Dr. Stephanie Maj has just published a new book, "You Can Be Well! How to Improve your Quality of Life Through a Healthier Lifestyle." In a recent news article, Dr. Maj was asked why she wrote her book...

What inspired you to write this book?

One day I realized that unless you were in my office, you were not getting my take on wellness.  I see others out there speaking and writing about wellness and what it means and I truly believe that you cannot have wellness without addressing the interference in the nerve system that Chiropractic corrects.

What are the top three lifestyle changes that you wish everyone would begin today?

Number one is get your nervous system checked by a Chiropractor.  The reason this is so important is that your body is a self-healing organism and the nerve system is what controls that healing.  When there is interference in the nerves, there is interference in your body's ability to heal properly or fight disease (like cancers and viruses).  Chiropractic removes interference in the nerves so your body's own natural defense systems can be restored.

Number two and three would be that we live in a toxic and deficient world.  We need to address toxicity by eating a diet filled with pure foods: fruits, vegetables, lean protein and plenty of water.  There are also many strategies to detoxify your body from the built-up toxins.  The third recommendation is to address our deficiencies.  The food we eat is nowhere near as nutrient rich as it was 30 years ago.  I believe in everyone taking a strong multivitamin, antioxidant, fish oil (essential fat) and a probiotic (the good bacteria that is in yogurt).

What are some recommendations that you have given your patients that have come as a surprise?

I think one of the big recommendations that always surprises a new patient in a crisis is that I do not want them to stretch or exercise.  Yes, I know, that sounds crazy.  There is a time for exercise, just not in the initial stage of healing.  Most doctors blame problems regarding the spine on a lack of those things.  What I have found is that until you heal the underlying injury with chiropractic adjustments to restore the movement and heal the tissue, no exercise or stretch will help.  You cannot brush away a cavity and you cannot exercise away a problem in the spine that first needs to heal in the correct alignment.

What do you say to people who would claim Chiropractic is a quack science?

All I can say is look at the research.  There are a massive amount of research articles proving the efficacy of Chiropractic with regard to many problems.  The way I usually answer this is that Chiropractic is not a religion to believe in or not.  This healing science has been around for over 100 years and the science is there to prove it.  It is safe (I pay more in car insurance than malpractice insurance) and helps many people heal on the road back to health and wellness.  I believe in this age of over-medicating our bodies, Chiropractic is something that is innate and helps your own body do what it is designed to do.  The research shows that it helps people get back to work quicker and back to life better.