The Interrelationship of Total Health (Part 3)
Structural to Eliminatory
As discussed, if a subluxation puts pressure on a nerve supplying the liver, gallbladder, kidney, bladder, intestinal tract, or lungs, the body will work at less than the 100 percent that God intended it to. This is analogous to stepping on a garden hose so the water doesn’t flow or turning down the lights with a dimmer switch. Less electricity less light. This can lead to decreased elimination, greater toxic buildup, and eventual sickness and disease.
Structural to Structural
When one area of the spine subluxates, or misaligns, it becomes fixated, or does not move in its normal range of motion. The whole spine then compensates for this loss of motion. This leads to excessive motion (hypermobility) of other spinal bones and further subluxations. This process of one misaligned bone leading to others has a Leaning Tower of Pisa effect: If the foundation is off, the whole structure will be off. If a pelvic subluxation is left untreated and causes a low hip and functional short leg, many other subluxations will result. The misaligned spinal levels not only cause increased pressure on nerves and the possibility of pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and weakness, but can also cause organ dysfunction. We do not want any of our nerves pressed or pinched, as this can decrease the vital nerve energy that maintains the healthy functioning of organs, glands, and tissues in the body.
Structural to Physical and Chemical
Subluxation of the spine not only causes nerve irritation and organ dysfunction (which can result in major circulation, blood, lymphatic, digestion, assimilation problems), but it can also affect our total health = wholeness. For instance, subluxation of the thoracic spine and rib attachments (middle back) can decrease the ability of the lungs to expand fully. The ribs attach to the spine and move like a bucket handle. As the lungs expand with air, the ribs swing and allow further expansion. If the ribs are subluxated, they become fixated, or less mobile. When a breath is taken in and the expanding lung hits the non-moving ribs, it cannot expand further. Although the individual can still breathe, he is using much less of his lung capacity, which results in less oxygen entering the body and less CO2 leaving the body. This buildup of acid in the system without adequate oxygen has far-ranging affects. Also, the lack of full lung expansion causes a decrease in lymph flow. Studies have shown the greatest benefits to lymph circulation are deep breathing with full lung expansion and increased circulation from cardiovascular exercise. Can you see how back and rib subluxation can affect the immune system due to a decreased lymph flow, thereby affecting total health = wholeness?
Structural to Mental
The two major arteries which supply the brain (which needs 30 times the amount of oxygen that the other organs need) are the carotid and vertebral arteries.
The vertebral artery goes though the spine in the neck and up into the skull, feeding the brain. A subluxation of any one of the upper cervical vertebrae can press on or kink the vertebral artery. This causes a decrease in blood supply to the brain and can lead to light-headedness, dizziness, mental confusion, memory loss, and headaches. Many of my patients have had dizziness and light-headedness alleviated through correction of their cervical or neck subluxations. Also, they often report feeling more clear-headed.
Eliminatory to Structural
Impaired elimination by liver, colon, gallbladder, kidney, bladder or lung dysfunction can set up a reflex arc that actually causes enough irritation to move back up the nerve root to cause a subluxation, as the muscles around that spinal segment tighten enough to pull the vertebrae or spinal bones into a misaligned position. This is nowhere near as common as the reverse, where pressure on a nerve from a spinal subluxation causes organ dysfunction due to the decreased nerve energy to maintain healthy organ function. So if one had a chronic subluxation in the lower lumbar spine affecting nerves sent into the intestinal tract or bowel, this could lead to impaired function> >dysfunction>disease. This could be the cause of many health problems. Remove the subluxations, and you remove the nerve pressure affecting the organ. The reverse occurs when an individual has, for example, an intestinal problem first (due to diet, stress, allergy, etc.) with no subluxation. He or she would eventually start to have back pain due to the irritation traveling backwards along the nerve from where it originated, causing spinal subluxation. People who have kidney problems tend to have increased lower back pain. People who have stomach problems tend to have pain between the shoulder blades.
As we close this chapter, I hope you are starting to understand that just as the proper functioning of all parts of your body is necessary for you to live and be as God created you to be, so it is with your total health = wholeness. All areas of your total health touch each other and are dependent upon each other — your liver is dependent upon your heart, and your stomach is dependent upon your lungs and your lungs are dependent on your ribs and your ribs dependent on your spine.
Your total health = wholeness interrelates, and that is how God meant it to be. So seek more than health, and more than wellness. Seek wholeness, and you will find it.