A Living Current: Nourishing the Spark of Life

One evening, I was sprawled out on the couch when I noticed one of the outlet protectors

was missing. My daughter, now in preschool, doesn’t need them anymore. She has moved

past the stage of scooting, crawling, pulling herself up the wall, and curiously poking at

anything in reach. Looking at that uncovered outlet, I felt a wave of nostalgia.

A thought sparked in that moment. Electricity is dangerous not because it is foreign, but

because it is familiar. The current running through the wires in your walls is the same type

of current running through your body. The difference is intensity.

Meaning, you are electricity. The difference between you and a lifeless body is an active

current, a vital force. Cells communicate through electrical signals. The brain directs the

body by transmitting impulses through nerve fibers at remarkable speed. That current is

present at the beginning of life, and it is the last thing to leave when life ends. Hospitals

confirm this when they monitor the heart’s electrical rhythm until it disappears. As Reggie

Gold reminded us, life is designed to burn bright like a candle until the flame flickers and

goes out.

Sometimes that current weakens without going out completely. A lightbulb that flickers or

shines dimly demonstrates the same principle. The nervous system, when dulled or

obstructed, produces the same effect in the body. Energy still flows, but function

diminishes. Every system, digestive, immune, cardiovascular, depends on the clarity and

strength of this current.

This reality is reflected in our nation’s health. The United States excels in emergency and

crisis care yet falls short in sustaining vitality. According to the CDC, life expectancy

averages 78.4 years, which is more than four years shorter than comparable countries.

Americans spend over twelve years of life burdened by disease, the longest of any

developed nation. Chronic illness, pain, and mental health struggles are widespread

because the spark is neglected.

Chemistry has become the substitute for vitality. In 2023, the National Survey on Drug Use

and Health reported that 14.4 million Americans misused prescription psychotherapeutic

drugs. More than 105,000 lives were lost to drug overdoses, with synthetic opioids leading

the way. Overdose remains the leading cause of death for young adults. These numbers

reveal a system built on replacing signals rather than supporting them.

Electricity does not require replacement. It requires renewal. The nervous system is the

original grid, directing the heartbeat, regulating breath, and guiding digestion.

Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord, cushioning them against impact,

circulating nutrients, and removing waste while protecting the delicate pathways that carry

this current. Every sensation, every movement, every thought is the result of this living

network at work.

This grid thrives with proper support and nourishment. Movement generates smooth

impulses. Hydration balances the fluids that bathe the brain and nerves. Sleep restores

and recalibrates the entire network. Sunlight regulates rhythm and fuels vitamin D

production for nerve and muscle function.

Further, natural healthcare options like Chiropractic, provide spinal assessments and

adjustments which enhance this process by restoring motion and refining communication.

An adjustment improves the quality of input from joints, muscles, and fascia into the

nervous system. The brain receives clearer information, interprets the body’s position more

accurately, and coordinates responses with greater precision. This creates better

adaptability, stronger integration, and more efficient function. Chiropractic is the science

of restoring connection, so electricity flows freely.

Society expands its efforts to correct effects while overlooking causes. This is why human

progress in health feels slow. New solutions evolve, but the original problem remains

untouched. Without context, treatment misses the mark. The true path forward is a return

home. Home is the inborn intelligence, the organizing and adapting force within us. Health

improves when interference is removed, and the body is allowed to remember its design.

This is science in its original form, the science of the cause, the science of the source.

The spark of life does not discriminate. Every person, regardless of background or identity,

carries the same electricity. Yet health outcomes in America vary drastically. According to

the CDC, Black Americans experience higher rates of hypertension and diabetes and have

a shorter average life expectancy than white Americans. Communities of color and

underserved populations carry heavier burdens of disease and reduced access to care. The

disparity exists not in the spark but in the systems surrounding it. True health evolution and

true equity in health require recognizing the universal spark and providing care that

empowers all people to protect and express it so we grow together.

Health is energy expressed. Quality of life is the strength and clarity of the current that runs

through us. Society thrives when we honor the cause, nurture the source, and protect the

spark.

You are electricity. A living current. A vital force. A candle meant to burn bright. The brighter

you burn, the more you illuminate life for yourself and for those around you. That is health.

That is quality of life. That is power.

Consider how you are nourishing your own spark today. That reflection is the first step

toward a brighter life.

-Dr. Derrell Blackburn, DC, MBA,

About the Author: Dr. Derrell Blackburn, DC, MBA, is an Assistant Professor of Physical Diagnosis at Parker University and a practicing chiropractor with over a decade of clinical and entrepreneurial experience. He is the co-founder and Vice President of Community CORE Foundation, an organization dedicated to closing health gaps through screenings, education, and empowerment. Dr. Blackburn is passionate about health equity, preventative care, and teaching communities to honor the body’s innate intelligence.

Connect with Dr. Blackburn

• Email: dr.derrell@core8health.com

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/derrellblackburn

• Instagram: @drderrellblackburn