This can begin a negative spiral effect on the body. As neuromuscular tension develops throughout the body, high levels of the stress hormone cortisol pulse through the blood and tissues. This alone has many negative effects. With all of this going in the body, the immune system may not function as well as it otherwise would and you may not have enough energy to do all your regular activities as your nutrient and energy stores become depleted.”
Daniel emerged from the front driver side wheel well to finish the explanation. “After many centuries of research it has become very clear that the structural integrity of the body, and specifically the pelvis-spine-cranium complex, plays a crucial role in maintaining muscular balance throughout the body, enabling it to communicate with itself, balancing tissues, muscles and organs, and opening the channels to wellness and healing.”
As Daniel moved to the other end of the vehicle and descended into the rear wheel well to inspect the brake assembly, Ben slid Max’s feet off the couch to the floor and sat down next to him. He had learned a lot from the Websters in just a couple of visits. Thinking it over, he realized that there seemed to be one underlying theme to their message so far: interference with the free flow of energy throughout the body appears to be at the root of almost every ailment, illness or disease that strikes humans. Remove that interference and experience good health and a long life. He looked forward to learning more from the Websters about how this could be achieved.
“Energy blockages are called silent killers, right, Daniel?” asked Vic. His gaze was fixed on a prism hanging in front of the window next to the workbench. A dissected shaft of sunlight scattered coloured beams throughout the room.
“Exactly,” replied Daniel, reaching for a wrench on the workbench. “And many times with these energy blockages there are no associated symptoms for months, even years, but they are interfering nonetheless. The idea of keeping the energy system free from interference in order to achieve optimal health was recognized by many cultures many centuries ago and led to the establishment of various disciplines such as acupuncture and Ayurveda. The chiropractic profession started over a hundred years ago and has grown tremendously in popularity. Millions of people now visit chiropractors around the world every day.”
Ben looked at Max as he began to snore. He nudged his friend, who resumed his normal breathing pattern. “I’ve never been to a chiropractor, an acupuncturist or a massage therapist, Daniel. I do know people who have gone to these types of professionals to get treated for a variety of conditions, but I don’t know how effective they were. I guess I’ve never had a reason to see these practitioners yet.”
“Ben, do you remember our discussion when we first met? I mentioned the difference between preventive maintenance and damage control.” He walked over to the workbench and opened the overhead cupboard.
“When you visit your doctor, as you did a couple of weeks ago, that was for damage control. You have problems with noticeable symptoms. Your doctor will help you to relieve those symptoms, usually with prescription drugs. That’s controlling the damage, but it doesn’t address the problem that’s causing those symptoms. After visiting many different practitioners over the years, just like what you’ll find at many of the wellness clinics today, we discovered that stimulating your body in a certain way alerts its innate intelligence. Remember in our first session we said that the body, with its innate intelligence, is a self-healing, self-regulating organism that always strives to maintain balance and equilibrium. Well, that is exactly the role of these practitioners, essentially providing the body with a window of opportunity to comprehensively reorganize itself through the natural activation of various neural reflexes and important regulatory systems. The end result is to restore your body’s structural integrity, and decode and reset your nervous system, which results in a deep level of relaxation, well being, and rejuvenation. The key here is to get ongoing care for preventive maintenance. It’s true that they can also treat people with traumatic injuries, and a variety of health problems, but that’s only a small part of their role.”
“So are you saying that I should probably visit one of these wellness centres for a check-up, even if I’m not sick?” asked Ben.
“Well, let me ask you this,” said Daniel as he prepared to replace the worn disc with a new one. “How do you know when to get an oil change—when your engine seizes?”
“I get it changed every five thousand kilometres,” answered Ben.
“Well, why would you wait until you develop a health problem with symptoms before taking corrective action? Why not go for check-ups and treatments regularly? These practitioners are well qualified to detect and help correct any problems in the bio-energetic systems. It’s good for people of all ages, from newborns to centenarians. In fact, you have a greater chance of reaching 100 years of age if you keep your energy channels free of blockages. Since we have noticed the most positive changes when the structural balance of our pelvis and spine is maintained, I would suggest you start there, if you do decide to visit a wellness centre.”
“Do you get regular check-ups, Daniel?” Ben asked, realizing too late that the answer was obvious.
“Elizabeth and I have been getting regular treatments with non-traditional health practitioners for half a century now. For example, we get ongoing chiropractic adjustments twice a month and massages once a month. We’ve had help from acupuncturists, naturopaths and mental health coaches, to name just a few. Neither of us has ever been really sick. We lead a healthy lifestyle, which we are going to share with you over the next several months. But a key component of our lifestyle is getting help from practitioners who understand that good health is an ongoing process, an integration of the body-mind-emotional-spiritual complex as a whole, and that illnesses are symptoms of imbalance somewhere in the body.”
Max stirred on the couch, rolled over, and opened his eyes. He saw Vic staring at him.
“You slept through another class, Farley. Just like the good old days.”
Max sat up. “You have that effect on me, teach.”
Daniel finished replacing the wheel, lowered the jack, and then wiped his hands with a clean rag. He reached into his pocket, retrieved the key, and walked over to the wooden chest. He closed the lid, locked it, and returned the key to his pocket.
“Before you leave,” he said, turning around, “please join us for lunch in the backyard by the pond. Elizabeth has prepared nourishment for us.”
Daniel led them through the adjoining corridor and into the backyard. A table had been set under the pine tree where Ben and Max had first met Daniel. The food on the table was abundant and very colourful: green, red, orange, and yellow. Ben and Max had no idea what some of the dishes were.
“This looks fabulous, Elizabeth,” said Ben. “Can you please explain what you’ve created here? This is not how we’re used to eating.”
“You won’t find this kind of food in the vending machines, Max,” said Vic.
“I’d be happy to,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “You’re about to be introduced to a new way of eating. I made pumpkin soup, Caesar salad sprinkled with hempseeds and topped with my own special dressing, and a sprouted lentil salad. On the side table are pitchers of spring water and cranberry juice, and a pot of herbal tea.”
“These are not dishes that you would see on most lunch tables and I have a feeling this is a very important reason for your good health,” said Ben. “We really appreciate all the knowledge and nourishment you give to us so freely. Not to mention all the mechanical repair work,” he added, turning to Daniel.
“We believe in the integrated approach to life, Ben,”
