Happy Valentine’s Day!

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, you’ve got to have heart. Traditionally, it comes as a box of chocolates – something most of us don’t need — accompanying a burst of beautiful blooms.

But we are talking about a different sort of heart, especially if you celebrate by loving yourself. And it starts with a trip to your chiropractor.

• We live in a stressful world and all that pent-up emotion doesn’t do us any good. Just the opposite: it triggers a fight-or-flight response that can raise our blood pressure, tie our muscles into knots and send our heart racing … all the things that spell trouble. Chiropractic care not only eases muscle tension, but, by aligning the spine, enables the central nervous system to better deliver messages from the brain to receptors throughout the body. And when you are operating at peak performance, it can release the feel-good hormones that make you feel like celebrating!

• In addition to adjusting your spine, your chiropractor has probably stressed the importance of exercise and a nutrition-rich diet in reaching well-being. A sedentary lifestyle is often called our generation’s tobacco, and you can offset it with preventative measures that protect your heart. It is, after all, a muscle, and these aren’t anything you haven’t heard from your primary care physician already. Begin by restoring flexibility, range of motion and balance with the help of your chiropractor, and follow it up with a new routine at home.

• This is a good time to initiate a cooperative effort with your medical physician and chiropractor. At the very least, you should keep each informed regarding your treatments and prescribed medications. Don’t be shy; the information can make a difference as they plan the best way to keep you healthy.

A final thought – studies have shown chiropractic care can aid in digestion, too, again through creating better communication between your brain and your body’s receptors. So gather some friends and celebrate a heart-healthy St. Valentine’s Day.