Is health a habit in your life? Based on my observations, we have lost the natural habit of health in our modern society. We need to relearn this vital inborn intelligence. In my mind, I categorize our health habits into three groups. The three health habits are “reactive, preventative and proactive.”
The three habits all end with the suffix ‘-ive’, which means to “express a tendency”. Tendencies are thoughts and words that we put into action more than others. Act out a tendency enough times and it will become a habit. Habits become a part of who we are and characterize how we live. Let’s discuss each habit in a little more detail.
First habit: Reactive
Being reactive is a response to symptoms or sickness. You wait until you get sick or can’t put up with the symptoms any longer, then you try and search for a cure. This is a defensive habit of disease and not of health. Reactive habits put you in a state of “idle survival.” You only become involved in your health if sickness endangers your basic existence. It’s a very passive approach.
The modern American “healthcare” system promotes this habit. I put quotations around the word “healthcare” because it’s hard to see where this system cares for health. It really focuses in on sickness. Maybe ‘sickcare’ is a more appropriate term. It makes sickness the starting point and disease the entity.
Second habit: Preventative
Being preventative means you become aware that sickness will happen and try to push back against it. It is a step in the right direction to gain a foothold in your health. This habit puts you more into a state of “dynamic survival.” Your intentions start to become more involved in your health. This habit is a stronger defensive practice against disease.
Certain aspects of the American healthcare system are starting to acquire this habit. For example, “preventive” prescriptions for blood pressure, cholesterol, or depression aim “to keep you well.” The problem though with these prescriptions is that the focus is still on disease. They try to suppress or mask symptoms and fail to get to the root cause of the problem.
Third habit: Proactive
Being proactive aims to create health regardless of whether symptoms are present or not. This habit is expressed as a strong offensive action to be healthy. You put yourself in a state of “dynamic thrival.” You aim to create wellness whenever possible. This is the most beneficial for health outcomes.
This habit flips the American reactive healthcare system on its head. Health is the entity and starting point. Proactive health habits emphasize adaptation, homeostasis and healing. When proactive, there is an incentive to enhance function and support the healing process.
You physically move your body, intentionally eat wholesome foods and become consciously aware of your emotions not based on a set exercise program, diet or prescription, but because you know these habits fulfill deeper needs in your life.
Chiropractic care embodies the proactive habit of health. Chiropractic centers on improving homeostasis by optimizing the adaptability of the Nerve system. Chiropractic's goal is to ensure your Nerve System can function at its greatest potential. This is why Chiropractic can and should be utilized whether symptoms are present or not.
If we are not starting with a fully expressive Nerve System, our functional potential of health cannot be maximized. There is an adage that states that “the best defense is a good offense.” Chiropractic wants to promote a strong offensive habit for health.
Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby.