In the last article, we looked at the first Proactive approach in the hierarchy of health – Protection. Instead of reacting to problems as they arise, in protection we proactively take steps to prevent problems in the future. The benefit to this approach is that we have fewer costly and inconvenient health crises AND generally our overall health (and perhaps other problems) will improve at the same time.

The limitations of protection are that it is impossible to prevent any and all potential problems from arising (if you want to make God laugh, tell him/her your plans!) and protection does nothing to take you to the next level of health and well-being (it just keeps you where you are).

This leads us to the final rung on the hierarchy of health – Optimization. Optimization is where the healthiest and most vital people spend the majority of their time, focus and energy.

In Optimization, the focus is not on fixing problems (reactive), or even on preventing future problems (protection). The focus of optimization is on increasing our level of health and becoming more resourceful over time. Instead of focusing on what we DON’T want (problems), we shift towards seeking what we DO want (health, energy, vitality, resilience, performance, etc.).

Why does the approach of Optimization produce the healthiest people on the planet? It does so because it is the only approach that has actual health as the outcome!

If you take a pill and your headache goes away, it does not mean you are healthier – in fact you are probably now a bit less healthy. If you correct a structural abnormality and your back pain goes away you are probably somewhat healthier, but for how long? Regular self care to prevent a relapse of pain or disease likely improves overall health levels, but if you are only focused on whether the problem comes back or not, how do you know?

Optimization has the goal of moving forward and getting better. A maestro doesn’t ask ‘how little do I have to practice in order to stay as good as I already am?’ A maestro asks, ‘how can I refine things so that I am a little better today than I was yesterday?’ I have a friend who is a retired concert musician and he told me that even as his physical skills have diminished with age, his discernment and enjoyment of the same music continues to improve.

People who approach health from the perspective of Optimization are maestros of their health. Success is based on vitality, high energy levels, clear headedness, mental and emotional fulfillment, physical and mental performance, the ability to learn and carry out new things, and having the energy and ability to contribute to others.

It is not that these individuals never have health problems that need to be treated in a reactive way (although they tend to happen much less in these folks). What you do see is that they learn from these crises and often come out the other side better. Optimizers also tend to miraculously get better as they age.

Many of you know that I receive the care I deliver at Nexus Chiropractic on a regular basis from my personal chiropractors in Gatineau. Even though my back hurts sometimes, I don’t go there to get my back pain fixed. I also don’t go there to prevent any future problems. I take the time out of my crazy schedule to make the 5-hour return trip because I literally see each entrainment as an opportunity to improve the efficiency of my nervous system and thereby increasing my level of health. That is what our Optimization programs at Nexus are designed to produce.

The next article will be the final installment in this series. We will summarize the Hierarchy of Health and give you some practical ways to evaluate what outcomes you desire for your health and determine what changes you can make to get there.

In the hierarchy of health, each approach produces a different set of results. The key to success is knowing which set of results you desire and then applying to corresponding strategy.

In the first 2 articles (which can be accessed at Part 1 and Part 2)of the series we looked at Symptom Treatment and Addressing the Cause. While these approaches do produce vastly different outcomes, what they share is that they are both reactive – meaning that they wait for problems to arise before taking any action.

The next two approaches in the Hierarchy of Health make the shift to proactive strategies. In my opinion, this is the most important shift a person can make when it comes to their health and the healthiest people I know spend most of their energy and time being proactive. The reason being proactive is so important is that it is much less costly (in time, energy, stress, and money) than being reactive, and the benefits are exponentially greater.

Most people are familiar with the idea of being proactive when it comes to other areas of their lives. We get oil changes and tune-ups for our automobiles BEFORE problems arise. Why? Because it is a much less costly way to operate AND it gives us the best chance to have a smoothly running ride!

Other examples of being proactive is purchasing insurance for our homes and cars, having a security system, having financial investments, fertilizing and over seeding a healthy lawn, eating healthy food, and regular dental visits, among many others.

The first proactive approach on the Hierarchy of Health is preventative and what we call Protection. Protection typically (but not always) begins after we have had a problem, did the work to Address the Cause, and choose to take regular steps to protect themselves from the problem returning. If I don’t want my car to break down, stranding my family and I on the side of the road until expensive repairs are carried out, I will schedule regular maintenance appointments to prevent such an occurrence.

After a health crisis such as a heart attack or a battle with cancer many people who had been reactive their whole lives will ‘see the light,’ and take steps such as exercising, eating a better diet, and maybe taking up meditation to protect themselves from future issues.

The benefit of Protection is two-fold. First it is WAY more convenient and less painful than dealing with one problem after another. Changing your oil every 6 months is much easier than having your engine replaced. The second benefit is that your overall level of health will improve and stay that way for the long term. You may eat a better diet to prevent a heart attack, but it also enhances your general health and well-being across many domains for a lifetime. In effect, you are raising the standards for your own health and committed to maintaining that standard.

At Nexus Chiropractic, once we have Addressed the Cause during the Initial Phase of Care, we offer a couple of proactive options – one being Protection. While they are completely optional, most people choose one of these plans. Why? They are convenient, easy, and they just make sense.

Take a moment to evaluate where in your life you are reactive and where you are proactive. Where can you shift to becoming even more proactive? How will being more proactive benefit your health and life in both the short and long-term?

A great way to start becoming proactive is to attend one of our special presentations at Nexus. They take place most months and cover a variety of topics to help you take control of your health. See the schedule at Nexus or phone the office for details.

Thorin Gault, D.C.

When it comes to health problems, we have 4 ways in which we can approach them. All four have their own benefits and are appropriate at different times. Which we choose for a given situation is not only important in having short term success, it is also paramount to achieving the health we want long term.

Let us take a look at each of Patch, Fix, Protect and Optimize.

     Patching is what we do when we know there is a larger problem, but we need to buy ourselves some time in the short term. Your old springs a leak and you know it will need to be replaced, but you need to finish watering the garden. So, you wrap some duct tape around the hole, so the flowers don’t die today.

The Patch strategy is a great one when we are in crisis and if something is not done immediately, disability and even death may result. If someone were shot with a bullet inside them, yes, the bullet will eventually need to come out. However, in the short term, compressing the wound with a bandage will keep them alive long enough to be properly fixed.

Antibiotics can be a great patch when faced with an infection that may kill you. They buy you the time (save your life) so that you can make changes that will strengthen your health and immune system in the future.

Patches can become a problem when they are used as fixes. Antibiotics used unnecessarily will harm your long-term health. Pain medication used simply to cover up a secondary condition(symptom) actually allow people to continue to damage their bodies without knowing it – leading to more serious problems down the road.

Most people truly only need patches (hopefully) a few times during their lives when in serious crisis. When we need them, they are wonderful. When we over use them, we suffer needlessly.

The Fix strategy is one that looks to get to the cause of the problem. It looks to correct the primary condition leading to the secondary effects. If faulty electrical was leading to burned out light bulbs and malfunctioning appliances the patch solution would be to replace them. The Fix solution would be to hire an electrician to correct the wiring.

When we Fix something we typically gain parallel benefits as well. Corrected wiring improves the function of EVERYTHING requiring electricity. Perhaps the electrical bill goes down as efficiency increases. Safety also improves as the chance of a devastating electrical fire decreases.

The Fix approach works the same way with our health. Taking a pain pill may make us feel better for awhile but correcting abnormal spine structure and nervous system function is not only more sustainable but leads to a myriad of health benefits besides.

The Protect strategy begins to move beyond being focused on problems or symptoms. Once we have corrected what was abnormal we have a choice to do some regular work to keep it that way. Protect recognizes that maintaining proper function is better than waiting for the next crisis. Once we get the old piano in tune, it is much less work more enjoyable to have it retuned on a regular schedule than to let it get back to it’s previous state and start over again.

A health crisis can be a time, energy and resource draining thing to face. They are certainly not convenient. Some attention to Protection is a great way to stay healthy long term and avoid future problems.

Finally, we come to the Optimization strategy. This is where exceptionally healthy people spend most of their energy and attention. Instead of focusing on patching, fixing and preventing problems, they look to optimize and improve their health, function and performance regardless of problems.

They know that the best way to be healthy is to continually improve their adaptability and efficiency. Does it mean they will never have a crisis or problems? Of course not, but they will sure be better equipped to handle them when they occur.

Unfortunately, most people spend most of their lives in Patch, and Fix modes when what they truly want are the benefits of Protect and Optimize. Fortunately, changing that only requires a few simple decisions.

At Nexus Chiropractic we are not interested in patching people up. Very few people entering our office truly need patching and if they do, a trip to the ER is probably in order.

We begin seeing most people from a Fix perspective, which is what we do during the Initial Phase of Care (IPC). By addressing abnormalities in the spine and nervous system (Neurospinal Shift) and objectively measuring those changes we know our patients are going back into life healthier.

Once the system is normalized, people may now choose to enter either a Protection or Optimization program. This is where we see people really create long term health strategies that spill over into not only physical benefits, but mental/emotional well-being, greater energy and vitality and an over all greater quality of life.

After reading this article, take some time to look at where you are perhaps frustrated with your health, or not getting the results you would like. Maybe a small shift in your approach is all you need to get what you want?

Thorin Gault, D.C.

April 17, 2018