Health care today is going through a paradigm shift from a symptom disease based system to a function performance based system. Emphasis for care is being placed on the individual’s ability to regain and maintain a state of well being. Practitioners who are in this paradigm respect the body’s own natural ability to be healthy and whole. Consumers are actively seeking providers who are working within this new paradigm.
The following quote by Ronald J. Glasser, M.D., sums up the health crossroads we now face. This former Asst. Prof. of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota says, “It is the body that is the hero, not science, not anti-biotics…not machines or new devices. The task of the physician today is what it has always been: to help the body do what it has learned so well to do on its own, during its unending struggle for survival—to heal itself. It is the body, not medicine, that is the hero.”
True wellness includes all aspects of your life: good foods, adequate body movement, positive mental attitudes and a nerve system functioning at its peak. It far surpasses the old thought process that the mere elimination of symptoms equals health. Achieving true wellness includes practices that address your body’s ability to function at peak performance, and the trust and commitment in your body’s ability to be well.
Chiropractic care plays a vital role in the Family Wellness Lifestyle. As leaders in this health care paradigm shift, chiropractors offer families the means to achieve the true wellness parents are now seeking. The very basic philosophy on which chiropractic was founded includes a deep respect for the body’s inherent ability to heal and be well. The science of chiropractic is based on the importance of a functional nerve system—the vital key to health and well being. The art of chiropractic is the specific adjustment that restores function, allowing the body to express itself fully.
As our society makes the shift into this paradigm of wellness, we, as chiropractors, will be in greater demand to fulfill the needs of these families seeking wellness. It is important that we acquire the skills to care for more children and pregnant women, as these specific groups often present with challenging cases. Working and growing together, as a profession, to meet the consumer’s needs will insure our greater service and success as doctors of chiropractic.
Jeanne Ohm, DC, has practiced Family Chiropractic since 1981. She is currently Executive Director of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association and is the instructor on Perinatal Care in their 360-Hour Diplomate program. She can be contacted via their site at www.icpa4kids.com.