Deepak Chopra Articulates the Chiropractic Message
The following article appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. Deepak Chopra very clearly articulates the major tenet of the chiropractic message: that the innate intelligence of the body is far superior to anything that can be added, from the outside in. I took the liberty of making a simple substitution of “innate intelligence” (a chiropractic concept) for Chopra’s term “healing system”. As Chopra clearly states below, Chiropractic’s fundamental concept of relying on the body’s own innate intelligence and ability to self regulate, adapt and heal IS the answer to the so-called “health care crisis”:
Do You Want a Health Care System or a Healing System?
The current debate over health care reform has been about politics and money. There is no escaping either factor. Huge vested interests are spending millions of dollars a day to pressure Congress into minimal reform. But even if the political system were pure as snow, an aging American population makes it inevitable that the health care system is going to grow more and more expensive. These external factors fill the news every day, obscuring a simple fact: Your health depends far more on the healing system your body’s own innate intelligence than the health care system. The healing system innate intelligence is inside your body. Its intricacies are just now being fully explored, but certain broad trends have become clear.
- The healing system Innate intelligence is more flexible and powerful than previously thought. For example, the brain can heal itself, a finding that seemed impossible a few decades ago.
- The healing system Innate intelligence is highly sensitive to outside conditions. Stress and emotional discomfort, for example, can severely compromise your ability to heal.
- Healing affects your genes and how they are expressed. An expressed gene is an active one, and this activity turns out to be far more responsive to your state of mind-body health than previously thought. The old image of fixed genes is rapidly changing to a conception in which the body’s genetic material is eavesdropping on all the experiences in your life. In short, a gene isn’t a thing; it’s a process.
- The healing system Innate intelligence is automatic, but your lifestyle choices make a huge difference in the efficiency of healing.
These factors hold true throughout your life, and if we simplify them to one sentence, this would be it: Change your life and you change your healing system. That may sound like the advice we get constantly about proper diet, exercise, and stress management. But with new evidence showing up every day that lifestyle affects an incurable disease like Alzheimer’s, for example, it’s becoming clear that your own healing system will always be the front-line defender of your well-being, not your doctor or the drug companies. So-called lifestyle diseases used to be restricted to conditions like heart disease, obesity, and type II diabetes, where a link with improper diet was easily demonstrated. Now a wider range of disorders is being linked to lifestyle choices, not by one-to-one correlations but through more general trends. That is, no one can predict exactly which disease you might contract due to poor lifestyle choices, but at the same time, reversing those poor choices has a broad effect in improving your power to heal.
Some recent statistics bring home how crucial it is to rely on the healing system your body’s own innate intelligence rather than the healthcare system:
- 58 million Americans are overweight; 40 million obese; 3 million morbidly obese
- Eight out of 10 people over 25 are overweight
- 78% of Americans don’t meet basic activity level recommendations
- 25% are completely sedentary
- 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 years old since 1990
The statistic that really jumps out has to do with sedentary lifestyles. We are addicted to sitting on the couch watching beautiful, slim, fit actors and athletes on television, with a steady increase in other sedentary activities like surfing the Internet and playing video games. In addition, these activities are reaching into younger age groups, making children less active and therefore more inclined to obesity. Yet the simple fact is that the alternative to being sedentary isn’t joining a gym. The greatest benefit of exercise occurs when you move from being sedentary to light activity like walking, doing housework, gardening, and climbing the stairs. Exercise at higher levels will bring increased benefits, certainly, but this first step brings the biggest single improvement in health. Being sedentary is more harmful to you than forgetting to jog three times a week. In addition, at least one study has shown that when overweight adults are put into groups that walk, jog, or run every day, the group that lost the most weight were the walkers.
Thrashing out health care reform is a defining issue for the coming decade and an inescapable duty. Having said that, I urge you to look inward rather than outward. The most perfect health care system can’t do as much for you, on a daily basis, or do it as cheaply as your own healing system innate intelligence. The evidence is there, waiting to be acted upon.
Authors Note: In the interest of maintaining the integrity of the original article, all occurrences were substituted equally.
Georgia Chiropractors Define Chiropractic
The Georgia Council of Chiropractic, The Georgia Chiropractic Association and Life University, in order to develop a “Unity of Purpose” and a strong working relationship in the state of Georgia, embarked upon a project to develop a common, agreed upon definition of chiropractic. The resulting document was signed by the Presidents of the organizations, and those members of the committee who had worked together to finalize the language.
The document reads as follows:
THE FOUNDATIONAL TENETS OF CHIROPRACTIC
We embrace the concept that chiropractic philosophy, chiropractic science, chiropractic art, chiropractic technique, chiropractic diagnosis and spinal subluxation complex denote areas of ongoing research, continuing intra- and inter-professional dialogue and growing understanding.
We embrace the philosophy that life is intelligent. The human body possesses the inherent potential to maintain itself in a natural state of homeostasis through its innate, inborn intelligence.
We maintain that the science of chiropractic emphasizes the relationship between structure, primarily of the spinal column, and the nervous system, and how that relationship affects function and health. Implicit within this statement are the significance of the nervous system to health and the effect of the spinal subluxation complex upon the whole body.
We hold that all chiropractors should recognize the value of all phases of patient care, including condition-based care, health care and developmental care, as well as both therapeutic and non-therapeutic approaches to patient care. Individual chiropractors may choose to focus on one phase of patient care, one demographic segment of the patient population or one area of chiropractic expertise. They may also choose to become a certified specialist in one particular facet of chiropractic. Such specialization should require advanced, post-graduate education.
We recognize that:
· The primary clinical objective of chiropractic is the enhancement of human health through the adjustment of the subluxation, and that;
· Diagnostic expertise in chiropractic should focus on differential diagnosis of spinal subluxation complex, with other conditions assessed at a level of diagnosis appropriate for chiropractic management, or intra- and inter-professional referral, (referential diagnosis), and that;
· Spinal subluxation complex involves at the least biomechanical and related neurological dysfunction, and that;
· “Adjustment” in chiropractic refers to a specific spinal manipulation directed toward the objective of the reduction or correction of spinal subluxation or extra-spinal subluxation complex .We recognize that core chiropractic competencies include:
Patient assessment, diagnosis, adjustment, patient education, management, referral, and co-management.We maintain that chiropractic care incorporates the use of diagnostic and adjustive procedures when indicated, including some or all of the following:
- Patient history
- Physical examination
- Examination for spinal or extra-spinal subluxation complex
- Biomechanical functional assessment
- Laboratory and imaging studies
- Spinal and/or extremity adjustment
- Chiropractic case management
- Spinal Hygiene
- Patient education
- Participation in coordinated care
We maintain that chiropractic care focuses primarily on the chiropractic adjustment. Procedures ancillary to this and the other core chiropractic competencies are and should remain optional components of the practice of chiropractic.
These ancillary procedures may include some or all of the following:
- Physiotherapy
- Spinal/extremity manipulation
- Nutritional supplementation
- Exercise/rehabilitation
This list is not intended to be inclusive of all services ancillary to chiropractic that may fall within the scope of chiropractic licensure of a particular jurisdiction.
We hold that the conservative essence of the practice of chiropractic is not consistent with the performance of surgery or prescribing, administering, or dispensing of pharmaceuticals.
We further hold that the full spectrum of chiropractic practice from broad-scope to focused-scope will be defended equally, vigorously and pro-actively in order to protect the rights of all chiropractors to practice in the manner and method they deem appropriate within the law.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome and are very much appreciated.
Chiropractic: The Brand
Chiropractic as a brand has the potential to broadly appeal to a very wide segment of the population. Let’s look at what chiropractic represents. Chiropractors are a unique group of licensed health care professionals who look at health as the fullest expression of life within an individual.
Doesn’t that sound like something consumers want for themselves and their families, the fullest expression of life? Health, vitality and a life with less pain, sickness and disease without the use of dangerous drugs and surgery. Again, who would not be interested in that?
But sadly, we have never presented chiropractic to the public in this manner. Individually, in our offices, we make these assertions. And we should. We have the research to back it up.
You and I know that life is expressed though the mental impulses which originate in the brain. Since these mental impulses traverse our nerve system, this is where you focus your energy.
Our philosophy maintains that the innate intelligence that made the body can heal the body of any challenge that may arise, as long as we don’t physically, chemically or emotionally interrupt this natural process.
You find and correct any physical interference to this natural process, maintain that correction long enough for the body to replicate itself normally, building healthy cells instead of sick cells and healing is the natural, expected, inevitable result.
But chemical and emotion factors also interrupt normal, natural functioning of the body at the cellular level including: the American diet, heavy reliance on drugs to treat symptoms and the extreme stress that affects so many.
Chiropractic, the brand, needs to authoritatively address the chemical and emotional aspects of the subluxation in addition to the physical component. We need to speak up and be seen as the authority on all facets of the natural health care model called chiropractic.
We have witnessed first hand how this can thrust chiropractors into the media spotlight with the recent H1N1 vaccine issue. And all of this recent publicity has happened WITHOUT the benefit of professional representation in the media.
In addition to vaccine safety issues, we need to be speaking out on issues of dangerous chemical food additives, the overuse of drugs, the contamination of the water supply, genetically modified food, industrial farming and animal production. And we must speak out in favor of prayer, meditation, personal development, life-long learning and other health promoting lifestyle choices.
In other words, chiropractic needs to reclaim the components of our message which have been usurped by the natural/organic food industry, the supplement industry, the juice industry, the exercise industry, the self-help industry, the yoga industry, the Pilates industry and the diet industry.
And we need to proudly announce to the world that avoiding disease and infirmity by removing physical, chemical and emotional stressors that impede the fullest expression of life has been our message for the past 114 years. We salute these other health promoting industries. We can even support them and can advocate their use. But the big idea is ours.
Currently the “Wellness Revolution” is passing chiropractic by. Instead of leading the way, chiropractors sit on the sideline wondering how to get involved. Reflect back on the list and you will notice one thing. All of these industries have effective marketing and public relations initiatives. How about chiropractic?
The need for a professional Public Relations and Branding campaign like Chiropractic America’s www.YourSpine.com initiative and the associated public relations campaign directed by FK Health/Ogilvy PR Worldwide has never been greater.
The public will never know that the health of the nerve system impacts ever aspect of their life and health, unless you tell them. They will never know that the health of the spine matters, unless you tell them. They will never know that chiropractic is a highly effective method of restoring and maintaining health unless you tell them.
You can continue to do this one patient or small group at a time or we can come together as a group, with thousands of like-minded chiropractors and tell the masses about the amazing, life-enhancing benefits of a healthy spine and a fully functioning nerve system.
The vehicle to do this is built and ready. Beginning in April, 2010, we will be driving hundreds of thousands of Internet users with specific health challenges to the site each month, educating them on the benefits of chiropractic care. The only question is: Will you be the chiropractor that serves these patients in your community? I hope the answer is a resounding YES.
Chiropractic Headed to Assimilation By Medicine
Chiropractic as a separate and distinct profession is about to be lost forever. The ACA and the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners are working on plans to create certification for an “expanded practice chiropractic physician” that apparently includes prescribing and administering drugs.
The trial run in New Mexico was a success and now it appears it is full steam ahead for the rest of the country.
The New Mexico Chiropractic Association and the New Mexico Board of Chiropractic Examiners in concert with the New Mexico Medical Board and the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy recently agreed to and passed legislation in New Mexico creating a new class of chiropractor called “Advanced Practice Chiropractic Physician”.
The designation, obtainable by attending six weekend seminars conducted by National University of Health Sciences, entails completing a 90-hour course, applying for credentialing and then testing. Once these steps are completed the chiropractor will receive Advanced Practice Certified (AP-C) status and may begin to practice the “newly learned advanced skills.” The cost is $2,100 for all six modules.
The designation allows the chiropractor to prescribe, administer and dispense homeopathic medicines, herbal medicines, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, glandular products, naturally derived substances, Protomorphogens (a Standard Process Trademark), live cell products, gerovital, amino acids, dietary supplements, foods for special dietary use, bioidentical hormones, sterile water, sterile saline, sarapin ( a High Chemical Company Trademark) or its generic, caffeine, procaine, oxygen, epinephrine and vapocoolants. Additional drugs can be used upon approval by the board of pharmacy and an expanded formulary is currently being developed.
Routes of administration are oral, topical, rectal, as well as intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) injection.
The bill adds to the definition of chiropractic in New Mexico the following statement, among others: “the administering of a drug by injection by a certified advance practice chiropractic physician”.
This officially marks the end of chiropractic as a drugless health profession.
A New Mexico Chiropractic Association spokesperson has stated, “This (sic) the first time a bill has succeeded in any state of the USA that so advances our professional scope of practice. We will hope that our actions can serve as a template to other states”.
At the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) House of Delegates (HOD) meeting held during its annual meeting Sept. 23-26 in Dallas, the ACA passed resolutions “calling for the creation of a database of doctors of chiropractic with advanced degrees–which could be tapped to find potential candidates for positions in political, research and scientific environments where advanced degrees are normally required–and supporting the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ plan to create certification for an expanded practice chiropractic physician were also passed.”
So there you have it. The NBCE has a plan to roll this out (or something similar) nationwide, with the full support of the ACA.
We can stop this madness. But we need to organize. There is a plan in place to reclaim the chiropractic legacy and promote it to the public in a professional and credible manner. All we need is your support. Join now. Tomorrow will be too late!
Principled Chiropractic Health Care
Those that practice chiropractic based on the principles laid out by Dr. D D Palmer and refined by Dr. B J Palmer are very fortunate. You are a special group of individuals, unique in the world today because you live by chiropractic principles.
Chiropractic postulates that nerve interference is a possible causal factor in all disease. Chiropractic teaching and philosophy also presents sound, logical, compelling evidence that labeling symptoms as diseases and treating those symptoms with chemicals and surgery is misguided. For too long, chiropractors have defended the former while neglecting the latter.
Defending the efficacy of subluxation correction has left little time to focus on this other basic tenet of chiropractic: treating symptoms rather than cause is misguided. The growing body of evidence has proven that disease care does not equal health. The current “health care” crisis has brought this to everyone’s attention. Costs are skyrocketing, while quality of life is sinking for millions of Americans.
Principled chiropractic is a precious gift. Combined with rational information regarding the other necessary components of a healthy lifestyle, principled chiropractic has the capability to enhance the lives of millions more than are presently served. The YourSpine.com initiative serves to marry the life enhancing benefits of regular chiropractic care with information that supports the second principle of chiropractic: labeling symptoms as diseases and treating those symptoms with chemicals and surgery is misguided
For the first time in history, a world class health care PR firm, FK Health, is ready to launch our initiative to inform the public why the care or their spine is necessary to ensure proper communication between the brain and every cell, tissue and organ of the body. We will also present information detailing the other components necessary for proper cellular function.
Health is a result of proper cellular function. It really is that simple. Disease is the result of abnormal cell function. The brain controls and regulates, through the nerve system, all cellular function in the body. Chiropractic adjustments remove any impediment to this communication thus allowing the body to function at a higher level of health and vitality.
But it takes more than just adjustments to achieve proper cellular function. It requires a diet of natural, healthy, nutrient rich food, clean pure water, regular exercise, normal sleep and emotional, spiritual health. You cannot deliver any of these things with an adjustment and they certainly don’t come in a pill or capsule.
What is possible is to give practice members compelling reasons why they require all of the aforementioned to achieve health. We can provide clear rational evidence that all of these are required components of a healthy lifestyle, the Chiropractic Lifestyle, where practice members are active participants in their own health care future. Sufficient data and supporting evidence exists. All we need do is embrace it, and explain that this has been the chiropractic way for 114 years. Reflect back on the list and you will notice that none of these requisites can be patented or monopolized. They all require the active, ongoing participation of the health seeker. None can be used to funnel billions of dollars of wealth to one monopolistic group, like the pharmaceutical/medical cartel or industrialized food and beverage production groups.
The current state of industrialized food and medicine is the largest threat to the health of modern citizens. The required diet of natural, healthy, nutrient rich food has been replaced by a chemical cocktail of additives, preservatives, and processing that bears little resemblance to the food of our ancestors. Fluoridated and chlorinated water has replaced the clean pure water which had sustained life for the last 6 million years. We are the most sedentary humans that have ever existed, stressed to our limits and devoid of the emotional and spiritual blessings of living in peace and harmony with our neighbors and our planet.
Principled chiropractic and the fundamental truths which it represents combined and aligned with the other facets of the Chiropractic Lifestyle offer much needed healing to a wounded people. The opposite of industrialized food and medicine is natural food and health care as clearly as war is the opposite of peace. Perhaps with less of the former, we can have more of the latter.
Chiropractic is natural health care. Isn’t it time that health care consumers equate chiropractic care with the other facets of health: a diet of natural, healthy, nutrient rich food, clean pure water, regular exercise, normal sleep and emotional, spiritual health? And isn’t is time you are recognized as the world’s foremost authority on natural health care?