[originally published in KCN, November 2009]
Imagine, if you will, a Hollywoodesque, classic scene of a bygone era when a tantruming, unruly, obstinate toddler is grabbed by the wrist from his stern, fast-walking, nursemaid — who exemplifies the antithesis of Mary Poppins — and is briskly pulled along across the courtyard and up the steps of the manor. What you probably wouldn’t imagine though is what might happen next: the child shrieks out in pain and the arm that had been pulled by the nursemaid now hangs motionless. Too hard to imagine? Well, it must have happened often enough, because doctors ended up giving it a name: “nursemaid’s elbow.” (more…)
With last week’s 
Media reports of Swine Flu in Mexico and now several US cities are frightening to many Americans, who are made to feel helpless. As a result, many will turn to dangerous vaccines out of fear and a lack of honest information. This virus is a strain of H1N1, the same virus responsible for the 1918 Flu Pandemic (often referred to as the “Spanish Flu”).
Today it is becoming more and more accepted by the health care community and public at large that chiropractors are great back doctors. I would agree. The scientific literature certainly supports our primary method of treatment for back pain, and more insurance companies are covering our services for it. Considering our history of long uphill battles to gain “acceptance” as a viable health care profession, it is understandable that we might be drawn to settle into this “comfortable chair” of being labeled as back pain specialists. But to do so would really be undermining the true potential that the art, science, and philosophy of chiropractic has to offer. 
When I was in elementary school, I remember a poster that hung on the back wall of the school cafeteria. It read “You Are What You Eat.” A simple, but wise, phrase, and one that I’ve come to appreciate with the passing years. However, despite my chiropractic education, and the nutritional courses within it, the idea of sitting down to a nice, piping hot plate of back pain has never crossed my mind. Well, according to the research in Dr. Neal Barnard’s book 
As we approach the beginning of yet another school year, I’m reminded of a growing concern that is circulating throughout our health care community. The concern I’m speaking of is that we are simply putting too much weight on our children’s shoulders. And while those in the various mental health professions would certainly support this statement, I’m looking at this problem more literally. The “weight “ I’m referring to is physical, and it comes from the overstuffed backpacks that our children lug to and from school everyday. Our children are becoming virtual pack mules, if you will, placing undue stress on their developing spines and thus giving birth to a whole host of future, and sometimes immediate, spinal and muscle related problems, including the obvious — back pain. 
[originally published in 
SpinalColumnBlog 