A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of symptoms or disease.

The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause of and prevention of disease. - Thomas Edison (1847-1931)

Health, if it is to be maintained, requires 5 factors to be working together properly.

1. Proper Nerve Function
2. Adequate Exercise
3. Good diet
4. Positive mental attitude
5. Adequate Rest

PROPER NERVE FUNCTION
Proper nerve function requires periodic checkups by a doctor of chiropractic. Spinal nerve damage begins asymptomatically in many cases. Research indicates spinal misalignments reduce spinal nerve signals by as much as 50 percent. Without proper nerve function we cannot obtain our optimal health potential.

ADEQUATE EXERCISE
Although the 1996 Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health reports that more than 60 percent of American adults do not engage in regular physical activity, there is good news: Even moderate amounts of a variety of physical activities can have immense health benefits. One of the best ways to encourage more inactive Americans to get moving is to change the way they currently look at exercise. The key to increasing physical activity lies in stressing the benefits of regular physical activity, rather than stressing the risks of avoiding exercise. In other words, we should stop using the term "exercise", and replace it with the term "physical activity".

Physical activity is cumulative. Every task you perform and every movement that you make can have a beneficial effect on your overall health. This is equally true of activities of daily living (walking the dog, vacuuming and playing with the kids) and for activities that are usually described as "exercise" (jogging and lifting weights). Quite simply, from the perspective of your health what you do to remain active may be less important than the amount of physical activity you accumulate.

Think of your cumulative physical activity as the total of the "Three F's". Classify your weekly physical activities into three categories: Formal, Functional, and Fun. It is up to you how much of each you do.

Formal physical activities are those that are typically regarded as "exercise". This type of physical activity tends to be regular, regimented and predictable. Regular sessions of jogging, cycling, and progressive resistance training are examples of formal physical activities. People who enjoy these kinds of activities include the relatively small minority of Americans who join health clubs. This form of physical activity does not appeal to the majority. Perhaps the time has come to fact the fact that formal exercise will never appeal to everyone. That does not men, however, that we should all give up in our efforts to be physically active.

Functional physical activities are routine tasks you do every day. If you shy away from regimented exercise, you may be more comfortable modifying some activities of everyday living. Walking to the mailbox, riding your bike to work, or mowing the lawn are examples of functional activities. Some folks go out of their way to minimize functional activity by using their car for distances of only one block, searching for the parking lot or a space close to the entrance of the store, or taking the elevator up one floor instead of using the stairs.

The secret is to adapt selected functional activities to your unique lifestyle. For example, if you work on the fourth floor of an office building, walk up at least one floor before taking the elevator. If you live close to your children's school, walk them to school at least one day per week.

Fun, physical activities appeal to nearly everyone. This is play time. Incidentally, play is defined as "unproductive, spontaneous and pleasurable activity". Doesn't that sound like a great way to accumulate your weekly physical activity? Try golf, square dancing, lunchtime basketball, hiking or biking with the family on weekends, or combing the beach for sea shells.

Finally think positive. Focus of the good things that happen as you accumulate physical activity each week. The Surgeon General's Report recommends that people of all ages accumulate a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity on most days of the week. And, physical activity comes in all forms.

GOOD DIET
A good diet is one which if free of harmful substances and rich in vitamins and minerals. Challenges arise in several areas when we begin improving our diet including the convenience, cost and availability of good products such as organic foods. In addition, modern farming techniques have downgraded our quality of foods over the last 15 years. What we believe to be good for us are often times grossly lacking in Vitamins and Minerals. Supplementing our diet with proper levels of vitamins/minerals is essential to maintain these important substances adequately in our bodies. Without proper nutritional support we can become susceptible to a wide variety of health problems.

POSiTIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE

The body cries the tears the mind refuses to weep. - Lao Tzu

You can discover more about a person in an hour of play, than in a year of conversation. - Plato

STRESS: Stress is perhaps the most commonly discussed and research area of emotions relating to physical ailments for a very good reason. There are a number of negative physiological reactions that occur in our bodies. When we are exposed to these "stress chemicals" for extended periods of time we damage important functions in our bodies including but not limited to the neuromuscular, digestive, hormonal and immune systems.
Ways and Means to Cope with Stress

REST
Sleeping is an important part of the natural cycle of events required for health. Proper rest is essential for healing to occur from spinal accidents and injuries. Inflammatory response, muscle spasms and pain chemicals all decrease when resting.

Many systems in our bodies such as immune function, digestion and mental acuity function poorly without adequate amounts of rest.