Vibrant Life Keys are the framework for us to recognise the requirements we all need to achieve for an ULTIMATE LIFE!
Better FUNCTION = Better LIFE
These two concepts are synonymous (mutually INCLUSIVE) – you can’t have one without the other!
The Vibrant Life Keys are heavily influenced by
(and we credit/thank) the following sources:
- James Chestnut – Innate Lifestyle Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well program
- Jamie Richards – Life By Design program
- the expanded Hierarchy of Human Needs proposed by Maslow
These Keys form the basis and structure of our Health & Wellness Coaching recommendations
Are there any TRUE, UNIVERSAL panaceas in life?
We argue that there is actually ONE! And it works for EVERYONE - 100% of the time:
The two hardest parts of this formula, this panacea is finding out what the correct principles ARE and then beginning and maintaining action for long enough for those principles to show results.
7 Vibrant Life Keys
These 7 Keys provide the building blocks or requirements for a state of cellular function we call purity and sufficiency – this is OUR more expansive definition of health.
They are about providing the genetically-determined requirements (or needs) for an ideal life. An ideal life includes health and function for the entire organism – us.
Keys 1-5 could be considered the ‘correct principles’ from the above formula. They inter-relate with one another, as each is vital to the performance or success of the other – however the over-arching requirement is an optimally functioning nervous system from which intelligent co-ordination and control arise. This is the heart of what chiropractic care provides.
Unless these principles are put into action in a consistent manner, the chance of significant improvements to health and wellbeing are minimal.
Part of the process of moving further toward purity and sufficiency is the reduction and/or removal of negative DISTRESS (toxicity loads and deficiency states in Physical, Biochemical, Mental-Emotional and Social domains).
According to Maslow, there are a series of expanded human needs categorised as:
- Cognitive Needs (knowledge and understanding, curiosity, exploration, need for meaning and predictability),
- Aesthetic needs (appreciation and search for beauty, balance, form),
- Self-actualisation needs (realizing personal potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences) and finally,
- Transcendence needs (motivated by values transcending beyond the personal self (e.g., mystical experiences and
certain experiences with nature, aesthetic experiences, sexual experiences, service to others, the pursuit of science, religious faith, etc.)
These needs are encapsulated within Keys 4 & 5.
Click on each Vibrant Life Key for more detail...
Key #1 we consider to be the primary, overarching contribution to an ideal life:
Vibrant Life Key #1: POWER & CONTROL - the way it's meant to be!
Key #1 is about improving the function of your intelligent control and coordination system - your brain and nervous system! From your nervous system comes awareness, inspiration, power, drive, intent, desire, passion - it truly it the POWER or impetus for all function; the coordinating and controlling system of the body. It perceives, memorises, and allows you to define and understand your life and world...
Optimal Nervous System Function (communication/control)
- Chiropractic Care
- Adequate rest/recovery/sleep/relaxation techniques
We THEN need to be learning and taking action (or implementing strategies) toward fulfilling Keys # 2-5
Vibrant Life Key #2: YOUR CHEMISTRY - the way it's meant to be!
Key #2 is about improving your internal chemistry; it is so VERY important to health and wellbeing. Sometimes called the internal 'mileux' or even the internal 'soup' - this is the interplay of nutrition, hydration, drugs, acidity, neurotransmitters, hormones, inflammatory mediators and more. This all happens within the watery environment of self - the exchange, assimilation and use of chemicals and the excretion or storage of toxins and by-products...
Reducing and Eliminating CHEMICAL STRESS
- Nutrition – Food is FUEL: Quality foods, necessary for ideal function
- Appropriate Clean Hydration (Water, How it is stored, When and How you drink it)
- Reducing Sugars
- Limiting poor foods – manufactured foods, white..everything! (grains, dairy) alcohol
- Eating while calm, relaxed, and focussed on task of eating, ENJOYING, taking your time
- Cleansing in a biologically appropriate way
- Addressing ACIDITY and INFLAMMATION
PLUS
- Essential Nutrient System – vital for EVERYBODY, EVERY DAY, FOR LIFE
- Reduce medications / drug-use
- Limit other toxic components
Vibrant Life Key #3: MOVING - the way it's meant to be!
Key #3 is about improving quality and quantity of movement - because movement is life! We look at posture, efficiency, sedentary lifestyles or repetitive movements, breath, stretching, balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, power, push-pull, functional training, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, lifting techniques, ergonomics, sitting and more...
Reducing and Eliminating PHYSICAL STRESS
- Sitting
- Enough Movement and the Right Type of Movement vs. Exercise
- Oxygenation / Breathing
- Postural Awareness
- Physical alignment/structure/strength/stability/balance/flexibility
- Regular breaks from repetitive activities
- YOGA, stretching and for some, T’ai Chi or a Martial Art
- Base = making sure your feet, your base of support is working well
Vibrant Life Key #4: THINKING & FEELING - the way it's meant to be!
Key #4 is about mental and emotional health, they way we think, communicate, are inspired and engage with ourselves - inside our own heads! This is as much about common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, general sadness, self-esteem, judgement, grief, guilt, shame, vulnerability, empowerment, confidence, sense of worth. It's also about love, joy, organising time, setting goals and getting clear on priorities...
Reducing and eliminating MENTAL / EMOTIONAL STRESS
- Developing strong, capable, loving sense of self, identity
- Mindset – Understand and own your worth
- Worries
- Purpose, Values
- Goals
- Positive self-talk
- Meditation / Relaxation / Mental-Emotional Stress reduction strategies
- Exploration of (release of) past trauma/conditioning/beliefs/emotions
- Using a personal or life coach or some other counsellor as appropriate
Vibrant Life Key #5: SOCIAL CONNECTION - the way it's meant to be!
Key #5 acknowledges the vital role connection, tribe and support play in human health and wellbeing. It is about sharing, cooperation, intimacy, involvement, contribution, relationships - primary partner, kids/family, friendships. It looks at ritual, vulnerability, love, nurture, safety, feeling important, belonging, appreciation. And it looks at commitment to others...
Reducing and eliminating the stress of being ISOLATED or ALONE
- Love of self, of others, toward others
- Creating Relationships – where you feel Safe, Important, and Appreciated
- Social Connection
- Community involvement / contribution to family & society
- Belonging
- Having a “place”
- Not feeling lonely or stuck
Keys # 1-5 must be COMBINED with Keys #6 & #7 to acheive your desired results!
Vibrant Life Key #6: CONSISTENCY - the way it's meant to be!
Key #6 is critical to any successful path toward an Optimal Life. We need to take action, and we need repetition to create new neuroplastic pathways in our brains. The new behaviour needs to be concentrated enough to lead to the desired outcome! We often need to change our beliefs, experiment, explore. One 'stimulus' is usually not enough. Most humans don't respond well to 'cold-turkey' change and we need both the commitment to make change, AND permission to 'fail,' allowing us to learn from the experience and re-attempt the change.
Vibrant Life Key #7: TIME - the way it's meant to be!
The human ecosystem can sometimes change in a fraction of a second, yet most changes require time. Key#7 says that consistent action to implement correct principles must be done for 'long enough' (preferably for a lifetime) to have desired, long-lasting effect. As above, repetition is vital. Time is often required to overcome prior stress load or states of illness or cellular dis-harmony. Time is also required to reinforce and continue the 'additive' benefits of new better lifestyle habits, beliefs and action.
