March 1st signifies the beginning of National Nutrition Month, which in the world of healthcare is certainly worth celebrating. What does nutrition have to do with chiropractic care? Well, everything! Let’s highlight some points below.
The theme for National Nutrition Month this year is “Fuel for the Future”. Just like vehicles, bodies require proper fueling in order to function properly. Putting the wrong fuel in a vessel can negatively affect the way it operates. If you’ve ever binged on a vacation or around the holidays, you might know what we mean by this. You may feel sluggish or unusually worn out. Your skin might be more prone to breakouts, and your energy will feel lower than you like. Your choice of fuel isn’t what your body wanted to operate at full capacity. Learning how to fuel properly using nutrition as a guide can be an empowering step in taking control of your general health and wellbeing.
A good place to start in a healthy mindset shift is the belief that nutrition doesn’t mean “weight”. While dropping some excess pounds may happen naturally with a shift towards a healthier way of living, our relationship with our bodies and our fuel sources can exist without making our natural body an enemy. If we focus on the functionality of our bodies, and center our efforts on increasing or improving our energy levels and sense of clarity, we will unconsciously foster a healthier relationship with food which can positively impact many other struggles in our environments.
Water intake is a huge benefit to improving our health. We all know drinking water helps in nearly every aspect of wellness, but drinking the recommended amount of water per day can be a challenge, especially if it isn’t already a part of our lives. Thankfully, a fun and personalized water bottle can make this more exciting (who knew water bottles would become accessories?!) If getting a water bottle that reflects who you are will help you remember it, do it! Health is a benefit; not a burden. Some practitioners may advise increasing or adding electrolytes to beverages. Keep in mind, some popular sports drinks contain as much, or even more sugar than sodas. Talk to your doctor about an electrolyte supplement if you believe this is something you should add to your diet. Water, just by itself, is usually enough to satisfy your thirst and hydration needs.
When you get stuck and you don’t know what to make for dinners and lunches, throw some color in your cart to get onto your plate, but stick to natural colors. Bright greens from crunchy vegetables or vibrant reds from tangy fruit will not only make your meal Instagram-worthy, they’ll give you a healthy boost of vitamins and minerals that will make your whole body smile. Spend a little time in the produce department of a high-end grocery store taking in the visual displays. Learn a little more about the vegetables that you find yourself drawn to. Many grocery stores even keep recipe cards near vegetables that are less familiar to people to inspire people to try something new. Never prepared a beautiful radicchio salad? Do a search online to see what you can create! Food can be fun. Once you’ve established what you like, look for those veggies at your local farmer’s markets when everything is in season. Many times, those vegetables were harvested just days before they made their way to the market. In-season tastes better than anything else!
National Nutrition Month can even foster a sense of community. How? Once you start reaching out to people about how to prepare a new food, or find a yoga class or other activity, you’ll find that the conversations with these like minded, curious individuals may blossom into supportive networks of real friends. Learning something new can be intimidating, but learning something new with someone new can be very exciting and can also foster an environment of accountability. Nutrition can foster growth in more ways than one! Momentum Chiropractic is keen on a fulfilling sense of family, and building out a community of supporters centered around healthy living is perfectly aligned with our vision and practice.
As you proceed into your journey with nutrition, remember that the team at Momentum Chiropractic is here to help you elevate your health through mindful practice and intentional purpose. Our guiding principles touch everything and everyone we interact with. Get in touch with us today!