Guest Editorial



What Is "Life's Brand" of Chiropractic?



By now, virtually everyone in Metro Atlanta and every chiropractor 
around

the world has heard that Life University's School of Chiropractic 
has lost

its accreditation by the Council on Chiropractic Education and that 
its

founder, Dr. Sid Williams has announced his retirement.  And while 
much has

yet to be learned and exposed about the real story behind this 
action, that

is not the focus of this discussion.



Both the Atlanta and Marietta papers have indicated that part of 
the problem

is the philosophical and political differences because  "Life's brand 
of

chiropractic" is different than that being pushed by the professions 
ONLY

accrediting agency.  A couple of chiropractors quoted as saying 
that Life

should be forced to teach "modern chiropractic" and bring its 
students out

of the Dark Ages.



Just what is Life's brand" of chiropractic?  Are the chiropractic 
methods

and techniques different than that taught in any other chiropractic 
school?

And, what is "modern chiropractic" and why wouldn't an aspiring 
chiropractor

or student choose to practice that way?



In chiropractic, there are generally two opposing positions.  One 
group, the

self-professed "modern chiropractors", considers themselves 
essentially a

drugless, non-surgical branch of medicine with a broad scope of 
practice but

a very narrow focus and "diagnose and treat" musculoskeletal 
conditions like

backache and neck pain.  Typically, these folks advertise on late 
night TV,

have big Yellow Pages ads and fee systems that only patients with 
insurance

can afford.  And even then only until the patient's insurance runs 
out or

their personal injury case is settle.  They employ physical therapy 
and

manipulate.



Most, but not all, chiropractors that practice "Life's brand" of

chiropractic, accept the principles on which chiropractic was 
founded, that

the body is self-healing and self-regulating and simply functions 
better

whenever stress on the nervous system (caused by slight 
misalignments of the

bones of the spine) is reduced or corrected.  Chiropractors that 
practice

this way prefer to leave "diagnosis and treatment" of medical 
conditions to

medical doctors, who have enough problems.  These chiropractors 
understand

that medical diagnosis, treatment and referral is difficult enough 
for those

whose profession is built on that and that the public is ill served 
by

confusing the two.

Since "Life's brand" chiropractors understand that people's health 
and

conditions are improved when "wholeness" is restored to the body, 
they are

committed to helping every person they can.



In fact, Life University was created from the vision of getting this 
"brand"

of chiropractic to every person who wanted to experience health 
and vitality

(what we call "vivification") with as little dependence on drugs 
and surgery

as possible.  Life University has developed the reputation over the 
years as

being "THE place to go" if you wanted to learn the best blend of

chiropractic techniques.  ALL of the  profession's fundamental 
adjustive

approaches are taught at Life University (and just a few of the 
other

"accredited" schools) from a theoretical, practical and analytical 
basis so

that its graduates can handle virtually ANY chiropractic problem as

effectively and safely as possible for any given patient.



From Life's motto of "Lasting Purpose: To Give, To Love, To Serve" 
out of

one's own abundance, many of its graduates are committed to 
offering

lifetime wellness care to ALL who want it.  These doctors of 
chiropractic

establish fee systems that are reasonable and feasible for almost 
everyone,

including individuals and families.  In many cases, these 
committed doctors

provide care at no cost to police and fire personnel, clergy and the 
poor in

order to make their community a safer and better place.  The only 
way most

people have access to "modern chiropractic" care is to be involved 
in an

auto accident, an injury at work or by having the good fortune of 
having

that coverage provided by their employer.



The "Life brand" of chiropractic is often criticized because of its

commitment to chiropractic's principles.  These same critics claim 
that

these principles are outdated.  They might have a point.  In today's

"modern" world, people don't honors their commitments, it's OK to 
lie if

it's to save your hide, you can no longer trust an audited financial

statement, there is no sanctity of life and honor is a thing of the 
past.

Fortunately, up to now, there has been at least one chiropractic 
institution

committed to its original principles and service to its students, 
profession

and world.



As we know here in Atlanta, not everything "new" is better.  New 
homes are

not likely to last till the mortgage is paid.  New roads are clogged 
the day

they're opened and fill the air with smog and pollutants.  And who 
can

afford to buy a new car without tricky lease plans or a second 
mortgage?



Is there room for  "Life's brand" of chiropractors AND "modern"

chiropractors?  Isn't that a choice the consumer should have the 
right to

make?  The CCE has chosen for ITS own reasons to deny the public 
and the

profession that choice.  It's just a shame that an institution born 
out of a

desire to make the world a better place is being taken down by a 
desire to

limit the public's access to quality chiropractic care for everyone 
at

affordable prices.



I would urge those looking for a good, committed chiropractor to 
seek out

one that practices "Life's brand" of chiropractic.  And, I encourage 
all

those "Life's brand" chiropractors to stand tall and proud because 
they

stand for something, a bigger idea.  Service above self.



Tim Langley, D.C.

Vinings Chiropractic

3599 Atlanta Road, Suite A-9

Smyrna, GA  30080

678-842-9911 FAX: 678-842-9922

drtim@viningschiropractic.com

www.viningschiropractic.com