Do you ever have days when your mind is racing faster than a greyhound? Late nights lying awake for hours in bed, trying to catch the ever elusive "z", because the next day will be even more adventurous than yesturday? When was the last time you truly listened to a neighbor's pain? Does that pain keep you awake at night? Or is it the fact that maybe their pain is a reflection of where you are currently living your life and a "slap in the face" reminder of where you will surly end up if a change in course is not taken. I experienced all these emotions in the rollercoaster ride of September 10, 2011. And now sitting here at 2 AM the following morning, I realize that today marks the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The only way I can see personaly honor the men and women who were lost their lives is to continue sharing my passion with the world. Each one of us has a passion in life that calls others to live their passion as a lighthouse calls a boat to its destination. The spirit of the 9/11 vicitims lives on in vein if we do not ask ourselves the question of "WHY?" every day of our life. Why am I here? For what purpose do I serve humanity? And once the answer is crystal clear, the more we strive to fulfill our purpose, the greater we honor all humanity, both the present, and the Eternal.
Yesturday, my wife and I attended our local Community Day as a vendor sharing our new chiropractic practice. It was a typical outreach event, one that I have participated in many times while assisting other chiropractors in growing their practices while I was in school. Some people were very intrigued, some people were appalled and will only see a "real" doctor, but the majority actually had no concept for what the chiropractic profession truly is and how it benefits the lives of millions of families across the world. I think this article is mostly for those individuals, because I heard a whole lot of what chiropractic is not about.
Chiropractic is NOT:
- Getting your back "cracked." Yes, in some chiropractic techniques, the spine can make a noise called a "cavitation" when a specific and corrective force is used. The important thing to remember is why that force is being used. The alignment and motion of your spine is directly related to you overall health. People who maintain their spinal health throughout a lifetime are some of the healthiest people on the planet. So then next time you approach your chiropractor, instead of asking for your "weekly crack" you should say "Please align my spine, it helps me to shine."
- About how you "FEEL." A common answer to the question of "Who is your family chiropractor?" is "I don't need a chiropractor." When I ask why they don't need one, the reply is usually "I feel fine" or "I am healthy." Let me put this understanding of health into perspective. If you were a high profile attorney and you ask your prospective client 10 questions on the initial consultation to gather as much information about his case as possible before you make a decision to represent him, what would you you say to him if he could give you the answer to only one of the 10 questions (10%)? You would politely shake his hand, show him the door, and ask your assistant for the next case. Basing decisions in life with only 10% of the information seems rediculous, but that is exactly what people do when they base health decisions off of how they "feel." Less than 10% of your nerve system registers sensory (touch, tempurature, texture, pain) information, and the other 90% coordinates all other functions in your body including blood circulation, breathing, digestion, and muscle movement. Would it make more sense to make a decision based off 10% of information or 100% of information? If you had cancer, you would want to know about it so you and your health care team could form an effective care plan to restore your health. Spinal subluxations (misalignments) are a serious a health concern. Please do yourself a favor, the next time you are offered an affordable way to get your spinal health checked, take advantage!
- Passive or Reactive. Just like the reflex hammer hitting your tendon and causing your leg to extend, in a reactive world, we wait until some event occurs and then respond. This is not the way to stay healthy. However, most people wait until they get "sick" with a cold, flu, or headache before they ever see a doctor. Unfortunately, sickness takes time to build and just because you have an absence of symptoms does not mean you are well. Why not take control of your health with a little proactive effort? Exercise, eating organic vegetables and meats, sleeping 7-8 hours a night, prayer/meditation, and receiving regular chiropractic adjustments are all ways to be proactice with your health. Then you may never experience the cold, flu, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more. Always remember that early detection of a disease is NOT the same as preventing a disease.
