By Ken Freedman, D.C.
Are you the parent of a child who struggles to learn, or an older person feeling like you aren’t as sharp as you used to be? If so, there’s good news about how to help your brain work better. Some people assume that a person’s level of brain function is something that can’t be changed. In fact, the brain can form new neural connections as we age, known as “neuroplasticity.” These new connections strengthen cognitive function, elevate mood, improve memory and optimize healing. Positive neuroplasticity can be stimulated in several ways. Chiropractic care is one of the most powerful.
Brain function and positive neuroplasticity: What you need to know
Your brain and nervous system control your body’s functions. This includes everything from blood pressure and heart rate to hormone production and immune system response. As we age, negative neuroplasticity can cause brain function to decline. We feel slower in our recall of names and ability to process information. We experience vision and hearing loss, altered taste and smell, abnormal digestion, and even an increase in depressed moods. A decreased ability to respond to the chemical, physical and emotional stresses we encounter daily can accelerate this decline by creating a negative response in the brain. If we do nothing to reverse this stress response, we will continue to experience functional decline.
Breaking the cycle: Chiropractic care promotes positive neuroplasticity
When most of us think about chiropractic care, drug-free pain relief is the first thing to come to mind. This is rightfully so, because independent studies validate chiropractic care to be the premier choice for addressing chronic back pain. However, there are more benefits to chiropractic care than only relief of pain. Chiropractic care also offers surprising, wide ranging positive effects on the body. It does this through the detection, location and correction of subluxations. Subluxations are a misalignment of the spinal vertebrae that irritates the nerves which carry energy between the mind and body. This energetic disruption negatively impacts the metabolic processes that support healthy brain function. Chiropractic adjustments reduce this nerve interference. The result is an improved ability to heal and move better. It also improves the body’s ability to support better brain health and function.
Research facilitated by the Spinal Research Foundation found that over time chiropractic care may actually reverse the negative effects of stress and promote positive neuroplasticity. According to the research, “Spinal function does affect brain function. There’s now solid evidence that adjusting the spine changes brain function.” What is most important about this study is that all data was collected and analyzed by scientists who were unbiased and had no preconceived ideas about chiropractic.
Since 1979, Freedman Chiropractic Center, LLC has offered natural health services and products focused on restoring health and improving quality of life. To schedule a free consultation at no charge or obligation, or for further information, call 732-254-6011, or email Ken@FreedmanChiropracticCenter.com. Freedman Chiropractic Center, LLC is located at Brier Hill Court D-6, East Brunswick.
