About 4 years ago I discovered that I had a degenerative spine, a slightly rotated disc and bone spurs in my spine. I had hurt my back pretty badly and it was kind of a blessing in disguise because I was forced to take an MRI and X-rays which lead to these discoveries in my back. Since then I have been on chiropractic treatment and physical therapy. I know the idea of chiropractic treatment is quite taboo to some people but I am thankful for the treatment I have received and the education I have had these past few years. I have learnt a lot about the body and how to care for one as damaged as mine. If anyone is looking for a good chiropractic clinic, I highly recommend Wellness One of Bellevue.
On Friday I went in for my monthly adjustments and I had the main doctor/owner see me this time. Dr. Thain is a cool dude and I have had good conversations with him. One of the big things the doctors at this clinic do is try to educate people on healthy living. Quite frequently patients would be subjected to pop quizzes. It was my turn this time. Dr. Thain asked me if I had anything new to report about my back and then he quizzed me with these questions:
1. How do I keep my back strong and stay healthy?
2. When do these things end?
I was stumped at first because I was prepared to answer questions while my back was being adjusted. I gave it some thought and answered with a 3 part answer. First, I had to exercise (especially doing core exercises). Second, have a proper diet (i.e. watch my weight). And third, maintain my therapy/treatments. And the answer to the second question is, it never ends - because of the nature of my back's condition, these steps are important to maintain.
As you can probably tell, I have been thinking more about since my treatment. I started to think about how this applies to everyday life, especially my spiritual journey. My friend Jay recently posted a blog about Spiritual Voyeurism (it's worth a read) and it challenged me. So, as I thought of the answers I gave Dr. Thain, I realized I actually can and should apply them to my life. In the reverse order, I need to maintain my relationship with Jesus. I need to "visit" Him more than the once a month that I go to the doctor. It is a relationship I have with God and so I need to put in the effort. Next I have to a proper diet of spiritual food. Reading the word (like Jay suggests in his blog). Spending time in prayer. Enriching myself through spiritual disciplines. Feeding my mind with good and Godly teaching/training. And finally, exercising. This is the tough part. Life happens and more often than not it is quite hectic and crazy so exercise is usually the last thing on my mind. However, I know for a fact that if I don't exercise and I keep a steady diet, I will start to put on weight and that will lead to health issues. As such, I need to have an exercise plan - exercising the spiritual food I have consumed. I need to engage with people who are disconnected from Christ and help them find hope in Christ. I can't afford to be lazy and unmotivated to "exercise" - I need to stay active so I don't become an "overweight" Christian. So, when do these practices end? The same answer applies - it never ends. This is especially true because of my human nature and the condition of my human heart. I am prone to wonder and stray from the God I love but with God's help and grace and if I can maintain these steps, I believe I'll be all right.
Let's live healthy lives!
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