The Doctor of the Future

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame (spine), in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” n~Thomas A. Edison~

This statement was made by one of the most inventive geniuses of all time. Was he onto something? Did he know something we should know? Let’s examine the facts. The medical profession claims, and most people believe, that Hippocrates is the “Father of Medicine”, but is he? Let’s examine a few of his prominent teachings. The most important of all the teachings of Hippocrates was, “First, do no harm!” Does this describe the practice of medicine today? Although medical physicians are great for acute, emergency, and traumatic care, they fall short when it comes to chronic degenerative disease and true health care. With this in mind, let’s have a look at what the medical research tells us about the level of care they offer today.

• Only 15% of medical treatments are backed by solid scientific evidence: partly because only 1% of medical journal articles are medically sound and partly because many treatments have never been assessed at all. *Source: British Medical journal (BMJ), October 5, 1999, Vol. 303:798n • The fourth leading cause of death in the industrialized world is side effects of prescription drugs (surpassed only by heart attacks, cancer and strokes!). *Source: journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), April 15, 1998n • “Errors in Medicine”: *Source: JAMA – 12/21/94, V. 272, N. 23, p.1851na.) Schimmel – 20% of patients admitted to a university teaching hospital suffered iatrogenic (doctor-caused) injury.nb.) Steel – 36% of those admitted to a teaching hospital suffered an iatrogenic (doctor caused) event, of which 25% were serious or life threatening.nc.) Bedell – 64% of cardiac arrests at a teaching hospital were preventable, most due to use of medication. “180,000 die yearly partly as a result of iatrogenic injury, equal to three (3) jumbo jet crashes every two days."n • “Annual Toll of Drug-Related Problems”: na.) Medications cost as much as $182 BILLION per year, b.) Drugs kill as many as 198,815 people each year, c.) Medications put 8.8 MILLION people in the hospital annually, d.) Drugs account for up to 28% of all hospital admissions. *Source: American Medical News, 1/15/96, p. 11n • In 1994, Americans spent over $73 BILLION on prescription drugs and another $76 BILLION in extra medical costs dealing with the side effects of taking those drugs!
• According to an article in the British Medical journal: Preventable medical mistakes account for 100,000 American deaths each year. *Source: U.S. News and World Report, April 2000n • Causes of preventative death in U.S.:
1.) Smoking cigarettes
2.) Alcoholn3.) Medical malpractice (80,000 deaths each year or one every seven minutes)
4.) Traffic fatalities
5.) Firearm death

The next of Hippocrates’ important teachings was, “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease.” Another reference to the spine! Here we now have two prominent historical figures testifying to the importance of the spine to overall health. The reason the spine is important is because the spinal nerves branch off of the spinal cord and exit between each pair of bones to either side. The brain, through the spinal cord and spinal nerves, control and coordinate all function of the human body. When there is a mechanical fault it can affect the electric-like signal the nerve is carrying to properly regulate the muscle, gland, organ or tissue. This can cause an increased or decreased level of function in that area. This creates an imbalance and disharmony between interacting areas of the body. Chiropractors use gentle realignment techniques to correct the position and mechanics of the joints of the spine so that proper function can return.

The final teaching of Hippocrates I’d like to address is, “Let food be thy medicine, let medicine be thy food.” Are these principles followed in today’s medical practice? Did you ever ask your medical doctor about reversing or preventing chronic degenerative disease through major diet and lifestyle changes? The overwhelming majority of physicians believe that what you eat has virtually no effect on disease (just look at what is served in their hospital cafeterias or the school lunch programs – all must be approved by medically trained dieticians!) In fact, that’s what I was told 16 years ago when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (bleeding ulcers in the colon), an incurable disease, medically speaking. Have you ever asked your doctor whether you should see a chiropractor to make sure your spine and nervous system was working properly? Did they refer you to a chiropractor? Most medical physicians in the U.S. believe, and are taught in medical school, that chiropractic (looking “well to the spine for the cause of disease”) is quackery.

Today, it’s been over 16 years since I’ve had any medical care for colitis, been to a medical doctor or had any medication (prescription or over-the-counter). I am 56 years young and have been able to take up new interests and hobbies due to the changes I made in my diet and lifestyle (i.e. - in the last ten years I have done in-line skating, learned to play the drums, and been certified as a S.C.U.B.A. diver. I also still go snow and water skiing, go bike riding, etc). You have the right to know that other options exist, choices that can radically change your life for the better. Choices that will give control of your life back to YOU!

In our office, we take the role of doctor (teacher) seriously. Please understand that your health is your responsibility. No one can breathe for you, or exercise for you, or think positive thoughts for you, or eat healthy foods for you, or take your body in to have your spine adjusted for you. That’s your God-given responsibility. Let me ask you a question. If you want to be financially stable by retirement age, does it take thought, planning, and investing? Of course! It takes that same type of planning, investing and thought to stay healthy into your 60’s, 70’s, or 90’s and beyond! You may fear living to be that old because you can’t imagine feeling progressively worse year by year. But what if you still had a sound mind and body and could continue as a productive, happy, energetic member of society to your last day? You can! Just begin making a few better choices every day that will ultimately lead you to the goal you want to reach!

So, who are the doctors of the future? If we use the quote from Thomas Edison as our guide, the Doctor of the Future would be a provider who doesn’t give drugs, who also cares for the human frame (spine), and who educates patients on healthy diet as well as on the cause and prevention of disease. The health care provider who best fits these guidelines is the Chiropractor. The Chiropractic profession is the third largest health care profession overall. Only medical doctors and dentists have more providers. It is also the largest health care profession that doesn’t prescribe drugs or do surgery. Chiropractic works with the healing powers of the body, whereas drugs and surgery can negatively affect the body’s ability to heal. You must create the conditions for health in your life rather than the conditions for disease. It’s that simple. You reap what you sow. Place a seed in poor soil, don’t provide sunlight or water or nourishment and what kind of a plant will you end up with? Right, if the plant grows at all, it will be weak, small, shriveled, and susceptible to disease. But, provide that same seed with proper amounts of water, sun and good quality nourishment in a rich soil base, and you’ll have a strong, healthy, productive plant grow in your garden. How are you tending your seeds (cells)? How will you care for them in the future now that you understand these principles? You are responsible for what you know!