COVID and Chiropractic Philosophy
By Dr. Keith Bennett, D.C
This is not an article about how Chiropractic care can help build the immune system to fight off viruses. Although, I would love to write that article, I feel like this one needs to be written first. This article is about knowing that we should truly know what we believe and how covid can help us do that. To start with, let’s talk a bit about philosophy and how it will apply in this article. Philosophy comes from the Greek word philosophia which literally means “love of wisdom”. I have found that most people’s philosophy of life, Chiropractic, or Covid is just something they chose to believe and not something they have truly searched for wisdom about. That being said if I had chosen to write about how Chiropractic care could help fight off viruses, most doctors would fall into two categories. The first one being the doctors that already believe that, and there is no need for them to read it. The other group of doctors would be the ones that don’t already think that way and nothing I say will change their minds.
Now what can Covid-19 teach us about a belief system? We have seen how this has affected our lives in so many ways but notice how polarizing it has become. We have people that are so divided in their beliefs (their philosophy) that they have nothing but hatred for the people that don’t agree with them. You have one group that believes that the whole virus thing is made up to destroy the American economy and it’s not even a real virus, and you have another group that thinks that the only reason the virus isn’t already gone is because of those pesky rebels that wouldn’t wear their mask. Yes, that last part was meant to raise some blood pressure. It’s good to get the blood pumping. All joking aside, if you take these two groups and actually do some studying, you will find out that they make up a very small portion of the total population. Most of the people fit into a VERY large group somewhere in the middle. The middle group of people may, or may not lean toward one way or another but if they do it’s okay with them if you don’t.
Do you see the comparison to the two groups when it comes to Chiropractic? I’m not going to go into the differences between wellness Chiropractic and musculoskeletal Chiropractic for the same reason that I gave for not writing this article about Chiropractic helping prevent viruses. My point is, that our belief in Chiropractic doesn’t have to divide us. It has the ability to draw us closer together. The more we examine our own true beliefs about what we do, the less we need to have others agree with us. If we become so confident in what we know that it doesn’t matter if others believe that way or not, then we will cease to let it bother us when they don’t. For example, if someone asks you what is the best Chiropractic technique and your immediate answer isn’t your technique, then you need to search for some wisdom on that subject. My advice is to try your best to disprove every belief you have. If it causes you to change your beliefs, then great. If it doesn’t cause you to change your beliefs, then great again. Either way you win because you gain confidence in your knowledge.
When Covid-19 first became known, some people made their minds up on what they thought was going on, and they have stuck to that no matter what. Most of the politicians have done just that. No matter what data comes out they just twist it to fit their agenda (Not going to mention any names but I want to). I, on the other hand, have changed what I believe about this nasty virus multiple times, and may change some more before it is over. Likewise, my career long study of Chiropractic philosophy has been a labor of love but, it has also caused me to question and even change my beliefs on a regular basis, and also caused me to make changes when necessary. I can honestly say with every change has come joy and peace in knowing that my truth, is my truth. My challenge to you is to become so solid in the belief in what you do, that you have no need to convince anyone else of it. You should have an overwhelming desire to share it with anybody and everybody but no need to.
The truth is, that the Covid-19 virus is what it is regardless of your beliefs, and Chiropractic Works regardless of your beliefs. So, let’s all celebrate the fact that we all belong to a profession that makes the biggest difference in the health of our society, and all Chiropractors make that difference regardless of whether they practice like you or not. That is how wonderful and powerful this thing called Chiropractic is!
Although I didn’t write this article about the affects of Chiropractic in building the immune system and helping to fight the virus, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from B. J. Palmer:
“While other professions are concerned with changing the environment to suit the weakened body, chiropractic is concerned with strengthening the body to suit the environment“.
