Unlimited Potential

"There's a doctor inside you that knows everything about you and can heal you," I told my patient. He was appalled and exclaimed, "A doctor inside of me?" I reassured him this was true, but he was not fond of metaphors.

I was trying to explain chiropractic to a five-year-old, with little success. Chiropractic is different from medicine and occasionally meets with resistance. It's based on the principle that the body is a self-healing organism. Our bodies can heal themselves best when they are in good alignment. Chiropractors work with the inborn mechanisms of repair. They do this by balancing the spine and taking pressure off the nervous system. Obviously, this was too much information for a five-year-old.

I had to win him over because he wouldn't let me check his spine. He was extracted from the birth canal by his head and neck with forces that vary from 60-90 pounds. He fell about 3,500 times just learning to walk. He is an active child and, to avoid serious problems later in life, he should have his spine checked regularly.

He was afraid of doctors. He had been poked and injected by ordinary doctors his whole life and wouldn't let me touch him. I finally offered him a yellow plastic wrist bracelet which he promptly refused. I left it in front of him saying, "If you change your mind, it's yours."

As I walked away I heard him whisper to his mom, "I'm not going to change my mind."

Some weeks later, after helping his older brother with bedwetting and a hyperactivity disorder, he decided, on his own, to get his spine checked. He wanted to be like his big brother. My clinic has a large room with many tables. While I was working on several adult patients, he climbed onto one of the tables. He rubbed his back with both hands and cried out as if he were in excruciating pain. Of course, he just wanted my attention.

Finally, I checked his spine. It was perfectly aligned. I told his mom, "Your son has unlimited potential." He overheard me and jumped off the table with excitement. He ran to his dad with the news. He wasn't sure what it meant, but was quick to announce loudly enough for the whole clinic to hear, "I hab unlibited potenzel!"

What does it mean to have unlimited potential? Does that mean the boy won't ever get sick? Absolutely not, but it does mean that he stands a better chance of being and staying healthy.

Research has shown that the spine and its relationship to the nervous system is a critical aspect in our potential for better life and health. Studies have shown that people under regular chiropractic care require fewer medications, fewer surgeries, and tend to avoid hospitalization and nursing homes. They live metaphorically "above the crowd" while others succumb to the bacteria and viruses that are always in and around us. People with balanced spine and healthy nervous systems demonstrate high levels of resistance. Resistance is the key to better life and health. No one can guarantee wellness over a lifetime, but chiropractic is a way to ensure the greatest probability that we will reach our potential for better health naturally.

The Difference Between Chiropractic and Medicine
Medicine assumes something is terribly wrong with you. Ordinary doctors do lots of tests to diagnose a problem. Then, they use drugs to cover up the symptoms. Failing that, they try to chop out the problem with surgery.

Chiropractic is totally different. The chiropractor assumes there is a lot more right with your body than wrong. The doctor of chiropractic works with the miracle healing systems with which you were born. With chiropractic, it's possible to become so healthy, you don't get sick in the first place.

You might be reading this article thinking "I'm not changing my mind either," but if you are looking for a way to stay healthy without drugs or surgery, you need look no further than your own body. You have an amazing ability to heal yourself. Your natural healing systems are waiting to be activated deep inside of you. When you visit a doctor who can take the pressure off the nerves that control every aspect of your life existence, you open the door to your own, limitless potential. Get your spine checked. You'll reach your potential, only if your spine is straight. See a doctor of chiropractic and achieve a balance from within. This is the best way to be and stay healthy.

Reference
Van Breda Wm, van Breda JM. A comparative study of the health status of children raised under the health care models of chiropractic and allopathic medicine. Journal of Chiropractic Research. Summer 1989:101-103.