I’m not much of a gardener, but a memory from when my oldest child was just two years old reminds me of the lessons plants can teach us about health. With my mother’s help, she planted a small flower garden outside my townhome. It was a sweet project, and for someone like me, who’s not naturally inclined toward gardening, I was pretty happy with how well it turned out!
Along with the flowerbed, my mother gifted me a hanging basket of flowers for the porch.
The flowers in the ground thrived, but the ones in the hanging basket didn’t make it. Despite my good intentions, I learned quickly that the hanging basket flowers needed daily watering, and being a busy mom, I forgot a few too many times. The flowerbed, on the other hand, had better soil, could hold more water, and went a few days between watering sessions. That garden bed had what it needed to keep growing, while the hanging basket just couldn’t get the same nutrients. This experience was a perfect reminder that, like flowers, we need consistent care and the right environment to flourish.
So, what do flowers need to thrive? They require proper sunlight, nutrient-rich soil, water, and the right amount of food. They also need strong roots to support them. For example, even if you give a plant all the water it needs but place it in a dark room, it won’t thrive. If you give it plenty of sunlight but forget the water, it will wilt and die. And, as we know with cut flowers, even if you place them in water, they’ll only last a short while without their roots. For plants to really express their full potential, they need all of these elements working together.
The same holds true for us as humans. To live to our maximum potential and achieve optimal health, we need a few essential things: rest, water, nourishing food, exercise, and a properly functioning nervous system. Each of these factors is like an essential “nutrient” for our body, but one of the most vital and often overlooked is our nervous system. Just like a plant’s root system draws nutrients and provides stability, our nervous system is foundational to our well-being. It controls and coordinates every other system in the body, affecting how we sleep, digest, move, and process stress.
When our nervous system is functioning well, our body has the best chance of utilizing the water we drink, the nutritious food we eat, and the rest and exercise we give it. However, if our nervous system has been impacted by injuries, chronic stress, or misalignments, our body’s ability to thrive diminishes. We may drink all the water and eat all the right foods, but without a healthy nervous system, these efforts might not yield the best results.
Many people understand the importance of the basics—rest, hydration, nutritious food, and exercise. But few people recognize the role of the nervous system, which is the essential link connecting all of these components. As a chiropractor, I see it as my job to educate people about how the nervous system functions, why it is critical for overall health, and how interference in its function can lead to “dis-ease” or imbalance in the body.
While it’s true that chiropractic care is often associated with relieving back pain, neck pain, and headaches, chiropractic offers so much more than symptom relief. Only a small percentage—about 6-10%—of the nervous system is actually responsible for transmitting pain. The rest of it controls and regulates your organs, glands, muscles, and other systems. So, chiropractic care isn’t just about managing pain; it’s about enhancing overall function and wellness. When your nervous system is optimized, it’s like ensuring that a plant has the best soil, sunlight, water, and nutrients—it gives your body the best foundation for vibrant health.
If you’re someone striving to live at your fullest potential or if you’re already pretty healthy but want to build on what you’re doing, consider exploring chiropractic care. Investing in your nervous system can help ensure that every other healthy choice you make is working as effectively as possible.
Discover a Path to Thriving Health!
Are you ready to see what a well-functioning nervous system can do for you? Don’t let your best life stay on the back burner! Click the link below to schedule a connection consultation and take a proactive step toward living your life at maximum potential. Just like a garden, your health needs the right care to flourish—let’s work together to help you grow and thrive!