The Three T'S

Thoughts, Trauma & Toxins

What defines Health?

DD Palmer, the founder of Chiropractic, recognised way back in the late 1800’s that our body’s ability to express health was being compromised.  He even suggested that one’s inability to adapt to the constantly changing environment was interfering with their central nervous system function, regulation and life expression.

In today’s environment we can be grateful for things like epigenetics, neuroplasticity, the conscious mind and polyvagal theory.  All which are powerful routes to helping us unlock and experience health.  Thanks to epigenetics, we know that our genes are not fixed.  Thanks to neuroplasticity, we know that the brain can form new pathways, thanks to the conscious mind, we know the power of our thoughts can bring great change and thanks to polyvagal theory, we know that the nervous system affects all other systems of our body. 

The founders of Chiropractic coined this term, ‘The three T’s’, to describe those factors which interfere with optimal nervous system functions and life expression.  I think they are as relevant today as they were back then. 

Thought’s Trauma and Toxins.  The key factors we must learn to navigate. 

Thoughts – DD Palmer called this “Auto-suggestion” which is essentially the negative, disempowering way we habitually speak to ourselves. Emotional stress and negative thoughts can quickly create stress that is felt in our mind and body.  This stress typically comes from work, relationships, raising families, health concerns, finances and so on.  While we assume these things are contained in our minds, our thoughts and anxieties have very real, physical consequences on our body as well. 

Trauma – back in the day, this was falling off a bike or a bail of hay.  Today, it’s things like birth trauma and tech neck, carrying our baby on one hip, wearing high heels or sleeping on your stomach.  Most of us have experienced physical stress or trauma in one form or another.  A sports injury or a car accident is one of many examples which can cause physical trauma to your body.  Most of us also experience tiny, daily traumas like sitting with altered posture at our work station for 8 hours a day.  These physical stressors contribute to tension, altered spinal movement patterns and nerve expression – all contributing factors in how we might experience pain. 

Toxins (Chemicals) – Think pseudofoods, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, GMO’s, glyphosate, water quality and mould.  These toxins can interfere with how our nervous system communicates thereby creating an imbalance in our body.  When we are not nourishing our body through healthy food choices and good eating habits, we run the risk of adding too many toxins to our body, resulting in an overload of chemical stress, which can also take a toll on our physical health and mental wellbeing. 

Today there is a “4th T” which we are becoming increasingly aware of.  TECHNOLOGY. This is a silent but very real biological & neurological concern. 

Technology – screens and EMF’s. Think of the hours of time spent on devices & how this alters our posture.  Consider the impact this altered posture is having on our movement patterns and muscle memory.  We now know that our brain learns from movement, but what if due to technology, we aren’t moving our body like we are supposed to, as you can likely see this has an impact on our brains ability to form new pathways and connections.    On top of this, screen use targets specific centers in the brain like the areas involved in addiction. This means that increased screen time can also contribute to the brain imbalances which we are seeing significantly more of in today’s society in diagnoses including Autism and ADHD.

As you can see, the three T’s all create some kind of imbalance in our body, resulting in disrupted brain-body communication & compromised life expression.  How many of us, due to these stressors, are chugging along at much less than 100% in our daily lives?   

Studies support regular Chiropractic care in the management of stress.  When the body is moving well and the nervous system is functioning optimally, the body is in a better position to heal itself and adapt to external and internal stressors. 

Chiropractic care is about enabling our nervous system to communicate effectively so our body can adapt to these stressors better.  Being more adaptable and resilient creates homeostasis and promotes the foundation for health on the inside. 

I invite you to explore the stressors that may exist in your life which are contributing to imbalance and preventing you from reaching optimal health.  Furthermore, I encourage you to make small adjustments and new choices, day by day, that will bring you into a better state of health and well-being. 

Some small conscious action steps might include:

Spending some time in nature each day

Spend some time outside bare foot each day

Choosing organic over conventional farming

Swapping out packet, additive containing foods for your own home-made goods

Prioritizing time for yourself each day

Practicing gratitude each day

Getting adjusted

Participating in a breath focused activity

Swapping out chemical based household cleaners for natural cleaning products

Monitoring your screen time

Prioritizing movement