Think of all the things you did today to take care of yourself. You brush and floss your teeth/gums to enhance your oral health at least 2x daily. You workout 3-5 times weekly to enhance your overall strength, energy and muscle/bone and organ health. You carefully choose which foods and beverages you will consume to optimize your gut (immune system) and assist in your detox pathways.

And now the ultimate question – what are you doing for your spine/nerve system on a regular basis. Your spine protects the most important and vital organ for your survival and health – your central nerve system! Sadly most Americans only think about their spine when it begins to hurt or when there is already decay (arthritis), disc or nerve issues which have caused pain to disrupt what they love doing the most.

Can you imagine what your life with look like if you never brushed/flossed your teeth, worked out or put energy into choosing the right foods for your body? It’s hard to even think like that for those daily routines, but I can promise you that your daily spinal hygiene needs a tune up.

Why You Should Focus On Your Spinal Health Daily: Research shows significant improvement in health, better posture, better energy, and much more when your spine is aligned properly. Did you know that the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported that people who saw a chiropractor 2-4 times monthly for more than 1 year saw 60% fewer hospital visits, 59% fewer days spent in the hospital, 62%fewer outpatient surgeries, and 85% fewer costs on pharmaceutical drugs compared to people who didn’t use chiropractic care as part of their health regimen

[1] Think about what that means for you and your family’s health, your finances, and your future. Too many people wait and only look to chiropractic for short-term goals, such as, “my back hurts, fix it” or “I have limited range of motion”.

And that’s before you consider the cost of trying to gain back your health after having lost it. In the US the average cost per hospital visit in the is about $10,700.

[2] Pneumonia, (the most common bacterial infection) has an average of $9,793/case. For Osteoarthritis, it was $15,897, and for heart attacks, the average cost was $20,246! The average cost for a hospital stay for back problems was $18,978.

Dr. Ernst’s Recommended Daily Spinal Health Routine

• 50 standing cervical traction repetitions (using an at home, other the door spinal traction unit) once in the morning upon waking and one in the evening before sleeping.
• 5 min of seated wobble therapy: front to back, side to side, left to right and up and down movements of the entire body while seated on a vestibular disc. Best when done upon waking and just before sleeping.
• 5-10 min of anterior body weighting, standing on a vestibular disc. Using ahead weight (2-3lbs), chest weight (5lbs) and pelvic weight (10lbs) stand on a vestibular disc balancing yourself in an upright position. Best when done in the later part of your day or before sleeping.
• Spinal Molding: Sleeping at night on your back using a cervical foam pillow (3”) under your neck and a lumbar foam pillow (2.5”) under your lower back.

This daily routine ensures proper movement, strengthening and hydration of the spinal discs and nerves as well as intrinsic training the muscles sur-rounding your spine to retain and maintain proper alignment. When combined with chiropractic adjustments this routine will ensure your spinal health is optimal giving you all the benefits that come from decompressed nerves and discs, enhanced organ function, strengthened immune system and a nervous system that is fully functional.

This is the one area of self-care you should never compromise. Remember, your spine runs and controls all of your vital systems (cardiac, respiratory, circulatory, digestive etc.) and it is for this very reason you should develop a habit of daily spinal hygiene – after all it’s more important than your teeth, muscle strength and even your dietary choices.