The germ theory states that diseases are due to specific microorganisms; germs, bacteria and viruses, which are capable of transmission from body to body. A concept widely accepted by medical professionals and one that forms the basis for billions of dollars of pharmaceutical spending, the fact that so many people believe it to be true doesn’t make it so.
If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”
Anatole France
When the Black Plague swept through Europe, nearly one-third of the European population (25 million people) ended up dead as a result of the disease. What is most interesting, however, is the other two-thirds–the ones who didn’t die. Many times the survivors were members of the same family as the victims, sharing a home and meals across the same family table. What about them–why didn’t they ‘catch’ the disease? Were they just lucky?
Does it come down to the presence of the microorganism, or the strength of the host?”
From a chiropractic perspective, one of the challenges with the general following of the germ theory in society and medicine, is the overriding idea that exposure to a germ almost always equals disease, when common sense tells us that this simply is not the case.
The germ (or virus or bacteria) might well be the agent of disease, and present when the disease is present, but the cause is much more complex than that. An analogy often used in chiropractic circles is the presence of rats-in-the-dump. In this analogy the rats can be akin to the virus or bacteria and the dump the host of the disease. Did the rates cause the dump – the decaying matter, or where they attracted to the dump because of the decaying matter. Likewise, are germs and bacteria simple present because of a weakened environment / host, not the cause of the diseased/weakened environment or host?
As chiropractic pioneer B.J. Palmer said,
If the germ theory were to be correct, eventually there wouldn’t be anyone alive to tell you about it!”
The truth is, if our bodies can be kept whole and healthy, then the germs, which we come into contact with every day, would have no purchase.
What has this got to do with chiropractic?
One of the goals of chiropractic is to have your body function at such a level that you don’t get sick very often–and that when you do, your immune system, stronger because of more efficient nervous system and body-brain communication, is better able to fight off the disease, letting you recover more quickly.
Chiropractic is a vitalistic way of looking at our ideas of health and wellness, of how we get sick and why. Very often, it’s at odds with the predominant (mechanistic) medical model of health that everyone is used to. With the number of drug ads on television and in magazines, and news shows touting the latest drug to treat this or that disease,
“pharmaceutical companies spend over 8.1 billion on advertising drugs per year!” and the countless TV shows idolizing medicine (e.g. House, ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Nip/Tuck, etc.) , is it any wonder that we all grew up believing in the medical model of health care?
Does the germ theory stack up?
What if the foundation on which the entire medical model rests is flawed? What if the “germ theory of disease” is not quite so cut and dried as we’ve been led to believe?
In fact, a stronger more plausible argument is:
“that it was not the ‘seed’ (the germ) that caused disease, but was instead the ‘soil’ (the human body). -admitted by Pasteur- founder of the germ theory
Despite Pasteur’s recant of the germ theory before his passing, for the past one hundred years, modern medicine has pursued a theory that is, at best, only a single aspect of the cause of disease and, at worst, a theory flawed at its core.
How much better spent would our health dollars be if we pursued techniques and modalities (like chiropractic) that strive for ways how to make the “soil” less hospitable to the “seed,” (aka stronger, adaptable and more resilient), rather than chasing cures and potions for every collection of symptoms that can be named?
Choosing a Natural Approach?
Chiropractic care, especially prevalent at Advanced Health Chiropractic in West Auckland, is founded on the principle of enabling the body to heal itself by removing interferences to the nervous system’s function. This approach aligns perfectly with the goal of living a natural life with resilience to handle any challenging microorganisms that come your way. By adjusting the spine and improving nervous system function, our chiropractors help individuals reconnect with their innate intelligence, thus facilitating a return to health and balance, and developing a resilient ‘host’ environment..
The ultimate goal of embracing chiropractic care is not merely to alleviate symptoms but to enable families to express the fullest potential of their lives naturally. The success stories from families in the Advanced Health Chiropractic community illustrate how this holistic approach to health has not only transformed their wellbeing but also deepened their connections with each other and their sense of purpose in the world.
Living an amazing life. Naturally?
In a world where living incongruently has become the norm, the message from Advanced Health Chiropractic is clear: the presence of germs, bacteria and viruses are not just challenges to be overcome but an opportunity to provide feedback on the strength and resilience of our own body. By listening to our innate intelligence and making congruent lifestyle choices, we can achieve a state of health and well-being that allows us to live truly amazing lives. For those in West Auckland and Auckland looking to embark on this journey, finding a chiropractor who embraces this holistic philosophy is the first step towards transforming your health and your life.
Article adapted from Pathways Magazine