The concept of an ADIO viewpoint is very nebulous to many chiropractors. If one sees chiropractic as just another therapeutic approach and not completely different than all the so-called healing arts, then it is understandable that the ADIO viewpoint would be elusive. Reading B.J. is not all that helpful. He never really saw the ADIO viewpoint. To B.J., chiropractic encompassed everything. It supplanted religion and medicine. It had the answer to man’s physical, mental and spiritual ills. In truth, the ADIO viewpoint incorporates the chiropractic philosophy. Our approach to life and health demonstrates our ADIO viewpoint, but it is only a part of it. B.J. thought if people were unsubluxated, they would automatically and immediately begin to think from an above-down perspective. We know that is no more true than that a disease will automatically and immediately disappear following an adjustment. Sometimes it never disappears. There are other factors besides having a good nerve supply that determine whether a person gets well or stays well. Our professional service only addresses the nerve supply and only at the vertebral level. That does not mean we cannot or should not enable people to see and understand the ADIO viewpoint. Neither does it mean that we must teach them that viewpoint. We do not even have to teach people about chiropractic for that matter. Just silently adjusting people all day long with no educational program is legitimately practicing straight chiropractic. However, most of us have realized that to get people to avail themselves of regular lifetime care, for their benefit, it behooves us to educate them.
While the ADIO viewpoint is not part of chiropractic, chiropractic is a part of it. For that reason it is not inconsistent with our philosophy of chiropractic to explain the ADIO perspective of life. Like the chiropractic philosophy, the ADIO viewpoint will make an individual a better practice member, if for no other reason than because the ADIO viewpoint gives people freedom and autonomy, the knowledge and ability to make decisions regarding their life and health. That is beneficial to everyone.
The events of September 11, 2001 have changed the United States forever. The events of that day clearly show us how information and knowledge can truly be a matter of life and death. Knowing the right course of action saved many lives that day and not knowing it cost many others. In the months and years to come people are going to need to have information so they can make intelligent decisions regarding their lives and health. I believe that we as chiropractors can enable people to have a better perspective in many areas in order to make the best decisions possible. Of course, relative to our professional objective, giving them the knowledge of why they should be under regular chiropractic care is the most important knowledge we can impart. Yet I believe our ADIO viewpoint gives us a unique perspective that can help many people in their day-to-day lives. If we convey this information to them, they can become better practice members, healthier people and better citizens. To that end, we will be sharing some ADIO principles and an understanding about the ADIO perspective of life in the next few issuesv18n2