What does your spine and Jell-O have in common?  No, it's not a joke, and the answer is, more than you might suspect!  The discs of your spine have hydrogel properties, just like everyone's favorite dessert.  When the discs are cold, they assume the consistency of gel to improve the spine's stability and its ability to absorb the stresses of gravity.  At a raised temperature, they liquefy to improve flexibility and to facilitate motion of the spinal segments.

 

We can take advantage of the hydrogel properties of the spine by performing a simple exercise that will greatly enhance your spinal health.  You see, the blood supply to the intervertebral discs stays intact until after puberty.  After the age of 13 or so, the only way your discs can replenish themselves with water and nutrients, and eliminate waste, is through motion.  Motion creates friction, friction creates heat, and heat will liquefy the discs, improving the flow into and out of the discs.

 

First, sit down on a chair so that your knees are at a 90 degree angle.  Raise your chin and your arms with your elbows bent & your hands at the height of your shoulders, then pick a spot behind you.  Swivel back and forth in both directions to look at that fixed point, making sure that the motion is occuring in your neck as well.  Fifty repetitions of this will activate the hydrogel properties of the discs in your spine - place a hand on your spine, and you will be able to feel the heat radiating from it!

 

But we're not finished yet!  Once the discs are liquefied, the next step is to mold the spine into the proper shape.  The curves of the spine are essential to absorb the forces of gravity while simultaneously allowing for motion and for safe passage of life-giving nerves and blood vessels through the intervertebral canal.  Losing these curves results in muscle fatigue, stiffness & soreness, reduced energy levels, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and more.  The most vulnerable times of the day for your spine are dawn & dusk - right when it has to change from a weight-bearing to an unloaded state, and vice versa.  Do you toss & turn at night before sleep, or wake up stiff & sore every morning?  It could be because your spine is having a tough time with this transition!

 

After performing the above "Spinal Twist" exercise, lie down with a couple of rolled-up towels beneath your neck and low back for at least 20 minutes.  This "Spinal Molding" exercise will revert the discs back to a gel state with the proper spinal curves still in place.  Your discs, pumped full of water & nutrients and supported by the natural strength of the spinal curve, will do a better job of supporting your body throughout the course of your day.  For optimal spinal health, this exercise should be done every morning and every evening - for life!  Good spinal hygiene should be a part of your daily routine, just like brushing your teeth or washing your hair.

 

In 1993, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force released a report in which it concluded that screening for scoliosis in schools was ineffective.  Considering that the average cost of screening one student for scoliosis (using the traditional Adam's Forward-Bending Test)  is $24.66, it is no wonder many schools stopped screening for scoliosis after this.  Another study released in 2006 stated that, "63% of new cases of scoliosis were detected by friends & family; the number of cases detected at school had dropped considerably to 8%.  Most cases were detected when the deformity was advanced, with Cobb angles over 40 degrees."

 

Detecting a scoliosis before it has reached this point can shave months or years off the treatment duration.  Early detection of scoliosis is more poignant today than ever before, when we have the tools and the knowledge to affect its progression.  Using new methods of examination, we can improve both the effectiveness and the ease of scoliosis screening, while also decreasing the investment of time & money required in this endeavor.

 

Does your children's school conduct scoliosis screenings?  Perhaps they could benefit from learning more about CLEAR Institute's Scoliosis Correction Technique.  Please take a moment to share our website with your school's nurses, teachers, and supervisors.  The need for cost-effective, reliable methods of scoliosis screening has never been greater!

 

Register now for the upcoming Scoliosis Correction Seminars to be held in Orlando, Florida, and Dallas, Texas!  Early registration for all 3 seminars is only $900 for D.C.'s, and $300 for students, CA's, and family members.  CE credit is also available for all 3 courses through Parker College of Chiropractic.  The dates and registration forms for both seminars are available on our website; contact care@clear-institute.com for more information!

 

 "Life is like an impressionistic painting... when you're too close to it, all you can see are the individual dots.  Sometimes you've got to step back and view the big picture to connect them, and capture the true beauty & glorious significance of it all."