7/3/05
Dear Doctor of Chiropractic,
Welcome to WCA Canada!
Our mission is to protect and promote the principles of
Chiropractic.
Regardless of your affiliations with other associations, we
represent a
strong voice for the movement of Subluxation, research based,
wellness
based practices. Our current initiatives include a membership drive
(see
attached) and a strong research validated voice through the new
RCS
program ( www.rcsprogram.com ).
Please read
our free monthly newsletter on the science, art, philosophy and
politics
of Chiropractic. Once you become a member of WCA Canada, 50% of
your
membership dollars will be allocated towards the promotion and
protection of the greatest health care profession in the
world.Chiropractic.
1. Science: By Dr Kelly Kramp
YOU BE THE JUDGE!!
In a review of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research,
Dr.
Sean Hannon reviewed numerous studies published in the research
literature showing that chiropractic care has a direct effect on the
function of our bodies. Think about this for a minute. Could this
improve your overall quality of life? Perhaps you would tire less
easily, sleep more soundly, move easier, walk faster, overcome
illnesses
quicker, become stronger, etc.
MOVE EASIER: Numerous papers showed chiropractic care
improved
range of motion, muscle tone, and muscle strength.
IMMUNE SYSTEM: Other studies have shown that chiropractic
care has
an effect on how effectively our immune system's cells destroy
invaders,
that it can affect some of the stress hormones and even increase
beta-endorphin levels. You should be getting the picture, by
reducing
interference to the way your nervous system works, chiropractic
care can
actually help the body work more efficiently. It improves
physiological
function overall.
HEART AND LUNGS: Research has now shown that chiropractic
care
reduces pulse pressure and reduces heart rate, which can
potentially
reduce heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases by
increasing
cardiac reserve and nutrient supply to cardiac muscles. Other
effects
on cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) function have been studied
revealing
that chiropractic can improve aerobic capacity, lung volume and
pulmonary function.
PERFORMANCE: Research using athletes has shown changes in
agility,
balance, kinesthetic perception, power, and speed reaction as well
as
improvement in muscle strength, long jump distance, and capillary
counts. This will obviously translate into overall improved
performance
in other areas of life, just not athletics.
What all these studies show is that chiropractic care can help
you
to live a better life, a more holistic, well balanced and better
functioning life. That's what wellness is really all about. So the
next time you adjust a patient your mind will have been expanded
to
realize that their benefits go far beyond getting them out of pain.
2. Art: By Dr Kelly Kramp
THE CRUCIAL NEED FOR SPINAL EXAMINATIONS!
We know that our bodies act as their own ecosystem, meaning
that
within each of us, we are interdependent on all the natural
processes
existing inside of us, which add up to making us a functioning
human
being. We rely on a natural chain of events to allow us to breath,
walk
and talk. Each process and each system inside of us are
interrelated
and act together to build us into a healthy human. We are greater
than
the sum of all our parts.
When our digestive system is functioning every other cell in our
body knows what is happening, when our lungs breathe, every cell
in our
body is aware that this is occurring, and when our heart pumps
blood,
our whole body is aware of it. Every part of the body is affected by
every other part of the body.
To demonstrate the truth of this, think of the example of an
athlete performing. When they need their body to react, their
muscles
are told how to move, their heart rate increases, they begin to
breathe
quicker, and many biochemical processes occur to produce usable
energy
instantaneously. The available energy is dependent on the quality
of
food, water, and air provided. All of this happens within seconds
and
the whole body is aware of this occurring.
We need an amazing intelligence within our bodies, which is
responsible to run all of these processes simultaneously. This
innate
intelligence comes from our brain and nervous system, through our
spine
and to every part of our body, orchestrating the function of 70
trillion
cells every second.
In fact, to show how amazing our innate intelligence is, our
brain
and nervous system processes 3,000,000,000,000 (3 trillion) bits
of
information per second, for our whole life. This information is
telling
every cell in our body how to do its job and when to do it. Of all
this
information, we are conscious of only 50 bits per second. This
means
that virtually all the functions in our bodies go on without us
knowing
it.
Just imagine now, that for some reason some of this
information
could not get through to the body, there was a blockage of this
crucial
information that sustains life. It is easy to see that health would
be
compromised. We would have a lowered state of health.
Since the first place that this information leaves the central
core
of our bodies is through our spine, it becomes crucial to health and
healing to allow the spine to function at 100%. If anyone has less
than
100% spinal function they will have less than 100% nerve flow to
their
body. Since this intelligence determines the quality of our health,
they will have less than 100% health.
Science has shown beyond a doubt that VERTEBRAL
SUBLUXATIONS block
off our innate intelligence. When vertebral subluxations have
existed
in people for months or years without them being detected, they
begin to
develop many disease processes. They have a lowered state of
health and
they feel like their body is failing in many different ways. All
types
of stresses and traumas cause vertebral subluxations.
With knowledge like this don't you think it is time that we let
the
world know that every person alive has the right to know how their
spine
and nervous system is functioning? People need to know that
having
their spine checked is a regular part of health care for everyone.
3. Philosophy: By Dr. Tricia Kucheravy
Every time I have asked anyone if their health is important to
them, the
answer is always the same- yes! The interesting thing is what
most
people say and what they do may be two different things. We live in
a
stressful society and do not pay much attention to our health until
it
is in question. When the question of our health arises there are
numerous pills, potions, or lotions out there that claim to make us
feel
better so we can continue thinking we are healthy. Many people
believe
pain determines whether someone is healthy or not. My question to
you is
when someone has high cholesterol is there pain? Are they
healthy? When
do people usually start feeling the pain of cancer? Isn't pain a
natural
healthy part of the birthing process? We have to stop looking at
pain as
the problem and start seeing it as a body signal that it was meant
to
be. My next question to you is where does your health come from?
Our body has the ability to heal itself. If you cut your finger what
heals it, the band aid or you? As a Chiropractor, I try to teach my
patients true health comes from inside them. We need to
understand how
to be proactive with this process and not reactive. Here are the 5
aspects of health that everyone should focus on to maximize their
health
potential; proper sleep, proper nutrition, exercise/stretching,
positive
mental attitude, and most important is an optimal functioning
nervous
system.
Chiropractors are experts at the function of the spine and nervous
system. You may ask why the spine is so important. First it is the
foundation of our body and consists of 24 movable vertebrae, a
skull,
and pelvis; it also protects our central nervous system (brain and
spinal cord). Our nervous system controls and coordinates every
tissue,
cell, organ in your body. It is the master system of our body that
enables your brain and body to communicate 1 quadrillion bits of
information per second. Stress (physical, chemical, or mental) can
cause
misalignments between the vertebrae of our spine (subluxations)
to
aggravate and diminish the communication between the brain and
body.
This is why our nervous system is the pivotal link in connecting
together the other 4 aspects of health.
In the New Year let's take a proactive role by focusing on the 5
aspects
of health; it is too valuable to waste. It is important to have your
spine checked by a Chiropractor for subluxations to maximize the
bodies
function so proper sleep, proper nutrition, exercise/stretching, and
a
positive mental attitude will benefit you to the fullest.
4. Politics: By Dr Shawn Bachorick
Conformity in the Chiropractic Profession
"If there is any one way to confess one's own mediocrity, it is the
willingness to place one's work in the absolute power of a group,
particularly a group of one's professional colleagues. Of any forms
of
tyranny, this is the worst; it is directed against a single human
attribute: the mind- and against a single enemy- the innovator.
The
innovator, by definition, is the man who challenges the established
practices of his profession. To grant a professional monopoly to
any
group, is to sacrifice human ability and abolish progress; to
advocate
such a monopoly is to confess that one has nothing to sacrifice."
-Ayn Rand. Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
The above quote, for me anyway, sums up the flawed thinking
behind many
of the calls for conformity in chiropractic education, methods, etc.
While some may envision a future for the profession where mostly
everyone does much the same thing, I disagree. In my opinion, such
an
arrangement would stifle the creative and innovative spirit which
has
driven this profession forward throughout its history. Think for a
moment about the most commonly utilized techniques within the
profession. How many were developed by symposia, conferences,
or
educational institutions? Compare this with the plethora of
techniques
developed by individuals over the years. Thompson, Gonstead,
Activator,
Network, CBP, and Torque Release are but a few that come to mind.
The same could be said of our philosophical diversity. So long as
there
is a common underlying theme for the profession, individuals
should have
fairly free rein to express their particular interpretation of our
core
tenets.
The main argument for standardization is that it will facilitate
external acceptance by others (MD's, payors, etc.). In my opinion,
that
is an exceedingly poor idea. The chiropractic profession should be
able
to clearly state our positions and the reasons for these positions
so
that the benefits of our care and particular philosophy are clear. A
strong principled stance which stresses holistic, drug-free
wellness
care will gain people's attention. Changing our basic tenets to suit
whoever we are talking to shows that, worse than having
controversial
principles, we have no principles at all.
A national organization needs to be inclusive of as many people as
possible among those who share similar goals. I believe that the
WCA
Canada is such an organization. If you promote a wellness model of
health irrespective of symptoms, stressing healthy lifestyle
activities
and ongoing nervous system wellness, you would be a good fit for
the WCA
Canada.
Please
Download - NEW WCA C anada Application
Kent's Top 10 Reasons to Join
http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/international/canada.ht
m
email: canada@worldchiropracticalliance.org