2013
Migraines – One Womans Story
I first came to chiropractic at the age of 18, after 5 years of debilitating migraines and loss of vision in my left eye. I missed a week of my life every month for 5 years with the headache and severe pain. I could not stand the light or any noise at all. It was awful, and could strike at anytime. It was only getting worse, and I could no longer take the medicine that they were prescribing, too much to swallow, and very little use. A friend of the family suggested I see her chiropractor, and I have never looked back! After a few sessions and a lot of really good information, I was a new woman!
Over the last 20 years I can count on one hand the beginnings of a headache and perhaps one serious migraine after a big emotional time. Nothing in between! My overall health improved and my energy levels rocketed. I had been considering medicine at the time, as I wanted to study pediatrics, but after my first degree, I knew that chiropractic was for me, a natural and holistic approach to health and healing.
I first studied at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was my entry into biomechanical medicine. My absolute favorite class was our gross anatomy class, it was a real eye-opener to actually see all of our organs in place and how connected everything was, from the brain straight through to our toes. It was truly awesome. I studied chiropractic at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth. This was where I first spent time watching infants being adjusted, and then in my clinical year, adjusting them myself.
It was an amazing time, meeting amazing people from all over the world, some with very strong philosophies of natural health through chiropractic. During my second year, I contracted whooping cough. I was adjusted twice per day and took high dose vitamin C, and within the week it was gone! No medicines, just pure chiropractic, good nutrition, fluids and rest. That was an incredible experience. Since then, I have also experienced the benefit and the power of chiropractic after car accidents, a disc herniation, two fabulous pregnancies and two amazing home births. I have experienced just a small portion of what chiropractic can do for us, just by removing the interference in our nervous system and allowing our bodies to function and to heal the way we were meant to heal.
Some of my favourite moments since arriving in Cornwall, have been out on Stithians Lake or at Coverack windsurfing, amd out on the Helford gig rowing. When the sun is out and a lovely warm southwesterly is blowing, there is no place I would rather be! Life has changed a little since the arrival of Abby, and now Holly, but the sea still calls. As they grow, I hope they learn to love the great outdoors and the sea as much as I do.
Our little family usually attends the chiropractor for a check up at least every two weeks, rarely longer, especially as kids are so active and crazy!! They may not always need an adjustment every time, but I like knowing that they are in top form. If in between I find that they are overtired, grumpy and generally not their usual gorgeous selves, it usually means time for an adjustment, as something isnt quite right (we call it an “attitude adjustment”).
At home, our “medicine” cabinet is full of homeopathics, rescue remedy and cream, vitamins and herbal preparations. Ice in the freezer, hot water bottle in the cupboard. The best approach I use is to be calm, think about what is happening and how to approach it. Is wait and watch the best thing? Or if they have had a fall and cut, a good clean and patch job! I prefer to use the body’s natural healing ability, watch for any interference, adjust as needed and support with herbs or homeopathy as required. As a mother, I am into the whole food, loads of love and hugs, support and close family and friendships, and good healthy nervous systems idea!
Chiropractic has changed my life the life of my children for the better in every way. It is a process of empowering you to become the best you possible: physically, mentally and emotionally. Armed and able to make better decisions and choices in your own life, you are a better parent, co-worker, friend and partner…..community member…..and it goes on. I look forward to meeting you in person and learning how we may be of service to you and your family.
Lets talk about diet. I liked the 5 a day campaign, it was a good campaign. It got people thinking about how much raw fruit and vegetables they and their families were eating and put it in the front of their minds to choose wisely. The fact is that raw food has way more nutritional value than cooked food. It’s good for you. Whether it is good for you or not is not debated everyone agrees that it is. The debate that is raging is about how much is good for you.
I have friends who are on a 100% raw food diet, in fact in order to get the freshest food they often forage in the forests and fields for dandelions, mushrooms, nettles, wild garlic etc… I have friends who don’t eat any raw food. I certainly don’t advocate 100% raw food although the health benefits are remarkable; I think it is difficult in our current culture to do that.
The human mind and body are indeed amazing and we have an incredible ability to adapt to even the most toxic environments. We should draw our nutrition from the environment in which we evolved; to me this is common sense. So I do advocate at least 5 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables (in the whole form, preferably with the roots still attached J) a day and if you have to cook the vegetables then singe them or steam them to retain as much of the essential nutrients as possible. I also advocate eating less of the processed foods which are a cause of a great deal of biochemical stress, which in turn leads to increased levels of inflammation and acidity.
Just a note on the 5 a day campaign, it was great when it was the whole food but then as usually happens commercial interests tarnished the campaign. I leave it with you. Eat everything as close to what nature intended as possible. That is the advice I give to my patients and it works.
PS I call this the basics because I am asked a lot about supplements. Healthy people need real food not supplements. Get the basics right and supplements will be unnecessary.
Chiropractic Neurology refers to the basic premise that the brain and nervous system control and regulate all functions of the body. So a chiropractic neurologist relates all chiropractic related disease to a break down in communication between the brain and the body. When the body has a profound breakdown, whether through chronic postural strain or an accident, a body with a healthy brain and nervous system will respond to that breakdown correctly and efficiently. We are continually aware of areas of function that have gone awry and turned into dys-function. Healing is an important function that depends on a healthy brain and nervous system. So if function is the most important test of whether the body is healthy or not then if you have any dysfunction then your body is unhealthy.
Aren’t you curious about where your body’s functions may be falling short of optimal. If you have pain then you aren’t functioning optimally.
The beautiful thing about identifying areas of dysfunction is then being able to restore normal function. What is amazing to me is that the body always wants to get back to normal and it is most often us with our habits with regards to thinking, moving and eating that stop it from healing. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen it happen.
We love helping people, it’s our thing. We want people to Get Well, Stay Well and live better lives and we believe they can do that through chiropractic care. Of course what we chiropractors mostly deal with is pain and pain syndromes but what most of our patients find is that as their pain decreases their mood and ability to cope with stress improves too.
Dr Andy is going to Durban, South Africa to present a paper at the World Federation Of Chiropractors 2013 Conference (WFC). He will be away for 2 and half weeks and will be in discussion with Chiropractors from around the world. If you are wanting to book an appointment with him, he will be back after the 23rd April. Dr Moon will be taking care of his patients while he is away.
Here is a link to the WFC Website http://www.wfc.org/congress2013/ an organisation at the forefront of research into the effects and benefits of chiropractic care. Research which Dr Andy has always been very aware of using a lot of the techniques of the research method in his own practice and diagnostic approach.
“I will be presenting on research methodologies which are so sorely needed when approaching a patient with the intention of reaching a diagnosis.” Dr Andy Evans
Hi all.
Just an update, our Get Well, Stay Well Campaign has now ended and we were pleased to see lots of new patients taking advantage of the 25% deal.
Thank you all who took part.
Chiropractic is amazing. We identify and remove interference to normal function. That’s amazing. That means that a person who has for whatever reason lost normal function can with the help of Chiropractic regain normal function. Let me make it clearer PAIN = Abnormal Function – Chiropractic = return to normal function. At the Chiropractic Wellness Centre our chiropractors are experts in identifying where the function is abnormal. For many people it is like turning the lights back on. Our Chiropractors are qualified and registered as Doctors of Chiropractic (DC). So if you have Back Pain, Come and see us.
Healing is a natural part of life, it is as natural as breathing. You are healing a myriad of things in your body right now as you are reading this article.
So what goes wrong, why do we suddenly stop healing or fail to heal a particular “problem”. This is the question that must be answered in any diagnostic assessment. When a patient walks into my office I am very attentive to what systems in their bodies are failing to heal. Very often in my experience it is the brain and nervous system that is failing to heal, but it could be the hormonal system. Whichever it is it is my responsibility as a practitioner to attend to that system as well as the specific pain presented.
From the understanding that when we touch a body it immediately responds to that touch and so we can find ways to interact with another body to bring about healing. It is very important that all practitioners learn how to touch another human being.
We were born to be healthy! The way I know this is because when I cut myself my body heals. So it is self healing! When I go out into the cold or go for a run or eat some food my physiology changes it adapts therefore I am self regulating! I dont have to even think about it! Thats amazing.
Every physician should hold as their main column or support the above self evident FACT.
We certainly do at the Wellness Centre. So when you walk through the door we are interested in the whole organism because we want to know where the system failed and that is where we will focus our attention to get the body to heal itself and regulate itself correctly again. Come on in and get checked because your health is your responsbility.
Dont wait till it is too late because most people regret it.