Years ago, when I was just a small child, I remember my father as a very healthy man. He rarely took any medications and believed in hard work, three meals a day, and an early bedtime.
But one day, my father started to feel a terrible pain in his back. I remember being so surprised, and scared to find my father lying in bed during the day! That was unheard of at our house. And when he was up, he was walking with a cane.
He went from one doctor to the next, but no matter what shots he was given or what medications he took, his back was still so sore he needed that cane to walk.
Finally my father went to a chiropractic doctor – someone not well known in our community at that time. That doctor laid my father on his table, adjusted him, measured him and informed my father that one of his legs was significantly longer than the other. He prescribed a lift for one shoe and that was it.
Suddenly, my father was walking again, with no back pain at all.
Chiropractors share the belief that the spine and health are related in a fundamental way. They believe that the relationship between the spine and a person’s health is mediated through the nervous system. The chiropractic philosophy includes “holism” or the assumption that health is affected by everything in an individual’s environment. Holistic health is an approach that addresses the physical, emotional/mental, and spiritual or the “core” self.
Along with viewing the body, mind and spirit as one entity, the holistic doctor promotes drugs and surgery only when absolutely necessary. Its goal is to find the underlying causes of symptoms, rather than just covering up the symptoms with a drug.
Many holistic doctors work with doctors of traditional medicine in order to treat the patient in the best possible way to cover all aspects of the illness.
More and more, people are looking for alternative ways to deal with health issues. Just popping a pill to relieve the pain is becoming a thing of the past, as more people are tired of having to deal with all those medications that include so many side effects. People are starting to realize that with patience, finding and treating the symptoms, even though it takes longer, is the way to go – especially using a natural or holistic approach.
About a year ago, Julie Adams, formerly of Bradford County thought that we needed to have an alternative health care fair. She inspired her doctor, Dr. Marcia Kesten in East Smithfield, to look into it. Adams suggested that the UUCAS in Athens would be a great location for the fair.
Since last spring, Dr. Kesten, along with Dr. Alice Moyer have been busy planning and coordinating all the vendors and presenters for the fair. They had help from the fair committee, which includes Katie Replogle, Chis Eng, Judy Moore, and Marjorie Sampson.
On Saturday, May 7, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., “The First Annual Complementary Health and Psychic Fair” will be at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Athens and Sheshequin (UUCAS) at 112 North St. in Athens. There will be 12 vendors and several workshops available to learn more about alternative health care. A nominal fee of $3 will be charged to enter to cover the vendors and workshops.
Lunch, including soup, salad, homemade yogurt and beverages, will be available by purchasing food tickets at the door. This ticketing method will keep food vendors from having to handle money and food at the same time.
Some of the workshops are hands-on and some are informational or lecture type. They include reflexology, Reiki, psychic and energy healing, hypnosis, acupoint, chiropractic, homeopathy, Yoga, physical medicine, a certified herbal medicine consultant, and how the brain works naturally.
“People think homeopathy is herbs, but it’s not,” said Dr. Kesten. “Homeopathic remedies can be made from plants, animals, or minerals.”
Dr. Kesten and Dr. Moyer will be set up together at the fair. Dr. Kesten will be doing a workshop to teach the concepts of homeopathic medicine. It will be a great time and place to learn about this alternative path to take.
For more information call (570) 596-7600 or (570) 596-7076.
“This is a good opportunity to get some advice on healthy eating,” said Dr. Moyer. “And conservative treatment methods for staying healthy.”
My father would definitely encourage everyone to check this out.
