Theresa has been a wellness patient since 1998. In her early 60’s, she has always been the epitome of health: exercise, good nutrition, loving...
At Balance Atlanta, working with people suffering from chronic illnesses takes on a personal meaning for Dr. Caroline.
Having lost both of her parents to cancer, she knows firsthand how much of an emotional, spiritual, physical, and financial toll is placed on both the patient and the rest of the family.
For obvious reasons, clients in this predicament will seek care from medical experts. Yes, there will be prescription drugs, infusions, testing, counseling, and other therapies as dictated by the case or condition.
The search for cures becomes an arduous journey. Once the initial fear combined with hope wears off, patients are often frustrated by a healthcare system that seems to have forgotten about remembering the human factor. What does this mean? That all people, especially those suffering, will heal better if the foundation of a relationship is established first: kindness, compassion, a listening ear, words of encouragement, and generosity.
Feeling no more special than yet another diagnosis, insurance claim, health history form, CVS prescription, or possibly burden on family members certainly does little to calm the stress response. While the allopathic approach is the foundation in the case of crisis care, individuals in tough situations are looking for more. In a market where out-of-pocket spending on alternative health surpasses spending on medical treatments, there is clearly a desire for holistic mind-body health.
Dr. Caroline’s mom, Sigrid, was the epitome of wellness: connoisseur of green smoothies, yoga teacher, emotionally grounded, owner of a spiritual bookstore in Vermont, lover of outdoor adventures, avid reader, socially connected with deep friendships. Yet after a routine physical, she was diagnosed with lymphoma – an out-of-the-blue label that came without warning. Six weeks later, she passed away.
Her father, Hans, was enjoying his retirement after a long corporate career with international travel, grandchildren, and gardening. Deja-vu: routine annual lab testing revealed the chronic form of leukemia (CLL) was quietly permeating his body. After a three-year hellish roller coaster of chemotherapy, he lost his battle.
No matter the diagnosis or condition –
Dr. Caroline believes that anyone suffering from a chronic illness should be entitled to care that helps restore proper brain-body communication, reduces the effects of mental and physical stress, enhances the immune response, and nourishes the entire system with ideal nutrition, thought, and rest.
Gentle chiropractic care specific to people in challenging conditions has been in Dr. Caroline’s toolbox for nearly 25 years.
BrainCore Therapy neurofeedback calms the stress response, which may lead to better sleep and a more robust immune system. Functional medicine addresses nutritional needs to reduce inflammation and toxicity, correct vitamin and mineral imbalances, and support cellular healing with a diet of whole foods.
At Balance Atlanta, the focus is on health from the inside out, especially for people who have not lost faith in the body’s ability to heal, repair, balance, and coordinate function. Doesn’t it make sense to combine the best of allopathic treatment with the best (and most honoring) of holistic care? It’s worth a try, just as another day of health is worth it to you and your loved ones.
Statistics
- Heart disease (which includes Heart Disease, Stroke and other Cardiovascular Diseases) is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 787,000 people alone in 2011.
- In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds.
- Direct and indirect costs of heart disease total more than $320.1 billion. That includes health expenditures and lost productivity.
- In adults 20 and older, more than one in every 10 people suffers from diabetes, and in seniors (65 and older), that figure rises to more than one in four.
- Women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 10 to 20 years following the pregnancy.
- While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease.
- Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults.
- In 2016, an estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 595,690 people will die from the disease.
- The most common cancers in 2016 are projected to be breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma of the skin, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid cancer, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, leukemia, endometrial cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
- In 2014, an estimated 15,780 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 were diagnosed with cancer and 1,960 died of the disease.
