When Officer Hannibal said he would update my picture I had no idea it would be like this. A mug shot? Speaking of mug shots, did you know your expression says a lot about your health?
I was going to write about cancer prevention, but many of you requested I expand on some of the top ten list items that I mentioned. So find a comfortable reading spot and here we go.
What's all the hype about the nervous system? Well, the purpose of the nervous system is to control and regulate all the other systems of the body. Picture your brain as being like the battery in your car. If it does not work, or the wires going to and from the battery are not working correctly, your car will not start or parts will not work correctly. Your nervous system works about the same. Your brain is the battery and the nerves that run to and from it are like the electrical wires in your car. How fast your heart beats, how you breathe, digest food, blink, etc., are controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
You have little control over how it works. It automatically speeds up your heart and breathing for fight or flight situations and it slows down at night. Stress has a tremendous effect on its ability to work correctly. There are a couple of non-invasive tests we can perform to see if stress is interfering with your system.
Stress also interferes with proper digestion. Improper digestion has been shown to cause many of the diseases we associate with old age. Diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, even Alzheimer's has been traced back to poor digestion. I forgot what I was talking about. Not!
Back to the nervous system. The nervous system regulates your digestive system. The nerves run from your brain to your stomach via your spine. If your spine is impinging on these nerves they will send a false signal to you brain and back to your stomach causing improper digestion. Acid is produced to aid in digestion of food. If the nerves do not read the acid levels properly you have acid indigestion or not enough acid to digest the food properly. Tums ta Tums Tums time. Wrong idea. Apple cider vinegar is a better choice. Apple cider vinegar also stops muscle cramps. You smell funny, but no cramps.
An impinged or pinched nerve is like crimping a garden hose. Water still gets through but much less. Same with the nerves. Less of a signal reaches the brain, so it does not get the complete message. Simply put, the nerves exit your spine through tiny opening between your vertebrae. If that opening becomes smaller, it pinches on the nerves and causes pain and muscle weakness. It also causes poor digestion and breathing and irregular heart beats. I hope you are getting the picture of how important your nervous system is and why it is important to keep it working at its optimum performance level. Not just for the health of it, but for a better lifestyle for your and your loved ones.
I could ramble on forever, but I will sign off for now. Remember: It's not how long you live but how you live long.
Till next time, Dr. Bob wishing you the the best of health.
