Dear Dr. Suzy,   

Q. This may seem like a strange question, but what exactly is energy and where does it come from?  Also, how can I get more of it? 

A. There is an awesome energy flowing deep inside of every one of us. It is the powerful, mysterious life force that coordinates and controls every function of our bodies, from the intricate process that naturally heals damaged tissues, to the automatic, rhythmic beating of our hearts approximately one hundred thousand times a day.

The ancient Greeks, and even one of my own personal heroes, Albert Einstein, were intrigued by this flow of energy or life force, just as we are today. The fascinating science of quantum physics has proven that bundles of this vibrating energy are constantly swirling at lightning speed through the vast empty space of the atoms that make up our physical bodies.

This inner energy goes by several names in many different languages. The yogis of ancient India called this vital life force prana and considered breathing to be the vehicle of prana. Throughout the centuries, Indian yogis have taught that controlling the breath controls the universal energy within, which directly affects one’s physical health and state of mind.

Thousands of years ago, the Taoist sages of ancient China named this inner energy qi. Those who study Eastern philosophies believe that qi, (also known as ki and more commonly as chi) flows through several distinct pathways in the body, linking tissues, organs, and brain function into a unified whole. They also believe that qi connects each person to the environment and, ultimately, to the entire universe. In essence, they feel that the primary energy of life found in the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees and in each fresh blade of grass growing on the earth, is the same universal energy that flows throughout our own bodies.

One of the basic tenets of Eastern philosophy involves the ancient law of interrelatedness, which basically states that nothing can exist in and of itself—that everything in the universe exists in relation to everything else.

Followers of ancient Eastern philosophy also believe that true health requires a delicate balance of two interdependent forces: yin and yang, which continually work to control, harmonize, and balance each other. In perfect alignment with the law of interrelatedness, these two forces are flowing and interdependent, not conflicting and opposed, as is commonly believed.

The yin phase of energy is associated with receptive, contractive characteristics and is present in such qualities as rest and passivity. The expansive, outgoing aspect of yang is present in such qualities as activity and stimulation. You do not have to look far to find examples of this concept in your everyday life; the contraction and relaxing of your muscles as you move, or a sudden burst of emotion followed by a sense of calm.

According to ancient Chinese tradition, the continual flow of qi through the dynamic forces of yin and yang is necessary to sustain life. It is also believed that a disharmony or lack of balance between these two aspects results in disease, or what is sometimes known in alternative healing as dis-ease, because the body is in a state which is the polar opposite of ease.

Most Eastern health care practitioners believe that there is a highly organized energy system in the body, completely separate and distinct from the nervous system, but running along similar pathways. After scientifically observing living human beings throughout the centuries, Eastern medicine has established precise and orderly patterns, called meridians, through which practitioners believe this energy, or life force, flows.

Conventional Western medicine, on the other hand, has resisted accepting the existence of such a system, and, until recently, has viewed the body as basically a machine that is kept running by some mysterious, unknowable force, that can be neither measured nor seen.

The old Western medical paradigm was based largely on the study of lifeless human bodies and had a tendency to view the human body as a chemical machine composed of highly specialized parts. Fortunately, this view is gradually being replaced with a new model, which focuses on the interconnectedness of the human body, mind, and spirit—the Pure Life Triune.

This new alternative approach to health care is actually ancient in that it draws from the healing wisdom of a variety of cultures—some over ten thousand years old—and also from alternative holistic health care systems, such as Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, Homeopathy, Chiropractic, and Naturopathy.

The philosophies which comprise the foundation of these alternative health care systems are similar in that they tend to view each part of the body not only in terms of how that particular organ or part functions on its own, but rather in terms of its role in relation to the entire system or the whole person—hence the term Holistic.

As far back as 1250 B.C., the ancient Greeks were looking to the spine as a cause of dis-ease in the human body. The nerves exiting the spinal cord through the openings of the spinal column directly supply the pure energy that regulates and controls every system of your body. A healthy spine positively affects the free flow of pure energy throughout all the systems of your body, including the digestive, reproductive, respiratory, and immune systems.

As a chiropractor with over seven years of experience in a busy practice, I have personally witnessed the phenomenal healing and energizing power of the human nervous system on a daily basis.  Consequently, I truly believe that maintaining a strong, healthy, properly aligned spinal column is essential to achieving overall health and optimal well being in your daily life, and that a healthy spine is the strong foundation of a healthy body.

If any of the vertebrae in your spine become misaligned, over time they can interfere with the transmission of nerve flow to whatever part of the body that nerve supplies.  Blocked nerve flow can result in a noticeable lack of energy and affect the function of the area it supplies, much like a water hose being constricted.  In my opinion, everyone should seek out the services of a Doctor of Chiropractic for a spinal exam to see if their nervous system is working the way it should.

There is much more to the mysterious concept of energy.  Keep exploring the subject.  It might just change your life for the better.