Most people, when asked if they are healthy, usually respond based on the presence or absence of symptoms, as if having symptoms means they are sick, and not having symptoms means they are well.
This is a common misconception, fed by the media, by many doctors, and by the giant businesses that thrive on selling drugs and other symptom-removal products.
Actually, while there is a place for this line of thinking, modern-day health consumers realize that they can be sick and have no symptoms, like when someone feels fine but quietly has a serious disease like cancer or heart disease, or when someone experiences pain while not suffering any serious malady, like when you stub your toe or get a splinter.
The way you feel does provide some valuable information, but it is hardly the determining factor as to your level of health. It’s important to understand this in order to know how to properly care for yourself and your family.
So, you may be thinking, if the way you feel doesn’t tell you enough about your actual level of health, then how do you know if you are healthy or not?
Great question – and here’s where you can end the confusion. Unless you have objective, scientific ways of evaluating your health, you can be misled into thinking things are fine when they are not, or scared into thinking something is wrong when it isn’t. But if you have good information, you can make good decisions about your health habits and which kind of care to seek when you need it.
That’s why knowledgeable health consumers develop relationships with health and wellness advisors, to learn about their body function and understand their health status. It’s not foolproof, but it’s better to get regular examinations of your teeth, eyes, skin, heart, spine and nerve system, to be sure you are staying on course and picking up on any deviations from normal before they turn into something unpleasant or dangerous.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so visit your doctor of chiropractic, and ask about how he or she can advise you on the habits and lifestyle decisions that lead to a better quality of life – you’ll be glad you did!