I found my purpose in life at an early age. I was a very sick child and really can’t remember a time that I didn’t have an ear infection, strep throat, pink eye, or some other upper respiratory issue. I suffered the onslaught of allergies medications, shots every week for 9 years, and even our family relocating to the west to see if that would improve my condition. Those of you that have had these symptoms can understand how living this way is not living at all.
When investigating what I wanted to go to college for I stumbled upon Chiropractic. I was 17 years old and never knew what a chiropractor did. My first experience with a chiropractor was life changing. During my initial examination, the doctor discovered I had a spinal misalignment (subluxation) in my upper neck. The doctor told me this condition affected the upper respiratory system and could be the cause of my chronic illness. I received my first chiropractic adjustment to correct the problem and what followed was amazing. My head and sinuses instantly cleared and drained. After years of never breathing through my nose, constant sinus pain from congestion, difficulty hearing, and never really tasting my food…I experienced relief. After my experience it was clear, my purpose in life was to share chiropractic wellness care to the world so no one would suffer as I did.
So how does purpose affect your health? Health defined by Dorland’s Medical Dictionary is: physical, social, and mental well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. However purpose in life isn’t the usual topic when discussing health and well-being. Topics such as exercise, nutrition, chiropractic care, and stress management are the most common. However, having a purpose in life is a pinnacle part of overall health and wellness. We all know that eating better and exercising help us attain health but without any direction what’s it all for.
The research is clear; people with a well defined purpose live longer. You are less prone to heart disease, take less medication, and are more resistant to the common cold. How? When we have a clear, well defined purpose, we are less stressed. We know what our day, week, and year look like. We have direction each day, knowing why we woke up and why we want to continue to do so. When we are less stressed our bodies produce less harmful hormones and more of the chemicals that we need such as serum thiol, for example. Having more serum thiol lets us fight off infection, cancer, and heart disease more effectively. In essence when our bodies are under less stress they work more efficiently and move toward thriving instead of merely surviving.
Your purpose in life may be difficult to discover, but it warrants some deep investigation.
As Martin Luther King once said, “The person who has nothing in their life that they are willing to die for has nothing in their life really worth living for.”
Find your purpose and watch your life, and your health flourish! Be Well!