Life Moves, So Should You

Please don’t take that title as a personal statement about YOU so much as a recommendation for US. Life when in balance is always in “flow”, it never stops changing, adapting, adjusting, and shifting. The title of this article has a key word that is essential for a fully adaptable, balanced, vital life: MOVE.

A tremendous story of the effect of movement on life is the story of the re-introduction of wolves into the Yellowstone ecosystem in 1995. In the decades between the 1930’s (when wolves had been hunted to near extinction) until their re-introduction into the park there had been a dramatic change in the entire ecosystem that affected every facet of the park.

By 1995 the trees that lined the rivers, the animals, the grasslands, the rodents, the birds and even the very geography of the park had changed dramatically! One of the primary observations was the fact that there was only 1 remaining beaver colony in the park.

You might ask, “why would beaver colonies die off without wolves”? That is exactly what they asked themselves after they re-introduced the wolves back into the park and they saw the beaver population go from 1 colony to 9 in a matter of time much shorter than it took it to dwindle.

What they found was interesting and telling. The reason the beaver population dwindled was due to a lack of movement of the elk population. When the wolves stopped challenging the elk to move, the elk decimated the immature stands of willow, aspen, and cottonwood trees that line the river banks, which caused a lack of den building material and a lack of opportunity to build the family unit.

The beaver population is just one aspect of the power of the “movement” that was created by wolves. All of the living world of Yellowstone changed with this pressure to “move.” Not only the plant, animal, and bird population were affected by this increased “movement”, the very geography of the park changed.

How does this apply to your life/health?  Consider the park is your body where all the plants, animals, rivers, birds are your cells, organs, muscles, nerves, etc.  When there is no challenge to adapt, there is no growth or positive change. That which lacks movement lacks momentum!

So, do yourself a huge favor and get and stay moving for life.

p.s. A flexible and balanced spinal system is one of the most important aspects of a vibrant and healthy life, so get checked and adjusted by a chiropractor regularly.

Dr. Jeffrey Slocum


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