article archive
August 2006
Raising a healthy, drug-free
family
by Dr. Eric Plasker
Today's society is using and abusing physician-prescribed
and recreational drugs in record numbers. Adults and teenagers
alike seem hooked on pills of all shapes and sizes to control
everything from their ability to concentrate to what kind
of mood they want to be in or how much they would like to
weigh. While our intention is to raise drug‑free families,
we often inadvertently pass along habits and behaviors that
send the exact opposite message to the ones we love.
As parents
and role models for our children, wouldn't it be worthwhile
to examine our own thoughts and behaviors for clues as to
how we might unwittingly be training our children to become
drug-reliant for their emotional and physical
well-being? Try this little test. From the time your
children were born to when they entered elementary school,
how often would you say you reached for the purple or orange
Triaminic bottle to help relieve their stuffy nose or sore
throat symptoms? How many aspirins do you think you have
dispensed for headaches and sore muscles?
Think about what happens
when a baby's born and he or she gets sick for the first
time. If you haven't educated yourself about your child's
natural immunity and how it develops, you might immediately
run to your doctor in a panic to alleviate your child's "suffering," and start him or her
on antibiotics. As your child enters school, imagine that
the second‑grade teacher approaches you with concerns
that your child cannot concentrate or sit still in class
in an appropriate manner. Rather than looking for alternative
ways to teach your son or daughter, she and the school guidance
counselor recommend that you start administering the drug,
Ritalin, to help your child express his or her "full
capabilities." It's truly amazing that in some schools,
as many as 50% of the children are on Ritalin while in others
less than five percent of the kids are on this drug, which
has severe and long‑lasting side effects.
In fact, the
sad truth is that drug companies market their products to physicians
and parents with little regard for side effects. Ritalin, for
example, admits to the following side effects: insomnia, appetite
loss, stunted growth, depression and suicidal effects. In addition,
many common antibiotics can have the adverse affect of creating
highly resistant bacteria that make the body susceptible to
super infections, which can overstrain the immune system and
are often untreatable. Aspirin can cause abdominal bleeding
while Tylenol and Ibuprofen can increase the risk of kidney
disease.
Even worse than the side effects of these drugs are
the messages they send to society. From the time we're born,
we are programmed to believe that health is something that
exists "outside" of ourselves and that our bodies
can only be kept in proper balance through drug intervention.
As subtle as it may seem, this behavior is conditioned. Is
it really any wonder then that a child who doesn't make the
team or cheerleading squad or breaks up with a girlfriend
or boyfriend, may turn to drugs to relieve the pain?
You can
stop the insanity of this "quick fix" drug
philosophy just as millions of Americans already have. Last
year, approximately 100 million more visits were made to
holistic health care providers than were made to traditional
medical doctors. These people were tired of being medicated
and frustrated with the limited relief that the drugs offered.
People
today desire and deserve to experience wellness. They know
that the human body has an incredible inborn healing power
that can naturally ward off disease and infection. At the
same time, they've lost faith in pharmaceutical remedies
and their dangerous and often unpredictable side effects.
They have begun to demand information on how to build their
body's immune system for long‑term health rather than
settle for adopting a constant crisis care response to their
health issues.
Chiropractic is proving to be a safe and effective
solution for these individuals providing them with incredible
results, information, scientific validation and research
about how they can restore their body to its optimum health
and keep it that way.
Thousands of families who receive ongoing
chiropractic wellness care are dramatically reducing their
medical expenses because they are healthier now than they ever
have been. These people have turned their medicine chests back
into bathroom cabinets because they no longer have the need
for drugs.
Rest assured they don't just suffer from simple symptoms.
These are people who are battling every illness imaginable
from cancer to Crohn's disease, asthma and angina. Patients
who used to get sick all the time and constantly require
medication are now responding to chiropractic and enjoying
the true freedom and health that comes from being drug‑free.
Pay
close attention to the messages your kids are receiving. Are
you teaching the "old school" way of health?
It says, "I'm sorry you feel badly. Your body is weak
and you need these drugs to be well." Or, are you promoting
a wellness approach? Its message is, "Your body is strong
and has the ability to heal itself. Let's remove the interference
so you can get well on your own. You can trust your body."
Children growing up in a wellness environment believe in
themselves and will live their lives independent of drugs.
Give yourself and your family every opportunity to live the
healthiest life possible ‑‑ a drug‑free
life! Empower them to believe in their own inner strength,
healing capacity, and unlimited human potential.
(Dr. Eric Plasker
is a licensed chiropractor and founder of The Family Practice
chiropractic coaching and training organization, which provides
all the systems, tools and support to build a highly successful
and profitable family practice. An internationally known
speaker and educator, he is best known for rallying the chiropractic
profession around the LCfE (Lifetime Care For Everyone) and
Family Practice visions. For a seminar schedule, coaching,
training, or product information, call The Family Practice
toll‑free at 866‑LEAD‑DCS
(532‑3327), ext. 118. Or visit The Family Practice
website at www.thefamilypractice.net)