Chiropractic medicine -- a natural choice

Dr. Janet Taylor's passion is chiropractic medicine, a passion she has held dear for decades.

It's really no wonder because Dr. Taylor has run Quantum Leap chiropractic clinic in Wotten Waven, Dominica since August 2003.

Her love for her profession and belief in its natural healing power are quite evident in her enthusiastic discourse on the subject.

Indeed, the lively, youthful looking 69-year-old doctor practices on herself and consults a chiropractor overseas monthly.

Dr. Taylor deems chiropractic alternative medicine as the most widespread, drug-less, non-surgical healing process in the world.

It is based on the fact that the nervous system is central to the functioning of the body.

"So when the nerves are stretched, irritated or disturbed in any way then the body cannot function properly because wherever nerves go there will be dysfunction," she says.

She adds that chiropractors work mainly on the spine because the nerves exit from the bones in the spine, which bears the nerve roots.

"So if a bone is out of alignment in the spine or if a muscle is too tight or loose, it can affect the nerves in a negative way," she explains.

When bones, muscles and nerves are misaligned (subluxation) this can result in a variety of health problems ranging from acne to heart problems.

Dr. Taylor says chiropractic medicine provides broad-spectrum healing and she has even used it to solve 'bed-wetting' problems.

"As a chiropractor, I say chiropractic first, drugs second and surgery last. We want to get people before they go those routes," she says.

When patients visit her clinic for treatment, Dr. Taylor's first step is to locate any misaligned bones in their bodies.

Then she uses her hands and sometimes a small handheld implement to move the bones gently back into alignment, or to release pressure or disturbance affecting nerves.

"And when we do that, the body is designed to heal itself. It has an innate divine intelligence that knows how to do that," she asserts.

Underscoring the importance of stress management for good nerve health, she notes that that the nervous system has to deal with 10,000 stress hits per day, on average.

Therefore, for good nerve health Dr. Taylor recommends minimising physical, chemical and emotional stress.

She points out that the physical stress of even a simple fall can cause bones to move out of alignment imperceptibly, even though the person may not be incapacitated.

Coupled with unhealthy lifestyle practices, this can cause serious negative reactions in the body over a period of time, she notes.

She adds that persistent crying caused by emotional stress can lead to tight musculature, which can disturb nerve chemistry or move bones out of place.

Dr. Taylor also warns against subjecting the body to chemical stress by ingesting or applying toxic substances like drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, or even some types of makeup and perfume.

For healthy living, she advocates strict avoidance of chemical-based manufactured foods and other products.

She uses natural personal care products -- such as toothpaste, cream and deodorants -- and recommends the same for others.

For good nerve health, she strongly recommends the 'paleo diet' based on vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts and small quantities of fish.

Dr. Taylor believes the human body is not designed for meat consumption and barbecued foods are definitely a no-no.

Her expertise covers diverse aspects of health and wellness including diet, nutrition, exercise, fitness, stress management and reflexology.

"So when a person comes in and tells me, 'I've got this back pain', I'm already looking at how can they change their lifestyle to [prevent] that particular problem from coming back," she says.

If you're injured or unwell, you might want to choose the natural healing of chiropractic medicine.

Her natural approach to life extends to Sweet Teas, a café that incorporates the ruins of a sugar cane mill on her property.

The teas are herbal, naturally.

The wooden upper deck of the tea room features pots and is also used for yoga and health care classes and crystal bowl Qigong.