The Wellness Revolution A call to action Do you have a tough time making it to the end of the day with- out feeling tired and sore? Do you envy your patients because they are in good shape and you’re not? D Do you talk about wellness with your patients, but you’re not “well”? When patients tell you about their problems, have you ever thought “You think you have prob- lems, move over on the table and I’ll tell you what real problems are!”? Does the quote “Dr., heal thyself” apply to others but not to you? Because life is perception, perhaps Dr. Pierre DesLauriers graduated from CMCC in 1987 and has worked as a health care trends expert, specializing in wellness care for 12 years. He has lectured extensively all over North America including two years on the post- graduate faculty of Palmer Chiro- practic College in Davenport, Iowa, where he lectured on patient edu- cation and health. DesLauriers has been in private practice with his wife, Dr. Kim Greene-DesLauriers for the past 21 years. we need to take a better look at ourselves – and I mean that literally – and determine if we truly are leading the wellness revolution. Are you doing this primarily with your words but not with your actions? What am I talking about? Think about this; how are we supposed to lead the wellness revolution if you can’t make it up the stairs to your offi ce without stopping? Are you telling your patients to lose weight, start exercising and eat better but you haven’t done any of those things in years? Have you become under-tall for your weight? Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” If we are to lead our patients we should do this by example. We need to eat well. We need to sleep well. We need to exercise regularly. We need to look well! My dad once said “Never take fi nancial advice from poor people!” In other words, if you’re telling people about how to live the chiropractic lifestyle, but you look like you live the exact opposite lifestyle, what do you think the patient is thinking? Now, please don’t shoot the messenger. I’m not telling you to go out and get a tummy tuck or a face lift or spend hundreds of dollars at a tanning salon. I’m just asking you to take a good look at your lifestyle and see if it is congruent with what you are telling your patients. If it is, terrifi c, keep up the great work. However, if it isn’t, you have some work to do. This issue is devoted to you and your staff. It is a compilation of the “best of” ideas, advice, exercise, etc., on how to stay well in the offi ce. The tips come from other chiropractors – your colleagues – and other friends who care about you. Please use this information, and share it with your staff and patients. The critical thing to remember here is that you must do something. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, known as the “father of medicine” once said, “A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.” Lance Armstrong is arguably the best cyclist of all time. Much of his success is attributed to his physique, his training regimen, and his cancer. Yes, his cancer. After facing possible death, he meets every mile, every hill with all the strength he can muster from every last cell. And his will to win is as strong as his will to survive. Resolve today to dedicate the rest of your life to perfect your health – and like Lance, do it as if your life depends on it. Because, my friends, it does. • 8 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | MAY 2009 www.canadianchiropractor.ca Cs, are your patients healthier than you? Photo by Megan Morgan, Manouche Photography Pierre DesLauriers, DC feature
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor May 2009: Page 8
