Do you pop over-the-counter painkillers on a regular basis to alleviate afternoon tension headaches?  Do you run to the medicine cabinet after working out in search of relief from muscle soreness? Does your morning routine include guzzling several cups of coffee?

Symptoms such as headaches, back pain, muscle soreness, fatigue and restlessness are messages from your body screaming that something is amiss.  If you’re relying on drugs to cover up symptoms, you’re ignoring your own inner wisdom, disrespecting your body and sabotaging your health goals.

Never discontinue the use of prescription medication without consulting the doctor who prescribed it.  However, you may choose to clean your cabinets of over-the-counter painkillers and commit to addressing the cause of your health ailments- rather than merely masking symptoms.  You may also want to consider all-natural alternatives, such as nutritional supplements.  Ask your chiropractor to assist you in this endeavor.

In addition to taking a hard look at your use of medication, consider any reliance on nicotine, caffeine, alcohol or "recreational" drugs.

If you need help breaking a substance addiction, ask your chiropractor for a referral to treatment program in the community.  For information on the misuse of antibiotic drugs, check out Beyond Antibiotics by Michael A. Schmidt (North Atlantic Books)

Challenge for this week- reconsider you use of unnecessary medication and reliance on drugs

Emotional Stress- the hallmark of today’s society- is linked with a myriad of ailments, including vertebral subluxation, heart disease, stroke, cancer, infertility, headaches, depression and insomnia.

This week, start stamping out stress by re-evaluating your daily schedule.  Get creative.  Free up some time by organizing a school carpool with similarly harried parents.  Consider swapping babysitting time with a neighbor or hiring a local teenager to take over some household chores.

Next, make a list of three obligations you can cancel or delegate to others this week.  For many, learning to turn down requests is difficult.  Here are a few tips to help you say "NO".

-Wait 24 hours before responding to a substantial request for your time

-Repeat to yourself over and over again, "It’s ok to say ‘no’ to stress-inducing commitments that will interfere with my well-being".

-Refuse to give in when pushy persuaders become crusaders for your time

-Create a "saying no script" you are comfortable with.  Explain that you are focusing on boosting your level of health, and that means carving out additional time for yourself to prevent stress.

-Use the "broken record" technique with those who pester you repeatedly.  This means responding to each attempt to change your mind with an identical script.

After you’ve carved out more time in your routine, investigate stress-reduction techniques, and choose one to practice for at least 15 minutes, three time per week.  Techniques to consider include yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, t’ai chi, biofeedback, writing in a journal/blog or engaging in a hobby or craft you enjoy.

If you need help choosing a stress-reduction technique, ask your chiropractor for advice.  Doctors of chiropractic can help you choose the right technique for your lifestyle and provide referrals for related courses in the community.  The Moms Network (www.momsnetwork.com) and the At Home Dad Network (www.athomedad.com) provide winning time-management suggestions for stay-at-home parents.  For more information on the saying "no" effectively, check out Conversationally Speaking by Alan Garner (Lowell House) or How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty by Patti Breitman (Doubleday).

Challenge for this week- reconsider your schedule and adopt a stress-reduction regime.

Good Luck!

Doctors of chiropractic believe that the spine is the foundation of health.  Unfortunately, even many so-called "holistic" health strategists often overlook this vital key to wellness.  That is why it is so important to start with a chiropractic checkup.

Chiropractic care focuses on detecting and correcting dysfunctional regions in the spine called vertebral subluxations- a condition that occurs when motion is restricted or spinal bones (vertebrae) are out of alignment.  Vertebral subluxations are associated with a myriad of health issues, such as headaches, back pain, neck pain, ear infections, and carpal tunnel syndrome among other things.  Chiropractors eliminate vertebral subluxations with adjustments (gentle maneuvers to the spine).  Scientific studies show that chiropractic adjustments effectively correct and prevent vertebral subluxations and the conditions associated with them.