If you were to put your lifestyle under a microscope and study everything you do that either hinders or supports your health, how many things would you find that actually support your health and how many actually hurt it? Our lifestyle is one of the biggest contributing factors to whether we develop chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In fact, chronic diseases are often influenced by these 
top 3 risk factors:
- Poor diet
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Tobacco use
- Heavy alcohol consumption
The good news is that you have the ability to influence these risk factors to prevent chronic disease from happening to. If you have a family history of certain health problems it’s even more important that you improve your lifestyle. If you’re not sure where to start an osteopath can help.
What is an osteopath?
An osteopath is a medical doctor that focuses on improving how all systems within the body function as a whole, from the joints and muscles to the spine and nerves, through a variety of manipulative techniques and treatments that offer patients a safe, effective, non-invasive, and drug-free approach to care.
An osteopath has the ability to diagnose and treat a wide range of chronic diseases, and many people turn to an osteopath as a complementary, holistic therapy to more effectively manage their long-term symptoms. In fact, osteopathic medicine along with traditional medicine may be able to provide additional benefits to health and well-being that traditional medicine alone can’t.
How can an osteopath help with your chronic disease?
Manipulative therapy alone can improve a wide range of problems and provide amazing benefits include:
- Boosting blood flow
- Speeding up healing
- Reducing inflammation
- Improving mood
- Releasing tension
- Improving range of motion
- Boosting nerve function
- Alleviating pain
- Improving sleep
Along with manipulative therapy, an osteopath provides other services as well that can improve your lifestyle to reduce your risk for developing a chronic disease. An osteopath can help assist with dietary needs and nutritional counseling, recommend lifestyle changes and also advise you on which athletic or exercise programs would be right for you.
Common chronic conditions that an osteopath can help treat or manage include:
- Arthritis
- Obesity
- Stroke
- Cancer
- Heart attack
- Neuropathy
- Migraines
- Asthma
- Degenerative spinal disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic back pain
Whether you want to find new ways to improve your health and life with chronic disease or you want to invest in your health to prevent problems from happening an osteopath can help you lead a healthier life.