My goal in life, has been to reduce the intake of prescription drugs in my life...and take as few as possible.  It's amazing for to think that prescription drugs are the #4 killer in the United States.  So, after the reader dies, what will your death cirtificate read, "Kidney failure"...OR "liver failure"...Or "colon failure" ...but, what caused all these organs to fail?  I could have been proscription drugs, and doctor's dish out these chemicals, like it was candy...

Prescription Drugs; Number 4 Killer In America

In doing my research, to write this article, hundreds of thousands of American's are killed every year due to prescription drugs...and the worthless Congress just 'looks the other way.'  The three times I've been hospitalized during the last three years, were due to prescription drugs; metformin/twice and Ambien once. 

I've always been drug-concious, and I've tried to stay away from chemicals, in the form of prescription drugs.  After I was released from the emergency room in 2009, I promised myself, that I would do a better job of reducing prescription drugs and get them out of my life.  I suppose I have done a good job on my promise, because at the beginning of August, 2013...I take NOTHING...NO DRUGS WHATSOEVER...I had been taking about 7 drugs for one thing or another...and now I take NADA...ZERO... 

The one thing that's certain...chiropractic has helped me to reduce my drug intake, has been the fact that I have visited a chiropractor 125 times since 1976.  Chirpractors can't prescribe drugs, and rely on natural body healing, etc.  Here, in America...we live in a society of choices...you can believe in chiropractic and acupucture OR you don't have to believe in all this mumbo-jumbo...and continue to to throw down the pills you've been taking for years, etc.

Chiropractic;   For me, it all started in 1956 when I was eleven years old, and a picnic was being held in the mountains for my father's company.  As we all know, kids will be kids, and me and two others, were running up and down the hills, and I took a fall, and injured my neck and upper spine, and was never fixed.  I started suffering from headaches almost right away in school. 

By the time I was 20 years old, I was suffering from severe migrine headaches, which were so devistating, that I was almost a basket case at a very young age.  I was in the Air Force at the time, and I went to see Air Force doctors, and I would see my family doctor, but all they did was give me pills that didn't do much for the pain.  Throughout the decade, I kept getting worse, and I had to find out if there was another way to get well. 

Albuquerque, New Mexico in (2013) is a city of over 500,000 people, and in 1956, was much smaller.  When I decided to see a chiropractor, there were only two in town.  So, I went to see him, before it was to late.  We got started right away, as I went to see him everyday for about a month, etc.  I didn't know if he could help me, but I was desparet 

I was suffering from migraines; nose bleeds and very high blood pressure at a young age. Because of this, I didn't think I would live to the age of 55...or 60...or 65...and now at the age of 68...I don't know if I'll make it to age of 70, etc.  The United States is saturated with prescription drugs of one kind or another.  All these chemicals is sure to affect the organs in the body for the short term or the long term, and since we all live in a country of choices...so, how would you like your death cirtificate to read?  Died kidney failure; died of liver failure; died of colon failure; died of pancreas failure; died of too many chemicals in general, etc. 

For many years, chiropractor's were considered 'quacks' and nobody took them seriously.  In 2013, things have turned around.  Today, the parking lots of chiropractor's are filling up every month, and now whose calling the kettle black?  Ciropractor's are everywhere...and on every street corner.  In the three HMO's I've been in, there are more and more chiropractors than ever. 

The Americal people are fed up with unessesary procedures and surgeries; being over medicated with prescriptions that don't work, and the general high-cost of medical, today.  Chiropractic has always made sense to me...as our spinal cord, is our Super Highway, and something goes wrong with the body, it can usually be found travelling on the Super Highway.  Following is a short list of what Chiropractic has for me;

- Migraine headaches; gone;
- High Blood pressure; much lower in the safe zone;
- Colds; flu; I have not had a cold or flu since 1992.
- Cold sores; I have not seen a cold sore in years;
- Regularity; best that I've seen in years;
- Sinus problems; reduced;
- Sleep problems; gets better and better;
- Disposition; gets better and better;
- Depression; What's that? 
- Confidence; At 68, I can beat anybody at anything;
- Dance floor?  I have more moves than a can of worms; I will teach those young-un's to shake their booty....
- At 68...there will be no rocking chair for 'Mr. Adorable.'

What are the most important tools that a person needs to be successful at chiropractic? 

1) Open mind; To make changes in your life for the better;
2) Patience; There is NO magic pill and NO magic doctor, either...so patience is required because, in chiropractic, the body heals itself (without drugs) and, it could take time...Patience is a MUST...
3) Keeping a journal; of your progress, because you will get depressed, because things aren't happening fast enough, but when you look in your journal, you will be amazed at the progress you're making.  Most people can't remember their name, so I would advise to keep and maintain a journal throughout this ordeal, every if it takes years.  Your journal (of your accomplishments), will inspire you...

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Accupuncture; I have had so much success with chiropractic over the years, that I wanted to try accupuncture before I hang up my sneakers.  After 126 visits to a chiropractor in over 40 years, now it's time for me to try accupuncture.  By doing this, I am not replacing chiropractic...I'm just adding accupuncture to see what it's like.  Chiropractic will always be around.  I will always visit my doctor three times a year on my Wellness Plan. 

My first visit to an accupuncturist is set for Monday August 5, 2013, and I will update this piece and let the reader know what happened. 

As I said previously, we live in a country of choices.  The reader can choose to continue to pop pills for years and years and risk that your organs are ruined...OR the reader can choose to find another way to stay healthy...the choice is yours...

My first acupuncture visit...a success; It happened on Monday August 5, 3013, and I FINALLY had my first accupuncture visit...and everything went well.  This is the first time, I've ever felt like a porcupine, with needles sticking out form all over me.  I, obviously, didn't know what to expect. 

Before the appointment was made, I checked to see if the visit would be covered by the Lovelace Health plan that I have and Medicare, etc.  About a month previously to the visit, I called another accupuncturist in town, and asked, "What does a typical accupuncture visit...without insurance?  The answer, "About 85.00 to 90.00.  I was amazed at the cost (co-pay) at only $15.00 for the visit. 

Me and Dr. Li got started, by her giving me a short course on accupuncture, and outlined what would happened over the first month of treatment.  My three issues are as follows;

1) High blood pressure;
2) Sleep problems;
3) Sinus problems;

She told me, that the first visits would be of a general nature, to get me comfortable with accupuncture, etc.  So, with that in mind, we got started by me laying down on the bed, and this is where the needles would be injected. 

We got started, by me taking off my shoes and socks and laying back on the pillow provided, and my legs were prompted up with two small pillows; as were my wrists on tow small pillows, etc.  16 needles were injected in me on both sides of the body, and I didn't feel a thing.  About three needles were injected around the ear on both side; about 3 or 4 needles along the right and left forearm; and about 4 needles down around the ankles of the foot and below the foot itself.  I didn't feel a thing. 

She told me that she was going to leave the room, and dim the lights and turn on some music, and I would lie there for about 30 minutes.  She told me to think some positive thoughts during this time...and not to think about paying bills or negative thoughts, etc. 

She dimmed the lights in the room and left for about 30 minutes.  About 30 minutes later, she came back into the room, and turned on the lights, and went around both sides of the bed and pulled all the needles from my body....and told me I could sit up. 

The following information is taken from the office brochure and is as follows;

What is accupuncture?

"Acupuncture originated in China over 2,000 years ago, and is one of the oldest and most commonly performed types of medical therapy.  Acupuncture therapy involves penetrating the skin with metallic needles that are very thin and virtully painless.  Acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States since the 1970's and is now wiidely reguarded as a safe and effective treatment for a variety of conditions. 

According to Chinese medicine, the body transmits energy or Qi (pronounced chee), through pathways or meridians in the body.  The unimpeded flow of this energy, along with balanced Yin and Yang, account for a person's overall heatlh. 

Both Eastern and Western medicines agree that Acupuncture can help treat a wide variety of illnesses by relieving pain and symptoms associated with these illnesses.  Acupuncture may be the most effective treatment for your condition.  With acceptance and popularity continuing to grow in the United States, Acupuncture has become an easy and affordable solution to many common health problems. 

Do the needles hurt?

 No, virtually painless because the needles are very thin (thinner than the needle used to draw blood, thiner than human hair), and experienced acupuncturist, can find the right points and make the insertion painless.  Please also note that some acupuncture points are more sensitive than the other points. 

Are the treatments safe?
Yes.  We use only sterile, single-use disposal needles.

What can acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture can safely treat virtually any type of health condition. 

How many treatments will it take for me to get results? 
Unfortunately, there is not set answer.  Results may depend on more than a few factors such as; type of condition; how long problem existed; physical constitution;

Will my insurance cover acupuncture treatments?
Most insurance plans do cover acupuncture treatments.

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After about 30 minutes, Linda came into the room and congratulated me, and told me that I had just experienced my FIRST acupuncture visit.  I told her, that now, she only needs 125 more visits to catch up with chiropractic....so, she had better get to work.   She laughed! 

And finally...with chiropractic, I have been folded over for years, and crunched like a taco...and with acupuncture, I have had dozens of  needles sticking out of my head...and, now I ask you...do you call this hoapitality?

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Copyright; 2013; Jerry Aragon; The Humor Doctor;