August 16, 2004

 

 

 

 

            When I think back to the early days of the lives of my two children, it is amazing to me how they have both grown to be bright, energetic teenagers enjoying their high school years.  It is sad, however, to look around the playgrounds and schoolyards of our communities and see how many children are having difficulty growing up strong and healthy.  One has to wonder where it all went wrong.

 

            There appears to be so many children affected by allergies and colds these days that cause pediatrician offices and urgent care centers to be flooded on a regular basis with youngsters of every age complaining of various symptoms of runny nose, headache and/or ear infections.  Despite vast amounts of money and effort, conditions like asthma are not on the way down.  They are actually disrupting the lives of more children than ever before.  More children could die of asthma this year than in the history of modern medicine. 

 

            It is even more frightening when we think about the many school-aged children who are growing up and becoming dependent upon prescription medication.  Whether it is for allergies or asthma or acne, too many children and their parents rely on prescription medication on an almost daily basis. 

 

            The worst part of all is that other children, and maybe even some of the same children who are taking asthma and allergy medications, are also subject to the concept that they do not sit still enough and need to be taking a medication to help keep them under control.  Some studies show that over 40% of school-aged children take Ritalin.  Did you know that Ritalin is in the same classification as is cocaine?  It is no wonder why teenagers in today’s modern society look to the many forms of prescription drugs as a way to get a special high, and when that doesn’t work there certainly are many illicit drugs available on the street corners and schoolyards of our pristine communities. 

 

            Can you blame the average teenager for experimenting with illicit drugs when he or she has grown up on medication for their entire lives?  How many times did they take Amoxicillin or any of the other tasty bubble gum pink stuff or how many times did they take a puff because their asthma was acting up?  Worse yet, even when no one was looking, there was always the over-the-counter Tylenol or extra-strength Excedrin.  It has become all too commonplace and yet adults wonder why their children get hooked on drugs or why they want to experiment with artificial means to change their physiology.  Is this the future for our kids?  Do we realize how much a medicine cabinet has become part of every normal household?  What are parents to do about this situation? 

 

            My children are both in high school and do enjoy energetic, healthy lives without the addition of any kind of drug by prescription or by street corner.  I am glad that they have grown up without a constant battery of pills to supposedly solve their problems.  Since they have not been taught this, I can be assured that they will not be tempted by the pushers on the street corners.  Yes, they had some ear infections as young children and, yes, they had times when even as they got older they did not get enough sleep and maybe worked themselves into a cold, but in our family we utilized some natural forms of healthcare and understood the power of the human body to help heal itself.  We also understood the power of eating right, sleeping on a regular schedule and avoiding, as much as possible, processed foods and the so-called junk food.

 

            It is so easy to be sucked in to the whirlwind, particularly when you are dealing with your own child who may be suffering in any way.  You want to do the very best, and yet you don’t know where to turn.

 

            When my oldest child was only a few years old, she did have a bout with some ear infections, but we did not treat it with the pink stuff.  We instead utilized some natural methods to help reduce the fluid and decrease the discomfort of the ear infections.  We utilized some massage therapy for proper drainage.  We also utilized chiropractic adjustments.

 

            When my son was seven or eight, he began to play first recreational and later travel soccer.  He was very intent in his game and despite our best efforts he did sustain some minor injuries, but he did not look for a bottle of Advil as his answer.  Instead, he received proper training on the stretching of the involved muscles.  He also received a pair of orthotics in order to maintain proper foot mechanics despite his many hours in soccer cleats.

 

            My son knows the importance of things like warm-up and cool-down for proper muscle activity and prevention of injuries.  He also gets regular chiropractic adjustments to ensure spinal integrity.  Most important of all, he is able to excel in a sports environment without artificial assistance.  As he moves through his high school years, he understands that health is not in the form of a pill from a bottle, but health is from within and sometimes only a little assistance is needed through natural methods of healthcare.

 

            As I look at my two children going into high school, I am rest assured that they have not lived their young lives dependent upon medication and that we have attempted to instill upon them the ideals of good health in a natural way.  I know that this is possible, not only for my teenagers, but also for many youngsters who can adapt an approach to healthcare without dependence upon drugs and artificial means.  If we are to live healthier, longer lives, we need to create the paradigm shift to establish better definitions of health and wellness.

 

            Today’s children need a healthier lifestyle if they wish to be healthier adults. 

 

            A more natural form of healthcare for our children is possible with a little bit of information and a philosophy to move toward the concept of the body helping itself.  Everyone can and should adapt this philosophy for the health of their children and for the health of their children’s children. 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joseph S. Gulyas

 

 

Dr. Joseph S. Gulyas is a chiropractor practicing in Clifton Park for the past 18 years.  As director of his own chiropractic office, he has taken care of the health of thousands of people within the Capital Region.   Northeast Spine and Wellness  is a full-service wellness facility combining practitioners from all walks of the wellness industry including, but not limited to  nutrition, massage therapy and chiropractic and  rehabilitation.  The facility is open six days a week and is located on Ushers Road across from Stewarts off Exit 10 of the Northway.   Educational programs are held within the office on a regular basis and are free and open to the public.  Anyone wishing to attend one of the many programs or to make an appointment may do so by calling 371-4800.