It's that time of year again. Books. Markers. Folders. Bouquets of sharpened pencils. And to carry it all, a backpack full of all of those freshly bought school supplies.
Did you know that the average 6th grade student has a backpack that weighs
18.4 pounds, and some backpacks weighed as much as 30 pounds?! That's a lot for a kid to carry around all day!
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child's backpack weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of a child's weight. Ergo, if your 6th grader weighs 80 lbs. they should only be carrying 8-16 pounds on their back at most!
Not to mention the fact that while they are at school, kids are exposed to a plethora of germs and microbes that their bodies haven't been used to during the summer. I mean, ever wonder why your school supply list includes hand sanitizer and antimicrobial wipes?
BACK TO SCHOOL STRESSORS
The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for everyone, but along with the excitement comes a lot of stress too.
For example, your kids love that new backpack, but with all of the school supplies they have to carry around, eventually it's going to get uncomfortable. And even if you have taught your child how to properly wash their hands and they are the the most obedient and germ conscious kid on the planet, chances are, they have at least one friend who isn't.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but unfortunately, it's true.
Kids can be messy.
It's enough to make a germaphobic parent go into a full blown anxiety attack just thinking about it. However, there's good news...
THE POWER OF A CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT
At Restoration Chiropractic, we are big fans of healthy kids, lightweight backpacks and washing our hands. We are also big fans of....you guessed it, CHIROPRACTIC. And the way that Chiropractic works is one of the most effective and natural ways for our bodies to prevent and fight infection, sickness and YES, even prepare you and your kids for all of those back to school germs.
By removing the subluxations (interferences) within the spinal column, a simple chiropractic adjustment re-aligns the nervous system and allows it to function the way it was designed to.
Not to mention, Chiropractic has been proven to improve mental clarity, focus, and even memory. Wouldn't your family want that academic an/or professional advantage?
A KINK IN THE HOSE ANALOGY
Imagine for a moment that you are looking at a patch of grass - perhaps in your front yard. Imagine you water it with a sprinkler attachment on your hose - set on a timer so you don't have to worry too much about it. It's lush, green, healthy and vibrant. It's growing well.
Then slowly, you notice that it looks a little wilted. As the days go on, you notice it's getting yellow, some especially affected patches are turning brown and dying. "What is going on?!" you ask yourself.
Not wanting the damage to progress any further, you finally take a closer look at your watering hose, and notice that there is a kink in the line. Your grass has not been receiving enough water. The lack of nourishment that your yard needed in those hot summer days have affected the health of your lawn.
Would you leave the kink, or fix it?
Well, if you want that grass to continue to grow healthy and strong, my guess is that you would fix it!
The kink in the hose analogy is a common scenerio used to explain the power of Chiropractic. The body is a SYSTEM. When the system gets kinked, the problem needs to be remedied, or the yard (a.k.a. our body) experiences problems in the heat (stress) of those hot summer days.
Our bodies are amazing, and they know how to heal themselves. Chiropractic just removes the kink in the hose.
SO WHAT CAN I DO?
First of all, you want to remove all those kinks so that your body (and those of your family members) can function the way that they were designed to. Call our office today and make an appointment to start your school year off right!
Second, make sure your kids backpacks aren't too heavy by limiting the amount of books and supplies that they actually need to carry vs. what they do carry, and make sure that they are practicing good hygiene. You know, wash your hands, use tissues instead of fingers, don't put boogers on your neighbor's desk, and if you have to sneeze, do it vampire style (turn away from people and sneeze into your elbow and not your hands).
You know, the basics.
Third, get your family into a healthy routine of good habits. These include
exercising often, eating a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, and scheduling regular chiropractic adjustments - giving you, and your kids, a much better chance at a healthy and productive school year.
From all of us at Restoration Chiropractic, have a wonderful year! We look forward to seeing you soon!