In his book, “Live Right for Your Species Type, the BioLOGICAL Wellness and Prevention Solution” author, chiropractor and public speaker Dr. James Chestnut presents “unequivocal evidence that our eating patterns are one of the most significant factors determining whether we get sick or whether we get and stay well.” It’s a unique proposition really, considering the billions of dollars each year that is spent at pharmacies treating illness rather than enabling wellness. Chestnut argues that we could do much better simply by eating well. And he uses reams of science to prove his point.

From the outset, Chestnut puts the onus on the reader: He asks us why it is that so many of us choose a path that clearly causes illness and early death. It’s something we see a lot at our practice, and it’s the main reason we take a holistic approach to Chiropractic health and wellness. I can treat patients till the cows come home but the secret sauce goes beyond that. It’s what we put into our bodies that makes the ultimate difference between health or illness. The guidance we provide our patients at Rice Family Chiropractic is reflected in Dr. Chestnuts book and in his mantra, “Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well”.

Modern societies have a problem with chronic illness. At a level never before witnessed in human history we prescribe drugs for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, digestion, mental wellness and much more. Vast amounts of money are spent trying to make these problems go away and yet less than 3% of our resources go toward wellness and prevention.

But why? Are humans inherently predisposed to illness? Do we really need so many drugs to enable wellness? Chestnut makes the point that this explosion of illness or “adaptive allostasis” that we are witnessing is simply the body’s reaction to the stresses it is experiencing and to the choices we are making. If we improve our choices and lower the stressors, ie. if we simply live in the correct environment for our species then wellness or “homeostasis” naturally follows.

There’s an apt analogy that Dr. Chestnut uses in his book. He describes how stem cells placed in a petri dish with an unhealthy environment will express adaptive allostasis or illness. Put the same stem cells into a Petri dish with a healthy habitat and they then express wellness and homeostasis. Similarly, when biologists want to protect an endangered species they restore their habitat back to its correct species-specific state.

Again and again he points out that it’s the environment—not the genes—that determine wellness or illness.

“This means you have enormous autonomy over the expression of your genes and whether you express health or illness,” Chestnut concludes.

We encourage our patients to read Dr Chestnut’s book and we also keep copies on hand at our clinic. It’s a tremendously well written and informative read but it’s also exhaustively well researched. For those who would question the points he makes—and one should—there are countless references in the bibliography to turn to for in depth background information.

If you’re looking to take your family’s health beyond the whack-a-mole game of allopathic health and build a foundational wellness this is a terrific place to begin and become inspired. I often tell my patients, “I can treat you but only you can cure yourself.” If you have any questions about Dr. Chestnut’s work, or anything else related to your family’s spinal wellness, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you.

Rice Family Chiropractic

Wellness from our family to yours.

Dr. Erin and James Rice

#310-6525 204 Street

Langley, BC V2Y 3B3

604 539 0542