One of the hardest things for me to deal with as a
chiropractor is all the unnecessary struggling that presents into my office. The Annals
of Chronic Disease report that 80% of Americans will die of a chronic
disease. However, the New England Journal of Medicine has
stated that, “Preventable
illness makes up 70% of the burden of illness and the associated
expenses.” So we’re afflicted with all
these ailments that should have been avoidable in the first place. This is the very essence of the “healthcare
crisis” we hear so much about on television and from our politicians. The problem as I see it is that we Americans
have become complacent and reserved to the idea that disease is normal – that
it is to be expected as a part or routine aging. Science simply does not support this! While the disease rates we experience in this
country have become very common, this
phenomenon is far from normal.
When
you look at the statistics, America leads the world in degenerative diseases as
well as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer and the numbers are
markedly higher than they were just a few decades ago. If all this were “normal”, these rates would
not change and the rest of the world would share a similar plight. As a chiropractor, I was taught that the body
developed from two cells using its own innate intelligence and this same
intelligence is there throughout life to organize, regulate, and heal the body
naturally. Disease is merely a state of
dis-ease where the body is not in homeostasis (balance) and health is not being
expressed. This philosophy is similar to
the concept that darkness is merely a lack of light. If our bodies have this intelligence, could
it possibly be normal for things to just break down and begin to fail after 30-50
years? If you can accept this, then why
do we have such high rates of disease and why are these rates so much worse
than a half century ago? Obviously there
can be only one answer. Lifestyle! Our habits are not only keeping us from
performing and functioning at our best, they are literally robbing us of our
“light” that is our health and vitality resulting in alarming rates of
disease. If I’m right about this (and I
know I am), then we should be able to observe disease processes reverse when
people drop their bad habits and begin practicing a healthier lifestyle. This is the best part of my job – on the
occasion when I see a person take responsibility for their health and begin to
work on their diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and improve the function of their
nervous system through chiropractic adjustments, I get to observe these changes
first hand. Once health is enhanced,
disease begins to diminish every time.
Recognize
that our bodies perform miracles every day.
There are over a million chemical reactions going on inside every second
that are controlled automatically. You
have an amazing potential to heal when health is allowed to be expressed. However, to express health and wellness, we
have to practice healthy habits and lifestyles.
Just don’t wait until health is completely lost to start making those changes
and making better choices and don’t accept that disease is just
a normal part of life.
I agree! Too many people are looking for the magic pill to cure their ills, when they have caused their own pain. My mother is a great example of someone who lives a fairly active life, eats sensibly, and enjoys a cocktail in the evening. She's still out and about at 98 years of age, and in charge of her faculties, so she must be doing something right!
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