Life's Rules

By Dr Barry L Marks Dc

Most patients end up in their doctor's office because they have broken one or more rules.

Every sport has rules. Break them and you are penalized. God has created rules for our universe. Break them and there are consequences, ie: the Law of Gravity. Falling off a ladder is breaking this rule that says we should keep our feet on the ground or else it can lead to a hospital visit.

There are also rules for Life and health. Break these rules and you will find yourself in my office more frequently. Obey these rules and you will enjoy better health and fewer doctors' visits.

Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and fatigue are merely signs or signals that we are breaking the rules. They are a gentle reminder that if we continue to break the rules we may face a stiff penalty. How often have you had a minor ache that you put off because it was "small" and could wait a few days only to find yourself hunched over and barely able to walk? The red light on your dash isn't your car telling you to speed up! It means, "pull over and check me out, there is a problem." Same for your body.

The rules...
Thou shall breathe. The intake of oxygen fuels our entire body. Quality is more important than quantity. Take deep breaths through your nose and exhale slowly. Most people breathe too shallowly, failing to get enough oxygen into the lungs and blood stream. Avoid airborne pollutants as much as possible. Use the little "recycle" button on your car air conditioning unit and roll up your windows while driving. Nobody needs more carbon monoxide.

Thou shall ingest nutrition. Your body needs adequate vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber to operate, repair itself and grow. Quality foods and supplementation are necessary to fuel our bodies properly. Avoidance of foods that "feel" or taste good, but provide no positive benefits should be avoided.

Thou shall expel wastes. Touchy subject. Here are the medical facts, regardless of what Aunt Dolores tells you. What goes in must go out. Elimination takes two routes; liquid and solid. The more you eat the more is eliminated. A normally functioning gastrointestinal system should expel solid waste at least twice each day. If you are once a day or less, you are breaking the rules!

Thou shall have adequate hydration. Feel thirsty? You're already dehydrated! Drink up my friend! Every one should carry a water bottle or cup and drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Without water nothing works right. Want to lose weight? Drink more water. Have headaches? Drink more water. Have wrinkles? Drink more water. Want to be rich? Drink more water and then open up a water store!

Thou shall move. "...Baby, we were born to run!" Movement of all of our joints and muscle is crucial to preventing premature degeneration (arthritis). Movement also increases blood and lymph flow, which is essential for proper health. Staying in one place more than an hour causes muscles and joints to tighten up and circulation to slow down.

Thou shall rest. All this running around, drinking water, eating and eliminating can make a body tired. Your body needs time to re-charge itself and to repair tissues that are constantly breaking down due to use. If you fall asleep in less than 15 minutes or are yawning during the day you are sleep deprived. Go to bed a little earlier and when you can, take a nap.

Thou shall love. We are communal people who need and crave contact and love of others. Don't be selfish, give your love to others and receive love from others to keep in balance. Hermits are rarely healthy or happy. That's why they are called "crabs!" Sorry.

Thou shall forgive. "Unforgiveness" is a sin. Everyone blows it now and then. When we do, we may hurt others. When that happens, don't we want forgiveness? Of course, so why not begin by forgiving others.

Thou shall serve others. True value in life comes from helping others. Centering our lives on selfish pursuits will only isolate us and prevent us from health and happiness. If you are not in a service industry, find a way to help others. The more you give of yourself the more you are rewarded.

Thou shall see life as a journey. Carry a light load and smell the flowers along the way. Don't get too caught up in accumulating things. You will eventually leave this world with what you started with. Nothing.

Thou shall perish. It's inevitable. Modern medicine has miraculous ways of extending the date, but it is a date certain. Rather than thinking of it as a disease, embrace it as a natural process of our life. We are here, we give to others, we enjoy life and then we are gone, at least from this life.

Your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being depend on adhering to these rules. Break them and there is a price to pay. Break some rules and the penalty is swift and severe. Others are less swift, but over time they will exact their penalty.

There is one last rule. I have saved it for last because it is the most important and also the most controversial. If I put it in earlier, you may not have read this entire message because I offended you.

Thou shall take responsibility for following the rules and paying the consequences. Don't blame me or any other doctor when your x-rays show you are severely degenerated. I/we didn't do that. Only your breaking of the rules over a long period of time can do that. It is up to you to adhere to these rules.When you see your x-rays, lab results or other medical diagnostic tests, you are seeing a scorecard. The scorecard tells you how well you have been following the rules. Or in some cases how badly you have broken them!

No one can do anything about time past and health lost due to breaking the rules previously. What can be changed though, is how you play the game starting right now. Are you going to continue breaking the rules and suffering? Or are you going to play it clean and follow the rules and be the best you can be tomorrow and the next day?

Dr. Barry L. Marks, DC...chiropractor, author and lecturer on disc herniation, sciatica, whiplash and carpal tunnel. He is a former Associate Clinical Professor and has been in practice since 1986. You may reach Dr. Marks at his Orange, CA office at (714) 938-0575. His articles and ebooks can be found at http://www.drmarks.com and a Free Consumer's Guide to Severe Back, Disc and Sciatica Pain can be found at http://www.cureforlowerbackpain.com

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