Published in Natural Awakenings by Tessa Rigdon.
For Michael Rehl of Walnut Creek, holistic healing is like solving a jigsaw puzzle. With expertise in chiropractic, kinesiology, physiology and nutrition, Rehl identifies and connects the interrelated puzzle pieces to see a complete picture of each patient’s health and uncover underlying causes of pain and malaise.
“People come to me with unresolved chronic problems and don’t know what to do next,” says Rehl. “I use advanced adjusting techniques to adjust all joints of the body, not only the spine. But when a patient doesn’t respond to chiropractic or other types of body work, I can also help identify reasons why.”
Rehl’s search for answers started early, with his childhood science kits – a hobby that undoubtedly inspired his future career choices. Rehl began his professional life as a middle school science teacher in North Carolina through Teach for America. His interest in both science and bodywork later brought Rehl to the Bay Area, where he practiced massage therapy and neuromuscular reprogramming, taught Pilates, and studied applied kinesiology (AK). Looking to expand his holistic practice, Rehl enrolled at Life Chiropractic College West and became a doctor of chiropractic in 2008.
Today, Rehl uses his diverse skill-set to address the root causes of pain, not merely treat the symptoms. He thoroughly reviews his patient’s health history and charts their heart rate variability before performing muscle strength testing, the basis of AK. “There is strong interplay between muscle support stabilization and chronic health issues,” says Rehl. “Muscle testing can help determine a hidden health or nutritional problem.”
AK is a non-invasive system of evaluation that involves testing the body’s responses to slight pressure applied to a large muscle. While muscle strength indicates a healthy connection between the body’s muscles, organs and glands, muscle weakness can signal underlying issues, including
nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, or the presence of viruses and bacteria. Rehl also uses muscle strength testing to evaluate the body’s response to supplements.
“Using muscle testing, I can identify muscles that are not working well,” explains Rehl. “Muscles move bones and affect the joints, so an underlying weak or inhibited muscle will cause chronic joint problems.”
Muscle inhibition, says Rehl, can come from three kinds of stressors: structural, emotional or chemical. An example of a structural problem is a strained tendon from a trauma that was never properly rehabilitated. Stress is a common emotional problem that weakens muscles and affect
joints. Stress is also treated with the Neuro Emotional Technique, which Rehl uses in conjunction with chiropractic. A chemical imbalance may present as dysbiosis, an imbalance of bacteria in the small and large intestines that causes a host of digestive issues.
Says Rehl, some health problems are nutritional problems at their origin. To address nutritional deficiencies, Rehl recommends whole food supplements that provide cells of the body with genuine replacement parts, improving wellness in a real and significant way. “By using supplements and appropriate lifestyle modifications, health can be restored,” says Rehl. The structured nutritional programs are designed to meet each patient’s unique needs and complement their integrated chiropractic wellness plans.
“When key stressors are identified and removed, underlying problems can be addressed and resolved,” says Rehl. “Muscles work again in a balanced way, and the joints can finally be helped with chiropractic adjustment.”
Chiropractic adjustment is non-invasive spinal manipulation that Rehl calls both an art and a science. There is artistry in chiropractic techniques used to identify joint problems, explains Rehl – techniques that have proven, profound effects on the body’s central nervous system. For
patients with health issues stemming from joint misalignment, Rehl’s preeminent chiropractic care provides relief from back and neck pain, headaches and related spinal conditions. Rehl’s chiropractic services are offered independently from or in conjunction with nutritional
counseling to help patients find relief from pain and return to optimal health.