All living things have innate intelligence.

Which objects in the picture do NOT have innate intelligence?

A plant is an amazing thing. A seed placed into the earth “knows” how to survive.  A tree can exist for hundreds of years with very little care.  Mother Nature seems to know what to do.

What about us?  What about the frail human being?  Has Mother Nature lost its capacity to “take care” of us?

The same entity that allows a seed to grow into a large tree and remain healthy for a hundred years with very little nurturing is the same entity that is responsible for sustaining a human life. Chiropractors refer to this as innate intelligence.

Yet, when it comes to trusting the body’s natural ability to stay healthy under most circumstances … well, at best, it makes us uncomfortable.

From prenatal care, to birth, to vaccinations, to our yearly physicals, to health (or really sick-) care, society has put aside innate intelligence to make room for artificial intelligence.  Emphasis is on what the “experts” decide our bodies need at every stage of human life.

Our bodies, just like the tree, have the ability to know what is going on in the environment in which it exists.  Most palm trees cannot exist on a mountaintop, apple trees don’t grow oranges, trees can bend in the wind, roots grow down into the earth and leaves grow toward the sun., etc.  All of this occurs without intervention.

Humans shiver when the temperatures drop, sweat when it’s hot, produce enzymes to digest food, heal a cut or a fracture, produce a human life, and on and on.  We are born with innate intelligence that produces these reactions and abilities.

Every living thing, whether plant or human, has 100% perfect innate intelligence that knows better than any living “expert” how to exist.  Chiropractors know this; I live and breathe this.  We know that a body has an innate intelligence that has the ability to keep functioning in every way to the best of its ability.  Chiropractors also know that interferences to the innate intelligence will decrease a body’s ability to function properly.

As a Chiropractor, I value the importance of innate intelligence by:

• acknowledging that I do not know what your body needs, or how to fix or treat any of your conditions
• enhancing my knowledge and ability to find and correct the one issue that is known to interfere with your body’s potential – the vertebral subluxation
• serving those who already, or want to, rely on their innate ability to be as healthy as they can
• making Chiropractic available and affordable to those individuals and families that want to maximize their health potential and live a healthier life.

I am a Chiropractor.  I help you by helping your body rely on its own innate intelligence.

Our grandson is 2 years old and his sister is 6 months old.  Each of them have received Chiropractic since the day they were born.

As is typical … I check them each time we visit them or they visit us.  So having them at our house for a sleepover was extra special and I got to check them regularly during the course of the day.

During the time they spent with us,  they were exposed to all kinds of stress.  They played, ate, slept, cried, laughed, fell, bounced, hugged, etc.  Occasionally, though not often, grumpy granddad might even have raised  his voice.

My granddaughter also had a runny nose and a cough.  That was inconsequential to her needing to be checked and adjusted.  Whether she was sick or not, she still had subluxations.  It is logical that whatever was going on,  she would be better off without the interference to the full expression of her innate intelligence.

There is a lot of confusion about Chiropractic … not only in the public arena,  but also amongst Chiropractors.

The confusion occurs when Chiropractic is seen as an alternative to Medicine.

If Chiropractic were an alternative to Medicine, then someone would need to choose which alternative was better.  That’s why I don’t think of Chiropractic as an alternate to Medicine.

If someone absolutely needs medication, then wouldn’t it make sense that the nervous system was interference-free so that the medication would be utilized in the most efficient way by the body?

If a person absolutely needed surgery, wouldn’t it make sense to have that nervous system clear of interference so that the person’s ability to undergo and recover be optimized?

In the Chiropractic profession,  the term “mixer” denotes a Chiropractor who does NOT rely totally on the innate intelligence of the body to determine what the body needs.  I think that by looking at his profession as an alternative to the medical profession,  he must try to compete.  He/she is interested in doing as much as he can to help the person.

Therefore, someone who is a non – mixer is a Chiropractor that does rely totally on the innate intelligence of the body to determine what the body needs.  This Chiropractor wants to help the person also but instead of seeing Chiropractic as an alternative, he recognizes that his/her job is to facilitate the expression of the innate intelligence of the person by locating and adjusting,  PERIOD .  The pure Chiropractor will be transparent about this.  It is up to the person to determine if he wants to choose Medicine, Chiropractic, both or neither.

As far as mixing Chiropractic with other procedures,  it really ends up confusing everyone … and it really insults the patient.  I think that people come to us because they want something other than a mix of stuff they can get elsewhere. There are very few places that they can get pure Chiropractic … even at a Chiropractor’s office.

As a non -  mixer:

• I do not treat or diagnose medical conditions – there is an entire profession dedicated to that called Medicine
• I recognize that every person is better off without interference to the nervous system
• I recognize my expertise in being able to find and adjust the interference to the expression of the innate intelligence

Actually, Chiropractic is really simple:

• Life can cause vertebral subluxations

• Subluxations interfere with the expression of innate intelligence

• A Chiropractor is THE expert in finding and adjusting vertebral subluxations

This seems to be a very confusing topic … especially amongst Chiropractors.

In my view, and in the view of many other Chiropractors who are practicing in a pure or principled manner (i.e. basing everything that they do in practice according to the 33 principles that Chiropractic was founded and developed upon), Chiropractic does not “treat” anything … including pain.

Since its very beginning, Chiropractors have had differences of opinion as to what defines a Chiropractor and what is Chiropractic.  They have debated whether Chiropractic includes anything other than the specific detection and correction of a vertebral subluxation (VS) – things like therapy, nutrition, or diagnosis.

Many Chiropractors today have realized that their greatest value to the public is to offer a service that is unique, safe and shown to have benefited millions of people.  They know that there are plenty of choices that people have regarding their health.  Only Chiropractic encompasses a minimalist concept that honors the body by recognizing the innate potential that each person is given.

It is this minimalism that each principled Chiropractor incorporates into how he or she cares for the individual.

We introduce the smallest force to assist the body in its ability to self-correct the VS.  Without VS,  that person’s unique innate intelligence can function to sustain and enhance that person at his/her optimum ability to exist at whatever level of life/health potential he/she has.

Returning to the question of pain and Chiropractic, the job of the Chiropractor is to determine if there are one or more VS’s present. That VS is an entity in and of itself, with the ramifications that might alter any number of the human body’s functions.  I do not think that the identification of VS – even if it is exactly where the pain is being perceived by the “patient” – is necessarily the cause of the pain.  No more so than a runny nose is the cause of a cold.

So when someone presents to the Chiropractor with pain, and that person feels it at some point in the back area, the Chiropractor checks their entire spine for VS.  If one or more subluxations exist (even when not in the area where the person is complaining, or when it is), that Chiropractor  corrects any and all VS’s because they have created a block  in the person’s ability to function optimally.

Dr. Gentempo does an excellent job of expressing how chiropractic plays a significant role in people’s lives and health.

There are two problems that I have with it:

1. Although the name of the equipment he is showing is called The Insight Subluxation Station,  he does not mention specifically what it is that the Chiropractor does that is unique … the ability to detect and correct the vertebral subluxation.
2. I believe his idea that Chiropractic offers “lifestyle support” creates  confusion (at least in my mind) as to what is meant by support.

My point is that Chiropractic’s uniqueness is the vertebral subluxation and how it interferes with innate intelligence (i.i.).

The innate intelligence, according to Chiropractic philosophy, is the inborn wisdom that enables us to adapt to the world (our moment-to-moment,  ever-changing environment).

So by offering lifestyle support, are we (Chiropractors) contradicting the philosophy which identifies i.i. as the source of what is needed?  If the i.i. knows what is best for the body, then should we be offering support in the form of nutrition or exercise, etc.?  How do we Chiropractors know, better than the body’s innate wisdom, which nutrient is needed or which exercise should be performed?

It is supposed to protect us from a catastrophic loss.

Something that might be so horrendous that it would devastate us physically or financially.

How does insurance apply to our health?  Does insurance cover health or does it cover disease?

The field of  medicine seems to work best by offering to repair the damage (or at least to deal with the damage).  Most likely, insurance will cover some of the cost for an appendectomy or some other surgery.  Perhaps insurance will even pay for high blood pressure or high cholesterol medication or treatments.  It also is likely to consider payment for therapy for an injury.

Chiropractic, on the other hand (pun intended), works best by offering to assist in the optimal functioning of the body by removing disturbances to the body’s innate intelligence.  Rather than waiting for the damage to appear, a chiropractor should be able to ascertain whether obstacles (vertebral subluxations) to our body’s innate ability to adapt to our ever-changing environment  is present. The chiropractor realizes that maximum life cannot be achieved when there are subluxations.

I recall a number of years ago, my cousin had just moved into a new house.  On a hill about 15 feet from the house was a diseased, but mostly dead, 50 foot tall tree.  It was obvious that when the tree fell, it would fall on the house.  At a minimum, it would do damage to the house, possibly injuring or even killing someone.  He contacted a number of tree experts who recommended that the tree be removed.  The cost was about $1000.  He contacted his homeowners insurance and asked for assistance.  Basically, they informed him that they would not pay for the removal of the tree, however, their responsibility would begin after the damage was done.

In life there will always be dead and dying trees (subluxations) that may interfere with the quality of your home (life).  If you care about your home, your family and how you wish to exist (without fear of a falling tree), you will take action and be proactive as opposed to reactive.

There are plenty of insurance companies that will pay for sick or disease care. I love not having to get the insurance card before a patient arrives and then calling the insurance company to determine which diagnosis will provide the maximum number of treatments.

Whatever level of health you are experiencing, this office offers to work with you to help remove the obstacles preventing you from maximizing your HEALTH potential.

That’s better than maximizing the number of treatments from your insurance company for some sickness.

Today I checked his mom …  she is 9 months pregnant and due any moment!  I’ll be able to get her into a comfortable position to check her spine.  If she is subluxated, I’ll adjust her.  Obviously, her body is going through some stresses … besides the physical.

Her body has been working to produce the chemicals necessary to prepare for the delivery of the new baby.  Some of those chemicals will allow for movement through the birth canal.  Some of the chemicals are going to help her body prepare for lactation.

There are many other processes that are occurring within her to help prepare for the birth.  The innate ability to perform all of these life-sustaining activities is essential for what will soon happen.  The proper chemicals need to be produced.  Those chemicals need to be  in the right quantity and they need to be released at the proper moment.  Not too many, not too few,  not too soon, not too late.  The miracle of birth depends on this coordination and balance.

My daughter does many things to keep herself in good condition.  She buys her food at the organic market,  she  exercises, she takes special classes for natural delivery.  She eats to ensure the proper nutrition for herself and her growing baby.  She has a well-balanced lifestyle.  It is conducive to ensuring that her new baby will benefit from her healthy choices.

Everything that she is doing to prepare  for a healthy delivery and a healthy baby still depends on something that she can’t get at the health food store, at yoga or the gym, from Hypno-Birthing or from her very capable midwife.  That missing link is the chiropractic adjustment which removes interferences  so that her innate intelligence can perform all the functions that her body needs.

The innate intelligence is within her; it’s always been there.  She didn’t have to read a book to get instructions about how her body is able to create a baby. This innate intelligence  relies on clear communication between all of the bodily systems to function optimally.  We hope and pray that all of the adjustments that she has had prior to this moment have cleared the way for an easy birth and a healthy baby.  I’ll continue to check her for subluxations (maybe even during labor!) to ensure that the innate intelligence can do what it does without interference.

He is 16 months old now. This picture was taken when he was much younger.  He is one of the healthiest kids I know.  He is not complaining about back pain or any other condition.  He gets his spine checked very often … every time I see him.  For one reason …  to help optimize his potential to be all that he can be.

His growing body and his adventures in the world are two things that will continue for a very long time. Those two things alone are enough to cause his spine to be challenged.  If his spine subluxates it won’t be obvious to him. It won’t be obvious to his mom or grandmother … even though they also have been checked and adjusted their entire lives. Most subluxations do not cause pain.  It will be obvious to a chiropractor who takes the time to check the spine – that’s where I come in!

By the way, his great grandmother has been getting her spine checked for subluxations too, although probably only since her teens.  Four generations of chiropractic care! I love it.

Got babies?  If they don’t already see a chiropractor or have a parent or grandparent that is a chiropractor, give me a call -  I know someone.

Words are an important method of expressing our thoughts and ideas.

People often say they need an adjustment.  Then they schedule an appointment to see me. It’s important that people understand that the adjustment is performed after the determination of the need for the adjustment, that is,  the presence of a subluxation. So people are not scheduled for an adjustment at my office, they are scheduled to be checked for subluxation and then adjusted.

Some of us Chiropractors like to use the word manipulation.  I try not to use that one.  I think that it does not convey what is happening with an adjustment.

The subluxation is a misalignment of a vertebra that causes  an interference to the expression of the innate intelligence  of the body.  Chiropractic recognizes that the body is smart and it has the ability to determine the exact position of each part of the body, including the vertebra. So when I perform an adjustment, I am using my educated intelligence (I touch, I feel, etc.) to apply the most accurate force to the subluxations. Once that adjustment is made, it is the person’s body that makes the correction through their own innate intelligence.

It is a very specific process, but also very gentle.

I have said it many times, “at Berman Chiropractic we do not treat pain.”  So many people suffering with pain do seek chiropractic care.  Secret … no matter the reason you come here, I will always be checking to see if you have a subluxation in the spine – a specific condition that only chiropractors are trained to locate, analyze and correct.

Remove the subluxation, allow the body to receive and act on the messages that the body relies on, the greater the possibility for achieving improved health.

The wisdom that your body already has within it, maintains you!  It has been in existence since the moment you were born.  Chiropractic teaches that a vertebral subluxation (VS) interferes with the transmission of that wisdom.

Whether you have a VS or two or more, only your chiropractor can determine.  Whether it causes the condition that you are seeking chiropractic care for is an entirely different question.  One thing for sure … if you have a VS you are not maximizing your ability to heal.

When a person comes to my office for the first time, often  they are referred by a friend or family member that is, or has been, a patient of mine.

Besides the reason(s) that people seek my care, more important is that the new person comes to see me by virtue of the trust of and value in their friend’s judgment.  They trust their friend’s judgment about Dr. Marc being able to deliver what they want or need.

Naturally, I always want to live up to that expectation, thereby reinforcing the network of trust amongst my community.

New patients usually have a preconceived notion of what a Chiropractor does.  If that idea is different than what I actually do, then even with the trust that brought them to my office in the first place, there could be a “disconnect.”

I really, really want that new person to stay connected!  I want to bring optimal wellness to as many men, women and children as I can!

To prevent any misconceptions,  I attempt to create an image of what they will experience before they actually set foot in my office.  That is one of the functions of this  website.

Many times, other chiropractic websites offer information about all the conditions treated by Chiropractors (the focus of which is usually pain) as well as tools, therapies or state-of-the-art equipment being offered.

My focus is very specific and unique.  I determine if a person has any Vertebral Subluxations (VS).  I feel very confident about my abilities to detect and correct VS.   For your information, Chiropractors have been focusing their attention on the correction of subluxations since 1895!

If I were the chiropractic patient,  I would want the doctor to be focused on what he or she knows best.

When there is interference from your “backbone”  along the nerves,  it may be difficult to focus on other things.  I make sure that I get my spine checked regularly in order to maintain focus…on the big important things as well as the small and perhaps not-so-significant things.

That’s right!  As your Chiropractor,  I am committed to optimizing my potential at focusing on being the best I can be for you.