Chiropractic and Nutrition:

Today it seems, everyone is taking some kind of herb or vitamin. In fact, it has become big business, grossing in the billions annually. With all the media coverage, magazine articles and hear-say lately, you can feel lost in a maze of do's and don'ts about the benefits and effects of vitamins and minerals. So who should you turn to? Most would turn to their regular medical doctor, the same person you see when you have a cold or flu. Perhaps you will find it surprising that most medical doctors have little or no training in the nutrition field and many rely on a pharmaceutical salesperson to advise them on what you should be doing nutritionally.

Where can you turn to for educated answers regarding nutrition and supplements? Your Chiropractor! Your doctor of chiropractic has had extensive training in nutritional sciences because the chiropractic profession looks at the whole person not just the symptom. It stems back to the basic chiropractic belief, that we as a society should look to wellness care (the idea of correcting potential problems before they occur) as a main stay of health care.

Without a doubt, you should always start by speaking to your health care professional about your special conditions. Your chiropractor can be a great starting point because he will look at your life from a wellness standpoint. Also your chiropractor will not prescribe your health needs away with unnecessary drugs but will instead empower your body to be well naturally. For example, we give our patients, who express an interest in nutrition, a symptom survey form which targets specific areas that supplementation could improve, if any, before recommending any vitamins or minerals.

We believe that your health is your choice. That's why it is also important to review what you are eating now. Try writing down all the foods that you take into your body for a few days. Then ask yourself, if you are eating enough fruit and vegetables or missing out on another food group. Adding nutrients to a nutritionally poor diet is a great place to start. Once your body is supplied with what it needs to function optimally, you feel better. You will give your body what it needs to better fight illness, to digest food properly, and to feel more energetic just to name a few. There is a big difference between feeling "NOT SICK" and feeling GREAT.

We also consider chiropractic and wellness to be a family affair. We all want our loved ones to share in good health. For this reason, we encourage that you bring in the rest of your family, for a check-up and for a nutritional consultation. It will make it easier to change the "culture" of how your family eats and lives.

So, when you decide that you are ready for a nutritional consultation, just let Dr. Matt know on your next visit. He will start by asking you some questions and giving you a nutritional symptom survey to complete. Then he will take some extra time to go over the results with you and will give you a complete report to take home and read on your own time. Dr. Matt will recommend what supplements are right for your special needs but ultimately what you decide to do is up to you.

Author Contact Info: Dr. Matt Kriewall