What if you knew that jumbo jets, each one carrying 300 passengers, were going to start falling out of the sky? What if you were told that this was going to happen twice a day, for the next 365 days, each time killing all 300 passengers on board? Would that alarm you? Would you maybe hesitate a bit before deciding to get on the next airplane?
What if you discovered that it is already happening, but it is not airline pilots flying those planes—they are medical doctors!
A commentary written by Dr. B. Starfield, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (July, 2000), provided a shocking yet conservative estimate: in this year alone, more than 220,000 North Americans are going to die—not from natural causes, but from medical causes. Iatrogenic illnesses, or problems directly resulting from medical intervention, are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in North America. Only heart disease and cancer lead to more deaths annually.
In another recent study, researchers reported that almost 20% of all patients admitted to the ICU of one hospital were there because of iatrogenic causes, and most of these were related to over-medication. Does that scare you enough to question your doctor the next time he or she hands you a prescription?
If you are in an accident, be thankful that you live in North America. Our emergency medical care is second to none. However, as far as our general health and wellness is concerned, allopathic medicine is failing us. Americans are considered over-fed and under-nourished, we get too much medication and not enough exercise, and our youths are being taught about health with a philosophy that is out-dated and incorrect.
When did the medical model start to go wrong?
In the 17th century, philosopher Rene Descartes compared the human body to a machine, with a mind and body that were considered completely separate structures. As such, he suggested that diseases of the body should be treated only by doctors of the body, and diseases of the mind were only to be treated by doctors of the mind.
Western medicine adopted this philosophy—to our detriment. Where Descartes went wrong, and what many doctors seem to be neglecting, is the fact that the mind and body are intimately connected—and that by treating one, you greatly influence the other.
Combine this problem with the fact that we have become a society of “need it now”: we have fast-food, fast cars and want faster and better technology all the time and this is spilling over into the healthcare industry. Most people nowadays are seeking that “quick fix”—that one-treatment wonder or one pill that will make them instantly better.
The United States is now the largest consumer market for pharmaceuticals in the world, with 48% of the entire population using at least one prescription medication in the last month. This is not a state to be proud of, as it is only making us sicker, not healthier.
What can we do about it?
We need to start taking care of ourselves. We need to shift to a more health-based paradigm and get back to the basics. The solution will not be found in the treatment of our problems, but in the prevention of them. A headache is not the indicator that the body needs more Tylenol! We need to reduce the amount of stress we are exposed to in our environments. We need to take control of our own health, and stop handing it over to a system that is inherently flawed.
Who can you turn to for guidance and help? Your chiropractor, of course!
Chiropractors have been working diligently for over a hundred years under the basic premise that “the power that made the body heals the body”. They adjust spines to remove vertebral subluxations—helping take stress away from the spine. Alleviating pressure from the sensitive joints and nerves of the spine works to facilitate a better mind-body connection, thus helping to improve the general health and wellness of the whole patient, no matter what condition they are suffering from. Since nothing is added or taken away from the body, it is the most natural, safe and effective thing you can do to enhance your health. Regular chiropractic adjustments help prevent sickness by making the body work better.
If it is health and wellness you are seeking, it is time to reach for a paradigm called chiropractic, not another pill or prescription.
Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM
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