with a new route to work or learn a new skill.  But better yet, I challenge you to reap the benefits of regular chiropractic care to see how your change in perception impacts your overall health and wellness.

~ Dr. Shannon