Don't be mad. Don't play the blame game.
Your body is just following orders.
Learn why it's better to honor your brain's interpretation rather than curse it. It will help you avoid the self-hate and demoralization that interferes with your best most vibrant health.
If there is actual tissue derangement, the brain elicits a pain response so you will take the time to look at your foot and something about it.
It reminds me of the time I was attacked by fire ants. I was in Florida trying to plant a garden. If you know me, I was barefoot. Yes, in New York you can prance around outdoors in bare feet. There are no fire ants in New York. Well, my brain quickly figured out I was being bitten by a hundred unfriendly insects. Thank you, brain. Once I looked down to assess the situation, I knew it was time to run away and wash my feet before they did more damage.
My foot was hurting, thanks to my brain. There was good reason to honor my brain's interpretation. I needed to get out of the dirt.
This photo is from a 1995 British Medical Journal editorial. Apparently a man stepped on a nail at a construction site. How does that look to you? Not very comfortable. Are you squirming a little bit? Are you looking away because it conjures up bad memories of something you did that wasn't so smart?
(source: https://medium.com/proximity/it-was-1995-when-an-incredible-story-was-described-in-the-british-medical-journal-e9f1bd90a217)
The guy was screaming in pain during his ride to the emergency room. It took a while to calm him down with pain killers before the boot could be removed. A puncture wound like that could get pretty bloody. The poor guy.
It turned out, after the boot was removed, the nail did not break the skin. Believe it or not, the nail went between his toes.
Was the brain wrong? When he looked at his boot, his brain had to make a quick decision based on the newness of the information so it could alert the rest of the nervous system.
I call this the bear/squirrel dilemma. If you hear rustling in the bushes, your brain immediately thinks it is a bear for the best survival outcome. The brain tells the body to go on high alert. Then, in a few seconds you see that it is actually a squirrel, the brain tells the body to stay put. The heart can stop racing. Blood can circulate from the legs and return to the digestive system (If you just ate some dinner.)
Now, you can look back at instances in your life when you experienced something similar.
In my early 20s I earned myself 2 speeding tickets within months of each other. After that I developed an unwanted panic disorder that would erupt whenever I saw flashing lights on the highway. I felt as if I was jumping out of my skin if a police car was following behind me.
I would shake horribly and my breathing would be shallow which would cause tingling in my hands. Even when I knew I was not speeding, my brain overrode the proof. While my eyes saw the truth on the speedometer, it was to no avail.
My body was just following orders from my brain.
I used to have a dramatic perception that every cop had ultra-laser focus waiting to catch me doing something wrong. I would be staring at my speedometer, making sure I was using my turn signal and not hitting the brake too hard.
These reactions completely stopped in time but it took years. I really can't remember how long it took, but that's ok. Why should I keep that memory stored in my brain. Overtime I felt more relaxed whenever I saw a police cruiser.
Now, I'm cool as a cucumber when I see any police. Even 2 years ago when I was pulled over for an expired registration, I didn't sweat it at all.
The body just follows orders. Having a fever is just the body following orders. Inflammation is the body following orders. A rapid heart beat is the body following orders. If it is something you believe is lasting too long, you can modify it. Chiropractic is one way to break unwanted learned patterns chosen by the brain.
Chiropractic is an amazing tool for your brain because adjustments can help you modify your brain's perception of the world around you and your own internal chatter.
No, it won't erase your brain. Chiropractors are not secret operatives trying to overtake your mind.
Chiropractic works by helping the spine communicate calm to the brain. This in turn opens up an opportunity for the brain to activate the vagus nerve which plays a role in the body's restorative functions such as digestion and repair.
You cannot be in a state of growth and defense. One will dominate.
Some stress we can reduce. Some stress we cannot avoid.
Chiropractic helps us manage. Chiropractic helps us reduce stress.
A chiropractic appointment is a time-out. It is your choses time to get away from busyness and taking a mental break. While you are at the chiropractic appointment, the adjustment allows your pre-frontal cortex to reengage, rebalance, while the limbic system calms down the energy draining survival responses.
Yes, you can calm down the draining survival response on your own. There are many ways to do so. But, chiropractic is a profound brain stimulation that can undo a learned body response. When you feel as if your body is stuck in a vicious cycle, chiropractic breaks the cycle to reestablish every day functions that are placed on hold during a stressful event.
Am I doing a good job of explaining this in a short blog article? Probably not. Watch my orientation video. When you come in for an appointment, we can fill in the blanks with your personal story. It's a very meaningful journey. Join me.
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