Preventing disease demands difficult choices

In the mid-1970s, my sister worked with juvenile delinquents on the streets of Boston. Today, they are called troubled youth. The title doesn’t matter – they are kids that break the law, hurt others and fail to become productive.

The results of her work will not surprise you, as countless others have echoed the same resounding conclusion: The environment in the home and the culture of the neighborhood is critical to raising healthy, happy, productive people.

Our ability to treat delinquency is at best mediocre and always costly.

Prevention remains the key. Prevention consistently gets results.

A functional family, a supportive community and a sense of humility before God, provides the foundation to prevent children from developing a rap sheet.

As members of society, we should be greatly concerned about our youth.

We must create a stable environment for the children. Our civic organizations and churches are active and continue to reach out to improve the community in which we live.

As a society, I believe we are working towards a common goal and I hope one day we will be able to realize our goals.

You may wonder what that has does to do with health?

I think it’s very similar, allow me to replace the word delinquency with disease in one of the sentences above.

“After years of neglect, our ability to treat disease is at best mediocre and always costly.”

The question we must ask as members of society is, are we concerned about disease? If the answer is yes, we must work towards prevention, because treatment of disease is at best mediocre and always costly. A physician who works with those who are ill and tries to treat their problems endeavors in a noble pursuit, but the individuals who lovingly nurture and encourage others to prevent disease and engage in healthful living, they embody love.

There are destructive and constructive behaviors. Your health depends on the choices you make.

We all know the importance of nutrition, rest and exercise, but are we willing to dig a little deeper and buy quality food, spring for that massage and join the club?

As a chiropractor I must warn you that if you have nerve interference, all the best food, rest and exercise, will not be used effectively by your body.

Much like the most expensive grand piano that can get out of tune.

Imagine the greatest pianist of all time playing perfectly on an ill-tuned piano.

Chiropractic is an essential component to your body’s ability to maintain health and prevent disease.

As a society, I believe we must work towards a common health goal.

One day, perhaps, in the world our children inherit we will elevate health to such a degree as to stamp out disease.

Until then, it is up to you.

Dr. Ray Pope has been a licensed chiropractor in Washington since 1985. He practices on Camano Island at Action Potential Chiropractic Inc. and enjoys living fully in the Northwest and serves on short-term missions.