By Dr. Joe Manza DC, CACCP - Webster's friendly neighborhood Chiropractor
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Without a doubt, our technology has certainly created much good in our world. Take a quick scan around wherever you may be and you will see signs of major advancements in business, communication, medicine, travel, and so forth that we enjoy because of our technology. There are even greater advancements on the horizon as many billion-dollar individuals and corporations are helping to further the human experience with new types of medicine, ease and speed of communication, space exploration, and so forth.
However, with the good comes the not-so-good. Our advanced world has undoubtedly created unintentional negative side effects to our anatomy, physiology, and psychological health. Neck symptoms, sometimes referred to as “text or tech neck,” from looking down at our portable devices is an ever-increasing problem for many people, especially our youth. Sleep issues arise from too much technology, particularly in the evening and around bedtime… especially with our youth. And just think about how you mentally feel after a social media scrolling bender; this is particularly troublesome, especially for our youth. Can you see a pattern forming here?
It would seem as if my point is our technology is the problem, but that is not the case I am making. The problem is we are not taking the time to check in with ourselves, which means we have become extremely out of sync with our brain and body. This is a difficult problem as more and more children are expected to utilize technology at an earlier age for learning purposes and societal pressures. When we are not aware of our internal cues because we were never taught about them or if we choose to not listen to them, then we are setting ourselves up for poor health and more illness at younger and younger ages.
When was the last time you took a moment to ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?” You see, answering this simple question is how we begin to create massive health within ourselves and even others. If you have not done that in a while, or ever, maybe stop reading this, close your eyes, and ask yourself that very question. Go ahead, take 30 seconds. I’ll wait for you…
Great, you’re back. What did you notice? Have any body parts that were uncomfortable? Did you need to stand up and stretch? Do you feel happy? Sad? Tired? Are you hungry? Did you need to use the bathroom? How did it really feel to check in with yourself? Later on, do this again after you eat or exercise and notice how you feel then.
I started doing this and realized I did not feel good after eating certain foods, so I’ve made a few dietary alterations as well as started seeing new healthcare providers to meet my specific needs. Now that you know what you are feeling, or not feeling, what healthcare professionals do you need to contact to help guide you towards creating massive health?
Taking this small action many times throughout every one of your days will certainly help to make you feel better on a moment-to-moment basis, but more importantly, consistency with this exercise will help create a healthier overall version of yourself. Moreover, if you have children with the ability to describe how they feel, then you will definitely want to take the time to introduce them to this practice as well. Routine check-ins with yourself is just the beginning to living a mindful life filled with intent and purpose while creating lasting massive health.
Now stop reading and ask yourself again, “How am I feeling right now?”
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Dr. Joe Manza DC, CACCP runs a chiropractic office located in the Village of Webster.