Flu Season! Deer Season! Flu Season!

It's that time of year once again; the seasons are changing. The typically hot Oklahoma summer is giving way to the cooler climes of Autumn, and the frenzy of deer season has begun! Throughout the state, hunters are rising at the crack of dawn, bow and arrows in hand to engage in the great game of sport that generations of hunters have enjoyed for hundreds of years. As exciting as the onset of deer season can be, there's a more ominous season waiting at the gates; Flu season.

Every year, the same warnings are trumpeted from the rooftops; "flu season is upon us! It's time to get your flu shot!" Others say that the flu shot is a sure-fire way of getting the flu, while yet others declare that the flu shot is worthless, that it does nothing to prevent the flu. In fact, chiropractors around the world are notorious for opposing vaccination as an ineffective means of acquiring long-term immunity.

But this post isn't about whether or not you should get a flu shot. This short article is about the innate healing ability that lies within your body, and how chiropractic care can be an effective option for helping your body deal with flu season.

How in the world can getting an adjustment prevent the flu? Let's go back to 1918 for the answer.

In 1918, the worldwide Spanish Flu pandemic claimed the lives of between 30-50 MILLION people, which was up to 6% of the entire global population. In other words, the Spanish flu was no pussycat, it was lethal and strangely affected the young and healthy more than it did the young and old. Reports show that in New York City, during the influenza epidemic of 1918, out of every 10,000 cases medically treated, 950 died; and in every 10,000 pneumonia cases medically treated 6,400 died. That's .9% death rate in New York City for the flu itself and a 64% death rate for pneumonia. The crazy thing is that flu and pneumonia patients who sought out chiropractic care had far better results. The same epidemic reports show that Chiropractors in Oklahoma took care of 3,490 flu patients. Only 7 died.

That's an .002% death rate.

Why did folks under Chiropractic care fare better than those under medical care? Because those under Chiropractic care had interference corrected. Chiropractic has nothing to do with 'treating' the flu. In fact, Chiropractic doesn't 'treat' any condition whatsoever. Chiropractic is about analyzing the spine for vertebral subluxation and providing an adjustment to the spine when necessary. A study conducted in 1992 found that white blood cell levels increased significantly following an adjustment. Another study conducted by Ronald Pero, Ph.D found that Chiropractic care effects the immune system in a profound way.

Pero's team measured 107 individuals who had received long-term Chiropractic care. The chiropractic patients were shown to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer or serious diseases. Interestingly, Pero found no decline with the various age groups in the study demonstrating that the DNA repairing enzymes were just as present in long-term chiropractic senior groups as they were in the younger groups.
(Pero R. "Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results." The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32)

So what does this mean? Does this mean that Chiropractic care can treat the flu? Remember; Chiropractic doesn't treat anything! Chiropractic simply removes nerve interference so the body can more fully express health. No matter what your thoughts are on the flu shot, your regimen of flu prevention is incomplete without chiropractic care.

So don't let the flu derail your hunting plans this year. Get adjusted and find out for yourself just how much Chiropractic can enhance your life!

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