During some airport down time recently, I picked up one of the leading upscale food magazines because I was excited to see that it had an article on organic food. Interestingly, while they got the big picture of why organic is so beneficial, the story was positioned near a drug ad. Wouldn't it be wonderful if "organic" standards applied to people also?

While our culture is moving forward, it is also confused, and as a result we get exposed to a "cocktail" of mixed messages as mentioned above. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the chiropractic story and lifestyle were more prominent in the popular press? I want you to know that this is beginning to happen, because businesses know that people want our message, that chiropractors are an asset to them.

And the World Chiropractic Alliance is positioned perfectly, its presence and authority pivotal in several articles recently. So grab your computer and start thinking about how you can promote the chiropractic story to the many people who need to know it.

Following is an article I wrote that has been syndicated several times in a variety of formats, and because of its popularity and success I am sharing it with you to help with your inspiration. As always, feel free to send me your questions and comments.

It's 6:30 a.m.

Eyes open to the sun painting a new canvas over the foothills.

Ears alert to the sound of morning feet padding through the hallway, destination locked in.

The body moves, sleep is surrendered as the commitment from horizontal to vertical is made.

Feeling anticipation, the stomach shifts all focus towards the kitchen.

Arms extend, fingers grasp, mouth waits... Coffee? Milk? Soda? Juice? Shake? Water?

So starts a new day in the Herstory of bones.

Bones are undercover dutiful workers, silhouettes barely visible, yet home to ceaseless invisible activity. They are a part of a passive subsystem, not able to move us nor themselves, yet our entire physical being depends on them for strength, support and protection. They are also home to part of our precious immune system.

Women and bones are linked in our culture, although men can also experience changes in bone health. During the different stages of a woman's lifecycle, Innate changes the ratio of (new bone being built)/(old bone being broken down) and choices made within the normal rhythm of the day can support or interfere with the potential Innate offers.

In addition to daily choices, because our body is designed to achieve peak bone density during our 30s, timing is also a factor, and paying attention during the early years can influence whether or not our peak is achieved.

Nutrition. Beverages. Exercise. Elective Prescription Drugs. Hormones. BONE CHOICES.

And choosing to remain subluxated offers potential consequences we can never neglect.

We demand and assume our bones will last our lifetime, yet may take them for granted or treat them like a rental car. Care or carelessness - the results are ours to choose.

In Womanculture as described by the Symptom/Disease/Detection model, osteoporosis (or the fear of) receives a lot of attention, especially in regards to it's suggested relationship to menopause, estrogen deficiency and bone density.

Looking at the view from Inside, rather than Outside, are reports that offer clarity:

*** Poor bone health during menopause is not automatically attributed to this lifecycle as studies show that osteoporosis can start many years prior to menopause (early care is important!).

*** We are told we lose estrogen (creating the image of estrogen deficiency), but what loss? Innate resets our hormone levels -- making what is appropriate for this lifecycle, and protects us from the effects of having too much of a hormone, who's excess can lead to cancer.

*** Estrogen is NOT the bone builder hormone, reports indicate that progesterone (not progestin) is responsible for this function.

*** Low bone density does not define osteoporosis, they are not interchangeable terms. LBD is a factor that can contribute, but not guarantee OP, as additional factors weigh in.

As hormones are involved in bone health, hormonal drugs are heavily promoted, but their

sales are vulnerable to self-sabotage as inevitable side effects surface. Like revolutionary soldiers, new drugs stand poised to replace them, ready for their 15 minutes of fame, spinning promises and information often culled from self-funded studies before they too are shot down. The public is questioning the credibility of endless cycles of "miracle" drugs that can deliver "miracle" side effects. Miracles? Real miracles can come from above, down, inside, out.

Interference in bone health can seem silent, but the effects are very loud, as the most common first site of fracture due to osteoporosis is the thoracic spine which protects and houses our nervous system.

In my practice, women speak of watching their mom's quality of life decline as her spine crumbled, they want to be educated and informed as to how to help their spine be healthy for the long run. I am committed to helping them and their daughters through subluxation-based care and teaching the benefits of the chiropractic lifestyle.

Back in the kitchen, some quick comments on what we reach for and how they affect bones:

COFFEE -- Chemically can create a negative calcium balance. Coffee is also one of the crops most heavily sprayed with pesticides and questions are raised how those hormones can affect bone health. People actually do live without coffee, if that sounds unbearable, many also try organic, drink less or boost up other bone builder factors.

MILK -- Innate has designed us to become lactose intolerant (three of four adults), let's listen. Milk is NOT a preferred calcium source, in fact after three generations of milk promotion, osteoporosis has reached epidemic proportions in the West, while in countries where it is not consumed, it hardly exists. Calcium can be found in many user-friendly sources, try there.

SODA -- Bubbles and bones don't mix, studies show it leeches calcium and children consuming soda had low blood calcium levels. Another study reported DOUBLE the urinary calcium loss in teens 13-19 (remember those are the years spent building towards peak bone density).

JUICE -- Natural is best, when calcium is artificially encouraged (as in fortified) reports indicate calcium can be deposited in the wrong place (cardiovascular, kidneys, female organs).

SHAKE -- This can be a great start to the day, depending upon what is put in it.

Good stuff: organic fruits, almond or other nut butters, rice milk. Have fun experimenting.

WATER -- One of the best ways to start the day is with a glass of clean (filtered from chemicals/hormones) water, hot or cold, with lemon. Then on to a good breakfast.

It's 6:30 a.m. A new day is waiting. Start off A.W.E.some. And subluxation-free.

(Madeline Behrendt, D.C., vice-chair of the World Chiropractic Alliance Council on Women's Health, is author of "A Woman's Experience/A.W.E.," a practice manual offering a subluxation-based perspective on diverse aspects of women's health. Dr. Behrendt's articles have appeared in numerous print and electronic publications, and she has completed a research paper for the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.)