Finding Importance...

Some of you may wonder why so much of my writing has to do with "thought" when this is supposed to be a HEALTH newsletter. Simply put, this was never meant to be simply a "health" newsletter. There's plenty of those. The title of this newsletter, and its slowly developing website counterpart, is INDWELLNESS meaning "LIVING (to indwell) in Wellness". You can have knowledge of every good thing for your health, but what makes it work is your daily second to second thought processes. In other words...LIVING the Principles of Maximized Living. Your thoughts ultimately determine your actions, therefore HEALTH begins with thought.

So I was thinking today about how peoples health has a LOT to do with the thoughts of the people surrounding them. If you've seen the movie "Patch Adams" you've seen how your attitude affects health in a very REAL way. It's impossible to be physically well while being emotionally sick. You CAN HELP. Every person you come in contact with depends on you to lift them up. In a time where MILLIONS of children and adults are on ADHD, Depression, and Anxiety drugs it has NEVER been more important for us to take regard of those all around us. Even when you cut somebody off in the street you measurably affect their blood pressure and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Have you thought about that? If you want the EASIEST way to affect someone's emotional health, find what is important to them. For my two year old Jalen, it's watching him throw a beach ball up to himself and catch it instead of writing this newsletter. It was worth taking a break to watch him and to do another important thing to him, read his books before bedtime. He will be emotionally well translating to physical wellness because of it. For my wife, she enjoys being pregnant so taking a moment to feel the baby kicking is important to her. These little things that we get caught up not paying attention to, though they may not be important to you, are important to others. Take the time, listen, and react accordingly because you are making a very real impact on that persons "wholeness", emotionally AND physically.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Random acts of Kindness

This week perform a self test. Without taking YOURSELF into consideration (i.e. what's in it for me?), make it a point to make ONE random act of kindness each day. The earlier in the day the better. Evaluate what you feel like before, what you feel like after, and most importantly what that persons reaction is. The second level is taking a situation that make YOU angry, recognizing it, then making a random act towards that person. Again evaluate all parties involved before and after. Please share your results...

Childlike Heart...

Today on Easter I was reminded in a unique way of the importance of having a "childlike heart". I realized it has major implications on your health.

Today we were invited to spend the afternoon with some friends. Do you remember when you were a kid and the days seemed so long, because you didn't have long to do lists and responsibilities to manage? You didn't have to ask the question "how in the world will I get everything done?" Instead, you asked simply "what do you want to do today?" (How's that for stress relief?) We had that opportunity today for the first time in YEARS...literally. We ended up spending the afternoon playing kickball, hide and seek, tag, and many other games I probably haven't played since middle school. It was GREAT! Was it childish...absolutely! But while "children" run around burning calories and building lean muscle, the "adults" usually sit around in lawnchairs, drinking coffee and eating cake, while they race to see how quickly they can pack on pounds and develop disease (hence the "hide and seek" picture above). Getting past the "humiliation" and developing a shameless "childlike heart" is likely the best way to cut stress AND get enjoyable exercise. You should try it!

PARADIGM SHIFT

Who is it that you are embarrassed in front of? God wants to see you in a JOYOUS state. What is it that keeps you from just having fun? God gave you an incredible body to do so. Where is the code of conduct written as to how an adult is supposed to act? The bible tells us sing, dance, and be thankful.

Those that play STAY. Those that stress PRESS towards death.

For Our Babies...

I need to take this opportunity to pass on some information of PRESSING importance. I firmly believe in what Midwives do and support their efforts. Mothers SHOULD have every option open as to what they want in introducing their babies into the world. If they want a non-medicated, intimidation free, natural childbirth then they SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. In Alabama those options are being discussed. Here's what you can do if you share my views:

Affecting Change in Alabama: Rally in Montgomery for Midwifes' Rights. On March 29 2007 from 10 am to 2 pm supporters for the certification of midwifes in Alabama will be holding a rally at the capital in Montgomery. On the 6th floor of the house you will find people from all backgrounds handing out information and speaking about their own experiences to Alabama Representatives in hopes of getting this very important bill passed into legislation. Expect to see practicing midwifes, doulas their patients, homebirthers, home schoolers, their parents and many others who support midwifery and birthing mother's right to choose home birth as an option for delivery. There are several types of midwifes, and while they all have training in natural childbirth, they are not allowed to attend home births in Alabama. Those who do practice in Alabama are forced to either leave the state to attend births or work in a hospital under a doctor's direction. This leaves pregnant women who want a midwife to attend their labor few options; Leave the state while in labor and hope they make it in time, Have an unassisted birth at home, or give birth at a hospital. Most Obstetricians refuse to keep a pregnant woman as a patient if they find out that the woman will birth with a midwife. Most insurance companies do not cover midwifes, causing those who want a midwife to pay out of pocket when they could use that money for their new baby. But if legislation passes to allow midwifes to be come certified in Alabama that may change, giving pregnant mother more birthing options. More than half of the states in the U.S allow midwifes to attend home births. Home births have a much lower intervention rate and mortality rate. The U.S has one of the lowest scores in industrialized countries for mortality rates/ interventions during birth, with Alabama being third from the bottom in the U.S. The top reason for hospitalization being labor and delivery. While there's no doubt that some labors do need intervention (howbeit rare) most pregnancies progress fine with no need for hospitalization, episiotomies, epidurals and c-sections, which have become commonplace in American hospitals. Midwifes have to jump through loops to practice in Alabama and as they currently cannot become certified in Alabama can have problems getting insurance themselves. Since Alabama ceased offering certification for midwifes they and their supporters have been lobbying for it again. The state of Alabama told these midwifes that they could continue to practice home births in Alabama if they were certified in the state, but no longer offer the certification needed. Not everyone will choose to have a home birth, many preferring to be in a hospital, but for those who want the most natural setting to give birth (in the comfort of their own home being in control) they are not left with many options. One thing I've learned from my own home birth is that each woman has to choose for herself. It's not right for the state to make the choice for you. If you're unsure how you feel about this subject, research the subject, and if you agree that women should have the option of choosing what type of care to receive (even if a midwife is not for you) then support the local midwifes in your area. Contact them and ask what you can do to help bring more attention to this problem. Write or sign a petition, write or call your local lawmakers and talk to your friends and family. Midwifes deserve our help, and so do the babies they deliver.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Two VERY different views of childbirth:

The medical model treats childbirth as a medical emergency, where intervention in the form of hospital beds, drugs, monitoring, instruments, epidurals, c-sections, and even greater obsurdities are the typical experience due to fear of complication. That's only BEFORE birth, not considering the incomprehensible things we subject our newborn babies to in the name of "prevention". The "other" model treats childbirth as the most sacred of experiences for a women, relying on the innate wisdom of the human body through God's perfect design to work according to plan with minimal complication or intervention

PRODUCT HIGHLITE

Midwives and Doulas

It's only fitting to give you a resource where you can track down a Doula or Midwife in your area for EVERY pregnant mom you know. Here's a resource I was able to find: http://www.birthscene.com/search.cfm If you are in Mobile Alabama, I personally recommend Colleen Tullis as she is a close and TRUSTED friend.

The Best Policy...

The famous quote by Benjamin Franklin says "Honesty is the best policy". Sounds great, but Ray Blanton got it right when he said "Honesty does not always bring a response of love, but it is absolutely essential to it."

Being a doctor (a responsible one) requires going beyond the shade of inoffensiveness, and telling people the bare naked truth. Sometimes...it hurts. Sometimes...it creates issues. But it matters most when it CHANGES something. If your child was taking drugs (illegal ones?), out of LOVE you would tell them what they needed to hear. They may not like it, but what might happen if nothing was said? In a day and age where hospitals are the #8 leading cause of death in America, a responsible doctor must do EVERYTHING in his power to make sure people don't end up there. In a day and age where over ONE MILLION people are killed by the U.S. medical system, a responsible doctor must do EVERYTHING in his power to make sure that people don't rely on this system for safety. In the end the pain of honesty is outweighed by the joy of lives saved. Tell the TRUTH. While 10 people may get upset with you there's 10 more that will listen. In the end, what decisions those around you make will not matter...only how far YOU went to help them.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Easy way...Tell people what they want to hear, when they want to hear it. You will not offend anyone. You will have lots of friends. You will live a happy life. And when you pass God will pat you on the back and say "you did well for you cared for people and were a good FRIEND to many."

Hard way...Tell people the truth, no matter how painful or forward, and don't ever hold back. You will offend some...but you will LEAD many. You may not have lots of friends...but you will have LOTS of followers. You will live a FULFILLED life. And when you pass...God will say "even though it hurt, thank you for doing what I commanded and LOVING your neighbors as YOURSELF."

Fact or Belief...

I hope you have had a great weekend, and I want to start the week off right by placing your feet on firm foundation by answering the question systematically. What is Health? Not a week goes by that I don't hear it both ways. The first 'version' is; "Well I'm a 'believer' doc and I tell everyone about Chiropractic." The other 'version' is; "I don't believe in Chiropractic". BOTH of these comments drive me nuts...here's why.

SCIENTIFIC FACTS:

1. The brain controls ALL organs and functions of health
2. The brain controls and coordinates the HEALING processes of the body
3. The brain is connected to the body via the spinal cord and nerves
4. The cord and nerves are surrounded by the spine
5. When the spine is subluxated (out of normal position) it damages the cord and nerves
6. Cord and nerve damage equals organ dysfunction
7. Organ dysfunction equals organ disease
8. Organ disease means loss of life capacity

These are ALL scientific facts...NOT BELIEFS. Sure it's great that you believe it too, but it's kind of like my 2 year old learning that the sky is blue (no offense). The point is this. Subluxation is THE real killer. With subluxation your body cannot heal properly thereby LEADING to cancer, heart disease, and other 'systemic dysfunction' diseases later in life. If you are subject to gravity, then you are most likely subluxated. Does that mean you will die tomorrow? Probably not. But WHAT IF IT'S LEFT THERE? Don't take your chances. Find it and stop it. Stop waiting to "Believe"...schedule your entire family with a Chiropractor TODAY and add years to your life!


PARADIGM SHIFT

FAITH is "believing in things unseen"...

When you take medicine you are acting in FAITH. This choice requires a great degree of FAITH in results UNSEEN because it's the #1 killer in the United States today, responsible for more than 1 MILLION deaths annually. Chiropractic states that "the power that made the body heals the body...above, down, inside, out." Chiropractic is NOT FAITH. It's testable...it's valid...it's inarguable. Chiropractic is the most SCIENTIFIC and sound system of health care in existence. The FAITH with Chiropractic is that God created the body to handle illness and disease. Have you made the choice yet?

There Is No Spoon...

If you can't tell, I love the movie The Matrix. I love the part where Neo is learning from the child that his OWN MIND is creating his reality, and that if he bends his mind he can change the rules. Far fetched...think again.

If you haven't yet seen the movie that's sweeping the world "The Secret", it's a must (we will be playing it in the office soon for those of you who are local). It's incredible how you can see it work when you just know what to look for. As you know from a recent newsletter I had run my very first half marathon in January. What makes the story is that I had done ZERO training for the event. Before that day I thought there was NO WAY I could run even 5 miles, let alone 13.1. What's funny is what I've noticed since then. I've run MAYBE 4 times since that day, yet where I used to burn out in a mile or so I noticed I can now do about 5 miles before I burn out. WHAT CHANGED? Did my physical body get that much stronger because of one run? Hardly. The only thing that has changed is the limitations I have in MY MIND. Think of what you could do with this. What could you do to your finances, your relationships, your health? Why don't you try it this week.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Don't say...

• I hope I don't get sick
• I'm always broke
• My marriage just isn't working
• Nobody likes me
• I can't seem to get a date
• The bad stuff always happens to me

Instead...start saying EVERY MORNING...

• The body God gave me can overcome ANYTHING
• I'm blessed MORE than I deserve to be
• My marriage is getting BETTER by the day because of MY commitment
• I love MYSELF
• Every day is an OPPORTUNITY for something new
• Life is GOOD

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT...

You might be wondering what movie I'm talking about. This movie is incredible. No it doesn't overide religion, nor science. It validates the LINK between both and shows you how to achieve ANYTHING you want out of life through your God given power of creation.

Attention MOBILE subscribers: We will be playing the movie at our office soon though a date is not yet set. We will keep you posted.

The "Down Low" on H2O...

I'm not going to bother going through all the MILLIONS of benefits of drinking water. The bottom line aside from the fact that your body is made up of a lot of empty space (but we won't go into quantum physics today), your tangible body is composed mainly of water. So let's just agree to the obvious that it's important.

We'll keep this simple. The main concern besides all the sugar, artificial sweeteners, and who knows what else goes into it is a clear reason NOT to drink soda, sports drinks, and all the other non-water beverage choices. So when you look at water here's what you need to know. First and foremost DON'T drink from the tap! You would be shocked to know what's in there. Besides the common knowledge dangerous chemicals like chlorine and fluoride, municipal water supplies often contain a plethora of drug residues (ex: Prozac), pesticide and herbicide residues, industrial byproducts, bacteria, and others. Want to know for sure...test it. Besides the nasty contents most tap water is acidic. PH is incredibly important for a host of reasons, but to keep it simple you want the pH of your water to be between 7 and 8. My favorite bottled waters are Fiji (7.5) and Evian (7.18). Of course bottled water gets expensive, especially when you're buying Dasani, Aquafina, and most of the other name brands which are no more than filtered tap water. So a better option would be to buy a good water purifier. I personally use a Crystal Quest filter as you can read about HERE. The bottom line, drink to your health...not your taste. If you do so you will find there is NOTHING more refreshing than a cool glass of clean, pure water!


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Every time you "bend" and give your kid a soda, diet soda, or sugar drink...

• You give them osteoporosis
• You give them rotten teeth
• You give them heart disease
• You give them diabetes
• You give them "ADHD" (sugar high)
• You give them cancer
• You give them early death

Argue that one...

Standing On The Tripwire...

If you've ever seen the movie Behind Enemy Lines, you'll remember the scene where two of the bad guys are walking through the woods and one stops dead in his tracks as he hears the click under his foot. He looks down to see he's standing on the trigger of a land mine. In a state of desperation he begs the other for help who instead points his gun at him and slowly walks the other way, leaving him there to die.

They don't show it in the movie, but you can bet the guy started praying that God would step in and save him as most do in desperate situations, but in the end it seems most reap what they sow. Even Jesus, when tempted to jump off "a high place" knew we are still subject to God's laws of life (including gravity) and responded "Do not test the Lord your God" (Matthew 4:7). How many of your family, your friends, and other people around you will find themselves in this same situation before we get the courage to step in and save them? They are walking through a mine field blindly so long as they're accepting the junk science propagated by the medical-pharma establishment, popping pills and getting cut in desperation. They just waltz along through life (the minefield) not paying attention to the steps they make (jumping off of cliffs) until they step on the trigger, or in other words get diagnosed. Then they expect someone to bail them out who only holds deadly pills in one hand and a scalpel in the other. All I can say is THANK GOD there are mine-sweepers out there. People like myself, my colleagues, my personal mentors, and others who spend their days scouring the fields for hidden dangers, and willing to scream and throw their bodies on top of the mines before they take their next victim. So WHY do you need people around to look out for you, feeding you information, and opening your eyes? Well let's just say if you decide to walk the same field, you'd better have more than two eyes on the ground.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

WHAT ABOUT THE RESEARCH??? While in Orlando for a seminar over the weekend, one of the speakers reminded us why you can NEVER win the battle against medicine based on research. Here's why...

1. MD gives patient information. 2. I give patient opposing "research". 3. MD gives patient piles of research paid for and performed to support their advice because they have more money, more power, and more influence. So the bottom line is, USE YOUR HEAD instead.

Take It To The Bank...

I LOVE this time of year! Today I had another patient come to me and tell me that while filing their taxes, they realized their family of 5 spent NOTHING on health care outside of their Chiropractic care. This of course saved them a fortune, hallelujah! So today I want to BLOW THE LID OFF finances once and for all for any of you who "put off" taking the right steps for your families health (Chiropractic, Exercise, Organic Diets, Nutritional Programs, Massage, etc) because up front it "looks like" just another additional expense.

Here's a few statistics about health spending from the National Coalition on Health Care:

• A recent Harvard University study found that over 50% of bankruptcies were due to medical expenses.
• More than 25 percent of people said that housing problems resulted from medical debt, including the inability to make rent or mortgage payments and the development of bad credit ratings.
• A survey of Iowa consumers found that in order to cope with rising health insurance costs, 86 percent said they had cut back on how much they could save, and 44 percent said that they have cut back on food and heating expenses.
• Retiring elderly couples will need $200,000 in savings just to pay for the most basic medical coverage.
• Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of the uninsured reported changing their way of life significantly in order to pay medical bills.
• Total health care spending was $1.9 TRILLION in 2004, or $6,280 per person. PS: If medicine is your answer and you're not there yet, you just haven't "put if off" long enough to get expensive.
• In 2004, total national health expenditures rose 7.9 percent -- over three times the rate of inflation.
• Although nearly 47 million Americans are uninsured, the United States spends more on health care than ALL other industrialized nations, and those countries provide health insurance to ALL their citizens.
• Experts agree that our health care system is riddled with inefficiencies, excessive administrative expenses, inflated prices, poor management, and inappropriate care, waste and fraud.

The BIG QUESTION you have to ask yourself is, "how do I escape this mess?" Recently I heard one of my colleagues describe this on a conference call as the "Rule of 99". It applies to almost everything, but in this example says if 99% of the population is broke because they didn't take care of themselves, after which they went to Medical doctors to get drugs, surgery, and all the typical flavors; then you need to do the EXACT OPPOSITE to avoid the same results! That means take care of yourself, do things that PRODUCE health, and don't waste your time and money going to a Medical doctor FIRST. For those of you who are "new" to the concept of Maximized Living this might sound "blasphemous". But don't worry, that's just because we've all been well trained by the "Medical Machine". The simple answer is, take care of the basics first (nerve system health, nutrition, and exercise), then if something else comes up have a coach who really knows the human body, not just what the drug reps tell them, and can refer you out IF NEEDED. Of course you have FULL access to me at all times to answer your questions. But for those out of town you need someone local. Over time you will see how it's not only can you eliminate much of your useless health care expenses, but to unlock tremendous health potential in the process.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Medical Model: Drugs, testing, testing, more testing, surgery. $6,280 per person average.

Maximized Living Model: Chiropractic, nutrition, exercise, time management, peace (stress) management. $1,500-$2,500 per person.

2:01...

Have you ever deliberately put yourself in a position to overcome something you believe to be impossible? If you haven't, then you will never tap into your true potential. We are capable of MUCH MORE than our mind or our bodies may tell us we are. Last weekend I was reminded of this truth.

Last Saturday afternoon we went to the First Light Marathon Health Fair to do our regular community outreach. While there I got to watching the different people signing up for the run. You would expect to see a whole bunch of super stud health nut athletes but that wasn't the case. I saw everything from Olympic caliber athletes to 70+ year old women signing up. I couldn't help to notice the excitement in them as if they had just signed up to be astronauts or something. But the question I kept asking myself was "can they do it". I left the fair and headed home. On the drive home I felt an incredible conviction to go for it, to do the "impossible" and trust God to get me through it. When I got home I started talking to my wife and sure enough we ended up back down there an hour later for me to sign up for the half marathon (13.1 miles). Knowing that the last time I had run was New Years Day (I ran maybe two miles), I mapped it all out in my mind that I would run for 2 and walk a half in order to make it through because after all, there was NO WAY my body could handle 13.1 miles without training, I had to work Monday morning, and on and on (excuses). Sunday morning came and the gun shot. You would have to be there to understand the encouragement you get from a group of 900 people running, with just as many cheering you forward. This kept me moving, yet near the end when the group had thinned and it was just me, the little voice in my head kicked in and I managed to talk myself into walking for a few minutes. It just so happened that in probably 5 minutes total of walking in a 2 hour race, my wife and son drove past me in their car. Then in the last mile a lady easily in her sixties ran past me as I again slowed. And when I crossed the finish line my final time was 2:01. My lesson was spoken loud and clear. I had it in me to go further, work harder, do more, and never quit but I let the lies seep in and missed the mark by ONE minute. When others were willing to work harder, all I could do is watch them run by not because they were more capable, but because they believed more than I did. When you don't think you can...YOU CAN. When it seems impossible...it's POSSIBLE. Too often people miss their mark, letting down their families and the people around them sabotaging their own outcome and failing to experience their full potential, just because they want to make it a little easier. Lack of faith equals lack of growth and prosperity. I hate to say it but if you're stuck thinking you can't do it...YOU WON'T! Whatever it is you need to go after, go for it. In the end if you just have faith you will find you are more capable than you ever thought possible.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

In life we have a choice. Our faith WILL be somewhere, but what it's in is up to us. Faith in God means trusting God's plan, operating in full faith, and following the VERY CLEAR directions set forth in his word on how to live mind, BODY, and spirit. Faith in Man is living by the ways of the world, then putting our faith in "science" to dig us out.

I recently had a discussion with a lady while serving out in the community who made the statement "I just take my medications and have faith in God". Think about it...

Special Issue from Dr. Ben Lerner...

This was SO good that I had to pass it on. This comes from Dr. Ben Lerner, one of my personal mentors, 2 time Olympic team doctor, and New York Times best selling author.

FOX HOLE CARE AND FOX HOLE PRAYER: Risky Propositions? LIFE'S GREATEST QUESTIONS: WILL THERE BE JOY OR SUFFERING? WILL THERE BE HEALTH OR DISEASE? All my life I've contemplated these questions. Some family members died young, some got old. Some suffered greatly; some were having a permanent party. THESE ARE LIFE'S GREATEST QUESTIONS: DO YOU HAVE A PLAN OR ARE YOU HOPING TO GET LUCKY? ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR LIFE OR ARE YOU HOPING GOD WILL BLESS YOU DESPITE YOUR BEST EFFORTS TO FOIL HIS PLAN FOR HOPE AND A FUTURE? When you're young, you think you can beat life; acting as if God blinks or looks the other way as you ignore the important laws of life and survival He's set in place. Actually, most older people are even worse. About every other month I find out that someone I know or knew who ignored God's laws of spine and structure, ignored God's nutritional laws, ignored God's laws against stressful living, and generally ignored God's laws of Maximized Living has gotten cancer, some other terminal disease, had a heart attack and/or died prematurely. When people get really sick, are suffering in pain, and/or are just hanging on - people all over the world will call, send e-mails, and come into our clinics asking if I know some natural things this person can do to get well or simply make it. If it's gotten bad enough, they just ask that I pray God would heal them. In a war; foxholes are what man has built to dive into when they are under attack. If you're like me, and only seen this in movies, you can only imagine the feeling of despair that you'd have hoping that that foxhole will protect you from death. In the foxhole, even the most devout atheist is praying for deliverance. Unfortunately, with bombs, tanks, bullets, and hand grenades flying everywhere - a hole surrounded by sand bags is a very risky proposition. When someone is desperately sick or in pain and looking to do anything they can to get well, you call that FOXHOLE CARE. When they pray or you're asked to pray for them' it's FOXHOLE PRAYER. I love to take care of the really sick and have seen some amazing results with Chiropractic care when treating them. Similarly, I've heard of and seen first hand the Mighty Hand of God move on behalf of someone and heal them when all else had failed. Unfortunately, Foxhole Care and Foxhole Prayer are both very risky propositions. God has laws; the law of gravity, the laws of physics, the laws of humans needing a certain amount of air, nutrients, and nerve supply to survive, etc., etc. If you're looking for a natural way to break the law of gravity or for God to catch you when you jump off of a 20 story building, you're more than likely out of luck. God can do anything, but when you jump off the building and yell, "God catch me," chances are your response is going to be found in the inherent physical laws of acceleration, resistance, instant de-celeration, and the properties of hard matter. Are there people that survive 20 story falls.yes.should you try it? Probably not! IT'S EITHER MAXIMIZED LIVING OR RUSSIAN ROULLETTE; FOLLOW GOD'S LAWS OF LIFE; OR SEE IF YOU SURVIVE THE FALL? FOLLOW YOUR CARE, COME TO THE EXTREME MAKEOVER, AND SAVE A LOVED ONE FROM JUMPING! LIFE OR DEATH? DEATH OR LIFE? THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS - YOU HAVE THE ANSWER. Maximum Blessings, Dr. Ben Lerner


PARADIGM SHIFT...

When face to face with "a grizzly bear" you have three choices.

A. Keep doing what you're doing and don't change anything. Ignore it. The "bear" eats you. B. Do what the majority of people would do. In this case run. You might live a little bit longer. But the "bear" STILL eats you. C. Drop a "hand grenade" in between you in the "bear" and hope that only you survive. D. You somehow got yourself in this position. Use your instinct. Use your brain. Make the most logical decision. But do something quickly before the "bear" eats you. *Now replace "bear" with "cancer", and "hand grenade" with "drug/surgery/chemotherapy/etc" and read it again.

Successful Resolutions...

So here we are, beginning of the New Year. You've set your "resolutions" and now every magazine on the shelf claims to have the answer to keeping them. So why do they still fail? Today I'm going to give you the TWO most important reasons why resolutions fail so that you can in turn succeed in not "resolving", but REVOLUTIONIZING your health, happiness, and overall well-being in 2007.

The first is TIME MANAGEMENT. We all stink at it, but that's easy to do in a time when we're so bombarded with things to do that you have to schedule yourself to be two places at once. The golden rule of time management is painting solid yellow lines around your schedule as described in the book Body By God. But to even get to this step it implies you must do something FIRST. Plan. You need to look at your schedule, figure out what your priorities are, then work "clearly" around them. For example, from 7:30-8:30 every night is my time with my son. NOTHING else is done during this time. No work, no writing, no reading the paper or email, nothing. In order to follow through though you have to WRITE IT DOWN. Use excel or word to map out your week that you can use it as a template at the beginning of each week to work around. More details and ideas can be found in the book. The second reason resolutions fail is because they usually operate on motivation, not INSPIRATION. When we are inspired to do something "outside" ourselves we're not doing it for ourselves. If a teenage boy is inspired to get the girl he'll hit the gym and wash his face every day as long as it takes. If he's only motivated (for self), he'll quit as soon as it gets tedious (by February?). This gets really easy when you start LIVING for God, not just praying to him. Your eating habits, your exercise, your marriage, EVERYTHING will improve because you have the proper INSPIRATION to follow through, not just weak self motivation. I hope to see your life changed dramatically this year. Stay on fire, be consistant, and don't lose grasp on WHY you go the extra steps. And if you really want to see BIG changes happen, find out if there is an International Extreme Makeover Challenge in your area. It starts the week of January 15th which we will be conducting in Mobile, AL. I hope to see some of you there!

PARADIGM SHIFT...

Shifting Priorities.

Will your actions today matter tomorrow? Will you wish you had worked more? Will you wish you had rested less? Will you wish you had read more books to your kid, or read more email? Would you rather put more time and effort into your marriage, or take your chances with a new one? Would you like to have more balance in your life, or do you like feeling anxious all the time? And lastly, would you rather take care of your body for another 60 years, or neglect it and only get 20? Think about it.

Misunderstood Misinformation...

I often wonder WHY with so much information out there, and the blatantly obvious answers available, are the majority of people still lost when it comes to health and healing. Why Chiropractic after one hundred years is still so misunderstood. I was unfortunately reminded. During church today a new patient of mine shared his testimony in which the neurologist diagnosed him with a pinched nerve (I actually saw him before the neurologist). He described how "a Chiropractor" told him that "it would just take time and to keep getting adjusted, but was actually getting worse". Considering he regained feeling in his hands after just a few adjustments, OF COURSE my ego was a little hurt...I am human. But the bigger issues quickly took over in my mind.

Before I go on let me say that I do NOT blame the person. He probably did not mean to publicly discredit me or Chiropractic, he was just trying to get his point across which meant leaving out a lot of relevant details. Secondly, I do NOT doubt miraculous healing. I see them often when "science" would suggest improvement is impossible. The problem is this. What happens to the people listening who were "thinking" about seeing a Chiropractor to see if there was another option besides the drugs that are killing them? Or the people who were thinking about giving up on natural health care? Or worse yet, the ones that already thought Chiropractors were "quacks" and said "yep, I told you they just want you to keep coming and take your money". It made me realize that I've got a mountain to climb to better educate people on the principle. Here it is. GOD MADE THE BODY, GOD HEALS THE BODY...THE DOCTOR ONLY REMOVES THE INTERFERENCE. I failed to get across to this person that the body is designed to heal, and that God intends us to enjoy good health through GOOD CHOICES. I failed to get across that "Dr. Mike" does not claim to heal you, and does not supply a guarantee for improvement within a particular time frame. I promise ONE thing. To reconnect your body with the healing power that God placed inside each of us. What happens from there has NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH ME. I see now that we have a lot of work to do if we want people to see health change on a massive level. IT'S ON!


PARADIGM SHIFT...

OPTION 1 - Drugs & Vaccinations: Poisonous to the body and require the body to redirect resources to detoxify the liver and repair damage that's done by the medications instead of dealing with the real issue. OPTION 2 - SURGERY: If you take the alternator, radiator, or even a spark plug out of a Ferrari it will not work the same. The body must be 100% fully intact and according to original design to function at 100%. OPTION 3 - NOTHING: In life you're doing one of two things, getting better or getting worse. Your choices and actions determine which direction you go.

If none of these options seem to work for you, then you need to take care of your body as it was given to you. The principle of Chiropractic is to realign you with God's intentions. To teach a lifestyle conducive to health by making good choices. Tell me, what percentage of the population SHOULD choose this option for their family's health?

Surviving Christmas...

So we're getting close to Christmas, the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year". So why are you so stressed out? This time of year you might have noticed is referred to as flu season as well. Do you really think it's because the flu bugs happen to be in hibernation and only come out for Chanukah? Or do you think it probably has more to do with the combined stresses of holiday diets, stressful family gatherings, and hectic shopping schedules? Now of course the additional stress of weather change has a lot to do with it, but let's remind ourselves of the fact that not everyone gets sick just because the weather changes. So how do we get through the holidays without crashing?

I was reminded of the big picture while in the parking lot at the mall. I saw a mom open the trunk before a screaming child and say "see, look, isn't this what you wanted"? I thought to myself, what has this turned into? People shooting others in the parking lot to get a Playstation 3, pitching tents in freezing parking lots, and people getting trampled over a sesame street doll, I think it's safe to say we're missing something. If you want your holiday stress to turn into peace, ponder this: "for God so loved the world, that he GAVE...". Not toys, sweaters, or video games, not material things. He gave LOVE. Here's some holiday gift ideas: random acts of kindness, fellowship, family. You don't need gifts (or credit cards) for those. This season we will teach our two year old what Christmas is about, LOVING and GIVING rather than wanting and having. Most people think finding PEACE is that moment when you're sitting around the living room with wrapping paper scattered and the kids with gaping jaws around everything they wanted (just before the harsh reality of holiday DEBT sets in). Some of the best Christmas' I ever had as a child was when I received the least, because I felt I had given more. Don't put life on hold and put yourself in a hole mentally, spiritually, and physically for the sake of pleasing. Use this time rather as a reminder of the greater things, the more important things. Be thankful for your health, your family, your provisions, and those around you that GAVE for you to be where you are today. It's not too late to make this season different. Merry CHRISTmas!


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Your body has a natural defense system against holiday stress. B and T cells (white blood cells) constantly "patrol" the body on guard and ready for action. The moment something foreign (bacteria, virus, etc) enters the body the alarm is sounded and the call to action is activated. These cells begin to develop antibodies, they rush to the sight, they close off the escape routes, they do everything possible to ensure victory.

It's interference with this "program" in the form of cut supply lines (nutrition), stagnation (lack of exercise), sabotage (drugs/and medications), and most importantly lack of command (brain to body connectivity), that stunt this entire process. The effect...you get ill. Spend some time pondering this concept and work on steps to rebuild your internal military to combat the holiday blues.

The War At Home...

This topic is on my mind every morning when I wake up. I recently heard Dr. Greg Loman, one of the busiest doctors on the planet, say "what you wake up for is much more important than your actions during that day". It's the war at home, and the message rang clearer today than ever. A member at my church, Chris Mason, was just killed in Iraq after speaking to our church during leave just 4 weeks ago. The video was played at church today of that message in which he said the bullets over there are very real, but the war at home is just as real.

Ritalin and other ADD/ADHD drugs are currently prescribed to not thousands, but MILLIONS of children in the U.S.

• To my knowledge, every instance of a school massacre has been at the hands of a child on these drugs.
• Most of these drugs have, or are being considered for black box warnings.
• The vast majority of DSM (the "bible" of mental disorder diagnosis) authors are on the payroll of drug companies.
• In an effort to find an actual biological difference in ADD/ADHD kids, a recent study found a 15% decrease in brain size. What they didn't tell you is that ALL these kids were on the drugs.
• These are now the drugs of choice on college campuses.
• The media has reported preschoolers stealing these drugs from classmates to snort in the restrooms.
• Studies are being done to look for effectiveness in INFANTS and TODDLERS.

Why is there such a push to get kids on these drugs? The answer is on the side of a bottle of Strattera. There you will find a side effect of suicide. The problem is NOWHERE in the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD do you see suicide as a behavior. This leads to the conclusion that these drugs, just like their relatives cocaine and methamphetamine, lead to depression. If you lock a child on behavior drugs, you have a customer for life. This is the war at home. To save OUR children. From a corrupt industry that kills or injures more Americans each year than the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and Vietnam combined. Will you fight on the front lines or sit back and watch it happen until it knocks on your doorstep?


PARADIGM SHIFT...

What happened to discipline?

When I was a child I got the paddle in the principles office if I was bad. My mom broke a wooden spoon, and a blood vessel, on my but one time. My dad struck fear in me like no one else. There are limits but behavior is easily controlled through discipline. In this day and age social services will take your child is someone ever accuses you of disciplining your children. Teachers and guidance counselors will report you for not putting your kids on zombie meds. And the FDA will take your children from you if you don't conform to accepted medical treatment. Parents are responsible for their kids and ALL their actions. This responsibility needs to be taken back for the health of our children.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT...

Today's product highlight is the multi purpose spank stick. This useful household appliance can be purchased at your local Home Depot (or received free with any bucket of paint). Has an ergonomic handle and constructed of sweat absorbing wood for comfort. It also has just the right breakage limit to prevent overstrike. And when the kids are in quiet time you can use it to stir that can and repaint the hallway with your spare time.

It's OK...you can laugh.

"ILL"ogical Vaccination...

When it comes to the health of our children I am not shy in stating my views. Vaccinations do more harm than good, that's just the simple truth. So why do parents feel they must get their most precious gifts vaccinated with dozens of poisonous cocktails. One word...FEAR. Parents are told that they are risking their child's life, that it's the law, and that they won't be able to get into school if they do not get them. All three of which simply ARE NOT TRUE. Let's just look at a few pieces of the "ILL"ogical rational being used by the pocket-padding advocates.

According to the New York State Dept of Health's website, you should NOT be vaccinated if you are pregnant, have eczema or dermatitis (indicative of LIVER TOXICITY), are being treated for cancer (IMMUNE deficiency), are HIV positive (IMMUNE deficiency), have had an organ transplant, or have heart disease. Let's think about this for a minute. If these things are safe, WHY are you so afraid of giving them to anyone that is MORE likely to have side effects? Those are the FIRST people that should be taking vitamins, changing their diet, exercising, getting adjusted, and all other things that are HEALTH PRODUCING measures. According to the CDC's website, the "flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions." Well if you are a "healthy" person than why the heck would you need a flu shot? What about those "healthy" individuals who just happen to get the flu right after getting the flu shot? And this part really kills me..."The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists' estimations about which types and strains of viruses will circulate in a given year." Well with the vast number of strains out there and the dynamic nature of mutation, I certainly hope these "experts" do better than the ones guessing the weather. These things come behind the #1 "ILL"gocial idea of all; that injecting poisonous things like aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, aspartame, and MSG will actually make you HEALTHIER than without. Not to mention the ABORTED BABY tissue found in some vaccinations...see for yourself. When you just take the time, for the sake of YOUR family and the families and children within your circle of influence, you will see why these practices survive still today but SHOULD be a thing of the past such as bloodletting. Some things just DON'T MAKE SENSE!


PARADIGM SHIFT...

What is the FLU (or any other sickness/disease for that matter)?

If the body were producing health at 100% functionality, would there be such thing as illness or disease? The answer is NO. The human brain is the most complex and organized collection of matter in the universe, and it's one and only job is to keep you functioning at 100% capacity from birth to the grave. Sickness is a SYMPTOM of decreased BRAIN TO BODY function. This inhibited functionality allows sickness to take hold of the body. With the onslaught we put our bodies under day to day, is it any wonder our innate system gets overwhelmed? Don't depend on shots and drugs to get you well, the power that made the body heals the body above down, inside out. That's science, that's philosophy, that's faith, that's TRUTH.

Liquid Meat...

Of all the topics I deal with in my day to day practice, this is BY FAR the "sacred cow" that people just won't give up. Despite my best efforts, the addiction to cow's milk has proven to be stronger than that of tobacco, alcohol, and just about any other substance, maybe due to the casomorphin in milk (that's right, sounds an awful lot like MORPHINE). No but in reality, it's so engrained in us by the mass media and non-thinking doctors alike, that we simply cannot believe the prospect that not only is it NOT a health food, but could actually be very dangerous to our health. So here's a few shockers that will get you well on your way to dropping it like the bad habit it is.

Cows milk is a delivery system for BABY cows, packed full of powerful bovine hormones and massive protein content designed to make a baby cow grow into a BIG cow very quickly. Add artificial growth stimulants, antibiotics, and genetic modification and you have a freakish compound that makes Frankenstein look like a Science Fair project. Milk gets the nickname "liquid meat" for its OVER-abundance of animal protein. Published in the Lancet Nov 27th, 1976, Dr. Allan Cunningham looked at the daily animal protein intake in 15 different countries. New Zealand consumed the most at 43.8 grams/day, while Japan was the lowest at 1.5 grams/day. Since the time of this article Japan has seen a sharp rise in consumption of animal protein and to no surprise their frequency of Lymphomas and other diseases has gone right with it. In other words, animal protein equals disease. To make it worse, have you ever heard of a "downer cow"? These are the cows that arrive at the auction yards or slaughter houses either dead, trampled, dehydrated, lacerated, or too ill to walk. If they fail to respond to ELECTRICAL SHOCK by getting up, they are dragged to rendering plants where they are turned into "protein food" for other cows and animals. Mad cow anyone? Yes, but the calcium. We must have calcium from milk to prevent osteoporosis, right? Look at these two groups. Eskimos consume about 25% of total calories as animal protein and about 2,500mg of calcium per day yet have one of the worst osteoporosis rates in the world. The Bantus of South Africa only consume 12% of their diet as protein (mostly plant), and get only 200-350mg of calcium per day yet have virtually NO osteoporosis! Again, it's the protein. EAT YOUR GREENS and you'll get PLENTY of usable calcium. Don't worry, you won't miss the lactose intolerance too badly. The milk industry admits that lactose intolerance wreaks intestinal havoc on 50 MILLION Americans, stimulating a lactose intolerance industry for drug companies with sales over $117 million in 1992 (TIME May 17,1993). Do yourself a favor, drop the Franken-foods and stick to the things designed for human consumption. If you're not ready to drop it after reading this, spend a few hours on www.NOTMILK.com and you will be.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Human Breast Milk is for Baby Humans... Seal Milk is for Baby Seals... Giraffe Milk is for Baby Giraffes... Golden Retriever Milk is for Golden Retriever Puppies... Elephant Milk is for Baby Elephants... Cows Milk is for Baby Cows...

By the way, I'd love to know if you've tried any of these other varieties?

Believing is Seeing...

(Due to a glitch I lost the first draft and had to start over, so I know this needs to get out!) Coming out of school over 2 years ago I would never have expected this to happen. I knew from the get go that I would make sure everyone knew my office was God-centered, rather than hide it as not to offend anyone. The most important point I had to get across to everyone is that God created you to be WELL. I figured as others warned me that I would have patients leave out of disagreement or distrust because of my position. What actually happened surprised me...

More often than not, it has been those that openly voice their faith that decide they "did not need help", while those that openly denounce faith seem to clearly understand why they do. What's up with that? Well it confused me for a while, but after spending some time with it, I figured it out. I grew up in church, hearing the pastor read the scripture about how God overcomes disease and how God has already given you EVERYTHING you need. I ABSOLUTELY agree, but boy is this dangerous when people misunderstand it. I'd see people go to the altar and pray for healing. Then I'd go to the picnic afterwards and see them eating a pork sandwich and washing down their BP meds with an ice cold Coke. Guess who was back at the altar again next week? I realized how frustrating this must be for pastors and started asking the ones I treat about it. You can guess their response. So I made it a point to start speaking in churches about this to help them out. The reason "believers" have a hard time seeing the need for help/intervention starts with the common reference to the body as "the flesh" with an almost negative connotation. God's greatest creation as something that we must overcome, something almost evil that must be whipped into submission. For this we've created an imaginary wall between the physical body and the spirit. There is NO WALL! The bible tells us to "Glorify God in our Bodies" 1 Cor. 6:20, that this is our "Spiritual Act of Worship" Rom. 12:1. But "Adam's sin is why we suffer from disease" isn't it? I hear this one WAY too often. Does John slapping Jane make ME an abuser? It's the things WE do to ourselves that creates our consequences and our separation from God in SPIRIT or BODY (the blood ensured that). This is why we must WORK to be healthy. The bible says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hos. 4:6. The brilliance in this verse is the unsaid, that knowledge requires first understanding (getting the Big Idea that "God needs no help, just NO INTERFERENCE"). Of course that means we must figure out what is interfering with our bodies innate ability to heal and fix it. As for miraculous healings there are TWO reasons why I believe they occur. One, we begin to ACT upon God's instruction (even if it's only in a decision) or two, it is used to bring SOMEONE ELSE closer to God. Either way the will of God is being accomplished through the greater good. If you give a kid a bike without first cleaning his room, what lesson will you be teaching? James 2:26 tells us that "Faith without ACTION is dead". Until we quit hiding behind our prayers, and start ACTING on them, God is going to keep biting his lip in anticipation. Pray AND ACT, and watch how quickly God will "draw his blazing guns". If this happened miracles would occur faster than you could look for them.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

What's the BIG IDEA? The Human Brain is the MASTER control system for the entire body. Every cell, tissue, and organ is somehow controlled or influenced by the nervous system through a network of nerves which yours alone if lined up in individual fibers end to end would wrap around the entire globe more than two and a half times.

What's your FIRST step going to be in getting and staying healthy?

Pushing Through Barriers...

A few months ago I went to a camp with a few dozen other Chiropractors as part of our coordinated effort through Maximized Living. At this camp we spent the weekend pushing ourselves, and each other, through physical, emotional, and spiritual barriers. Every day I look around and see people shelled in by the barriers they have created around themselves in their mind, their body, and spirits. At the very same moment I see the potential in each one of them and begin to think to myself WHAT IF they just pushed through? This concept is relevant in SO many areas in our lives that I found it the most fitting thing to talk about this week.

The thing is, most of us think pushing ourselves is going until we hit a barrier and then quitting. We run until we start breathing heavy...then quit. We go on a diet until we get a craving...then quit. We get married until things get tough...then quit. We do something GOOD for ourselves until our wants become a priority over our needs...then quit. I want you to stop for a second and think of the last time you did this. Think hard and ask yourself the question, did I grow from my decision? Now think what MIGHT have been possible if you hadn't quit. You see, our physiology, our neurology, and our psychology is BUILT on this principle. God created the most important parts of our very existence around this principle. We do not GROW unless we push THROUGH barriers, not TO them. When things get tough is exactly when we hunker down, re-engage, and ignite ourselves to push through it realizing that it is not our bad luck, our genetics, the other person, the he, she, or it that controls the outcome. Every single time you do this your emotional barriers break down, your self esteem increases, your brain begins to physically build new bridges and connections, and your body responds accordingly to handle the new circumstances. The Lance Armstrong's, Tiger Woods', Donald Trump's, Tony Robbins', and Billy Grahams' of the world DID NOT get to the top by quitting when it got tough. On the other hand, when we quit we sabotage what God has planned for us, we crush our hopes for achieving our innate potential, and most importantly we not only give up on ourselves but we give up on the known and unknown individuals who are counting on YOU to lead the way to make changes in THEIR life. And of course we must consider the things in our life that God sets in our path, but we neglect to acknowledge and quit before we ever get started. It's time YOU take back your life. It's time YOU change your environment. It's time YOU change your reality. The thoughts that come out of the depths of your mind become the very reality that you live in. It's scientific, philosophic, neurologic, psychiatric, and spiritualistic TRUTH. It's time to PUSH and break down the walls around your life.


PARADIGM SHIFT...

Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults. Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults. Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults. Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults. Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults. Tylenol is the LEADING cause of liver FAILURE in adults.

What will you do the next time your child gets a harmless fever? What will you say the next time your friend, neighbor, co-worker, pastor, family member, or passerby at the grocery store mentions giving THEIR kid a Tylenol?

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT...

Today's nut-case, quackery, folklore, snake-oil treatment of the day is...Egg whites for fever.

Yes, and it makes sense even though it sounds silly. I discovered this when looking for alternatives for fighting high fever instead of succoming to the fear of tylenol-deficiency syndrome (aka: uncontrollable brain-damaging fever). Just take common ordinary eggs out of the refrigerator, crack them open, and smear the egg whites (not sure about the yolks?) in a pan or on a washcloth or towel. Then plant both bare feet of the child right into it. Not only does it do a great job of drawing heat through two of the best temperature conductors of the body, but it's fun and exciting for the entire family!