The arms of the middle seat were visibly straining outward as Angie negotiated herself into the space that would be hers for the duration of our four-hour, 28-minute flight. She was even more uncomfortable as she tried to wrap the seat belt around herself. The belt was clearly gouging into her flesh when it finally clicked on the fourth try. Angie is obese, a fact that she is reminded of countless times every day. The constrained accommodation of our cross-country plane flight was just one more reminder.
Angie is not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one of every four U.S. adults is obese.1 Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
As I sat next to Angie trying to enjoy what remained of my window seat, I wondered how she came to be so overweight. Was she always this heavy? How did her path to obesity begin? I also thought about the other Angies of the world. There are more than 63 million of them in the U.S. alone.
The medical solutions are less than attractive. Just last month, the French government banned the drug "Mediator" that was being prescribed for diabetes and obesity. An article reporting on the ban stated, "French health officials are saying it may have killed hundreds and offered almost no benefit to patients."2-3 That particular deadly drug was sold in the U.S. under the name "Redux." It was banned here in 1997. In 2000, the drug's maker, American Home Products, agreed to pay $12 billion to settle a major class-action lawsuit. "Individuals harmed by Redux will receive between $5,000 and $1.5 million each, depending on the severity of their Redux-related injuries."4
Can doctors of chiropractic make a difference in this largely self-inflicted epidemic? I believe we can. Clearly a wellness lifestyle combats obesity. Ours is a message of health without the dangers of drugs.
Faced with similar challenges, the country of Aruba has developed a national plan "for the fight against overweight, obesity and related health issues." The reason I focus on Aruba is that its plan to combat obesity was developed by a doctor of chiropractic, Richard W.M. Visser, DC, PhD, Aruba's minister of health and sports.5 He has also met with First Lady Michelle Obama to share his thoughts of how to address these issues in the U.S.6
Dr. Visser and his team conducted research on the health status of the citizens of Aruba, revealing some disturbing trends. The people of Aruba don't eat breakfast enough, eat too few vegetables and fruits, don't drink enough water (and drink too many sugar-sweetened drinks), eat too much junk food or unhealthy food, and don't breast-feed enough.
Sound like many of your patients? Here is what they decided to do about it:
You too are in a unique position to have conversations with your patients, their family members and friends. As part of your service to your community, you can help them understand the dangers of poor eating habits, lack of balanced nutrition, an inactive lifestyle and being overweight.
You can have conversations with people like Angie (conversations that would be inappropriate for some guy sitting in the seat next to them.) You can have conversations with parents who can intercept children before their situations become chronic and much harder to combat.
Dr. Visser is doing his part to reduce obesity and bring wellness to Aruba. You can and should do the same in your community.
References
Read more findings on my blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/wrblog/. You can also visit me on Facebook.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
