How b a l a n c e d is your bucket?
Chiropractic care has truly been great starting block to leading a holistic life. It has been an amazing avenue for opening questions about what health and healing is. It has opened my eyes to see a world of vitalistic living. Healing from above, down, inside, out.
So, what does a bucket have to do with this holistic health approach?
Many of us do not realize the amount of toxicity our bodies are exposed to on a daily basis. The level and type of toxicity varies on where you reside, but the United States has one of the highest toxicity loads in the world. From what we eat, products we use to clean, the cars we drive, personal care products put on our bodies, to the air we breathe. 80,000 new toxins have been introduced into our environment since the industrial revolution and World War 2 and very few of these are tested regularly for safety. This toxicity has a direct effect on the mental, physical and emotional stress or “load” placed on our bodies.
Chiropractors enjoy using this genius bucket analogy. Honestly, it works. Let’s think of our bodies as the bucket. Your mental, physical and emotional health make up the contents of what is inside. The goal is for your bucket to be balanced, right? When we go to the store and grab a green juice instead of driving through the McDonald’s drive through we are contributing to the stability and balance of the contents within. Say we wake up and eat a frozen Eggo waffle, M&M’s and a coke for breakfast. We all know this isn’t the most opportune way to kick start our metabolism because it not only crashes our metabolic system, but neither does it lessen the toxic load placed on all other systems of our body. What’s worse is not taking into consideration the amount of toxicity your body had been exposed to the night before and that morning, from what air fresheners you plugged in before you slept, to the soap you used when you showered, the lotion or hair products, the chemical load in your water, to the amount of chemicals in the air you breathe when you walk outside – toxins are literally everywhere. Each time we encounter these “toxicities,” our bucket starts to fill up; eventually getting top heavy on one side. Continuing with the analogy, the bucket completely tipping over is most of the time seen with a serious health issue or illness. It’s inconceivable to live a completely non-toxic lifestyle, but there are SO many things we can do proactively to balance our buckets and prevent sickness!
Is it possible to have an unbalanced bucket at birth? Our kids are now exposed to SO MUCH MORE at a younger age. Due to the advancements in epigenetic sciences and technology, we understand that children are being born with a higher level of stress placed on them. The toxic load is taken into consideration from the moment of conception. Things that kids were able to adapt to 15 years ago are not occurring naturally; our children are struggling with the same adaptive processes. These natural processes are no longer occurring with ease. Children should be able to eat, digest, poop and sleep without issues- this is a primal and vitalistic need. All of our bodies rely on these things. What is the issue? Our kids are being born with a bucket that is already on the verge of tipping over.
Y’all there is hope! Chiropractic addresses each one of these issues by bringing awareness to the brain and decreasing some of the stress load placed on the nervous system. It is no surprise for us when a mom walks into a Chiropractic office with her beautiful newborn that is having issues latching or feeding and comes back a few visits later exclaiming her life completely changed; her baby is feeding. Years ago we did not have the advancements or reliability in bottles that we have currently for latch or feeding issues; moms believed that breastfeeding was the way newborns were designed be nurtured. Our society has gotten confused with what is normal and what is common. Children born with latch issues means they are having trouble eating. This is a primal, basic, necessary need for survival. Issues with this are not n o r m a l, but it has certainly become c o m m o n. When we get these fundamental needs back online and working in the way they were designed with a holistic approach, we are balancing the bucket. What better way to get a start to life than with a balanced and thriving nervous system?
In the season of having new years resolutions (new year, new me right?), I would like to ask y’all what are you implementing in your life to maintain a balanced bucket? Chiropractic care, conscious nutritious decisions, movement and mindfulness are areas you can do a quick check in with. I encourage you to make decisions that aid your body in healing from above, down, inside, out. Work on decreasing the stress and toxic load your body is exposed to! How close are you to tipping over your bucket?
-M