Avoiding Therapeutic Pitfalls, Embracing Self-Reliance, and Unleashing the Power of Your Immune System
The other saying that has bearing here is “Fix it till it’s broke”. Unfortunately, there are numerous therapists in various health professions that do exactly that. I hear stories regularly from clients about unfortunate experiences with various therapists. Chiropractors can be guilty of this.
Practice management indoctrination aimed at increasing the bottom line of the doctor’s practice encourages significant amounts of treatment and maintenance programs that may be unnecessary.
I understand the motivation for helping people stay healthy through regular spinal adjustments, but there are other ways for the spine to stay healthy. Many recommendations will help keep clients out of the chiropractic office by helping them maintain healthy spinal and joint function. Ergonomics, healthy footwear, regular exercise programs, yoga, massage therapy and numerous other modalities help maintain spinal health. Getting injured by a therapist is all too common these days. I have seen therapeutic injuries ultimately lead to permanent disability and even death. Be careful of prepaid long-term programs!
The most constructive goal of any health practitioner is to get rid of their patients, figuratively speaking of course. That has always been the goal of ethical practitioners and it has always kept my office busy. Self-reliance in healthcare is a very important concept. I come from a line of creative healers on my mother’s side of the family. My grandmother was the village healer in the small town in Alberta where my mother was born and raised. Wayne, Alberta was 10,000 people and now has a population of 30.
My mother went into nursing and was a very accomplished surgical nurse. She got involved in diabetic research during the 1960s and was always very creative in keeping her children out of the doctor’s office whenever possible. I survived all of the childhood illnesses in my parent’s home, under her care. The only time I saw a medical doctor was for injuries, and I had my share. The number of stitches that I had for various wounds during my childhood was well over 60. I still bear numerous scars with stitch marks still present. Strangely enough, I only broke one bone, my little toe, left foot.
I believe that one of the reasons I have been able to survive cancer three times without medical treatment other than surgery, is because of the strength of my innate immune system. Olympic athletes need a lot of training in order to reach the highest level of expertise and endurance needed to win high medals. The same principle applies to the mammalian immune system. A system is defined as a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network; a complex whole. Our immune systems are incredibly complex and intelligent. When you see white blood cells in action, astonishment is the only possible reaction. Our immune systems have many parts acting in concert to keep us healthy. George Carlin said it well. “Your immune system needs practice”.
I believe it is extremely beneficial for everyone to have at least a basic understanding of the functioning of the immune system, beyond what they experience when it’s doing its job. Immune physiology is nothing short of miraculous at a level that is difficult to comprehend. When we get a cold [coronavirus] or the flu [influenza virus] our immune system kicks in and usually eradicates the infection. The process is frequently uncomfortable as the immune system uses numerous mechanisms to accomplish its healing goal. The symptoms we experience as our immune system is killing a virus, bacteria, parasite or fungus can be quite uncomfortable and at times disabling. These include fever, aches, pains, chills, vomiting, diarrhea and many other varied symptoms. Unfortunately, the immune system may overreact at times, causing discomfort.
...To be continued
Dr. Ross Andersen DC, ND
The Miracle Hunter
©2024 Dr. Ross Andersen DC ND
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