America is good AND great!

I was talking with a friend the other day about the state of the economy, gas prices, international competition, the dollar and a few other things.  Hisdespair was apparent.

But honestly, I am NOT discouraged.  America has been though much worse.  Certainly, the dollar sucks right now.  BUT, with all the other currencies so high compared to the dollar, it will make our goods a cheaper alternative to what many other countries are buying.  I also believe the spot price of oil is irrationally high.  Certainly, OPEC is enjoying this.  BUT when reality strikes, I think you’ll see the price of oil plummet causing panic among oil speculators.

The trade imbalance will (as it always has) correct itself.  Remember when the Japanese were buying up everything back in the ’80s?  That came to a screeching halt.  Same will happen with China and India.

The fact that Obama is going to get elected and the current crop of phony Republicans is about to get their clocks cleaned, will clear the way for a fresh new approach to the country’s problems.

I see a silver lining around the looming recession, war, etc.  The World is emulating America from China and India to France and all of Europe.  Our star is rising despite Bush, McCain and Obama.

Better days are on their way!

Dr. T!m

Why I work on Good Friday

I work on Good Friday.  As long as I’ve been self-employed, I have.  I’m also a practicing Christian.  An unashamed Evangelical one, too.  So you may ask “Why in the world would you work on Good Friday and not observe its significance?” But, I DO observe the significance of Good Friday BY working on that day.

I try not to wear my Christianity on my sleeve.  Not trying to be self-righteous here.  But, I know plenty of folks who show off their religiosity like crazy in public and make up for it  when no one is looking.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m far from perfect and would not want anyone to use me as an example of the “perfect Christian”.  But, I do try to live my faith in an active way.

A friend asked me some time ago how, despite having gone through some extremely tough times, how I could still have joy and peace of mind.  He mentioned that he doubted he could do the same without some help.  It was awesome being able to relate to him how I did not and could not have done as well as I had alone, as well.

When I was young, the future did not look so bright.  Growing up in an abusive home with with little hope but to get out someday, I was somewhat cynical about God and Jesus.  Sure, I KNEW who they were and what they were all about.  But, I didn’t buy into the whole “being saved” or “born again” thing.  It just seemed a little hokey and distant.  My life really sucked.  I had even gotten my parents to agree to allow me to enlist in the Marines when I turned 17 so that I could go to Vietnam and kill or be killed.  Needless to say, something was wrong.  it was like I was just disconnected from anything like happiness, joy or peace of mind.

Being from the South, it was not unusual to be invited to church with a friend or family member.  On one such occasion, the preacher talked about the sadness that many people feel because they simply feel they don’t belong or simply because they feel “lost”.  Lost.  Not as in sin.  Because most folks believe they’re pretty good people and don’t need to be “saved”.  But, lost in the sense that nothing works and you’re just disconnected from something.  That was when he talked about the prodigal son and how even being a one of his father’s servants was better than sleeping and eating with pigs.  So, on seeing the son coming home, the father threw a feast for his son.  The preacher said, “Come home.  Just as you are, come home”.

Since that moment, I have known a connectedness that is impossible to relate adequately in words.  But, it’s significance isn’t lost on me OR folks with whom I come in contact on a regular basis.

All my life, I have gotten great satisfaction from helping others, specifically helping them feel better.  Sometimes, in a physical sense.  And sometimes, emotionally.  Many of the folks I help as a chiropractor suffer because deep inside they suffer from emotional stress and trauma.  It may be anger, fear, worry or doubt.  Nevertheless, their emotions affect their health.  And while most of them do come to alleviate physical suffering, many come back because something about my practice makes them feel at ease.

So, this brings me to Good Friday.   Good Friday represents the day Jesus was crucified.  On that day, all the wrong that I (and all of Mankind) had done was paid for.  As brutal as human sacrifice may sound, we all know that doing wrong eventually carries a price.  And, that price was paid for on Good Friday.  When I think of Good Friday, I am able to bury the past and literally turn toward the life I really want to live, full of joy and peace of mind.  While I still must deal with the World, I do it on my terms and never alone.

So, I work on Good Friday.  I work just in case that one person who needs some physical or emotional healing comes in and asks, “Why are you so happy?”  I work so others might see God’s Grace shine through my joy and happiness.  I work on Good Friday, because I never have to be alone again and I want others to feel that joy, too.

Happy Easter!

Healing Faith

The most powerful drug known to Mankind can’t be found in some exotic plant in the Rain Forest. Nor, is it a miracle of modern science. Nor, is it so expensive that only the rich can afford it.

In fact, the most powerful drug ever known is the sugar pill, the placebo. The efficacy, or effectiveness, of any drug is compared against the effects of the placebo. Only when it is shown that the new drug is better than nothing more than sugar (and a suggestion) is it approved for use on the consuming public. And, the great thing about the placebo is that it has NO side effects! And, it FREE!

Surely, it’s not the sugar in the pill that makes the placebo so powerful. Of course not. The power of the placebo is something already inside the patient. As much as “scientists” hate to admit it, the ingredient that makes the sugar pill so powerful is faith. Faith that the pill will actually work! Faith that healing is STILL available.

Several studies (”scientific” double blind studies) in recent years have shown that a doctor praying for his/her patients actually helps the patient heal faster and better than when no one prayed for the patient, at all. Other studies have shown that patients with a loving family and/or a strong spiritual life heal quicker and better, as well.

What is it about faith (or the “placebo effect”) that is so powerful? Is it simply hope? Or is there more? I believe it’s much more than mere hope. Hope implies that you’re not sure of a certain outcome, but willing to give it a try. OR, “I’ve tried everything else, so I might as well give this a try”. You might have some level of confidence in the science or technology behind a doctor’s recommendation. But, that’s about it.

Faith is much more. Faith is KNOWING that you will get the best outcome possible. So, you move forward with confidence that all the factors have aligned in your favor. When you ACT with faith and unwavering confidence, you improve your odds greatly.

BUT, there’s an essential element of faith that’s required to mobilize it in your healing, ACTION. It has been said that “Faith without action is dead”. I guess that says it all. By taking action toward your healing (or ANY objective for that matter) you exhibit your faith. When you take action, you’re actually telling your body to mobilize all its parts and mechanisms to do the job for which it was designed. You literally get out of the way and allow the mechanism to work.

This is not spiritual hocus pocus. Your body was designed for self-healing and self-repair. It KNOWS to rush blood to an injury. It KNOWS how and when to use the inflammatory response to begin the healing process. It KNOWS the right amount of what hormones and chemicals to dispense for ANY given situation. Unfortunately we often impede (or delay) our own healing many times with outside interventions.

Here’s the point. You were designed to be healthy, to heal and to be whole. Not using your faith is like trying to wash your car without using water or not taking your sponge out of its wrapper. You just make things harder for yourself.

So, how do you use your faith ACTIVELY? Pray for your healing. And when you pray, DON’T BEG! Ask, knowing that it already done. In other words, give thanks for the healing that you’ve already received just not yet revealed. Healing is a process. It takes time! Give it time! Then start doing the things you would do IF you were healed. Again, behave as you would were you already healed. Study health and healing. Understand the symptoms of healing. That’s right. There are symptoms that reveal that healing is taking place. Unfortunately, many of those symptoms are treated as signs of pathology. ow sad that the very signs of healing can be interpreted as just the opposite. Finally, rejoice. Celebrate in advance of the physical evidence of your healing. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel simply by accepting your gift of healing.

In closing, I want to urge you to use your faith actively in all aspects of your life. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish merely by believing YOU CAN! You were designed to do and be greater than you’ve ever been allowed to believe you could be. I honestly believe that you were designed to imagine possibilities. And IF you can imagine it, you can have it. BUT, you MUST believe. And as has been said “Your faith has made you whole”.

May you prosper and be in good health!

Why I Don’t Take Medicine

Many of my friends think I’m a little crazy because I don’t take medicine.  It’s funny in a way.  Some people think it’s because I’m a chiropractor, I’ve been brainwashed into hating both medicine and Medicine.  But, it’s really just the opposite.  Chiropractic made sense to me BECAUSE of my skepticism and cynicism about drugs and the practice of medicine.

Don’t get me wrong.  There have been times in my life when I have taken medicine, usually over-the-counter pain killers for an occasional headache or when my back would go out.  BUT, it’s been almost twenty years since I’ve taken a pill of any kind.  And, I will admit that both of my kids have been to the Emergency Room.  In my mind medicine shines in the Emergency Room.

And at this point, I must say that while I’d like to help thousands (why not millions) of people learn to live a life without dependence on drugs, I never feel compelled to tell them NOT to take drugs.  Yes, of course I want to help people get off drugs.  But that’s a personal decision.

But for me, the thought of taking pills for virtually ANY condition has always repulsed me.   I grew up in a home where both parents were alcoholics.  At that time there were few drugs for depression or anxiety.  So, they self-medicated their pain and misery with booze.  Then, they’d have to take aspirin the next day to cope with hangovers.  Then, maybe Pepto Bismol  to settle their stomach from the effects of drinking and bad eating.  And over the years, I’ve seen friends and family members taken untold different drugs to manage symptoms or conditions and then to manage side effects of the drugs taken for the original symptoms.

Another thing that affected me deeply was watching my other live in constant fear of the dreaded “C” word, cancer.  I remember her taking vitamins and other supplements out of sheer fear of cancer.  She would do anything to avoid the disease.  She feared even going to the doctor because she thought that whatever symptoms she might be experiencing was cancer.  When she died at 43, it was from liver failure cause by her self-medication with alcohol WITHOUT any evidence of cancer whatsoever.

I decided early on that I would live my life to the fullest, staying as healthy as I could and getting everything I could from every experience, good or bad, without having to lean on some drug to help me thought the day or the problem.  And I must tell you, I don’t worry about heart disease, cancer, stroke, anxiety, depression, restless leg syndrome or whatever the disease dujour might be.  Because I know that drugs are not part of my health regimen, neither is disease.  It really is an awesome way to live.

The premise that our bodies were designed for health and NOT with a deficit of drugs or too many parts  simply makes sense to me.  And honestly, most of the people who come to me have already tried the medical approach with little or no success and have decided to try a drug-free approach.  And if you wanted to live a life free of drugs and fear of disease, wouldn’t you want a doctor who lived that lifestyle himself?  I believe so.

Leap Year - Take a Leap of Faith!

It happens only ONCE every four years and only ONCE every 1461 days.  It Leap Day!  There’s plenty of technical reasons for Lear Year, so here’s a link to help you find out everything you ever wanted to know about Leap Year, and more!

But what I want to do is to encourage you to take a leap of faith and do something you’ve either been wanting to do, meaning to do, hoping to do or praying could be done!  You’ve heard the saying, “You only get one chance at life”.  Well, it’s true.

We never know what tomorrow will bring.  But, we also know that faith only works when we do.  I want to encourage you to make something happen in your life and take some action!  Here’s a few ideas:

• Call that person you’ve been meaning to for so long
• Ask the question that’s been on your mind for so long
• Try that restaurant you’ve wanted to
• Apply for that job you want
• Let him/her know how much you care
• Think about how much potential you have
• Get adjusted
• Be bold for a change
• Be passive for a change
• Listen for a change
• Let go and let God for a change
• Take a look in the mirror and smile at the person smiling back.  Know that when you smile at the World, it will smile back at you.

Have a great day.  Make EVERY day “Take a Leap Day”!

The Optimist Creed: Words to live by

The Optimist Creed was first published by Christian Larson in 1912 and adopted (in a shortened version) by Optimist International in 1922.

The Optimist Creed and the  Serenity Prayer have offered encourage to many (myself included) in times of need, sorrow and stress.  I hope it encourages you and that you’ll copy it and read it often, even out loud.  Here you go.

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself…

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

My Ideal Chiropractic Practice

Sometimes, it’s good to sit down and specify exactly what it is you want.  And, it’s also good to let the world know what you want, as well.  So, I’m doing just that.

My ideal chiropractic practice is one where I see 300-500 people every week.  Some of those come as infrequently as once a month and some as often as once a week.  A few of them might be there because they are seeking relief of some physical ailment.  But, most come because they have resolved a problem by getting adjusted and simply because they feel so good and want to keep it that way.  Many of the folks that come are athletes that want to perform better in their chosen sport.

Because most of the folks that come no longer suffer from symptoms, insurance is not a factor.  They pay a monthly fee (similar to a health club) or pay a reasonable cash fee of say $20 a visit.  There’s little paperwork and virtually no hassle.  Everybody knows that our goal is simply locate and correct a significant source of stress on their nervous system and that physical therapy is not necessary to do that.  Their visits are short and allows them to get on with their day.

Not only do Practice Members come on a regular basis, they bring their friends and family so they can enjoy the benefits of simple, yet powerful, chiropractic care.  No one has to be coaxed, cajoled or coerced into care.  They’re there by their own choosing and enjoy weaning themselves off a health care system that is based on fear, sickness and death avoidance.  My Practice members are fully alive and fully engaged in their lives.  I know about their families and their lives and they ask about mine.  We’re as much friends as we are doctor and patient.

In short, my ideal practice is full of happy, healthy people who regularly refer their friends and family.  Reasonable cash payments provide plenty of income for me and my family without having to deal with burdensome paperwork and third party reimbursement.   The practice is based on the principles of Dynamic Essential:  Giving, loving and serving out of abundance.

If you know someone who wants to be a part of this kind of healing experience, please send them my way.

Is MORE insurance REALLY the answer?

During this political season, there’s a great deal of talk about the healthcare crisis in America. One of the area of concern seems to be the “47 million” Americans without health insurance. It seems like the political response these days is to make sure every American has health insurance EVEN if the Government has to penalize you for NOT having it.

Is forcing people to buy insurance they may not want (or need) really the answer? I don’t think so. Why should a young person who is healthy and who does the things to stay healthy be compelled to buy insurance when he/she might have other priorities? And, isn’t it THEIR right to decide how to spend or invest their own money?

As a health care provider, I really have to ask the question, “What (if any) is the link between insurance and health, anyway?” From what I see from this side of things, many Americans only go to a doctor BECAUSE they have insurance OR a health crisis. And is it just me, but when was the last time an insurance company paid for things that keep you healthy?

When was the last time you heard of a “health insurance” policy that paid for your health club membership, weight loss or nutrition classes, smoking cessation programs or even a licensed wellness practitioner? Yet, most insurance companies will pay for disease care AFTER you’ve already lost your health. Where the heck is the logic?

If it were REALLY “Health” insurance, wouldn’t it pay to keep you OUT of the hospital? As much as we tout ours as the “World’s Best Healthcare System”, isn’t it ironic that by most measures ours is one of the worst in the industrialized world? Maybe it’s time we started focusing on HEALTH in America and NOT so much on disease detection and management. Detection and management of disease is far different than wellness OR prevention.

Finally, do you REALLY trust your health to the same people who run Social Security, Medicare or the Katrina relief effort. This is NOT an indictment of any Presidential administration. It’s an indictment on the effectiveness of our Government to run your personal life. If the Government can’t do the things IT thinks it should, how do you think it will manage YOUR health?

Remember, it’s YOUR health and YOUR life! Don’t wait for Uncle Sam to save you. Do what it takes to stay healthy: eat better, exercise more, sleep restfully, watch your thoughts, poison yourself less and find a good wellness chiropractor.

Health Clubs

Over the last year I’ve lost about 50 pounds.  It’s been done by combining a reasonable eating plan and regular exercise.  The eating plan is Michael Thurmond’s 6 Week Body Makeover.  Simple and straight forward.  The exercise program has been a combination of resistance workouts and cardiovascular work.

 I’ve always enjoyed working out.  Over the years, I’ve tried at home workout devices or health club memberships.  By far, I enjoy working out at the health club a lot more than at home.  Some folks just don’t like going to the gym.  They give lots of different reasons, like “It’s just a meat market.  People only go there to pick up or get picked up” or “It’s intimidating with all those hard bodies strutting around in their Spandex outfits” or “I don’t want someone to see me in the shape I’m in”. 

Well, in some ways they’d be right.  Some people DO go to the gym to meet people.  There definitely can be a social aspect to working out in an open setting.  But, let me ask you.  Isn’t the gym a much better place to meet someone than a bar?  Wouldn’t you rather date someone who doesn’t smoke and is spending their spare time building health?  Oh yeah, I used to be one of those folks who didn’t want folks see me at the gym while I was in such bad shape.  Funny thing, I bump into people I know all the time outside the gym.  At least if they see me in the gym, I’m doing something about it.  And as far as those hard bodies go, one of the greatest motivators for me has been being able to spot folks who have my body type and the build I want to have and then watch how they work out.   

Now, I know if you’re married your purpose in working out is NOT to meet someone to date.  Or at least, I hope it’s not.  But, it is a different way to meet other adults or make friends around a healthy activity.  I really think a gym membership is a great thing for married folks.  It’s a place you can go for even just a little while to get away and do something good for yourself.  It’s hard being with the kids all day or at the office all day and not have time to yourself. 

One of the great benefits of the health club is the choice of equipment, classes and activities available to you.  At the gym where I work out, they even have basketball and racquetball courts and even a lap pool.  In other words, you’re not limited to the expensive (or cheap) equipment you bought that’s probably now being used to hang your clothes on. 

I’m trying to think of some drawbacks to belonging to a health club because I know someone’s looking for an excuse not to find and join one.  OK.  Here’s one.  They’re too big and too crowded.  That’s a valid objection.  But, I’ve found that it works bet for me to go BEFORE I go to work and before the big crowds hit the gym.  Here’s another.  They’re just sales machines and their salespeople are pushy as heck.  That’s true, too, in some cases.  But, I’ve found that if you’ll look around and educate yourself on the different programs offered by different clubs in your area, you can effectively deal with pushy salespeople.  And if they’re too pushy COMPLAIN to the management.  OK.  Here’s just one more.  It’s too expensive!  Well, that might be stretching it a bit.  I workout at LA Fitness for only $35.  I think Gold’s Gym, Crunch, etc. have similar programs.  There’s a new club in the Atlanta area, called Just Fitness,  that charges about half  that.  And, there’s always the YMCA and other non-profit health facilities, as well. 

If health and fitness is something you want in your life, find a health club.  Join it.  Use it.  You’ll be amazed at how good you can look and feel with a little consistent effort.  And guess what.  You just might meet some nice, healthy people while you do it.

Build your health. Keep your wealth.

Build Heath.  Keep Your Wealth

In my networking circles, I have many friends that are in the financial planning business.  It’s always amazing to me the role that insurance plays in what many of them do.  Being in the healthcare business, insurance always strikes a chord with me.  My natural response is “Is insurance a buffer against loss or is it really someone betting against themselves?”

When I was younger, I was constantly being approached by insurance agents telling me I needed a whole life insurance policy.  The thinking was that while I was protecting my assets (and my family) against loss in the event of my death I was also building an investment in the future.  Made sense to me.  Then a guy named A.L Williams came along and said “Buy term and invest the rest”, which made sense to me and millions of other buyers of life insurance.  Needless to say, he revolutionized the life insurance business.

These days, many of the financial planners I know are selling Long-term care insurance.  The premise of long-term care insurance is that you buy this coverage so that in your final years you can pay a nursing home to take care of you when you can’t do for yourself.  I understand the concept.  But, have you been to a nursing home lately?  Is THAT how you want to spend the last few years of your life?  And, will long-term care end up like all other forms of insurance: too expensive to afford, insufficient to do the job right, managed by bean counters instead of those providing the care, and virtually impossible for the insured to manage without a lawyer?

I wonder.  What kind of wealth could you amass by investing what you would normally spend on long-term care insurance?  And if you compared that wealth with what long-term care insurance could be expected to pay given the same investment, what would be your best bet?  Ask your financial advisor to compare what you would have if you invested the equivalent long-term care premium in a mutual (or index) fund from now until the age you’d expect to need a nursing home with the benefit you’d receive from your policy.  Unless you’re in your late fifties or sixties, my guess is your investments would be the better bet.  Is it smart to bet against yourself?

The same goes with so-called health insurance.  Do you carry health insurance through your employer?  Does it cover everything and have low deductibles and copays?  If so, you might be wasting a lot of money that could be invested in your future and not just potential sickness and infirmity.  Most employers these days offer “flexible spending accounts” that allow you to pay typical out-of-pocket expenses and services not typically covered by your “health insurance” policy.  These flexible spending accounts are deducted from your pay before taxes making them a great investment IF you use them. 

If you don’t, you lose the benefit.  Many folks either don’t have or don’t qualify for flexible spending accounts but may use something similar called “health savings accounts” that work something like your traditional IRA.  Contributions to a certain level are tax-deductible and the part you don’t use for current healthcare expenses are invested and grow on a tax-deferred basis until you reach the point in your life when you begin to spend more money on your own health care.  The beauty of both the “flexible spending accounts” and “health savings accounts” is that they allow you spend less each month on “health disaster insurance” while investing more in your own wealth. 

Here’s the exciting part.  By investing in your wealth instead of your death and demise, you build wealth that could help you weather any storm with more certainty and more present and future rewards, as well. 

To make certain you actually get to enjoy to wealth you’re now building, I want you to be building your health at the same time.  If you’ve been awake at all over the last few decades, you pretty much know how to do that.  Exercise, drink lots of water, eat right, learn to deal effectively with stress and maintain healthy nerve function.  It’s funny that the things that keep you healthy, your “health insurance” hardly ever pays for, like health clubs, smoking cessation, nutritional counseling, life coaching, wellness care lie chiropractic and massage, as well as stress management.  Yet, by including these strategies in your life now, you’ll have to rely less on your “sick insurance” to get you through the maze AND keep you healthy enough to actually ENJOY the wealth you built in your youth.

What a shame to spend your youth making a living only to spend it on a nursing home in your later years.  Why not build health and wealth together and enjoy your twilight years without fear of sickness, infirmity or bankruptcy.