Who wants to Go to the Movies with DR. M?  Amazing health care documentary could win an OSCAR with your help!

More about “Doctored”

The link above is more info on the soon to be released “Doctored” documentary on the current health care system.  It is Premiering in New York City next week and Chicago the week of Sept. 28th with nine showtimes at FACETS theatre on Fullerton.  This film has an excellent shot at winning an OSCAR.  DR. McKinley has 20 tickets to the Premiere.  Just email him at drmckinley@mckinleychiro.com if you want a free ticket.  Showtimes will follow.  If you can’t make the premiere, don’t worry, we have invited the director, Jeff Hayes, for a private screening of the documentary on Oct. 18th for a 264 seat theatre in the suburbs.  Dr. McKinley will take as many people as he can fit but seating will be full, so the earlier you email him, the better chance you have of getting on the list.  We need your support.  This documentary is so amazing that is will literally play a big part in changing the face of healthcare.  The better the turnout is for the New York and Chicago Premiere, the more likely it will do well in other cities across the USA and move the film to OSCAR status!  thanks in advance for your support!

There has never been a better time to be a REVOLUTIONARY in HEALTH CARE.

PS…REMEMBER, next week is Dr. Arthur’s last full week in our office as he will be off to KANSAS to open his own practice.  We still have seats available for the “INSANITY” presentation and dinner at Mrs. Murphy’s Irish Bistro at 7pm on Wed, the 19th.  Please RSVP with Monica or Sarah.  At the very least, make sure you get adjusted by the 21st, his last day.  Its bitter sweet, but we wish him the best in his new venture!

Dr. M

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ok, I’m done….gotta get back to work

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The Passage Of Pain

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The first decade of McKinley Chiropractic marks a wonderful milestone filled with tremendous experiences, gratitude, friendships, love, and above all people choosing to be well naturally with our message of the chiropractic lifestyle.

Personally, I am proud of all of you who have trusted our expertise these past ten years for you and your family.  Ten years ago when it was just my wife Monica (thats a different Monica that our Monica at the front desk:) ) and myself,  I was 27 years old and had all the passion in the world to get our community on the road to wellness naturally. I thought it was going to be so easy.  Three months later, in August of 2002, I was already feeling the anxiety of not only being a doctor, but the trials and tribulations of running a business in general.  I had many mornings when my wife would try to pump me up and tell me to just keep teaching the message, and eventually people will GET IT.  Well, little by little, year by year, thats what happened, YOU guys just started to GET IT.  That you are born with a beautiful nervous system, that,when adjusted properly,helps you self heal and self regulate.  Thats the purpose of the adjustment.  So wether it’s helping people with migraines,  or acid reflux, sciatica, or childhood ear infections, depression, or anxiety, everyone that has come in has eventually understood that the only reason we adjust you is to take pressure off the nervous system so YOU start healing YOU better naturally.

In 2005, we hired the amazing Sarita (Sarah Gomez), my wife went back to school to get her master’s degree.  In 2006, we got so busy we hired the always reliable and happy Dr. Jeremy Arthur, and in 2009 Ali left for North Carolina, so we welcomed the beautiful Monica Sanchez.  We have been busier every year thanks to YOUR referral and trust in our service to help your kids, neighbors, co-workers, or family. Without your voice, we would have had no chance in making the impact we have these past ten years.

For those of you who didn’t already hear, if you are scheduled to get adjusted on Friday, May 18th it will be not only another great adjustment, but a day filled with fun and surprises you will love as we celebrate the anniversary.  So, if you aren’t scheduled yet, call today to make sure you get on Friday!

We have lofty goals and vision for the next ten years.  Many of you already know we are doing chiropractic mission work in Peru and the Amazon Jungle.  We are going to send Dr Arthur next, then Monica and hopefully Sarah too!  We also plan on starting a satellite clinic in Montevideo, Uruguay by the end of 2013.  It has always been a dream of mine to give back to my wife’s homeland and to the culture that has inspired me more than any other to simply help others.  For those of you that know me best, I try my best to be a latin gringo, if there is such a thing!

Many of you have asked me about us getting more space or moving offices.  Well, although its very busy and tight at times, we still have room to grow in our current location, but with your continued support and referrals, we should be looking to upgrade to a bigger location in the next 18 months.  Its all so very exciting, and I truly look forward to what I’ll have to write for our 20th anniversary.

Much love and respect!

DR. M

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Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers — all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the new.

Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to discourage us. Its purpose is to notify us that we are at the edge of our comfort zone, poised in between the old life and a new one.

Whenever we face our fear, we overcome an inner obstacle and move into new and life-enhancing territory, both inside and out. The more we learn to respect and even welcome fear, the more we will be able to hear its wisdom, wisdom that will let us know that the time has come to move forward, or not.

While comfort with fear is a contradiction in terms, we can learn to honor our fear, recognizing its arrival, listening to its intelligence, and respecting it as a harbinger of transformation. Indeed, it informs us that the change we are contemplating is significant, enabling us to approach it with the proper reverence.

You might wish to converse with your fear, plumbing its depths for a greater understanding of the change you are making. You could do this by sitting quietly in meditation and listening or by journaling. Writing down whatever comes up—your worries, your sadness, your excitement, your hopes—is a great way to learn about yourself through the vehicle of fear and to remember that fear almost always comes alongside anything worth doing in your life.

Love,

Dr. M

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The urges that drive us to compete with others tend to be straightforward. Years of both evolution and societal influences have shaped us to pit ourselves against our peers. The needs and desires that inspire us to compete with ourselves, however, are entirely personal and thus far more complex.

Much love,

Dr. McKinley

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Confrontation

This word has obvious negative connotations about it, but handling it quickly rather than avoiding it, is one of the best things you can do to ensure good health and wellness in your life.  I’ll be honest, I am naturally not one to confront.  I am a pretty easy going guy outside of the office, but I have learned over the years as a business owner and a doctor that confronting issues as soon as possible avoids accumulating stress in your body.  Like a cup filling up with water, eventually, you won’t have room for more and the cup “runneth” over!  In life this could lead to a multitude of health issues such as loss of sleep, headaches, irritability, neck and back pain, etc, not to mention the actual issue itself that is unresolved, sure to be getting worse and to come back again for you to run away from.

Just this past week, I had to call a practice member’s Medical doctor to explain to them their negligence on a very important issue.  Our phone conversation was not pleasant, especially as the other doctor had to listen to my assertive display of the facts, but in the end, they knew my position and I knew theirs, and the patient was able to decide for themselves what they wanted to do.  I was, in turn, able to focus on the next adjustment without my mind wondering on the issue. I could fall asleep easier at night.

Too often I think we as a culture are prone to take the easy way out of sticky circumstances.  Ask yourself today: “what issue is bothering me that, if I actually confront it, will, while causing a temporary uncomfortable feeling or situation, actually create a sense of abundance and freedom in your life.    The answer could be related to explaining to a superior at work your TRUE feelings, or disciplining your child the way you know you should but the pain of crying or fighting stops you. And of course we could also be talking about confronting yourself on your wellness routine….the way you eat, sleep, or exercise.

My challenge to you is to try to confront at least one issue a day.  That means in one year you will have addressed 365 different issues in your life that are negatively affecting you!  How different would your life be? This exercise is like an emotional detox….the first few days may be rough, but then you start feeling more energy by the freedom you have given back to your life, trading short term pain for long term gain.

Let’s confront the truth together in 2012!!!!!

Much love,

Dr. McKinley

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We wanted to share with you some very exciting news for McKinley Chiropractic and the Chicago Community as a whole.  On Wednesday and Thursday last week, I was invited to come speak to the heads of Chicago’s Union 2, which is largest union for the firefighters in the Chicago Fire Department.  We are in the process of applying for a million dollar grant from the U.S. government focused on developing a wellness program for our city’s fireman and the first major hurdle was getting the actual firefighters themselves on board.

You see, a dirty little secret when it comes to the health care of our public servants is that, on average across the country, the majority of firefighters and police officers pass away (die!) within 5 years of retirement!  That stat just blew me away!  It is just unacceptable to me, and after my presentation, it was to them too!

They have invited us to come back in January to demonstrate to them basically what all of you, (assuming that if you are reading this you are a regular member of our practice), have had done in our office.  We scan (using state of the art Insight technology) and measure you to determine how healthy your nervous system is, and how likely your body is able to defend itself from lifestyle stress.

By the end of 2012, as the initial part of their wellness program, all 7000 firefighters in Chicago will be scanned using our Insight system, so they will know they can utilize chiropractic care to improve their health naturally, before resorting to drugs and surgery.  When I asked them if they knew that the average American takes 8 to 10 prescription meds a day at 55 years old, some didn’t believe me, until half the room pulled papers out of their wallets showing me all the drugs they take.  One guy was on 19!  Since the third leading cause of death in the U.S. is side effects to correctly prescribed medication (yes, I said correctly prescribed), being on more drugs to ensure health is rarely the answer – in fact, it’s actually (and literally) killing us.

This is huge for not only the firefighters and their family, but each and every Chicago resident as well.  Firefighters are the ultimate occupational athlete.  If, God forbid, I ever need to call on one, I want him or her to be at their best – free from nervous system irritation, subluxation, and dis-ease.

In the end, I’m so happy God chose me to help lead the CFD into the wellness revolution.  I couldn’t feel more honored.  Several other local doctors of chiropractic will be helping me, but I’ll be leading the way.  Thanks to all you firemen and women who come to our office for putting in a good word about our work.  I would have had no chance of bringing this to our city without your testimonials to the Union President Tom Ryan.

For the rest of you, if this inspires you to bring wellness to your workplace, like we are doing at the CFD, then you can help.  Just contact your company’s wellness coordinator (sometimes called benefits or health fair coordinator) and give us their information.  We have been conducting free screenings and doing health lectures or lunch and learns for over 10 years, and companies love it.  Anytime a company can bring an added benefit to their employees, at no cost, they listen!

Just to reward those of you who read this entire newsletter, the first 3 people who respond to put us in touch with their company’s wellness coordinator to set up a lunch and learn or screening will receive a $125 off our 21 day purification program!  Hurry up, your co-workers need youJ

Have a GREAT week everyone!!!

Dr. M

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I would like thank all of you who told me last week that my 70.3 blog had inspired you.  (If you didn’t read it, click here).  I have received more positive feedback in the form of smiles, hugs, “how else can I help” type of responses than any other blog I have written in the last few years.  You see, we all have the ability to MAKE change, in fact its part of what life is about anyway.  We can sit back and be forced to adapt to change, or we can wake up early and DECIDED to change for the greater good, not only for ourselves, but for everyone around us.  Of course if you are under regular chiropractic care, your nervous system will allow you to adapt to this change better, so good job everyone!

Change will only be long lasting if you have a true base or philosophy behind your purpose, otherwise you will constantly need an inspiring blog to motivate you.  One of the best ways I have found to build a stronger purpose for all that i do, is to be grateful.  Whether you pray, or meditate, or journal, or do yoga, or simply take a walk with your dog and talk to the neighbors with a warm smile in your mind, be sure to give appreciation for all that is and COULD BE.   This type of emotion is essential for slowing down the mind in order to really think about why we would BE OR DO anything.  Most people are too busy or tired to make conscious change (they need to be in our office getting adjusted), These people end up unconsciously leaving change in their life to chance….leading to many life changes that they DON’T want!  Because of this they do making change in their life, just not to things they want, while at the same time feeling forced and rushed, and therefore creating more stress, less purpose, and ultimately a mundane existence.

Think of it like this.  If your mind is a cup of water that holds 9 ounces, then you can’t add more than 9 ounces in unless you poor out a little.  Being grateful on a regular basis, consciously, allows you mind to empty out and open up to a lot more, one of those being the ability to change for the greater good.  This is also an incredibly helpful form of health to your nervous system and mental health, areas which most people ignore.  I know many people who eat well and exercise alot, but also take prozac or need ambien to sleep…I call them fit sick people.  Health is how you function mentally, physcially, chemically, and spiritually.  Not working on at least one of them regularly will certainly lead to a weak link in your armour, eventually causing dis-ease in your body.

My challenge to you is this: BE GRATEFUL on a daily basis!  Can you imagine not only how much better your health could be, but the planet as well, if everyone actually did this?

It starts with YOU….make change and be grateful!

Love

Dr. McKinley

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As many of you may have heard, I will compete in a 70.3 mile Ironman Triathalon in St. Croix in May.  I have received many different reactions from patients when they hear this:  many of you have thought it to be a bit nuts, while others have wished me luck.  Periodically I like to challenge myself with very difficult tasks (a couple of years ago I challenged myself to not watch TV for a year…and succeeded), and, just like with the ironman, some may ask me why.  And my answer is simple…because its HARD!

When I truly think about it, the most truly memorable moments of my life have been the result of working on something that was hard.  Whether it was deciding to fly to South America to visit the most beautiful woman I’d met in my life (my wife of 11 years now, Monica Gerner McKinley), or whether it was deciding to open my own clinic in 2002, at 27 years of age, with little to no business capital.  These moments of my life were difficult, sprinkled with some fear and at times even tears.  I even had periodic moments where I considered quitting.  Through these experiences what I have realized that winners are people who, when knocked down by life’s challenges, decide to consistently stand back up, each and every time.  As cliche as that may sound, its a fact.  You may not get the results you want every time, but when you work at something (that is out of your comfort zone) with purpose you will succeed, and your sense of success and acomplishment will inspirse others to challenge themselves as well.

My goal this year is to inspire you to make change,  not necessarily to run an ironman, but to do something different, something out of your comfort zone.  Since our office is about wellness and tapping into the amazing power of your body through the chiropractic lifestyle, I would like our combined inspiration to not only help you individually, but to also help others both in the Chicago community and across the world.

Here is our 70.3 challenge to you:  between now and the end of the year, we want to challenge you to try something new and, at the same time, tell someone about the power of the chiropractic and how it has helped you.  We are setting a goal of 70.3 referrals in that time frame.  That means if only 1 of you a day decide to share your secret of chiropractic with a friend or family member, we will create 70.3 more miracles of health by December 31st.

Here are some ideas for your personal 70.3 challenge:

1.  Go to ted.com and watch the 2 minute video of Matt Cutts from google talk about making change….great video that will inspire anyone!!!!
2. Give up bread
3. Decide to walk to work or walk at lunch for 30 minutes everyday
4. Read 3 books you’ve always wanted to read but have not
5. Start a dance class
6. Write 1 personal card a day and mail it as opposed to email
7. Call your mom every week or your brother or sister
8. Give a sincere thank you to a co-worker daily

These suggestions my not seem Ironman Triathlon hard, but it certainly won’t be easy to sustain any of them for 70.3 days.

I am supremely confident that if you take me up on our 70.3 challenge you and your loved ones will thank me later;  as I will certainly thank you.   So what are you waiting for?  What have you always wanted to try?  The next 70.3 days of your life will pass you by whether you participate or not, so the question becomes  “will you remember them and will they be worth remembering?”

Together let’s help 70.3 people experience wellness.

Much love and respect,

Dr. McKinley

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