Raising A Healthy Drug Free Family

The statistics are staggering. Every year more than 5000 teenagers commit suicide while another 500,000 attempt to do so. Thousands of kids are killed and injured each year in automobile accidents and horrible acts of violence linked to drugs. Millions are turning to drugs and alcohol to escape their own reality. What can we as parents do to make sure our children grow up with the self esteem and values that empower them to use good judgment and "just say no"?

A colleague told me a sad, but true, story with a critical message on this very issue. There was a gentleman who had spent his entire adult life working hard to achieve financial success for himself' and his family. This man was committed to accomplishing extraordinary things in his professional life, and he did. He owned five major companies and was worth millions of dollars. He recently found out that his financial success wasn't everything.

One night, after flying his personal airplane to a business meeting, he received a startling call from his wife. He was jolted as his wife told him that his daughter-in-law had been killed in a house fire and that his two grandchildren were critically injured. He flew home the next morning, after his meeting, arriving home just in time to be informed that both of the children had died. Crushed by this horrible news, he couldn't imagine things getting worse. But they did. Within just a few days, his son was arrested and charged with the crime. His son is currently serving a life sentence.

I wonder, did this gentleman intend to create an environment in his home that would foster this kind of behavior?  I doubt it. Yet, in some very subtle, insidious ways, most of us do little things every day that create confusion and doubt in our children about our value systems. Many times, while our intention is to raise a drug free family, we actually program drug dependency into our family's behavior without even realizing it! How could this be? Please follow along without judgement and be open to this information as you read on...

It could make a big difference in the outcome of your child's life.

Think about what happens the first time your baby gets sick. If you're not aware of your child's natural immunity and how it develops, you might immediately run to the pediatrician to alleviate your child's apparent suffering. And because you're not aware of the alternatives, you give your child a drug. As they become toddlers they may get a variety of colds or infections. And, so they don't "suffer" each time they complain about not feeling good, we rush to the drug store and get them some over-the-counter medications. In other words, more drugs.

Eventually, they're off to school and the next thing you know teacher is telling you that your child can't concentrate or won't sit still.  Instead of seeking alternative methods of teaching the energetic and creative student, many times (too many these days) the child is labeled hyperactive or attention deficit and told to take an even more powerful drug similar in its effects to cocaine, Ritalin. Isn't it amazing that in some schools, as many as 50% of the students are on Ritalin?  What's wrong with this picture?

Pharmaceutical manufacturers market their product, drugs, to physicians and parents with little, or no, emphasis placed on the drug's potential side effects. Ritalin's side effects include insomnia, appetite loss, stunted growth and even suicide. Antibiotics, probably the most prescribed placebo known to modern medicine, cause digestive disturbances and may play a key role in developing highly resistant bacteria that may cause super infections that strain the immune system and are drug-resistant, if not untreatable. Aspirin, the "wonder drug" causes abdominal bleeding while Tylenol and Ibuprofen increase the risk of kidney disease and failure.

Even worse than the side effects of these drugs is the message it sends. From the time they're born, your children get the message that when they feel bad drugs help them "feel" better. As subtle as it may seem, this behavior becomes conditioned. They see it every time you say "I have a headache" and choose to take an aspirin, or Tylenol or a drink. Is it any wonder that when a child doesn't reach an important goal or gets dumped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, they turn to drugs to relieve the pain?

You can stop the insanity that this quick fix, relief orientation causes. Millions of' people already have. Last year alone, Americans made over 100 million more visits to holistic practitioners than they did to medical doctors. People are tired of taking drugs and concerned about their potentially devastating side effects. Almost anyone you talk to today has a horror story about a severe drug reaction.

People want to be well. They intuitively know that the human body has incredible healing power. At the same time, they have less faith in drugs with their unpredictable side effects. Informed, rational people are demanding information on how to build their body's immune system for long term health in lieu of remaining in a state of chronic crisis management.

Chiropractic has led the way for these people by getting results. There is a great deal of information, research and scientific validation on how chiropractic care helps restore the body to optimum health. Thousands of families receive ongoing wellness care through chiropractic and have practically eliminated out-of-pocket medical expenses because they are healthier than ever. These people have turned their medicine chests into bathroom cabinets because they no longer need, or use, drugs.

These are not just people with back pain. These are people who have suffered from any, and every, disease you can name from cancer to Crohn's disease, from asthma to menstrual problems. While chiropractic doesn't treat these conditions per se, it allows the body the best opportunity to heal itself. Many chiropractic patients are perfectly healthy and simply looking to get even better. People are seeking chiropractic care for superior performance, as well. Olympic and professional athletes receive chiropractic care to help them get the most from their training and enhance their performance.

One patient had such severe menstrual problems, she literally had to check into a hotel every month and completely get away from people. Within 90 days of starting chiropractic care her body chemistry had balanced itself out and her hormonal rages were gone. Another woman with a severe intestinal disorder couldn't leave the house because of her condition. She was scheduled for surgery because she was dying. As a last resort she tried chiropractic. Her body's innate healing ability took over and she cancelled the surgery. One month later she was on vacation in Europe with her children. Now, her entire family receives ongoing chiropractic wellness care.

Children who used to be chronically get sick and constantly on some medication are now chiropractic wellness patients, along with their families, and are truly healthy and drug free. Think about the difference in the message your kids are receiving with these two different approaches.

The old approach says, "I'm sorry you feel bad. Your body is weak and you need these drugs to feel good." On the other hand, the new wellness approach says, "your body is strong and can heal itself. Let's remove the interference so you can get well on your own."

Children that grow up with a wellness consciousness, grow up believing in themselves and are independent from drugs. Families that receive chiropractic wellness care are sharing healthy times and perpetuating healthy values. Kids enjoy their chiropractic adjustments and literally run in to the chiropractor's office. They can't wait to get on the table for their adjustment. They don't need to be coerced with a lollipop and are much healthier for it.

Give yourself and your family every opportunity to live the healthiest life possible. A drug free life! Empower them to believe in their own inner strength, healing capacity, and their unlimited potential. If it works for millions of others, why wouldn't it work for you? It can and will work for you, once you make the commitment to get started!