When I first sat down to write this blog, I started with an idea of searching the web for what people believe it means to adapt, to be adaptable, to have adaptability and I was given a multitude of ideas.

The first image that was populated was that of a chameleon.

I thought to myself, that makes sense, as a chameleon has a genetic ability to change its skin color to blend in with the external environment – a combination of a protective mechanism that helped camouflage it from attackers and a way to conceal it from its prey.

A pretty good representation of having the ability to adapt.

But that was not enough for me.

I wanted more.

The final image I came up with was that of our US Military Special Forces – be it Army Ranger, Navy Seal, Marine Raider…you get the picture.

I believe this is an image that we can all have a better grasp on to begin to help us understand the principle of adaptation that we hold firmly as a core value at Hope.

 

What is adaptability?

 

I think we need to begin with the basis of defining our terms to help us better understand why this is a value.

To adapt: “to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification

Adapted: suited by nature, character, or design to a particular use, purpose, or situation

Adaptability: capable of being adapted.

The foundation of these terms help us understand that one can adapt by modifying their nature.

It is also conclusive to note that by design, it is used for a specific purpose.

When you can modify the nature of something for a specific purpose you have what is called adaptability.

This is a SUPER IMPORTANT concept when it comes to human nature, human physiology, human anatomy, and the development of a person throughout the seasons of life (another core value of Hope).

Often times, this is also a part of our innate design that is disrespected, disregarded, and for the most part forgotten about in the paternalistic design of Western Medicine.

As we continue unpacking this value, you will begin to understand just how important it is for your body to have optimal expression of adaptation and why chasing symptoms really doesn’t deliver the results that we have been searching for with regards to our health for the last 100 years.

 

Human Physiology and Adaptation

 

According to Guyton and Hall Physiology: One of the most important functions of the nervous system is to process incoming information in such a way that APPROPRIATE mental and motor responses will occur.

Let’s take a moment and break that down further.

I want to start with the word appropriate.

The goal of the nervous system is to ensure that we have harmonious action throughout our entire body, internal and external.

Breaking this down further, this means that the nervous system controls everything at every moment in time from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death.

Every Organ.

Every Cell.

Every Tissue.

Every Muscle.

Every System.

Period.

That is a statement of BASIC Physiology that cannot be ignored any longer.

It is a principle of physiology that cannot be disregarded when discussing our health.

It is a FOUNDATION of the innate design of the human being.

And yet…

For 99% of us, we will rarely pay attention to the action of our nervous system until we have a symptom of some type.

The interesting piece is that we automatically think there is something wrong when we have a symptom.

And our first option is to usually treat that specific symptom.

Have some pain, take a pain killer.

Have a fever, lower it down.

Have some acid reflux, take some tums.

Got a migraine, we have excedrin.

But does that make sense?

An example to highlight this…

Often times, our body creates a fever in order to kill pathogens.

Why?

Because most pathogens are terrible thermophiles.

They being to breakdown at temperatures over our normal range of 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit.

If we go back to the original premise that the role of the nervous system is to coordinate every single function in the human body.

This would make sense.

The innate design of the nervous system recognizes that the weakness of the pathogen is an increase in temperature.

So….

IT RAISES THE TEMPERATURE until they are all killed off and then lowers it back to a normal range.

You know what the problem is though…

Our medical man decides that a temperature is bad.

That we should lower the temperature with drugs because “it is uncomfortable for the patient”

Which is fascinating to me…that the mind of medical man knows better than the innate wisdom that guides the body?

Things that just make you go…hrm.

Thus, we understand that the human nervous system is responsible for APPROPRIATE responses to ensure the human body is able to survive and to protect the vital organs through a process we started with at the beginning of this blog…ADAPTATION.

So, when we start to have various symptoms or issues pop up in our life, it leads me down the deductive reasoning path of asking a super important question.

Why wouldn’t we evaluate the integrity of the nervous system as a culprit of the issue at hand?

 

The answer is found in the nervous system.

 

We know that the role of the nervous system is to adapt to both the external and internal environment.

We know that the nervous system is supposed to use APPROPRIATE responses based upon its ability to process information and respond with adaptation.

But what happens when we have an INAPPROPRIATE response from the nervous system.

That, my friends, is the more important question.

That is the question that leads us to understand that the difference between a Medical Doctor and a Chiropractor is summarized beautifully in this quote.

“Medicine is the study of disease and what causes man to die. Chiropractic is the study of health and what causes man to live.” – BJ Palmer.

Our value of Default Adaptation is exactly that, the study of what causes man to live.

In the case of the development of an Inappropriate response by the nervous system, it is typically the result of less than optimal adaptation.

This can be detailed in the picture provided below – which doesn’t even begin to capture the essence of the importance of the neurological system but can provide for us a brief understanding of what happens between an appropriate and inappropriate nervous system response.

Thus, when a patient, a friend, a family member or even a colleague presents to our practice, we start with the principle of adaptation.

We understand that every single symptom we have in our body is a direct result of a breakdown of the appropriate adapted response from the nervous system.

It is our goal to restore optimal adaptation through a series of non-invasive and non-painful tests to discover what is causing this inappropriate response to take place.

As a value, we know that if we can restore optimal adaptation to the nervous system, we can insure that the appropriate innate response happens and the body will being the process of restoring health.

This is why we get the results that we do at hope.

We respect the innate wisdom of the body.

We respect the dignity of the human being.

We believe that you are perfectly created and that nothing needs to be added in the form of drugs, surgery or pharmaceuticals in order for you to have optimal adaptation.

It’s as simple as that.

If you can grasp the BIGNESS of this IDEA, then you will be well on your way to making incredibly empowered decisions about your health and not subjecting yourself to the paternalistic model of chasing symptoms.

Default: Adaptability = Appropriate Nervous System Response = HEALTH.