** Please don’t sell yourself short. I believe anyone reading this has the capacity to rethink a different way to approach health when it is obvious that more of the same may not be the best for your future. Chiropractic offers something different. It must be applied differently with its own different language and outlook.
Why the Rules Shouldn’t Change for Cancer
BTW, what does chiropractic have to do with cancer? Plenty.
Cancer is considered to be the worst of the worst. All other conditions are viewed as manageable and you should "live with it" (another blog post for another day). Why not cancer?
A cancer tumor is made up of anaplastic cells. Anaplastic is defined by the National Cancer Institute as cells that divide rapidly and no longer resemble the “mother” cell. I used the word mother because the NCI definition states the new cells do not resemble normal cells anymore. I think "mother" cell is a better way to describe the original cell. I prefer to use it over the term "normal." because no one has the authority to define normal. Cells are just responding to the environment. They can’t be normal or abnormal. Constantly using the term normal closes off the mind to other reasonable understandings. It’s a mind block.
Function is also a term that needs clarifying. The body functions all the time until there is zero function, which means death. You function until you cease to function. There is no dysfunction. Your body, brain, cells, organs…. will continue to function. They are always responding to the environment. They may be in a defensive or protective state, and then a restful state or a rebuilding state. It’s all functional. Using the term dysfunction closes off the mind from other reasonable understandings.
When cancer becomes the center of attention, the mainstream views it as a dysfunction. How do these cells become abnormal? Well, do they? What if they are functioning in a way that supports the body? Can we consider this idea?
Actually there is disagreement in the cancer industry. Ninety percent of oncologists would forgo chemotherapy for themselves and their family members. That's saying something.
In any other case, we observe a body symptom going through a healing process. I prefer to call it a nervous system adaptation of protection during a stressful event, and then rebuilding once the stressful event has ended. If it’s a cut, we know the skin separations reconnect and knit together again under a messy clot that turns into a scab. If it’s a stomach ache we know an intense diarrhea or vomiting will occur. Inflammation and swelling are purposeful, as well.
So, why do we change our thinking when something is labeled cancer?
Because it is assumed that it will keep growing and become a danger to vital organs. But we also know that is not 100% true. You’ve heard that tumors shrink on their own, and our bodies “fight” cancer all the time (until it decides to stop fighting, apparently).
A quick search of early studies on spontaneous remission shows that tumors disappear 12-24% of the time. These numbers are poo-pooed because it could upset the National Cancer Institute's mission. I think this statistic is significant. It shows the body builds up and breaks down appropriately and as needed when facing stress.
Cancers that shrink on their own also follow an interesting process. They become red and hot. The person develops a fever and this spurs on the shrinkage. Certain bacteria show up also to “digest” the tumor. The belief is that “infection” causes tumors to shrink. Infection is another term that closes off the mind to other reasonable understandings. We assume an infection is a malevolent process that must be drugged and drained. Perhaps it is the appropriate and intelligent process the body utilizes to shrink a tumor.
Researchers were so excited by this observed body response they wanted to manipulate it by creating an infectious substance and injecting it in tumors in order to create a cure. But this turned out to be a poor attempt at reinventing the wheel. The studies were deemed a failure and the infection idea was buried in history. The body already does it well and scientists wanted to high-jack it.
Can I add a reasonable understanding to this scenario? If a fever is a necessary part of this process, I bet we have wrecked the body’s natural fever mechanisms. People take fever reducers everyday even when they don’t experience fevers. When people take non-steroidal inflammatory drugs for chronic joint pain every day, they are also cooling off the fever mechanism rendering it unavailable when a real need comes up. Also much of our modern day lifestyles block the natural process of bacterial activity within the body. So, two of the most important tumor shrinkers are beaten down. This may be why we don’t see spontaneous remissions. Also, we don’t look for spontaneous remissions. We don’t support the body to allow spontaneous remissions. We follow the assumptions about cancer that it is a death sentence.
From a chiropractic perspective, we know a body that is allowed a reprieve from stressful events, stressful thinking, etc, has the opportunity to rebuild, and regain strength and resilience.
Chiropractic adjustments help the nervous system reset brain patterns so an overactive fight or flight response is gently dialed down allowing the repair process to finish the job. The most challenging health problem is the energy theft when fight or flight goes on too long, or too often (thanks to modern day life).
The secret is to make peace with our stressful modern life. We can change the intensity of our everyday issues. We can incorporate a wellness plan that replenishes the vital energy our tissues need to remain viable. Chiropractic opens the door for replenishment.
Cancer is thought to be cellular growth on steroids, out of sync with the body, but it can also appear to be an appropriate response to trauma and stress.
We can’t control all of the stress in our lives, but we can prepare for the more challenging times.
This is a brain approach to health. Chiropractic is a very profound brain promoting tool.
I prefer to look at the body’s functions as purposeful and logical. The brain is in charge of the body. The opposite view believes disease is in charge of the body and the body requires extensive outside help. From what I’ve seen during my lifetime, the disease model does great harm to the psyche of the population.
The treatment approach to manipulate the intelligent functions of the body and interfere with them is illogical and dangerous, This manipulative approach further perpetuates the idea that we are sitting ducks prone to insidious and unexpected health battles.
While I was attracted to the wellness model because it is less invasive, drug free and utilizes natural approaches, I am dismayed that it still clings to the misleading language of disease. So much more could be accomplished by avoiding terms such as abnormal, dysfunction, malfunction, mutation, infection, etc.
As a chiropractor, I don’t adjust the spine because the spine is in trouble or makes mistakes. I adjust the spine to reach the brain and connect with it as a partnership because the brain makes us who we are.
In the end, I don’t want to focus on cancer. It gets too much attention and we end up belittling ourselves because the cancer culture is very demoralizing.
I want to focus on us–the people…and you the person. You are much more powerful than a terribly misinterpreted body activity.
If you want to learn more about your brain’s spectacular powers, learn why chiropractic is a profound brain tool opening up a new outlook for your life.
A Brain Being a Brain Is Not a Disease
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