Above-Down, Inside-Out
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| The Nerve System and Chiropractic Care |
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How is it that chiropractic health care can be so effective
across so broad a range of conditions? One of the main reasons is
because chiropractic focuses on optimizing the nerve system by
normalizing its function.
The nerve system directs and coordinates all the
functions in your body. A properly functioning nerve system can help
your body recover from many kinds of problems. Chiropractic physicians are specialists in analyzing and correcting nerve interference, which in turn helps your body function more optimally. Chiropractic care helps to reestablish the free flow of information between your brain and the rest of your body. When the various systems of your body receive accurate information - on time and in the right sequences - they can do the jobs they were designed to do. The result is the full expression of vibrant health and well-being. |
Dr. B.J. Palmer,
one of the founders of chiropractic, used the phrase "Above-down,
inside-out" to describe the inner workings of the human nerve system
which connects the brain and spinal cord to all parts of the body,
including cells, tissues, glands and organs.
This was Dr. Palmer's way of addressing the complexity of human physiology all at once. From a high-level viewpoint, he was
describing how the central nervous system communicates with the rest of
the body. One major conclusion is that the brain originates
nerve signals that flow to the spinal cord and from there to the glands, organs, cells, and
tissues - and is therefore the master controller of all the other systems.
The cardiopulmonary, endocrine, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal
systems are all ultimately controlled and regulated by activities within
the brain.
Dr. Palmer was also referring to the organizing
intelligence responsible for all the operations of a living organism. This
concept, referred to as "Innate Intelligence", was advanced by his father Dr. Daniel
David Palmer. Dr. B.J. Palmer expanded upon his father's work, and promoted the idea of
Innate Intelligence as he helped the field of chiropractic become the
second largest healing arts profession in the United States.
In this paradigm of "above-down, inside-out," the
guiding, intrinsic force that maintains ongoing
health and healing is Innate Intelligence. It is this inborn
intelligence that knows precisely what each cell needs to meet its
energy requirements and thrive. Innate
Intelligence knows precisely how to create a new antibody
to fight a previously unencountered virus or bacteria. Innate
Intelligence knows how much insulin is needed to properly use the
carbohydrates you consume. And on, and on.
It is clear that disorder within the nerve system can interfere with the
body's ability to carry out the instructions of Innate Intelligence.
Symptoms, pain, disorders, and disease result from such nerve
interference. Chiropractic treatment helps the nerve
system function optimally, thus helping to restore health and well-being.1,2,3
1Nguyen LT, et al: Use of Complementary and
Alternative Medicine and Self-Rated Health Status: Results from a
National Survey. J Gen Intern Med Nov 5 2010 (Epub ahead of print)
2Millet JD: Progress in complementary and alternative
medicine research: Yale Research Symposium on Complementary and
Integrative Medicine. Yale J Biol Med 83(3):127-129, 2010
3Ahn AC, et al: Applying principles from complex
systems to studying the efficacy of CAM therapies. J Altern Complement
Med 16(9):1015-1022, 2010
