The Top 3 Chiropractic Misconceptions

1) Chiropractic is only for back and neck pain.

The first Chiropractic client was deaf and had his hearing restored after a Chiropractic adjustment. The second had a heart condition. That was almost 115 years ago. Chiropractic was never intended to be limited to any condition or type of disease, because Chiropractic doesn’t treat any specific medical condition. The Chiropractic adjustment helps improve nerve system function so the body and immune system function better.

You need not suffer from a particular condition to enjoy Chiropractic and its benefits – you simply must have the desire to be as healthy as possible.

2) Chiropractic is just for adults.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Chiropractic is great for children. Numerous case studies and reports show that Chiropractic is very safe and effective for all children of all ages. All of my children have been adjusted throughout their lives from the day they were born regardless of the symptoms they do or do not express.

I certainly would not recommend anything different for your children than I do for my own. Chiropractic care for babies and children is obviously modified compared to that for an adult and the safety statistics of a Chiropractic adjustment far exceeds that of the vaccination and medications most people don’t think twice about giving their children.

At Blue Mountain Family Chiropractic we are particularly passionate about checking all children for subluxation as soon as possible to maximise their life experience. Our goal is to empower everyone in our community to get healthy and stay healthy for a lifetime so that they can have the best life possible. Our experience is that a wellness lifestyle including Chiropractic care makes for a happy family.

3) Once you go to a Chiropractor you have to keep going back.

How far you take your Chiropractic care, the results you desire and obtain, and the advice you follow is a choice for you. Relief care (reducing symptoms), Corrective care (fixing underlying damage) and Wellness care (ongoing health maintenance) are all available to you at Blue Mountain Family Chiropractic.

Undoubtedly, going to the Chiropractor on a regular basis is a very healthy lifestyle choice. However, the healthier you live outside the Chiropractor’s office the less time you will need inside the Chiropractor’s office!

Healthier living means less stress and therefore less subluxation. Compare your Chiropractic visits to working out at the gym or seeing the dentist. Your fitness is maintained or improved with additional workouts and dental appointments can be less frequent if you take good care of your teeth.

Remember your health is your responsibility.

The Top 3 Healthcare Misconceptions

1) Drugs make you healthy.

If drugs made you healthy the healthiest people in the world would be those taking the most drugs. You don’t get headaches because there is a lack of neurofen in your blood! Depression is not caused by a prozac deficiency! The idea that these chemicals do anything other than create short term changes to your body chemistry is false.

We must also consider the so called side effects of the drugs. In fact the term “side effects” is misleading. Side effects do not exist. All drugs have an effect on the body behaviour. That is their purpose. Some are perceived as positive, some negative. None are side effects!

2) Germs make you sick.

For germs to be the sole cause of disease it would be impossible to find the disease in the absence of the germ. False! It would also be impossible for the germ to be present in the system without the disease arising. False!

Have you ever been in a house with four people and two get the flu but two do not? They were all exposed to the same germs. The difference is the immune systems ability to fight the germs.

Stresses reduce your immune function and thus limit your ability to fight the germ and disease. Chiropractic boosts immune function.

3) Traditional medical care represents healthcare.

The people that work in traditional medicine are good people. They have the best intentions and your best interests at heart. They also work extremely hard. However what they do has little relationship with health.

Traditional medicine is like the fire brigade. When your house is on fire there is little point calling a builder, carpenter or any other form of contractor. At that point you require the fire service. The firefighters will arrive with axes (surgery) to breakdown your door and water hoses (drugs) to extinguish the fire.

Following the fire though, when the damage needs to be repaired, or if you would like to protect your home against future fires, calling the fire brigade again would be of little benefit. The firefighters would return with their axes and hoses and cause more damage. At this point you require something different – the contractor.

Medical care is a vital part of society and saves many lives, but it doesn’t promote health. For health you require something different.

It's Just A Ride!

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" George Orwell

Last week saw the UK release of the movie "American: The Bill Hicks Story".

Bill Hicks enjoyed being equal parts crude, shocking, controversial and funny. But regardless of your opinion of him he was also considered a free thinking activist against corporate and government greed, corruption and individual disempowerment. Bill regularly ended his show with a section about the point of life which particularly strikes me.

"The World is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it's real, because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round, and it has thrills and chills and is very brightly colored, and it's very loud. And it's fun... for a while.

Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they've begun to question, 'Is this real, or is this just a ride?', and other people have remembered, and they've come back to us and they say 'Hey, don't worry. Don't be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride.' and we.... KILL THOSE PEOPLE.

"Shut him up! We have alot invested in this ride! SHUT HIM UP! Look at my furrows of worry. Look at my big bank account, and my family. This just has to be real."

It's just a ride.

But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that. You ever noticed that? And let the demons run amok. But it doesn't matter, because ... It's just a ride.

And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear wants you to put bigger locks on your door, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead see all of us as one.

Here's what we can do to change the world right now, to a better ride:

Take all that money we spent on weapons and defense each year and instead spend it feeding, clothing, and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one human being excluded, and we can explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever ... in peace."

"All great truths begin as blasphemies." ~ George Bernard Shaw

From Little Things Big Things Grow

Two of my favourite musical artists are The Waifs and John Butler. Listening to the most recent Waifs live album, “From the Union of Soul” last week, I was struck by a collaboration between the two: ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’.

Originally written by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, this song tells the story of Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji Aborigines in Australia. Lingiari led the Gurindji in an 8-year long strike (the wave-hill walk off), eventually leading to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1976 which enabled the Aborigines to reclaim the title to their traditional homeland.

An inspiring story, the tale and song also reminded me of a few important health lessons.

The health we have and the health we desire is definitely a big thing. Yet it results from the many small things we say, think and do on a daily basis. One small change you make today can have massive implications for the future.

The health you have ultimately results from your daily habits. Apparently minor changes to diet, posture, activity, thought processes or spinal alignment can result in major changes in your health expression, both for the better and the worse.

A cancer cell is a small thing. In fact cancer cells form in your body every day. Perfect human function relies on the cancer cells being destroyed. Cancer cells are a small thing, but if they go undetected and destroyed, they can become a big thing –a cancerous tumour.

A vertebral subluxation is a small thing. The effect it can have on the body, particularly over time, is a big thing.

A Chiropractic adjustment is a small thing, but the freedom, life and change it can create for your body is a big thing.

The developer of Chiropractic B.J. Palmer wrote about this idea in 1944, calling it the biggest idea he knew...


When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no "I'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow is disease.
Terri Guillemets

ADHD and Ritalin

This week I came across yet another child recently prescribed with Ritalin for an apparent Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Whilst our incidence of ADHD and use of the drug Ritalin may not be as great as in the U.S., where pharmacists distribute five times more Ritalin than the rest of the world combined, my observation is that this situation is becoming more and more prevalent in the UK.

But I have a number of questions about this issue... Is ADHD really as prevalent as it appears? Is a powerful drug like Ritalin the answer? What are the alternatives?

The Potent Side Effects of Ritalin

Research indicates that Ritalin has the same pharmacological profile as cocaine, yet brain imaging demonstartes that its effects are even more potent.

Ritalin stimulates your central nervous system, leading to many potential side effects, such as:

• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Increased body temperature
• Increased alertness
• Suppressed appetite

An additional concern is that Ritalin is often taken for over a period of year, when the drug may cause even more severe health problems such as cancer. A small University of Texas study conducted in 2005 showed damage to the chromosomes of 12 children who had taken Ritalin for just three months.

The potential of Ritalin to cause cancer has long been known, as back in 1993 The National Toxicology Program released results that showed feeding mice Ritalin at levels close to those routinely prescribed to children induced liver tumors, including rare and highly malignant cancers.

Researchers used to believe that Ritalin was a short-acting drug, but studies have shown it has the potential for causing long-lasting changes in brain cell structure and function and may lead to stunted growth.

Ritalin is the drug prescribed most often to kids with ADHD, but there are others, with equally disturbing risks. ADHD drugs other than Ritalin have been linked to hallucinations, heart attack, stroke, increased aggressive behavior, suicide, and even sudden death!

Helping Kids Does Not Mean Giving Them Mind-Altering Drugs

Sadly, it seems that Ritalin and other drugs are the go-to treatment for behavioral issues like ADHD because it’s easy. Popping a pill takes just a few seconds a day, whereas the other treatments to help kids with symptoms of ADHD -- things like inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity -- take many weeks or months, since they address the underlying causes, not alter the child chemically.

Behavioral interventions using positive reinforcement are one of the best options for helping children with ADHD, especially if they're used alongside nutritional changes.

One study found that such interventions, which included individualized programs that emphasized positive support to reinforce behavior at home and school, were highly effective, even in young children aged 3 to 5. Specifically, children who received the intervention techniques had:

• A 17-percent decrease in aggression and a 21-percent improvement in social skills at home

• A 28-percent improvement in both categories at school

• Improvements in early literacy skills of up to three times over their baseline status

Natural Lifestyle Changes

This condition can often improve dramatically with some natural lifestyle changes.

1) Increase your intake of omega-3 fat from krill oil. Dr Joseph Mercola believes this to be the single most important nutrient for ADHD children and adults.

2) Drink only water. Take care to avoid fruit juices, soda, and pasteurized milk.

3) Restrict or eliminate all processed foods, sugars and most grains from your diet.

4) Avoid processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, which may aggravate or cause ADHD symptoms.

5) Spend more time in nature.

6) Consult a Chiropractor to determine if the child has nerve dysfunction (particularly in the neck region) resulting form spinal misalignments.

7) Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) may also be effective. This is a form of psychological acupressure that you can perform anywhere (it involves only tapping with your fingertips and repeating some positive phrases), and would make an excellent addition to any type of behavioral therapy your child is receiving.

Dr Mercola states that many cases of ADHD can resolve naturally when you strictly follow these recommendations. So rather than relying on a dangerous quick-fix like Ritalin, teach your child that they can excel in life, and overcome their symptoms, by taking control of their health.

"To repeat what others have said requires education; to challenge it requires brains" Mary Pettibone

Many thanks to www.mercola.com for source material

There's only one problem with the US health care reform bill, it doesn't reform health care!

The recent Health Care Reform Bill passed in the US. Has received a lot of media coverage, but do these changes to the US system actually raise more questions than answers? The biggest question of all – Does it actually reform health care in the US?

Why Does Government want Reform?

Unlike here in the UK, there is not a universal system of healthcare coverage. There are federally funded programmes, the biggest being Medicaid (for the poor) and Medicare (for the elderly). But generally it is up to individuals to obtain health insurance. Most get coverage through their employers, but others sign up for private insurance schemes. Under the terms of most plans, people pay regular premiums, but sometimes they are required to pay part of the cost of their treatment before the insurer covers the expense.

What Changes does the Bill implement?

In broad terms the bill aims to force the following changes:

• Tougher regulations for the insurance companies.
• Establish an individual mandate – in other words make health insurance compulsory.
• Set up insurance exchanges for those who do not have coverage provided by employers.
• Offer subsidies for the less well-off .
• Pay for most of the reforms by cutting waste in the Medicare programme.

What else does the Bill include?

As is often the case with government legislation and reports the bill consists of a lengthy document that many haven’t read and/or poorly understand. There has been some concern amongst experts regarding particular aspects of the bill.

For example under the revised system a government committee will decide what treatments and benefits an individual will receive from the insurance policy. The individual will have no choice in the process unlike true private health cover and unlike a private insurer, there will be no appeals process.

Others are alarmed that the reform gives the federal government direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic fund transfer.

Does the Bill Truly Reform Health Care in the US?

The most pertinent question however remains whether or not this bill actually represents reform of the health system. To answer that question, we need a full understanding of health and our current western health care system.

In speeches preceding the bill President Obama himself indicated that less than 4% of the US health budget is spent on prevention. In fact even so called preventative medicine and “well man” clinics or assessments constitute tests designed to obtain early detection. Early detection isn’t prevention, its early detection of sickness! True health care comes form enhancing and maintaining health not treating sickness.

The president also acknowledged that whilst the Americans spend one-and-a-half times more per person on health care than any other country, they are not any healthier for it. Indeed, in the US per year approximately 250 000 people die as a direct result of medical intervention, constituting the 3rd largest cause of death (Journal of the American Medical Association). In contrast, a total of 60 000 Americans died in the entire Vietnam war.

In correspondence to the British Medical Journal, Ron Law noted that preventable medical errors in hospitals are responsible for 11% of all deaths in Australia and New Zealand. Adding the deaths resulting from properly researched and properly used drugs, the total expense of this health care intervention is almost 1 out of every 5 deaths (19%).

On 18/03/200 the BBC reported that as many as 30, 000 British people die every year from medical error – surpassing the combined totals attributable to car and plane accidents, suicide , falls, poison and drowning.

The Australian National Health and Medical Research council states that the nation spends 8-10% of the Gross National Product on health care. Yet 60% of Australians were sick within the last 2 weeks, 60% take drugs for a chronic health problem, 50% of adolescents are taking painkillers and 40% of 15 year olds suffer some kind of chronic disease.

Studies suggest that on average we are living 15 years longer, but also that on average we each suffer from 15 years of chronic disease in our life. In other words our current health care model enables us to live for an extra 15 years whilst sick!

These statistics should astound you. They should also concern you. It is not difficult to accept the reality that our current model of health care is flawed, unsuccessful and potentially dangerous.

Once we understand that our current approach to health care merely represents sick care, we can appreciate that in fact this reform bill has almost nothing to do with health care at all. It's more of an effort to expand a broken sick-care system. When faced with the problem that a sick-care system doesn't work, the US government is attempting to fix the problem merely by expanding the failures to include everyone by making it compulsory!

Welcome to blogging!

Witness Blue Mountain Family Chiropractic entering the 21st century!

This blog will become our forum for sharing our knowledge, philosophy and thoughts on health, healing and Chiropractic.

I hope you find it inspiring, informative, fun and challenging... as well as supportive in your quest for greater health and self-improvement.

Rob

"We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge."

John Naisbitt