Driving by a mechanic shop one day, I saw a sign posted stating "maintenance is a lot cheaper than repairs", and started thinking about how much this also relates to, not only cars, but to our health and our bodies.
It is common knowledge that if you take care of your car by getting the oil changed and tires rotated, the car will last much longer and you can avoid costly repairs. The idea of maintaining good health is not, however, something many of us think about (unfortunately). Many people have the mentality that you only go to the doctor when you're are sick, but what about when you aren't sick?
It is so important to take care of your body as if it were your expensive car. Would you put cheap gas in an expensive car? Would you forget about changing the oil or getting the brakes checked? Would you wait to get your car checked until it completely breaks down on the road? Probably not. So why would you neglect your health until something major arises? (Hopefully your answer is, you wouldn't.)
Between the physical, mental and emotional demands of life, you can't keep going at maximum speed without the need for repairs.
In my clinic, I often see patients who have waited until they are "broken" and in need of a lot of "repairs" rather than just a little "tune-up". While we can often help patients that are "broken", it is a lot quicker, easier (and cheaper) when you make an effort to maintain good health and just need a little "tune-up". Makes sense, right? If we are proactive about our healthcare, we can avoid ending up in an emergency situation with hefty bills and a broken down body.
What is Preventive Medicine?
Preventive medicine is the practice of preventing sickness before it happens."The aim of preventive medicine is the absence of disease, either by preventing the occurrence of a disease or by halting a disease and averting resulting complications after its onset".
One of the best forms of maintenance or preventive medicine is acupuncture! After your initial series of acupuncture, we recommend coming in for a treatment approximately once per month. Why? Because acupuncture puts your body into homeostasis (balance). It also improves blood flow to all your tissues and organs to help your body function better. Acupuncture helps to maintain long-term good health by boosting your immune system, lowering your stress level, and reducing pain and inflammation.
In addition to acupuncture, we provide our patients with yearly functional lab work to see which lab values can be improved upon before they become major problems. We identify vitamin and mineral deficiencies, organ dysfunctions, and risk factors for disease, and treat patients with natural supplements and/or Chinese herbal medicine. We also teach our patients ways they can improve their diet and lifestyle so they can have a happier, healthier future.
So again, remember that "maintenance is a lot cheaper than repairs". Treat your body like an expensive car and it will thank you big time! To discuss how we can help you get on a preventive medicine routine, click here to schedule your FREE consultation!