A fallacy that most people fall for is that I feel well therefore I am healthy. We all want to feel good. However, feeling good has little to do with health. The following are the top five chronic health conditions.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Affects about 32% of the U.S. population, with prevalence rising to 61% among adults 65 and older. It’s a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, often linked to aging, poor diet, and physical inactivity.
Most of us can have hypertension and feel healthy. In 2022, I experimented with a different chiropractic approach to my neck. I was having headaches. Ultimately, I got a prescription for antibiotics. I suspected a sphenoid sinus infection. The headaches improved. At the same time, I was having hypertension with systolic ranges from 140s to 170s. I tried no caffeine, no alcohol, diet, meditation, nothing was helping the hypertension.
I switched to a chiropractor who practiced NUCCA. That didn’t help my hypertension either. However, it did seem to help when my headache began to return.
I began using Pettibon traction (if you get one I recommend getting the TMJ version) and resting over a neck support. Now my blood pressure is rarely over 140 and usually in 120s. More on this later.
Obesity: Impacts 42% of U.S. adults as of 2022, contributing to over 200 related chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. It’s driven by lifestyle factors and social determinants like food insecurity.
After her first adjustment, an elderly patient was concerned that she lost her appetite. I told her not to worry. After weeks of care, she was feeling better. I noticed that she was wearing a smaller patient gown. I hadn’t weighed her and didn’t ask. When she came in after an appointment with her medical doctor, I asked how far her weight was off from normal. She said five pounds.Another patient felt so much better after beginning care that he began walking. He lost 70 pounds.
High Cholesterol: Reported in 55% of adults 65 and older and 37% of midlife adults. It increases cardiovascular risks and is manageable through diet and medication.
I always prefer diet to medication. There are always unintended consequences to medication. See if diet can help first.
Arthritis: Affects 51% of adults 65 and older, causing joint pain and reduced mobility. Osteoarthritis is the most common form, linked to age-related wear and tear.
We often see worn spinal joints on x-ray. We can predict which joints will wear out based on alignment. That is why I encourage everyone to get spinal x-rays and get aligned.Diabetes: Impacts 12.5% of U.S. adults, with type 2 being the most common. It’s a leading cause of death and complications like kidney disease, driven by obesity and lifestyle factors.
Again, look to diet first. Exercise. Reduce your weight if you are overweight.
We never know what will happen to us. I could drop dead before I get to the end of this sentence. Consider what the anesthesiologist told me when I was in the hospital last April. Before surgery, he told me that he was good at what he did. After surgery, I complimented him that I felt pretty good. He said, “Which is worse to correctly brag about your ability or be falsely humble?” With that as background, he stopped to see me a couple of days after surgery. I told him I was doing well and thanked him. As he walked out, he turned and said, “You can take credit for your recovery. You’ve taken good care of yourself.”
I exercise. I eat well. I meditate. I work to align my spine. Those are things I do to take care of myself not to avoid chronic conditions. When people ask why I look so young, I usually say genetics. The truth is my father looked just like me when he died at the age of 50. Maybe it has something to do with taking care of myself. My father couldn’t rehab his spine. He had a fracture that didn’t heal properly.
Something to think about.