Dr. Bello Embraces The Five Pillars of Health
Doctor of Chiropractic Robert Bello, owner of Precision Upper Cervical Care of New Jersey, in Waldwick, is an upper cervical specialist and also a level 1 Crossfit instructor.
What are the Five Pillars of Health?
The five pillars of health are the essential systems that must be addressed to achieve optimal function: first and foremost the nervous system, detoxification system, hormonal system, fitness and nutrition. When most people feel like they are not functioning well, they seem to always turn to two of the pillars, fitness and nutrition, and start eating better and working out. That approach is incomplete and will yield incremental change, at best, over time.
What is meant by the term “upper cervical”?
The upper cervical vertebra is the top bone of your spine where your skull sits and is the connection between your brain and your body. It neurologically controls all of your postural muscles, so if that vertebra is not aligned properly, you most likely have postural misalignment that will cause your neck to be twisted, bring your shoulder up or torque your lower back.
What is the purpose of upper cervical chiropractic treatment?
For people that are not functioning optimally with range of motion and postural issues, as well as pain issues such as headache, TMJ and sciatica and low back pain, we’re able to get the nervous system and the body functioning together using the most gentle, precise process. Once that happens, we are able to address other health parameters through very specific exercises and nutritional protocols that bring their structure and function to a place where people are able to thrive.
How does it work?
Basically, the way it works is that we correct the upper cervical vertebra misalignment, which has the most powerful effect on the nervous system and controls every single function of the body. Once that’s corrected, then we have other exercises and techniques to start to correct the curves in the posture of the body, which then gives us the ability to go about our daily lives in a strong way and be able to deal with the stressors of life.
When people have a lower back issue, I correct their neck first, and that’s why people feel significantly better with our care, because if I don’t correct the part of the nerves that control the global picture, then when I go in locally to do my treatment, it doesn’t stick. That’s what happens with people that go to traditional physical therapists or chiropractors for a long time and they say, “Hey, I go and it feels better for a couple of days and then it comes back.” Well, that’s because the part that’s in control at the top of the hierarchy is not corrected, so we’re just putting a Band-Aid on the local area.”
What kind of devices do you use?
The advanced orthogonal percussion instrument treatment is based on the findings of very low-radiation digital X-rays and uses the pressure of sound waves to gently release the misalignment into its proper position, which then clears the communication between brain and body to achieve optimal function.
What about all the people that you see with their neck in a bent forward position?
That is a chronic condition called anterior head carriage, and it’s a real problem in this forward-facing world we live in, especially for kids, with all the computers, television and video games. Because over time, that head-forward position is very damaging to the vertebrae; that’s where you see the accelerated degenerative changes like arthritis in the neck and herniated discs, so it’s a chronic problem and a lot of our children are experiencing issues that they’ve never had before.
Back in the day, we were sent out into the yard to go climb trees, where we were building muscles and strong core stabilizers, but today, children are sitting for hours in front of a computer screen at school and then come home and play video games. They are setting themselves up for problems, and I am seeing patients having pain and headaches at a young age that should not.
What can be done?
Once we get the upper cervical corrected, we use a structural correction system that uses exercises, cervical traction and a neurological stimulating device that helps us restore the proper curves.
Is there a link between upper cervical alignment and hypertension?
There’s a huge amount of blood flow that goes from the upper cervical vertebra to the brain stem, the part of the brain that controls regulatory functions in the body. If the top vertebra is out of position, it can cut off blood flow to that part of the brain. One of the things we see quite often is elevated blood pressure; nutrients are possibly not getting to the brain stem and toxic byproducts are not getting out because of the reduced blood flow, so correction reduces hypertension is many cases.
Are you planning to expand your services?
Yes, we’re bringing a doctor into the office that has been practicing functional medicine for more than 10 years in New York City. The work is based on very specific blood tests that can pick up precursors to autoimmune-type conditions like hypothyroid, fibromyalgia, diabetes, MS or Parkinson’s, so treatment can begin before the body has broken down to a point of no return. Our approach to the patient is, “Let’s address these issues before the body has become so damaged that permanent suffering is imminent.”
We’ll also be addressing these autoimmune scenarios with100 percent natural means; products that are botanical-based, not pharmaceuticals, because we are looking to build on the body’s natural defense systems and not toxify the body with harsh chemical treatments.
How is your passion for the Crossfit movement relevant to your overall mission?
Crossfit (Crossfit.com) is functional fitness protocol that has huge implications regarding those five pillars. There’s a growing body of research linking high-intensity training, brain function and hormonal health. It can be practiced in a gym setting, with proper supervision, or at home with the proper equipment, for those who are experienced, and can be modified and practiced by anyone from 5 to 95 years old.
Precision Upper Cervical Care of New Jersey is located at 20 Franklin Tpk., Ste. 218, in Waldwick, NJ. For appointments, call 201-857-5050. For more information, visit PrecisionCareNJ.com.
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