All Natural
Healthcare
“Humans, animals, and plants always fascinated me. My craft and physical talents were challenged by the work on the parent’s farm and the care of my younger brother and sisters. Because of my interest in sports, the natural sciences and therapeutics my academic advisor proposed that I should get to know something about physical therapy and, on the other hand, something about chiropractic which in those days I had no prior knowledge of. (…) Influenced by the realistic and natural lifestyle from my family I was very impressed by this type of medical treatment: neither drugs nor surgery are required, it only takes the chiropractors hands to further the well being of his patients. But the chiropractor still has the education and competence to judge the health and advise the patient in the entire medical arts. (…) Not only could I solve acute health problems, but also advise and treat my patients preventively. (…) The traditional way is dependent on a lot of modern drugs and instruments but they neglect more and more the body. There must be a natural way to care for a sick body and to maintain its health.”
This is a part of my essay that I wrote for my application to Palmer College. It is interesting to see my development of knowledge and understanding of chiropractic during the past 3 years. In my first year, I read a lot of chiropractic literature, and I really got engaged into chiropractic. I read the required books of Dr. Fred Barge (the rats in the dump cured me from the germ theory) and Dr. Virgil Strang (I like the idea of homeostasis and his neurological approach). Next to chiropractic literature I also read books about general healing and the innate power of the human body. I had never witnessed the power and miracles of chiropractic one on one and reading was one way of becoming excited about my chosen profession. I also got involved in many clubs and attended some seminars.
After my first year I got really burnt out and I had to get my thoughts together because I was confused with all of the information that I received from different clubs, students, and doctors. I was a member of Motion Palpation club, went to the Sunday classes at Dr. Larry Troxell, was a member of the Nimmo and SOT clubs and engaged in discussions with students studying the Upper Cervical work. They were teaching me too many theories all at once: Above-Down-Inside-Out, Basis first, Modalities and Rehab, Spine or Extremities, pop the fixated joints; do all the analysis, and then all the different techniques. I did not know where my head stood.
One Sunday I had an epiphany, and I wrote down what was important to me and what I wanted to do: I wanted to see patient that are interested in more than just relieving their pain. I will adjust the spine and counsel them on how they can avoid subluxation through the elimination of trauma, toxins and negative thoughts in their life. This statement guided me through my technique and practice management classes. I started seeing the patients as a whole human being and not just merely a sum of its parts. I saw myself as a guide to a better life.
Today I am working on a concept for my future clinic system, and it is constantly evolving. I believe that true health comes from within and we just facilitate this expression from the outside and our consciousness. Health is not the absence of illness, but a growing vitality; a feeling of wholeness and the capacity for continuous intellectual and spiritual growth (Mrs. Gandhi). To bring this to a more biological level: Life is about survival and adaptation. There is a constant struggle in nature: on one side there is the law of entropy that states that the universe strives towards chaos, and on the other hand there are the forces of life that are constructive and withstand the chaos. Wow, in what a giant battle do we help! We are able to adapt to our environment, and this is done by our reasoning and reactions expressed in our mind and then executed by our body. Chiropractors help to reconnect the mind with the body, or in other words to care for both of them. Seneca, a Roman philosopher, said: mens sana in corpore sano (A healthy mind in a healthy body). He emphasized the importance to care for our body and to nurture our mind as well.
I am glad that I was exposed to so many different viewpoints. I learnt a lot about chiropractic medicine and about the straight approach. I learnt about the human potential. And I know now what approaches are in the world out there, to take care of a patient chiropractically. I mean all the different techniques and what they are based on. Some of them have common denominators. This made me realize that there are as many ways to take care of a patient, as there are patients!
I am especially glad for the viewpoints I learnt about when I went to medical school prior to coming to Palmer College. To know the outside-in approach and their theory about immunology helps me understand the world we life in and helps me to communicate the differences to my patients. They all helped me to shape my belief. And by keeping my mind open, I got the ideas of a lot of people and this enables me now to argue with them, because I know where they are coming from. I especially see the role of medicine in an acute care setting: when there is an accident, when there is an emergency, they work their miracles. But they are on the wrong paradigm when it comes to prevention and low intervention health care. Better health through better chemistry is failing. Better health through removing parts does not help either. So the best solution to a healthy body is through conservative means: natural food, some exercise and a properly functioning body. When the nervous system is functioning at an optimal level, it attains a functioning body.
The journey through Palmer College was not just an education. I also gained a lot of wisdom. Chiropractic offers some incredible people and ideas. All of them are for the betterment of humanity. I was personally touched by the love concept of Dr. J. Parker: Loving service is my first technique. When a doctor truly cares about his patients, they will get well, I do my best work and then all the technicalities do not matter anymore. His second concept of having FCB in PSI (faith, confidence and belief in my product, service, and ideas) really motivated me. It helps me to transform my philosophy into a successful practice and helps me to become a better person myself, despite what other people might say. I do not see problems as problems anymore; they are merely challenges. It changed my focus from studying to caring for people.
I am excited for the profession. I will not restrict my belief into a dogma: the opportunities in chiropractic are endless. If anyone says that chiropractic is a dead end road and that there are not enough people in their town for chiropractic care he/she may speak the truth, but they are not seeing all the other possibilities. What about teaching the public, what about all the other countries, what about doing some research? Being an international student I really encourage my friends to go to other countries. The demographics there are fabulous. Ok, a chiropractor might have to fight the medical paradigm more than here, learn another language and adapt to another culture. Would this not truly expand chiropractic? And especially the doctors’ mind?
When I see how chiropractic gets medicalized in other countries I get mad. The chiropractors see themselves as health care providers with an outside-in approach. They see that the adjustment puts a force into the body make the patient better. Once they are better, they go on with their life. They do not see that the nervous system needs to get checked once in a while, before the alarm signal pain gets off. Or when meeting people you realize that they have not even heard the word chiropractic, never less their misconception of it as backcrackers. There is so much lack in true health education. Therefore I see myself going into another country and after I reach financial stability, working on the acceptance and true perception of chiropractic. And I also encourage other chiropractors do the same: there is no reason to lay back in our comfort zone we have work to do!