Chiropractic Holistic Care

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Feeling Drained and Tired? Part IV

In the last segment, I talked about the possible consequences of not treating a prolonged fatigue condition.  Of course, blood sugar problems are among the issues that demand quick attention.  Yet, there are other ailments caused by chronic fatigue that require treatment as well.


Leaky gut is one of those problems.  This is a pesky issue.  It is caused by the lack of a nightly repair of the mucous lining of the gut.  This happens when an on-going fight-flight-reflex shuts down digestion.  As a result, bacteria and partly digested food escape the intestine and take up residence in the body cavity and in the blood.   This can produce unwanted waste products, infections, and allergies.  Eventually, any or all of these will begin to slow down the body in general.  Usually, the condition can be treated.  Herbs as well as holistic therapies, such as Neuro-Emotional and  Emotion Clearing techniques, can help to repair the mucous lining and turn off the on-going fight-flight-reflex.


The lymphatic system also suffers in overly fatigued folks.  This remarkable mechanism is essentially the body’s garbage disposal and, like every refuse bin, it needs to be cleaned out regularly.  But before it can be cleaned out, we must make sure that the system’s main valves- open/close doors - are working.  Commonly, we find the main valves are stuck in a closed position.  This causes congestion in the flow of wastes and results in constipation, liver back-up, weight gain, and more fatigue.  In order to open these valves, a trained physician needs to manipulate them manually.  The patient is then given special, slow aerobic exercises that are repeated for several days. These activities clear the lymph system and restore its ability to flow and to detoxify naturally.  Once this healthy condition manifests, more strenuous exercise can be done.


Food allergies are yet another problem faced by many chronically fatigued people.   They can be identified with muscle-testing and cleared with a special allergy technique that combines chiropractic and acupuncture (without needles).  Many allergies are a result of a less-than-optimal digestive system.  As we have discussed already, the digestive system is significantly affected by the fight-flight-reflex that causes partly digested particles to enter the blood.  When this happens, the immune system identifies these particles as  “foreign” and does what it can to attack them.  In order to restore one’s immune system to good health, a person must get out of the fight-flight condition.   


Finally, the fight or flight mechanism produces a tension that, often times, results in a variety of structural problems.   This mechanism vertically compresses the body in order to make it a smaller target - a great defense mechanism if an aggressor is chasing you!  Ailments like neck and back pain, TMJ (temperomandibular joint), face-head-shoulder pain, digestive upset and gait pain are among the nasty consequences of a prolonged fight or flight condition.  I have found that chiropractic is an excellent method for identifying such structural abnormalities and for applying satisfactory remedies.


Well, we have come to the end of our discussion on fatigue.  I would like you to remember this, please.  If you are experiencing fatigue, then your body is trying to tell you something.   Just think about this metaphor for a while:


        When the body aches or is tired a little, it is whispering a message.
        When the body aches or is tired as lot, it is yelling loud and clear - HELP ME!

Ignoring this message is not going to help you in any way.  Certainly, it won’t help those that depend on you.  Disregarding this body communiqué is nothing more than a successful self-sabotage method. So, if you are feeling fatigued more often than not, it is time to take constructive action and take back your life. I know that you can do this.  I’ve helped many patients down this path to wellness and I could do the same for you.


I’ll have more for you on this topic in my next segment.  In the meantime, if you are feeling any of the symptoms mentioned above, please give me a call at (510) 652-2302. We can talk about the ways in which I can you regain energy and stamina.

Dr. Larry Gertler, M. Ed., D.C., is a nationally known holistic chiropractor and teacher.  He is available for in-office visits and telephone consultations.  For more information, please call (510) 652-2302 or visit his website www.drgertler.org.

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