Here in the good Ol’ USA, we are about to celebrate Independence Day, the date we commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and declared our freedom from the yoke of the British Empire.
I think for those of us in health care this day bears special significance. In fact, I think of the chiropractic profession in particular.
Chiropractic has remained independent for 120 years. It has been fought by monopolist trade organizations, suppressed, and slandered, but it still stays outside of the clutches of Eli Lilly, Merck, or Monsanto.
To Chiropractors and those who work in the profession: You are brave, tough, and independent. You are living the American Way. You are a gritty bunch for sure and have maintained your integrity for putting care before profits.
The challenge you have is not only to remain free, but to help your patients and community also be free and independent.
Your patients are at the receiving end of billions and billions of dollars that are spent to manipulate them to purchase products that are known to be unhealthy. Through pervasive and clever marketing and massive efforts to influence government, Americans have become over fed, over medicated, and under nourished. Obesity rates have tripled (11% in 1960’s, 37% 2010)1, drug consumption has soared (average 7 per person in 1993 to 12.2 per person in 2014).2 Vaccination recommendations for our children from our government has increased from 64 in the 1950’s to over 1000 in 2013 (69 doses of 16 vaccines between day of birth and age 18).3
And the results? American’s health rates compared to other countries are abysmal. We are the worst or close to it in many categories. 4 Yet this is not what is advertised, so it would be shock for most Americans to hear that in the competition with other countries for the best health care, that they are losers.
The true American Way5 was and is to question authority, seek the truth and to stand up for justice.
But the truth can be obscured and the path of least resistance is easier, and it can seem more acceptable to simply follow convention and herd mentality. But the facts are there – provided by whistle blowers, mothers, and researchers, and we all need to look at the facts, do our research, and continue to educate ourselves and stay vigilant.
We can’t forget our patients… they too need to learn how their health choices have been manipulated, how they have been deceived, and what they should do to truly improve their health.
There is a price to pay for freedom. It takes work and is not always easy, but — it is the American thing to do. Stay brave, stay alert, and continue to help your patients achieve better health.
Happy Independence Day from Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, USA
References.
- Obesity.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/2419425-2-healthcare-stocks-that-appear-to-trade-below-fair-value-estimates
- Drug Usage.
Generation Rx How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies by Greg Critser (https://danmurphydc.com/Critser.pdf) , also http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/retail-rx-drugs-per-capita. www.imshealth.com/deployedfiles/imshealth/Global/Content/Corporate/IMS%20Health%20Institute/Reports/US_Use_of_Meds_2013/Percent_population_prescriptions_per_capita.pdf
- Vaccinations.
http://www.nvic.org/CMSTemplates/NVIC/pdf/49-Doses-PosterB.pdf
- Rating American Health Care.
http://www.nvic.org/CMSTemplates/NVIC/pdf/49-Doses-PosterB.pdf
http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/Briefing-Note-UNITED-STATES-2014.pdf
- The American Way.
“The American Way of life is individualistic, dynamic, and pragmatic.” (Wikipedia: The American Way)
Here in the United States, July 4th is a date we celebrate each year, commemorating the independence as colonies from Great Britain.