What was your main health challenge before you received chiropractic care?
My first few jobs were hard on my body. I worked as a landscape laborer digging holes and moving large quantities of dirt manually, and then later as a fireplace installer, where often I had to move, by myself, cast iron stoves that were 300+ lbs. During that same time, I decided it would be good to also immerse myself in CrossFit, where I paid little attention to my form and would lift more weight than I could take on while keeping proper form. Fast forward a few years, and I found myself in Dr. Kris’ office because of persistent lower back due to a car accident where my vehicle was t-boned and totaled. I also had (and still have) a desk job that required long hours sitting down in front of a screen, and many of my issues were worsened by prolonged periods of sitting without moving or stretching.
How did this health challenge affect your life and activity level?
After my accident, I had to limit my physical activity drastically. Some things were good for me, such as not lifting as much weight as I used to. Others were not so good, like less motivation to exercise because of the pain and discomfort in my joints and back when I did try to move around. Having been physically active for a good part of my life, the lack of physical activity directly impacted my mood and mental health. In hindsight, I recognize now that I fell into depression shortly after my accident.
What are three benefits you have experienced as a result of your care at Vitality Chiropractic?
When I first met Dr. Kris and Pam, I was unaware of how my body felt and often ignored the signals it gave me to slow down or stop. I came from a household that taught me to “suck things up” and to truck on. So, though I had heard of the benefits one could derive from chiropractic care, I was skeptical. I would describe this period of time as one where my journey to better myself started. Over the first few weeks, Dr. Kris’ regular adjustments started to create this feeling of “betterness” that is hard to describe. I was able to move around without as much discomfort as I had before. I started to become more aware of what my body was telling me and started to be better at listening to it. I have also started putting time, money, and energy into the betterment of my body. I started to see the value in getting a good bed and buying good shoes with good support (I want to do a shout out to Dr. Kris and Pam for turning me onto the foot levelers. I LOVE them). I’m also more aware of my energy (P.s., I would have never said something like this a few years back) and intensity. I think it helped me to be around someone who has such calm and good energy. Being more aware of my energy & well-being has helped me be increasingly selective about the things I chose to add to my plate, personally and professionally.
If you were to recommend Vitality Chiropractic to your friends or family, what would you say?
I always find myself needing to be careful about what I say for fear of sounding like a fanatic. I would say it’s a must. And that everyone needs a Dr. Kris and Pam in their life.
Do you have any additional comments you would like to share about the care you have received from Dr. Kris?
My care with Dr. Kris was the seed and catalyst for my desire to be kinder to my body. Looking back, it has been a long but incredibly positive journey for me. I can honestly say that my life would not be the same had I not wandered into your office a couple of years back. I came in looking for chiropractic care and have come out with a lot more than that.