I’m not talking about Medicine, any more!

I’m not talking about Medicine, any more! Medicine outside the ER is mostly ineffective and dangerous. Consumers ALREADY know this and are looking for something else. I’m a Principled ChirorpacTOR! I help people get and stay healthy. I’m not an alternative to their MD. I’m an alternative to sickness, disease, fear and worry. Send me folks who want to live a powerful life moving TOWARD what they DO want!

My Thoughts on the Swine Flu

A friend asked me recently what I thought about the pending Swine Flu panic and the vaccine which has YET to be “developed”.

While I believe ANY vaccination should be a personal choice based on FULL informed consent, I do have  a personal opinion on the matter.  Here’s my feeling on it.

• First, the human body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism.   I think we’re designed to resist ANY and ALL pathogens. A healthy immune system needs no help from an experimental concoction.
• Second,  I was around during the LAST Swine Flu “panic” in the 70’s.  The shot killed more people than the flu!
• Third, I don’t trust the Government, PHARMA or the Medical Industrial Complex. Anytime the Government tries to work up a frenzy of fear to motivate the masses to action, I slow down, back up and usually turn and run.
• Fourth, we have never vaccinated our kids. I understand the vaccination dogma and simply don’t buy it. Our kids don’t buy it. We feel like we actually put our kids at greater risk by injecting them with both fear and who-knows-what in the vaccine.
• Fifth, as a chiropractor, I understand the concept of ADAPTABILITY. A single cell virus, supposedly THAT virile, will mutate very rapidly and ANY vaccine will be virtually worthless.
• Finally, I believe this thing (IF ITS real) will make several rounds through the populace. By being exposed to it early, we develop natural and stronger immunity.

In the end, whether you vaccinate or NOT has to be YOUR decision. But, just know that you were made in the likeness and image of the Creator of ALL life – strong, healty and powerful. Make a rational decision based on knowledge and principle NOT fear.

Why doesn’t Tamiflu work?

Just out.  America’s favorite antiviral drug, Tamiflu apparently doesn’t work.  A new article in the International Tribune, says that Tamiflu only helps improve flu symptoms 1% of the time.  Excuse me.  But DUH!

Apparently, we’re starting to realize that the flu virus changes (mutates) faster than drug manufacturers can make new drugs OR even anticipate which strain to attack.  When will we EVER learn that it’s easier to work WITH Mother Nature than against her?

Here’s a link to the article.  I’d love to hear what you think.

The View from Outside the Box: Vaccination

People seem to have this opinion that chiropractors are opposed to vaccination.  And while most of us don’t get vaccinated or have that done to our children, it’s mandatory mass vaccination that we oppose.

From my perspective, mass vaccination programs are unspecific, unscientific and unsafe.  I know.  I’ve heard all the stuff about herd immunity.  And honestly, I just don’t buy it.  If the rest of the “herd” is vaccinated, why should they worry if I or my kids are NOT?  Has the vaccination not made them immune to whatever I could catch or bring their way?

Another problem I have with vaccinations is that they never provide permanent immunity.  So instead of providing immunity from certain diseases, vaccination programs give people a false sense of security.  And if you’re only going to provide limited protection from disease, why go through with the program in the first place?  Is one answer that drug companies invest billions into vaccination programs and it’s a steady source of predictable income?  Oh yeah, if the “herd” doesn’t have permanent immunity, what happens if something happens to expose the herd to a given pathogen at some time in the future?  Would that wipe out the herd?

It doesn’t make sense to me that you would inject your child with the number of vaccines at a time when their immune system hasn’t developed to the point where it can even respond to the vaccine.  And, do you REALLY know what is in that vile?  And, has your doctor given you ALL the information on potential dangers related to the vaccine?

And, how about that flu vaccine?  Did you know that the flu vaccine you’re getting this year was developed LAST year?  The influenza virus is a single cell creature that adapts very rapidly to its environment and is probably different than the one for which this year’s vaccine was developed.  And, if the vaccine is not perfectly designed for this year’s flu virus, it simply won’t work.  Oh yeah, the flu vaccine still contains mercury.

Finally, exposure to many childhood diseases help build permanent immunity against stronger pathogens down the road.  By allowing children’s immune systems to develop slowly, they’re better able to fight off sickness and disease later in life.

In the final analysis, I have decided that I trust the design of the body to be healthy more than I trust those with a profit motive to tell me I need to inject some unknown substance into my or my kids’ body.  I’m concerned about the public health risk of dumbing down the “herd” immune response to a “super bug” that WILL appear at some time in the future.  And, I also wonder if the proliferation of autoimmune diseases aren’t partially the result of mass vaccination programs.

I’m open to your comments and thoughts on the subject.  Just keep it clean and respectful.

The View from Outside the Box

Surely you’ve heard the term “Think outside the boc”.  I first heard th term in a business workshop way back in the 70s.  We were told to put the following drawing on a piece of paper and told to connect all the dots with four STRAIGHT lines WITHOUT lifting our pencil off the paper.

It was amazing the gyrations we all went through to get the assignment done.  Well, there were a couple of folks who had seen the exercise done before.  Otherwise, no one had even a clue how to solve the puzzle.  Then the instructor proceeded to show us how the puzzle was solved:

As we all now know, the ONLY solution for the problem was to draw outside the (imaginary) box created by the dots.  What an awesome metaphor for many (most) of the problems facing our society at this point in time, including the economy, world affairs, politics, education and healthcare.  In fact, many of the problems we face have become SO institutionalized and entrenched that they can NEVER be resolved with the same thinking that caused the problem in the first place.

Let’s consider just healthcare.  As far as any of us can remember, healthcare in this culture has been one of fighting disease.  We start at birth vaccinating kids against all sorts of diseases from routine childhood illnesses like chicken pox and measles to diptheria, smallpox, TB and polio.  As we age, the battle is joined against cancer, heart disease and now diabetes.  Now, we’re being attacked by chronic health problems ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia to irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.  And, that says nothing about the proliferation of autoimmune disease.  And lest we forget Restless Leg Syndrome?

In essence, we’ve creasted a “disease managment” system instead of a HEALTH care system.  Drug companies seems to “discover” diseases that they just happen to have a “new” drug that treat THAT diease perfectly.  Unfortunately, that system of “care” has made going to the doctor and paying for it an almost impossible task.  Finally, we’ve reached the point where we’re looking to Government to take over health care.  I take little comfort in knowing that the same folks that are handling Social Security, Medicare, the IRS and Hurricane Katrina will now be taking care of our health decisions.

So, for these and other reasons, I opted out of the traditional Western approach to “health care” a long time ago.  I guess it’s been almost 20 years now that I haven’t taken a drug or gone to the doctor for anything but emergencies.  Well, I DO go to the chiropractor on a regular basis to get adjusted.   But, I don’t go for pain management or any kind of symptom control.   I thought it might be interesting to explain what it’s like on the other side of the healthcare fence looking in.

Even prior to my exposure to the wholistic lifestyle, I was somewhat leery of established Medicine and would only take an aspirin for an occasional headache or when my back problem would flare up.  And, until I got my back problem resolved, there was always a tube of Preparation H in the medicine cabinet.  I don’t rember the last time I took prescription drugs.  The last flu shot I got was in 1975 when Uncle Sam made me get one before letting me out of the Air Force.

The view from outside the box is interesting.  I don’t take drugs.  Period.  I don’t need them.  I don’t get sick.  I also don’t go to doctors.  It’s not that I don’t “believe” in them.  I just don’t need them.  Now, if I were involved in a car accident or broke a leg, I’d be the first to go to the ER because that’s where Medicine shines.  Otherwise, I just don’t need it.  I don’t have a cardiologist, proctologist, orthopedist, neurologist (although I’ve referred folks to a few) or even a General Practitioner.  Are there any of those even left?  Now, quite a few folks have asked me “What if…?”  And, my response is “What if…what?”  The point is I simply don’t live in that “disease” world.  I don’t know what ny blood pressure is or my cholesterol level or my bone density or if I have polyps.  I don’t care.

Because I know that we were designed to be healthy, my focus is on health, not disease.  I know that if I eat right, exercise, drink water, develop and maintain a good attitude and spiritual life, get adjusted and do those things that help build HEALTH, I’ve done all I can do.  And because of my fiath and what I know about health, I am not afraid of living or dying.

When I look inside the box, I see folks living in fear of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc.  Their lives are consumed running from disease.  And, by the time many folks are 60 they have those little boxes with pills for every day of the week.  They run to the doctor every time they have a cold or a symptom.   Some folks I know spend almost a thousand bucks a month on “health” insurance that typically covers far less than people really need.  Health costs has virtually driven American automakers out of business.  Even folks with “good” insurance aren’t immune to the fear of disease.  In fact, I know several millionaires who suffer from anxiety attacks and the same diseases that afflict the poor.

The main difference in the perspectives on either side of the box is fear.  From the inside, fear rules and limits one’s fullest expression and enjoyment of life.  From outside the box, a sense of peace about health is the rule rather than the exception.  Now, I’m not necessarily telling folks to cancel their insurance and shoot their doctors.  But what I am saying is that there is another way to view health and life.  In a later post, I’ll talk more about inspired living.  Until then, consider all your alternatives.

Law of Attraction and Your Health

I have always been one of those crazy “positive thinkers” that believes anything is possible.  Maybe it comes from my belief that we would not have been given the ability to imagine and dream if we weren’t also equipped to realize or actualize those dreams.  But maybe, it also comes from the hundreds of examples in my own life of things (good and bad) happening AFTER having created the very situation in my own mind, FIRST.

It’s funny (in a sad way) that many of my Christian friends so readily and strongly dismiss “The Secret” and the “Law of Attraction” as being evil in some way.  To me, they are absolute evidence of God’s Hand in all things.  In fact, the Bible tells us to pray EXPECTING that what we have asked for HAS ALREADY been given AND that even the faith of a tiny mustard seed could push the mountain into the sea.

I like the Law of Attraction.  It makes sense to me.  It has proven itself to work for me in so many circumstances it’s almost hard to count.  And, it’s pretty much as simple as “What you think about comes about”.  If you think about it, every creation of Mankind from the first tool to the space shuttle was first an idea in someone’s mind.  And the longer that thought remained in someone’s mind, the closer it got to becoming a reality.  Eventually, the idea became reality.

OK, so you’re probably thinking, “So how does the Law of Attraction have ANYTHING to do with my health?”  Well, I’m glad you asked!

In our culture, we have this obsession with disease.  From birth, we’re taught to fear disease instead of how to build health.  We inject our babies with all sorts of stuff to avoid childhood diseases instead of allowing their bodies to build lifetime immunity.  Every year, millions of us get a flu shot even though many wonder IF it can prevent the flu.  We label creative, active kids bored with sitting at a desk all day as having ADD or ADHD.  What used to be considered a “normal” blood pressure reading is now considered “pre-hypertensive”.  The mention of the word “cancer” strikes fear in the heart of almost any living person.  And, everyone knows at least one person who takes “an aspirin a day” to prevent stroke when that habit alone cold CAUSE a massive stroke itself.  It’s even gotten so ridiculous that now we even have a disease called “Restless Leg Syndrome”.  Give me a break!

In other words, our hyper-focus on disease has made us one of the sickest nations on the planet.  We’re sick because we THINK about sickness and disease.  Probably the most profitable industries IN THE WORLD is the pharmaceutical industry.  They spend BILLIONS of dollars convincing you that you’re sick and that THEY can ease your suffering with their magic pills and potions.  Unfortunately, neither they nor the Government tells you adequately of the dangers related to their concoctions.

BUT, there IS a better way!  That way is to simply BE WELL.  Now, some of you are saying “This guy is crazy!”  But, wait!  This is where the Law of Attraction comes in.  Think about how your life would be IF you were well.  Instead of spending your time worrying about one disease or another, you’d be thinking of how to make your life better or what you were going to do this weekend with your kids or your special someone.  You’d be LIVING instead of “not dying”.  See where I’m going with all this?

My favorite author on the topic of the Law of Attraction is Michael Losier.  One of the things Losier would tell you is to draw a line down the middle of a notepad.  On one side, make a list of what about your life you don’t like or don’t want, like “I don’t want to be sick, any more” or even “I must exercise and watch my diet so I won’t get cancer or have a heart attack”.  Notice where the focus is on these statements?  Right!  They’re focused on what you DON’T want.  On the other side of the page, restate what you DO want, like “I LOVE being healthy and working toward even better health!” or “I LOVE working out and eating good food.  It makes me look great and feel even better!” or even “You know, I’m a better lover because my health is so good!” SEE the difference?

Now when your focus is on good health, you start doing the same things healthy people do.  You exercise because you LIKE it.  You eat better because it makes you FEEL better.  You go to the chiropractor because it helps you BE a better you.  You even work on your spiritual life because it enhances your life.  In other words, your focus on health and life automatically lead you to do those things that take you closer to that vision.

You can only run so hard and so long FROM something you fear.  When you’re running TO something you want, you can pace yourself and run forever even enjoying the scenery along the way.

I can tell you that for me, it has made a world of difference.  Between my faith and knowledge of where health REALLY comes from, I can LIVE today and look forward to tomorrow WITHOUT fear of what MIGHT, or might not, happen.  When your thoughts are on wholeness, joy and peace within and without, life takes on a whole new meaning.

So, think good thoughts.  See BIG things for yourself and those around you.  Make your life a canvass on which you paint the biggest and brightest and most beautiful life you possibly can.  Remember, EVERYTHING starts with a thought.  Think BIG!

Some doctors may stop giving vacines because of cost

Almost lost in the news of the day is the fact that up to 10% of doctors are decidig NOT to offer vaccinations because private insurance reimbursements make that service unprofitable.  Hmmm.  I thought vaccinations were SO important that they have been mandated in every state with only religious or medical exemptions.

Maybe this story is telling us that the ones benefitting most from compulsory vaccination programs are doctors’ offices.  Either the insurance companies don’t believe completely in the value of vaccination OR the docotr doesn’t.  Either way, shouldn’t health consumers have the right to question the efficacy of today’s vaccine regime for their kids and families?

Here’s the link to the story.

Chiropractic vs. Medicne: A Spiritual Perspective

Spirituality is one of those subjects that is sometimes difficult to talk about openly.  So many folks have so many different perspectives that it’s hard to have your message heard by your entire audience.  It gets even more difficult to discuss spirituality as it relates to health and healing.  The prvailing “wisdom” for a few centuries now is that spirituality and “scientific” medicine are two mutually exclusive subjects.

Nothing could be further from the truth.  I honeslty believe that your health is directly tied to how you view life in general and your health, specifically. In addition to your own perspective on health is that of your doctor.

Let me explain.  In our culture, we have seentially two schools of thought.  The one says, “We must identify, treat and prevent disease as early and aggressively, as possible.  And, those conditions we can’t prevent or cure, we must manage for the rest of a patient’s life.  The other perspective says, “You were designed to be healthy.  Your natural state is health.  The best way to fight and prevent dsease is to make sure your body fuctions at its highest potential at all times.”

Although some may consider these different perspectives as subtle, even non-existent, they’re not subtle, whatsoever!  They’re as different as “runing fro’re” and running to”.  You can only run from something that is chasing you until you finally collapse and succumb to the chase.  On the other hand, if you’re pursuing a goal or chasing a dream, you’ll move in that direction every opportunity you get.  And if you’re diligent enough, you’ll eventually get it!

Medical doctors are trained to diagnose and treat diseases and conditions.  When you go there, they’re looking for problems.  When you live in that realm, your focus is primarily on sickness, infirmity and disease. Even if you’re not sick, many folks find their doctor will make recommendations to prevent some dreaded event like stroke or cancer or osteoporosis.  What this ends up doing is to place you in the mode of running from something you don’t want to happen.  However, it keeps your mind focused on what you DON’T want to happen!  And, I believe that what you think about eventually comes about.

Chiropractors, generally, look for a source of interference in how your body works and tries to simply correct the problem.  When that happens, you express HEALTH not merely an absence of disease.  When that happens, you need fewer (or NO) drugs.  Your body resists colds, the flu and more serious ailments.  When you focus on health and stregth, you NATURALLY avoid many of the health problems millions of Americans end up running TO over their lifetime.

In closing, Iwant you to FOCUS on HEALTH not disease.  And, find a doctor and/or chiropractor that will help you do just that!

Thank God chiropractors cannot prescribe!

A recent reader of this blog, Ed, responded to my post regarding an article titled “half of doctors prescribe placebos“.  The article points out that half of all doctors in the US prescribe placebos instead of drugs designed to treat conditions other than the one that brought their patient into the office in the first place.

Ed was glad that his son’s pediatrician had prescribed a placebo without telling Ed (or his son) what he was doing.  The gist of the article was that it was unethical for the doctor to do so without informing the patient.

Ed was pleased that the placebo worked and ended his post saying “Thank God chiropractors cannot prescribe”.  Maybe Ed’s point that his son got better WITHOUT being given a REAL drug.  And, guess what?  That was precisely MY point, too!  Imagine how much safer American healthcare could be if HALF of all people taking dangerous drugs DIDN’T!

Honestly Ed, I’m glad chiropractors CANNOT prescribe drugs.  Because when you make money to prescribe drugs and the patient does not need a drug, chiropractors CANNOT be tempted to do so just to appease their patient and keep them coming back.  Doctors have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients and informed consent is a vital part of that responsibility.

Thanks God chiropractors cannot prescribe! That GUARANTEES folks that there IS at least ONE kind of doctor that WON’T risk your health or your life by prescribing a potentially dangerous, ESPECIALLY when you don’t need it!

For a better idea of what chiropractors CAN do, try this post:  What does a chiropractor REALLY do?

Half of Doctors Prescribe Placebos

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal indicates that HALF of all doctors in the US prescribe placebos to their patients.  Apparently, since a doctor can’t write a prescription to the pharmacy for a sugar pill, they recommend drugs or supplements that have no effect on the problem that brought the patient to their office in the first place.  Further, the prescription in these cases is NOT for the problem the patient is having BUT to make the patient THINK their problem is being addressed.

Naturally, this brings up the ethical question, “Are doctors fully informing their patients of what the doctor thinks there REAL problem is?  Or, are doctors writing prescriptions to simply keep a patient’s business instead of telling them they might really NOT have a problem?”  Further, if 50% of all doctors prescribe placebos INSTEAD of drugs, are drugs (or even doctors) as necessary as we have been led to believe?

Here’s the link to the article.