So the conference that I went to over the weekend….AMAZING!!! I was in the presence of some amazing practitioners. It was a lecture format conference for the first day and the second was a panel discussion between the audience members and the presenters. On the panel was the Traditional Chinese Medicine provider to the Queen of England, the developer of Naturopathy from the West Coast, Ayurveda practitioner that was raised in the area of the world where it was developed and grew up that way, the Chiropractic Philosopher that is revising and up-grading the philosophy that our profession was built on, an MD, as well as a few others. It was really exciting to be in the audience and listen to the different perspectives. There was some really cerebral/heady stuff going on as well as some stuff that anyone can easily wrap their heads around. The bottom line is it is about life. It is about the principal that the body is way more intelligent than many (and especially the medical field and pharmaceuticals which run our health care in this country) people give it credit for. There was a strong undertone to the lecture of the health care system here in the United States is broken and run strictly for money and greed. We need a change! There is a wisdom controlling and coordinating the body and is not making mistakes in the process. It is doing exactly what needs to be done according to the internal environment it is dealing with. And this idea is exactly central to the chiropractic profession. It is wonderful to be part of a health care field that is based on truth. As mentioned previously, I received continuing education credits for being there, however those types of events, I will choose to be a part of regardless. Amazing, powerful, truth, community, and HEALTH!
VITALISM
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I am required to get so many continuing education credits each year in order to keep my license. There are a number of ways to do that though most of them include sitting in a classroom, which I am not very fond of. So if I am going to be required to sit for long periods of time, I better be listening to something good. Most chiropractors do local conventions to get the work out of the way as easy as possible, but I am not one to take the path of least resistance. This weekend I will travel down to Atlanta, GA to sit in on a conference about “Vitalism” at a place where they are having “The World’s Greatest Conversations”.
What is vitalism? Vitalism is the doctrine that all the functions of a living organism are due to an unknown vital principle distinct from all chemical and physical forces.
This simply means that we are more than what we see. There is a life force that controls the body and orchestrates all of its activities. This vital force is what is present a living human being and absent at death. Because chiropractic is based on a vitalistic philosophy (the body is self-healing, self-regulating, and adaptive), I work and teach those ideas everyday. The conference this weekend will have a number of different professions presenting on that same topic and that has me very interested. I will let you know…
One of my favorite parts about the Midwest is there are four distinct seasons, my favorites being fall and spring. It may seem strange, but there are actually people that dread these two times of the year. ITS “HAY FEVER” SEASON!!!!!So I ask you…what is “hay fever” anyways? (you truly can google anything!) Researchers say that “hay fever” is a misnomer and is not caused by hay and it does not cause a fever. It is characterized by runny nose, itchy eyes and congestion. Most people have at least a mild experience during these seasons. Listen closely as I share a secret with you….IT IS TOTALLY NORMAL!! Our whole environment changes as the land prepares for the transition of the season. Some examples: the grass turns green, flowers come into bloom, the trees bud in preparation for leaves, etc. Because of this, the spring air we breathe has very different particles than the winter air and the body has to adapt to the change. So what does that mean for you??? Switching gears for a moment… We all know that some countries eat very different diets than we do. Many times, the average American’s digestive system cannot work with the food and drink in another country and results in violent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. Our bodies work on a “supply and demand” basis. So if you lived in that area long enough, the body would adapt and create different digestion chemicals and patterns in order to work with what is taken in. In time, the whole digestive track would literally change to accommodate to the new diet. What an amazing body we have!So what does digestion have to do with hay fever? Our mucus linings in our sinuses change in order to work with the changing environment around us. So in other words, we have “winter sinuses” and “summer sinuses” and the transition time happens to be fall and spring (seasonal allergies/hay fever time). Due to the “supply and demand” concept in the body, new mucus linings are created to adapt to the new environment. In the process, the body has to slough off the old, hence runny nose, congestion and watery eyes. These symptoms are often inconvenient and many people look for a pill or elixir to stop the whole process. Ask yourself “Does it make sense to stop this process?” The messages that expedite the transition are carried along the nerve system which is what I, as a chiropractor, work directly with. From this point forward, do yourself a favor and let this process run its course since it is a sign that your body is taking care of itself. Let regular chiropractic adjustments aid the body in being its very best during this process and always!!
MSU ENERGY
Many of you know, either because I have told you or because you have been in to see either myself or my dog dressed in our team colors, that I am a huge Michigan State fan. I have always been, since I was born. But it is not easy being green sometimes and last night was one of them. I am the fan that wears the colors, and cheers really loud and knows all the words to the fight song and all that stuff. And when I say it isn’t easy being green, I mean it is challenging to sit there in the stands and watch their lack of performance last night and remain calm. It isn’t a feeling of upset at them, it is more that I just really, really, really, really, really wanted them to win last night. I knew it was a long shot since I watched North Carolina beat up on Villanova two nights prior to that. Our seats were in a mixed fan section but the large group of UNC fans were one section over from where we were so the energy remained high, unfortunately not in our favor. In the end, I am really proud to be a Spartan. They made it that far and though they seemed totally psyched out by their opponents, it was a wonderful experience to be amongst that sea of green. Either way, we always have the coolest mascot! SPARTY ON!!!
HOPING FOR A VICTORY!
On the banks for the Red Cedar,
There’s a school that’s known to all.
It’s specialty is winning,
And those Spartans play good ball.
Spartan teams are never beaten,
All through the game they’ll fight.
Fight for the only colors:
GREEN AND WHITE!
Go right through for MSU,
Watch the points keep growing.
Spartan teams are bound to win,
They’re fighting with a vim
RAH, RAH, RAH.
See their team is weakening,
We’re gonna win this game.
FIGHT, FIGHT, RAH TEAM FIGHT,
VICTORY FOR MSU!!!!
WORDS
For our 4 year anniversary, I asked everyone that was in that week to write down 3 words that describe their experience here at the Cafe of LIFE and this is what I got: healthy, life-changing, loving, refreshing, energizing, centered, caring, rejuvenating, painless, relaxing, renewing, healing mind body and spirit, trust, comfort, peace, helpful, healthful, I have never felt better, purifying, compassion, joyful, relaxing, uplifting, reassuring, proactive, calm, warm, fun, better way of life, breath, health, caring, healing, pleasant, friendly, light, hope, friends, happy, relief, stimulating, better, great, fantastic, wonderful, harmony, attitude uplifting, encouraging, spiritual, peaceful, well-being, life, health awareness, tension releasing, educating, exceptional, holistic, restorative, cleansing, pleasant, comfortable, gentle, kind, loved.
And to me…there is no greater compliment and no better job than to SERVE LIFE!!!
GIRLFRIENDS…
A couple of weekends ago, I headed up north with some girlfriends to celebrate the end of the snowboard/ski season at Boyne Highlands. Now these are two of the most incredible women I know though all of the time we have spent together has been in a group situation. This weekend was about getting away from the regular “noise and needs” of life and having time to just spend together…and we had a riot. Not only do these two ladies spend a lot of time looking for the answers to “the big questions in life”, they also enjoy having fun and that is exactly what we did. I don’t think there was a silent moment over three straight days and that really speaks volumes to me. Between our time spent on the slopes, to enjoying a drink at the bar, or dancing and being crazy on the dancefloor, we really lit the place up. Also, I am a person that needs a lot of alone time, and though I enjoy being around friends, I usually find myself needing to slip away for some “me” time, even if it is just for a few minutes. These two women are such incredible people and so intriguing to me, I found so much peace and fulfillment in our conversations and time spent together and I know for all of us it was therapeutic. I will cherish our time spent during that weekend away and cherish them as my friends forever.
A MINI CLINIC???????????????????
So I just had one of my practice members ask me if I had heard of a “Mini Clinic”. I haven’t, so naturally I asked her to explain it. She and 12 women get together one evening per month for some time away from the family. She went last night and said one woman was taking about “Mini Clinics” that are popping up all over Metro-Detroit. A “Mini Clinic” is a place inside the CVS stores that is staffed by a nurse practitioner. For the low fee of just $10.00, you can bring your child in and if the nurse practitioner is able to somewhat diagnose your child with something that may or may not be helped by antibiotics, they will send you home with a filled prescription. WHAT????????????????? Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture? Is it clear to anyone what the pharmaceutical companies are doing? Can you see how this would be a huge money-maker for the “BIG PHARMA”? You are right, $10.00 is a very small fee and is not where they will be making the money. The money is made from the side effects of antibiotic therapy. Do you think this may be linked to the anti-biotic resistant monster bacteria that are being created right now? You know, the ones that start off as common easy-to-fight-off infections and end with death…HELLO PEOPLE!!! Use some logic and put this all together. More antibiotics, decreased immune function, more illness, more sick days, more antibiotics, serious illnesses, more drugs/antibiotics, more MD office visits, more hospital visits, = MORE MONEY FOR THE BIG PHARMA, more money into their marketing and advertising, and the cycle continues. You have a choice. Break free from this cycle, make good health choices, make decisions that further your health and wellness and stay the course. Our bodies were created to be self-healing and self-regulating. Let your body do it’s job!!!
I’M GIVING IT UP!
A really strange thing happened to me on Saturday night. I was at a friend’s house for a gathering. There were about 10 of us there and these are friends that I hang out with quite a bit. The host couple are some of the nicest and most generous people I have ever met in my life and when we go to their home, they make you feel like family. So I was there and the wife had cooked a wonderful lasagna dinner and a few of us brought some other small dishes to share. So I ate some snacks and a normal dinner and then there was German Chocolate Cake from Pronto! in Royal Oak. Now I do not know if you have been there, but definitely a place to check out at some point when you are in the Royal Oak area. So I am already reasonably full when the cake is placed on the counter but I decide I will have a piece which is really not a big deal. But one led to another and another bite and another bite and then a cookie, and a second cookie and I had absolutely lost it in this sugar craze I had gotten into. It was like something had taken over my body and I would have continued to eat until I exploded. Actually the only way to escape it was to get up and leave the party, which is exactly what I did. Of course it feels great eating all of that…at the time. But later and then the next day, not so good. Actually awful is a better way of putting it. So I am giving up sugar and desert until the middle of July. When something has that much power over me, I have to cut ties and that is my goal. Ever wanted to give up sugar…good time to start as you know there will be at least one more person working on that same quest…ME!
HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY CAFE OF LIFE!
Tomorrow marks 4 years in practice here in Fenton. I opened the doors of the Cafe of LIFE on Saturday, March 12th, 2005. Looking back on it all I come up with a feeling of deep gratitude for everything that I have been blessed with. There is deep gratitude for many people, but most importantly in this process is my mother and step-father. When I first moved home, they allowed me to stay with them for the first two years. Staying with them often meant sharing dinner in the evening together while I bounced ideas off of them about business, money, chiropractic, and life in general. Staying with them also meant having the continuous support of their loving words and gentle encouragement on a daily basis. And staying with them meant free rent and someone to co-sign on my business loan:) Together we spent countless hours of travel around Birmingham and Ann Arbor looking for office space (Fenton was not my original plan), staring at the blank, colorless walls in the potential office spaces trying to get an idea about what the flow would be like, shopping for furniture, office supplies, and everything else was going to be necessary to do this whole business thing. My mother has always been my greatest cheerleader. It doesn’t matter if my idea is good or bad in her mind, whatever needs to be done to make it a reality, she will support me 100%. It’s that unconditional thing that moms do. My step-dad is one of the greatest men I have ever met. I have only had him in my life for just over 4 years, meaning when I began conceptualizing my office, we had just met. His ability “to give for the sake of giving, serve for sake of serving, and love for the sake of loving” (which is the philosophy of the chiropractic profession though he is not a chiropractor) is undeniable and not easily matched. Now back when I began, my highest priority was making sure I only had a 1 year lease contract (which for commercial rental is almost impossible to find) just in case this Cafe of LIFE thing didn’t work in such a small town. But it did, and here I am, I mean HERE WE ARE!
So THANKS Mom and Denny! Thanks for being my greatest allys in life!