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WCA sponsored mission takes chiropractic to Haiti once more

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Hundreds of military personnel get adjusted

Submitted by the World Chiropractic Alliance

During his 28-year career as a chiropractor, Peter Morgan, DC, has adjusted thousands of men, women, and children, but– unlike most of his colleagues — he often doesn’t even know their names. That’s because he cared for them during one of the 59 humanitarian trips he has made over the past 11 years, many of them sponsored and promoted by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA).

“One of the key goals of the WCA is to develop, promote, and support humanitarian programs that reach out to populations that, due to geographic or economic factors, cannot access chiropractic care,” explained Terry A. Rondberg, DC, founder and president of the WCA. “During the past decades, we’ve been involved in mission trips from remote villages in Tibet to overcrowded tenements in the United States. We go where chiropractic is needed and people like Dr. Morgan are the heroes who get it there.”

Because of the devastating earthquakes that nearly destroyed Haiti in 2010, Morgan has focused particular attention on that country. This year, he took a team of 45 chiropractors and chiropractic students to URUBATT 2, the Haiti United Nations military base. They also had the opportunity to examine and adjust the entire 395 Uruguay military personal stationed at this base.

Some of the team stayed at the Mission Life International Chiropractic Orphanage in Haiti and others had the opportunity to teach the “Straighten up America” program to supervisors at the Codevi factory supervisors. Codevi — which manufactures clothing for Calvin Klein, Lee Jeans, and Timberland shoes — employs more than 10,000 Haitian citizens. “We examined and adjusted many of these employees and have been approached to create the largest chiropractic research study ever performed,” Morgan noted.

As a member of the WCA Board of Governors, Morgan works closely with Haitian health and government officials, as well as the departments within the United Nations. In December 1998, the WCA was named an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI). Part of his job is to make sure the chiropractic profession is educated on the global need for health care in general and chiropractic in particular.

Morgan also serves as President of Mission Life International and as an International committee officer for the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations.

Traveling with him on recent humanitarian missions has been Gary Deutchman, DC, President Scoliosis Care Foundation, Vice President Mission Life International, DPI/NGO Chiropractic Representative to the United Nations, Past District President  NY Chiropractic Council and Stephen Simonetti, DC, Vice President Mission Life International, DPI/NGO Chiropractic Representative to the United Nations,  Past President Congress of State Chiropractic Organizations, Past President NY Chiropractic Council .

After their stay in Haiti, the team spent four days in the Dominican Republic, where a team of dedicated Dominican chiropractic advocates generated widespread publicity, spotlighting the mission on television and radio.

“We got word to more than 50 pastors and priests throughout the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. When we arrived at the churches, thousands of people were lined up waiting to be adjusted,” the New York-based doctor explained.

He added that, “At the schools, we teach Straighten Up America and check all the children. Our team sees approximately 6,000 people a day – 6,000 people a day for 8 days. We not only check and adjust the people, we tell the chiropractic story to groups of 50 at a time. This is some awesome and fun work. Giving for the sake of giving, giving out of our own abundance. Using the blessing that God bestowed upon us – our healing hands.”

He’s back in New York now, but receives daily phone calls and e-mails from Haiti, all echoing their pleas of “… don’t forget us… help us… please, please.” He’s often awakened in the middle of the night. “A nightmare?” he asks. “No, a Haitian reality.”

Before he embarks on another mission, he makes a plea of his own, for food, clothing, money, and support of any kind. “We thank all the people who have donated to our Mission Life International orphanage over the years, especially to the 2,500 chiropractors who have joined me over the last 11 years on these 59 chiropractic mission trips.”

To learn more about these missions, or to sign up for an upcoming trip, visit missionlifeinternational.com or call 404-786-2014.

SIDEBAR:

In addition to his own pleas, Dr. Morgan was asked by Colonel Raul Passarino, the United Nations Military Commander in Haiti – who has been under chiropractic care for many years—to pass the following information along to all his fellow chiropractors.

The mission of the United Nations for the stabilization of Haiti, called Minustah, was launched in 1993 and ran from 1994 to 2001.

In 2004 there was political crisis in Haiti with an armed outbreak. That’s when the United Nations Haitian police was created.  President Aristide left the country. On the 29th of February, the acting president assumed power and requested United Nations assistance, authorizing the entry of United Nations troops in Haiti.

The Security Council approved the recommendations of the secretary general for the installation of a multidimensional mission, and the Minustah mandate was established to secure and stable environment in which the political process can develop. To strengthen Haiti’s governmental institutions and assist in the reinstatement of the rules of law, as well as promote and protect human rights.

The current United Nations personnel deployed in Haiti consist of 8.720 soldiers and 3, 550 police, supported by 510 international staff, 1.214 national staff, and 231 UN volunteers.

50 DCs to join largest mission to Haiti

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by Peter H. Morgan, DC

Mission Chiropractic begins 2013 by setting off on the largest chiropractic mission trip to Haiti in the group’s history, sponsored in part by the World Chiropractic Alliance. More than 50 DCs will join me in bringing chiropractic care to this poverty-stricken nation. Previously, our largest Haitian mission team numbered 28.

Unlike many health missions, this is part of an ongoing outreach to Haiti. Since the devastating 2010 earthquake, we have been able to feed 100 children per day and house 20 orphans. On this upcoming trip, we’ll be staying at the orphanage. We’ll also be building a chiropractic office in the house that our famous Dr. “Eddy” will be running.

We started with chiropractic missions to the Dominican Republic and Haiti in 2002. I was vice president of the New York Chiropractic Council during the 2001 World Trade Center attack. I helped organize chiropractors from all over the world to come to NY and assist in our efforts to assist the workers after the tragedy.

It was then I heard the calling to work in the mission field. So, our chiropractic mission began, and then expanded to Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela, and Tibet.

On January 11, 2010, the day after we’d returned from a mission trip to Haiti, we heard news that the tiny island nation had been struck with the worst earthquake in 200 years. Approximately 320,000 people perished; 1,500,000 became homeless; and thousands upon thousands of children became orphans.

God issued me an order to organize chiropractors to aid in this disaster. Our team of 20 returned to Port Au Prince and started feeding and adjusting thousands. We took in many children and Mission Life International became licensed as an orphanage. Mission Life International is also a 501(C)3- registered charitable organization in the United States.

We’re also a registered non-profit in the Dominican Republic and in Haiti. We now have the ability to transport items to both nations at no fee. Since January 2010, we’ve had 18 chiropractic mission trips to Haiti and 12 trips to the Dominican Republic.

Helping to promote and publicize the trip was the World Chiropractic Alliance, whose newly established mission is to “Develop, promote and support humanitarian programs that reach out to populations that, due to geographic or economic factors, cannot access chiropractic care,” and to “Support health and social measures that would benefit the underserved populations worldwide.”

In December 1998, the WCA was named an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI).

We have put special emphasis on Haiti and nearby nations because of the poverty in the area, as well as the obvious signs of need there. In Haiti and parts of the Dominican Republic, hospitals don’t even have X-ray equipment. Fortunately, Jerry Degrado, DC, past president of the Congress of State Chiropractic Organizations and Robert Reiss, DC, past executive officer of the New York Chiropractic Council donated two X-ray machines that we’ll be shipping to the island shortly.

The generosity of DCs and chiropractic organizations has been inspiring. Dr. Gary Deutchman built 70 desks and chairs for the orphans at our vitalistic primary school. Thanks to Boo Burnier; Joe Rotola; Josh Click, DC; Benna Click, DC; Sebastian Bonin, DC; Joo Young Kim, DC; Brad Rauch, DC; and David Nguyen, we were able to raise the funds to build shelters, bathrooms and a shower in our school. (If I left any one out, I apologize.)

I’ve also become friends with Rev. Jack Bowman, a pastor in New York, who has helped the cause tremendously. His church, United Palace Cathedral, has a seating capacity of 5,000, and his theater, United Palace Theatre, is on Broadway in New York City.

A benefit concert in the United Palace Theatre featured a famous Latin singer and a showing of the movie “Doctored” was held in conjunction with Life University. Our special guests for this event were the film’s producers Jeff Hays and Dr. Brian McAulay, Life University vice president and provost. The proceeds went towards our mission work in the Dominican Republic and the orphanage in Haiti.

The future holds many exciting activities. We’re planning to bring computers to schools, generate donations of food from large supermarket chains, and even help with waste management projects. We hope to send several sanitation trucks and ambulances to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

We’ve opened a Mission Life International mission office in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic with a staff worker. I’ve paid for the lease of our house for the orphanage, 25 bunk beds and our mission office with my own money, and I’m looking for and getting help from others.

Last month, at the United Palace Cathedral, we held a major press conference regarding our mission work. In attendance were The New York Times, New York Post, many Latin newspapers, and representatives from major TV stations. We’re also in the process of getting sponsors from major corporations.

The only thing missing from our efforts is you! Please join us on a future chiropractic mission trip or support our activities with your donations. Visit www.missionlifeinternational.com for all the details on how you can help.

(A graduate of Pace University and New York College of Chiropractic, Mission Chiropractic Founder Peter Morgan, DC, has led dozens of chiropractic humanitarian missions to developing nations.)

Amphetamines Linked to Risk of Parkinson’s

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Dexedrine 5mg tablets

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

People who have used amphetamines such as Benzedrine and Dexedrine appear to be at an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a study released presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting.

Benzedrine and Dexedrine are amphetamines often prescribed to increase wakefulness and focus for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy – a disorder that can cause excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden attacks of sleep. They are also used to treat traumatic brain injuries.

The study involved 66,348 people in northern California who had participated in the Multiphasic Health Checkup Cohort Exam between 1964 and 1973 and were evaluated again in 1995. The average age of the participants at the start of the study was 36 years-old. Of the participants, 1,154 people had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease by the end of the study.

Exposure to amphetamines was determined by two questions: one on the use of drugs for weight loss and a second question on whether people often used Benzedrine or Dexedrine. Amphetamines were among the drugs commonly used for weight loss when this information was collected.

According to the study, people who reported using Benzedrine or Dexedrine were nearly 60% more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those who didn’t take the drugs. The study revealed no increased risk for individuals who used drugs for weight loss.

“If further studies confirm these findings, the potential risk of developing Parkinson’s disease from these types of amphetamines would need to be considered by doctors before prescribing these drugs as well as be incorporated into amphetamine abuse programs, including illicit use,” said study author Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, PhD, with the Division of Research at Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland, Calif.

Dr. Van Den Eeden explained that amphetamines affect the release and uptake of dopamine, the key neurotransmitter involved in Parkinson’s disease. He said that more research needs to be completed to confirm the association and learn more about possible mechanisms.

According to a Newsweek article by Jack Shafer, “Pharmaceutical companies produced 3.5 billion legal tablets of various amphetamines in 1958, enough to supply every American with 20 standard doses (5 to 15 milligrams) a year. Those pills were potentially just as addictive and potentially just as deadly as the meth found on the street today. Less than a decade later, annual production of pharmaceutical amphetamines had climbed to 8 billion tablets, and by 1971 it topped 12 billion. These quantities far exceeded the amount needed for the then-approved medical uses of amphetamines in treatment of narcolepsy, obesity, depression, fatigue, anxiety, and hyperkinetic children.”

Terry A. Rondberg, DC, President of the World Chiropractic Alliance and developer of Bioenergy Therapy, says that such adverse side effects with today’s drugs is not only far too common, but increasing in frequency. “We have to learn that we can’t rely on drugs and surgery to prevent and resolve health issues,” he explained. “These methods usually don’t help and end up causing more problems. We need to understand that our bodies have an innate ability to get and keep us well. Sometimes, we need to give it help by correcting interference or relieving physical and emotional stress, which strengthens our natural abilities and our immune system.”

Bioenergy Therapy, which Rondberg developed after more than 40 years clinical practice in manual therapy, is specifically aimed at releasing the tension in the upper cervical spine area known as the sub-occipital triangle, which is a hub for mechano-receptors, muscle spindle cells and GTOs (Golgi tendon organs).

An advanced innovation in massage therapy, Bioenergy Therapy starts with application of vibrations applied to the sub-occipital, upper trapezius, and posterior cervical muscles. The vibratory action on these muscles causes these muscles to relax, increasing their blood supply and supply of nutrients, while releasing pain-producing metabolic waste products.

Ultimately, the brain changes the levels of pain, postural distortion, stress levels, and stiffness. By working directly on the muscles in the sub-occipital triangle region, rather than on bones in various areas of the body or spine, Bioenergy Therapy directly affects the brain, where all pain, stiffness and dysfunction, originate.

SOURCES: “Using Amphetamines May Increase Risk of Parkinson’s Disease,” press release,

American Academy of Neurology, Feb. 20, 2011

“Bioenergy Therapy,” Temecula Wellness Center.

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