WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE MARCH OF DIMES POSTER CHILD WINIFRED GARDELLA?

In the early 1950’s, Winifred Gardella was a poster child for the March of Dimes in San Francisco. Nationally, her image raised millions of dollars to help fight the dreaded crippler, Polio. Her sad, innocent face and her tiny body supported on crutches and leg braces made many Americans reach into their pockets to donate. But the March of Dimes could not help Winifred. After two and a half years under their Doctor’s expert care, her parents were told “There is no hope”. Despite this dire prediction, her grandparents were determined to find a cure. They were not about to accept the opinion of so called “Medical Experts.” They decided to choose their own health care and they took Winifred to Dr. Lewis Robertson, a Chiropractor in Glendale, California. She was adjusted daily, and in less than six months of having her nerve interference corrected Winifred Gardella threw away her crutches and braces, and went for a walk with her chiropractor. She has been walking ever since! This was not a “medical miracle”, Winifred’s body simply responded normally to Chiropractic adjustments by re-establishing its ideal balance and optimal function. It’s a natural response to Chiropractic.This is just one of many stories about the benefits of chiropractic. While there is extensive research about the benefits of regular chiropractic treatments, much of it is ignored by the media and the medical community. Good spinal health is essential to the function of the entire body!

Why Upper Cervical Chiropractic is Perfect for Runners

I have spent over half my life in the running community and know that every competitive or even non-competitive runner will do whatever they can just to run a little faster. Whether that be train multiple times a day, sleep in a tent at night that limits the amount of oxygen available to breath, or even give up the opportunity to get a "real job" and make more money. Due to the fact we distance runners make so many sacrifices to do what we love, we should get the most out of our training and time. The key to this is to stay clear of preventable injuries. If we are injured, we cannot reach our goals. My college coach used to always say "do the little things." There is a lot more to "the little things" than just stretching, hydrating, and getting sleep, etc. The little things are the simple things that can make a big difference in your fitness. Over the past 4 years I have realized one of the most important little thing we can do is make UPPER CERVICAL CHIROPRACTIC part of our regimen. Here is my reasoning....

1) First off, in order to reach our maximum potential we need to be running on all cylinders. We need our immune system to be working 100% so that we don't get sick and miss training days. We need our digestive system to be in 100% communication with our brain in order to properly utilize our food for energy and recovery. We need every gland and organ in our body to be working correctly so that we are producing the right hormones at the right time. If any one of these aspects or any other autonomic function in our body is less than 100%, it is impossible to perform at 100%.

How does this work? Well the top two bones in our neck surround one of the most important organs in our body, the brainstem. We have over 450 million nerve fibers crossing over through the brainstem in order for our brain and the rest of the body to communicate and work in unison. Due to physical, emotional, and chemical stressors we put on our body daily, these bones can move out of alignment and actually put pressure on our brainstem. We call this a SUBLUXATION. When this happens it is impossible for all 450 million nerve fibers to work properly. When communication from our brain to the rest of our body is interfered with, our body deviates from homeostasis and we are not able to reach our maximal, God given potential. This is also a time when dis-ease can set in.

As upper cervical chiropractors we specialize in locating these subluxations using instrumentation and xray analysis. Then very specifically removing this subluxation in order for your body to start functioning back at 100%. We then continue to utilize instrumentation to make sure that adjustment holds and allows those 450 million nerve fibers to function properly. This is when your body works at its best!

2) Secondly, our body has a natural tendency to make sure our pelvis is properly underneath us in order to maintain balance. When either of the top two bones in our neck move out of alignment, our head moves out of positional balance and therefore the body begins to react. This is when one shoulder rises to counter the tilted head, and the pelvis rotates and tilts creating a short leg. With all this the muscles and ligaments in our entire body begin to tighten or lengthen in order to support the new position of our body. Long term this is not a good thing for the body, and as an endurance athlete it is usually the reason for many injuries. If you think about running, you will take around 2,000 steps when running a mile. That is 1,000 steps on each leg. If your body is not in balance, one leg will take more of a pounding than the other. So if you weigh 150 pounds you may put 195,000 pounds of stress on one side of the body and 105,000 pounds of stress on the other side. As you could probably figure, this would make a big difference on how your body can function and recover. And this is only 1 mile! Over time most will start to develop overuse injuries. When your top two bones in your body are aligned, your body is aligned, and when your body is aligned your body can properly distribute your weight and be less susceptible to overuse injuries.

As upper cervical chiropractors we specialize in locating these subluxations using instrumentation and xray analysis. Then very specifically removing this subluxation in order for your body to start functioning back at 100%.

The reason Upper Cervical Chiropractic is so important for runners is that no matter how much we train or prepare, it is IMPOSSIBLE to reach our GOD GIVEN POTENTIAL when our nervous system is unable to work at 100% and our body is out of balance .

So go out and train hard, train smart, and get your nervous system checked!

Children and Chiropractic

The nervous system plays a key role in the health of children and yet is often overlooked as the cause of health problems. Chiropractors and medical researchers have found that birth trauma is the first cause of nervous system interference. This is because the process of most birthing processes is a physical insult to the baby’s body. Often the first subluxation in a person’s life occurs at birth, and usually being the first bone of your spine known as the atlas. This is the most important bone in your body not only because it is responsible for holding up your head but because it houses and protects your spinal cord and brain stem. When this bone is out of alignment, pressure builds around you brain stem and spinal cord causing nerve interference. When your body’s afferent and efferent communication is not in balance your body begins to fall away from homeostasis and pulls you away from optimal health. When this occurs in an infant during their most important time of development major consequences will follow. Having your child checked for a subluxation at birth or soon after will allow that inborn intelligence inside of them that has been developing them from conception work at 100%.

Get your family checked!!

Upper Cervical Care and the Pediatric Patient

by Dr. Claudia Anrig

from: Dynamic Chiropractic - April 10, 2006, Volume 24, Issue 08

Upper cervical technique is not new to the chiropractic profession. It started with the toggle (HIO) technique, developed by Dr. B.J. Palmer, followed by other upper cervical techniques, such as Grostic, NUCCA, orthospinology and atlas orthongal. In preparing this article, I interviewed Dr. Julie Mayer Hunt, a second-generation upper cervical chiropractor who is board certified in orthospinology and has earned diplomate status in chiropractic pediatrics. She is currently a board member of the Society of Chiropractic Orthospinology and the Academy of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Organizations (AUCCO).

According to Dr. Mayer Hunt, "The upper cervical spine is one of the most vulnerable areas of the spine and is a critical area to keep free from nerve interference." She cites a study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics that identified approximately 58 articles regarding chiropractic care of the pediatric patient.1 All of the literature reviewed involved upper cervical adjustments (UCA) and reported the overall level of improvement as a result of rendering specific chiropractic care. Many of the studies involved cases in which any of a myriad of conditions frequently affecting children was resolved completely. Moreover, the response time of a UCA often was seen within one to three treatments. The conditions cited included infantile colic, glaucoma, irritability, head trauma, hemiparesis, projectile vomiting, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, nocturnal enuresis, allergies, sleep disorders curvature of the spine, fever, otitis media, asthma, ADHD, headaches, torticollis and seizures. The JCCP study summarized studies involving more than 1,000 children under chiropractic care; the findings suggested the focal area of care involved the upper cervical spine.

Dr. Kirk Eriksen best describes the upper cervical biomechanics as not moving in only one plane of motion. During normal cervical movement, coupled motion occurs. Coupling is defined as motion in which rotation or translation of a rigid body about or along one axis is consistently associated with simultaneous rotation or translation about or along another axis. During normal range of movement, coupled motion helps reduce tension on the nervous system. This is accomplished by offsetting pure lateral flexion or rotation, with small amounts of movements in the X, Y or Z axes.2

One feature of an upper cervical subluxation is that the occipito-atlanto-axial articulations have misaligned in an uncoupled fashion. This condition is measured radiographically in a neutral posture, with the spine at rest. The body must continually adapt, from a biomechanical and neurological standpoint, to this type of subluxation.2

The birth process alone can contribute to upper cervical trauma and instability. Abraham Towbin, MD, reported the results of a study on newborn spinal cord/brainstem injuries that he conducted at the Harvard Department of Neuropathology.3 He performed autopsies on more than 2,000 newborns that died shortly after birth. In his report, Latent Spinal Cord and Brain Stem Injuries in Newborn Infants, Dr. Towbin stated: "Spinal cord and brain stem injuries often occur during the process of birth, but frequently escape diagnosis. Respiratory distress is a cardinal sign of such injury."3

A study by H. Biedermann, published in the Journal of Manual Medicine, high lights the importance of checking the newborn following delivery. In his evaluation of 1,000 newborns, he discovered that 119 cases revealed kinematic imbalances of the suboccipital spine. The finding of suboccipital strain equated to approximately 12 percent of the population group.4

Upper cervical techniques traditionally use the supine leg-length evaluation to determine necessity for adjusting the atlas. When evaluating the pediatric patient with the supine leg check, a leg-length difference is often readily apparent, usually half an inch or greater. Dr. K. Eriksen notes the following hypothesis regarding the short leg findings:

"The spinocerebellar tracts are located along the lateral edge of the spinal cord and are located at the most probable site of maximal mechanical irritation via the dentate ligaments. These proprioceptive tracts are primary pathways for regulating muscle tone and joint position sense. The spinocerebellar tracts are arranged in a laminar fashion (although somewhat angulated) with the most lateral fibers innervating the most caudal structures (i.e., legssacrallumbarthoracic cervical [very limited]). Irritation of these tracts could lead to muscle tone imbalance of the pelvic girdle resulting in a functional short leg."5

Upper cervical chiropractors also note postural corrections as a byproduct of specific upper cervical adjustments. These doctors advocate that one of the benefits of chiropractic care for the pediatric population is eliminating spinal stress (weight of the head centered and structurally/neurologically balanced) on the child's developing spine.

A resource regarding upper cervical techniques for both pediatric and general practice is Dr. Erikson's book, Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex: A Review of the Chiropractic and Medical Literature. The book reviews the anatomy and kinematics of the upper cervical spine, and explains how impaired biomechanics causes neurological dysfunction and physiological concomitants.5 This textbook is not intended to be about chiropractic technique; rather, the text provides the "why" as opposed to the "how" of upper cervical chiropractic care. A follow-up book providing specifics on upper cervical techniques including pediatric care is scheduled to be released in spring 2007.

Claudia Anrig, DC, practices in Fresno, Calif. She is on the board of directors of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. For more information, including a brief biography, a printable version of this article and a link to previous articles, please visit Dr. Anrig's columnist page online: www.chiroweb.com/columnist/anrig

Upper Cervical Care and Athletic Performance

What do Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana and Evander Holyfield all have in common? Not only have they risen to the top of their respective sports, they all consider regular chiropractic care essential to improving their health and gaining a competitive edge over their competitors.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter if you are at the top of your game, a weekend warrior, or a stay-at-home mom training for your first 5K run, upper cervical care can help you perform at your BEST!

Athletes undertaking rigorous fitness regimes often push their bodies to the limit. Since their performance is based on the health and strength of their body…whether they need to recover from injury, improve performance or increase joint flexibility, ongoing upper cervical care is a valuable addition to their training regime.

In recent years, spinal care has become a valuable partner in the everyday athletic health regimen. Athletes find it not only improves performance but also reduces the risk of injury. Studies show that upper cervical care improves athletic ability, agility, balance, power, speed, reaction time and recovery.

How does upper cervical care help to improve athletic performance? The answer lies in the nervous system. In our bodies, the brain and brain stem act as our “Master Control System”. Everything that we do is regulated by the nerve impulses that are sent from the brain/brain stem out to the body through our network of nerves. For the athlete who is looking for an edge to his or her physical performance, this improved communication between the brain and every part of the body, especially the heart, lungs and muscles can make the difference between winning and losing.

Upper Cervical corrections help to improve the overall function of the nervous system, which, in turn, improves the efficiency of the communication between the brain and the body. With a fraction of a second meaning the difference between gold and silver, many of today’s top athletes are checked regularly during training and off seasons to maintain peak performance.

Research

A research study conducted by Dr. Jon Schwartzbauer, studied changes in athletic performance in baseball players with and without upper cervical care. Each athlete’s performance was evaluated through assessment of the vertical jump, broad jump specified, standing broad jump, and muscle strength. Blood pressure, pulse rate, microcirculation (capillary counts), and treadmill stress testing were also evaluated. The results showed significant improvement at fourteen weeks in muscle strength and long jump distance in the group receiving upper cervical corrections. Moreover, this same group showed significant improvement in capillary counts after five and fourteen weeks of upper cervical care. Evaluation of the group receiving care revealed decreases in resting blood pressure and pulse rate as well as pulse rate following tread mill activity. By comparison, trends in these same measures showed increases within the control group (non-upper cervical). All this translates into better athletic performance! In another study by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, upper cervical care improved athletic performance by as much as 30% after 12 weeks. Athletes were tested on several aspects of athletic ability including kinesthetic perception, power, reaction time, agility and balance. At the 6 week mark of this study those who received upper cervical care showed an 18% increase in performance while those who did not showed only a 1% increase in performance.

These studies showed that athletes who have full brain to body communication (subluxation-free athletes) react faster, have better coordination, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.

Key Benefits

In addition to improving performance, ongoing upper cervical care offers several health and wellness benefits, including:

•Improved posture

•Increased range of motion

•Improved immune system that can ward off common illnesses or disease

•Better focus and concentration

•Reduction of migraines or severe headaches

•Increased blood circulation

•Better joint flexibility

•Reduced risk of injury

•Increased blood and oxygen flow throughout the body

•Improved recovery rates after a sports injury

•Reduction of pain in major joints

Some athletes turn to upper cervical care only after they have been injured, but it is much more beneficial to incorporate care into the weekly training routine. An upper cervical doctor can offer natural supportive care for runners, bikers, tennis players, baseball, football and basketball players - any athlete who is constantly on the move.

For both casual sports participants and high-performance athletes, a natural method of stress reduction and toxin removal is necessary for better health overall. Upper cervical care can play an important role in the lives of these athletes throughout their training season, and during their most competitive seasons.

-Uppercervicalblog.blogspot.com

Chiropractic at 37,000 ft.

This past week I was flying from San Diego to Oakland, California and there was a very fussy baby (to put it mildly) sitting across the isle from me and one row back. He was somewhere between six and eight months old by my best guess. Everything started out fine, but about ten minutes into the flight he began whimpering, then crying a little harder. This kept up for about five minutes or so when he suddenly reared back and let out a yell that sounded like someone was torturing him. He cried at the top of his lungs no matter how his mother tried to comfort him. He wouldn’t be distracted, he wouldn’t nurse, all he would do is scream, scream, scream! I was thinking about saying something to the mother after roughly ten minutes or so of this to see if she would allow me to help her when she said to her baby, “Oh Honey, it won’t be much longer before you will get to se Dr. Rich. We’ll go right to his office from the airport!” I turned around and asked her, “Dr.? Does he have a problem he’s being treated for?” She answered, “No, he’s usually very happy. But we’ve been out of town for two weeks and he’s been in a lot of strange places and hasn’t seen his chiropractor for an adjustment since we left.” I smiled and replied, “I’m a chiropractor, is there something…” Before I could finish she got up out of her seat, holding her baby out in front of her, arms fully extended and pleaded, “Would you mind?!” I put him on my lap, assessed him, adjusted him once very gently in his upper neck and once in his mid-back, and he was quiet within twenty seconds. The people around us were amazed and a few even clapped. She took him back and he went to sleep for the rest of the flight. As we landed, the flight attendant thanked everyone for flying Southwest, and then added, “And how about a huge thank you and a round of applause for the wonderful chiropractor who not only helped that little guy asleep there, but who also saved the rest of us from whatever horrors we might commit as the result of listening to over an hour of screaming!” Everyone clapped and cheered. You may think the point of this story is to tell you how wonderful chiropractic is at helping babies in distress – it’s not. You may think it’s about the fact that more and more people are not only accepting but actually praising chiropractic care – it’s not. No, the one and only point I want you to get goes back to what the flight attendant said, even if she meant it as a joke. She talked about how I, “not only helped that little guy asleep there, but who also saved the rest of us from whatever horrors we might commit as the result of listening to over an hour of screaming!” B.J. Palmer once said, “You never know how far reaching something you may think, say, or do today will affect the lives of millions tomorrow.” Who knows how everyone on that plane’s lives were different because they had a better experience after he went to sleep? Who knows what may have been said out of frustration to an innocent person by any one of the 163 people on that plane? And what about the ripple effect of all those people everyone on that plane interacted with after the flight? You may not realize just how important you and your health are to those around you, but I can tell you that there are 163 people who now know that truth a whole lot better now than they did a week ago.

By kevin Donka D.C.

INNATE INTELLIGENCE

The intelligence within man, which activates and motivates living man, which reproduces his seed; the intelligence, also within woman, which fertilizes, develops and matures that seed from a dependent to an independent child, in 280 days; the intelligence which directs, regulates, and controls all of us, night and day, and/or asleep; keep hearts beating continuously every second and minute from birth to death; causes our bodies to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; brings about adaptations to latitudes and altitudes; takes mixed substances we ingest, breaks them down chemically, extracts from them needed vitamins, assimilates them into body nourishment; urinates, defecates, and perspires poisons; heals burns, mends and unites broken bones; heats our bodies in winter and refrigerates them in summer. That is the INNATE INTELLIGENCE and law resident within us which the Chiropractor works with it to get the sick body well.

-B.J. Palmer

Chiropractic Care for Children found to be safe and effective!

Two recent survey studies have shown chiropractic care for children is safe, gets results and offers children unexpected health benefits. One survey included data from doctors of chiropractic and the other survey collected data from parents of children under care.

The results of the doctors’ surveys showed that of the 812 clinical cases, 717 indicated experiencing an improvement with their presenting symptoms, while 9 patients reported treatment-related aggravations. These were described as “soreness” or “fussy.” No treatment-related complications were reported. The survey results suggest that chiropractic adjustments for children is safe and effective.

An overwhelming majority of the parents reported that their children’s problems improved with chiropractic care. After 10,249 visits from 1, 176 children, only 17 reported treatmentassociated aggravations described as soreness and stiffness after the adjustment, the child is “fussy” after the adjustment or a fever or spitting up. No serious complications were reported. “Wellness care” care was reported by 54% of the parents for their child’s visits.

Both surveys revealed that children experienced added health benefits beyond what they came in for. The three most common additional benefits were: improved immune system function, improved sleep and improved moods in the children.

To date, these are the first study of its kind in documenting treatment- associated problems and improvements in the chiropractic care of children. This study provides practice-based evidence on the safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic

http://www.pathwaystofamilywellness.org/

Children and Chiropractic

The nervous system plays a key role in the health of children and yet is often overlooked as the cause of health problems. Chiropractors and medical researchers have found that birth trauma is the first cause of nervous system interference. This is because the process of most birthing processes is a physical insult to the baby’s body. Often the first subluxation in a person’s life occurs at birth, and usually being the first bone of your spine known as the atlas. This is the most important bone in your body not only because it is responsible for holding up your head but because it houses and protects your spinal cord and brain stem. When this bone is out of alignment, pressure builds around your brain stem and spinal cord causing nerve interference. When your body’s afferent and efferent communication is not in balance your body begins to fall away from homeostasis and pulls you away from optimal health. When this occurs in an infant during their most important time of development major consequences will follow. Having your child checked for a subluxation at birth or soon after will allow that inborn intelligence inside of them that has been developing them from conception work at 100%.

Get your family checked!!

Chirothot

The State of the Union Address

This week the President will talk to the American people in his State of the Union Address. He will let us know all of the good things he believes have happened during his time in office, as well as the challenges he sees facing the American people now and in the future. It is all designed to bring us together to work and move successfully toward common purposes and outcomes. While this speech will address the state of the union of the United States, I would like to take this opportunity to address your individual “State of the Union.”

Your body is made up of several hundred trillion cells, and they must all work harmoniously together for you to be healthy. How is this union of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems successfully achieved? It’s through your nerve system. As long as there is a clear neurological connection between your brain and all of the trillions of cells in your body, you are able to function normally and adapt to most of the physical, chemical, mental, and emotional stresses you face each day. In other words, you are healthy and you have the opportunity to keep moving in the right direction!

What do I mean keep moving in the right direction? Well, the fact is, everything is ALWAYS changing, even your body. In every moment, there are literally thousands of things happening in every single one of your trillions of cells. Once you understand that you are always changing, it’s also easy to understand that you can only change in one of two directions each day; you can either get a little stronger or a little weaker. Knowing this, our goal changes from being at a certain level of health and wellness, to continually moving in a certain direction. The goal becomes to spend as much time each day, week, month and year growing stronger rather than getting weaker.

What does it take to keep growing stronger? It takes three things to accomplish this steady movement toward wholeness; a positive focus, a healthy lifestyle, and a clear neurological CONNECTION between your brain and your body, so that all of the parts can work together, as mentioned above.

Because of the numerous and very intimate connections between your spine and your nerve system, one of the biggest keys to keeping a clear brain-body connection is to keep your spinal column aligned and functioning properly. A healthy spine keeps your brain-body connection clear, maintains the normal flow of mental impulses throughout your body, allows your Intelligent Life Energy to effectively organize all of the parts of your body to work together, and gives you the best possible opportunity to spend more days of your life getting stronger rather than weaker, so that you move steadily toward health, wellness, happiness and wholeness.

You see, chiropractors really address the state of YOUR union! But, it’s a teamwork effort. YOU have to keep a positive focus, YOU have to make the healthy lifestyle choices, and YOU have to get checked every week or so to make sure you are clearly connected. Can we come together on this?

By Dr. Kevin Donka

(Thanks for the great emails)

ADHD Helped With Chiropractic, A Case Study

In the October 2004 issue of the peer-reviewed research publication, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), comes a case study of a child with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), who was helped with chiropractic.

The case was of a 5 year old boy who had been diagnosed with ADHD at age 2. The child’s pediatrician prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin), Adderall, and Haldol for the next 3 years. The combination of drugs was unsuccessful in helping the child.

At age 5 the child was brought to a chiropractor to see if chiropractic care would help. The history taken at that time noted that during the child’s birth, there were complications during his delivery process. The results of this trauma and complications resulted in a 4-day stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. The child’s mother reported no other incidence of trauma.

The chiropractic examination and x-rays showed noticeable spinal distortion including a reversal of the normal neck curve indicative of subluxations. Chiropractic care was begun and the child’s progress was monitored.

According to his mother, positive changes in her son's general behavior were noticed around the twelfth visit. By the 27th visit the patient had experienced considerable improvement.

The child was brought by the mother to the medical doctor for a follow up visit and questioned the usage of the Ritalin. The medical doctor reviewed and examined the child and based on that assessment and his clinical experience, the MD felt that the young boy was no longer exhibiting symptoms associated with ADHD. He then took the boy off the medications that he had been taking for 3 years.

The conclusion of the author of the JMPT case study noted, “The patient experienced significant reduction in symptoms. Additionally, the medical doctor concluded that the reduction in symptoms was significant enough to discontinue the medication.”

--> When your body is able to properly function via an efficiently communicating nervous system it is able to get as close as it possibly can to optimal health.

Triathlete Jason Lester: keep looking forward!

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends. I pray for safe travels and good times for all of you!

Carl Moe

Chiropractic Care May Help Children With Learning Disorders And Dyslexia

The above is a headline from a January 20, 2007 article published in the online Medical News Today. The story, and a similar one dated January 18th published by United Press International, is based on research that came out January 15, 2007 in the scientific periodical The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR). The study suggests that chiropractic care may offer significant benefits to children suffering from learning disabilities and dyslexia.

The author of the JVSR study was a Swiss chiropractor Dr. Yannick Pauli, who is the president of the Swiss Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and who specializes in the care of children suffering from learning and behavioral disorders. Dr. Pauli explained, “This review critically assessed eight previously published studies involving a total of 160 children. He continued, “Although the results remain preliminary and more research is needed, the evidence strongly suggests that chiropractic care may help various cognitive abilities that are essential to learning.”

The study notes that between 3-10% of the school-age population in the United States is considered learning disabled. Some experts claim that the figure is closer to 20% of school age children. According to Dr. Pauli, “The main aim of this literature review was to investigate the clinical evidence for the effect of chiropractic care in people suffering from learning disorders and dyslexia.”

Dr. Pauli explained, “What appears from our review is that the chiropractor is not so much interested in the cure of the disorder itself, but rather in the correction of an underlying Central Nervous System dysfunction assumed to underlie the disorder(s) affecting the patient” He explained the connection of chiropractic care to learning disabilities by saying, “The only source of constant stimulation to the brain comes from the spine and the postural muscles constantly adjusting to the force of gravity. If the daily physical stresses of life cause misalignments in the spine — called vertebral subluxations by chiropractors — the brain is not adequately stimulated. This can cause problems throughout the body.”

Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractor and editor of JVSR, remarked, “This study is an exciting first step. It shows the beneficial effect of chiropractic care and may offer hope for thousands of suffering children.”

(If you have any questions, please leave a message and I can hopefully help or refer you to a local Chiropractor who specializes with children)

The Big Idea of Chiropractic

A slip on the snowy sidewalk in winter is a small thing. A fall from a ladder in the summer is a small thing. It also happens to millions. The slip or fall produces a subluxation. The subluxation is a small thing. The subluxation produces pressure on a nerve. That pressure is a small thing. That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain. That is a big thing to that man.

Multiply that sick man by a thousand, and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city. Multiply that man by one hundred thirty million, and you forecast and can prophesy the physical and mental status of a nation. So the slip or fall, the subluxation, pressure, flow of mental images, and dis-ease are big enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation.

Now comes a man. And one man is a small thing. This man gives an adjustment. The adjustment is a small thing. The adjustment replaces the subluxation. This is a small thing. The adjusted subluxation releases pressure upon nerves. That is a small thing. The released pressure restores health to a man. This is a big thing to that man.

Multiply that well man by a thousand, and you step up the physical and mental welfare of a city. Multiply that well man by a million, and you increase the efficiency of a state. Multiply that well man by a hundred thirty million, and you have produced a healthy, wealthy, and better race for posterity. So, the adjustment of the subluxation to release nerve pressure upon nerves, to restore mental impulse flow, to restore health, is big enough to rebuild the thoughts and actions of the world.

The idea that knows the cause of health, that can correct the cause of dis-ease, is one of the biggest ideas known. Without it, nations fall; with it, nations rise.

B.J. Palmer, Developer of Chiropractic