Several years back I was called out to work on an injured racehorse. The veterinarian wasn’t able to get close enough to the horse to do anything, so the owners decided to try me. I worked with the horse for 2 weeks, reducing the pain and inflammation considerably – to the point that the veterinarian could do his “doctoring.” I thought it might be the beginning of a business relationship – or at least the occasional referral.

But no. As it turned out he tried to discredit me in the community.

Fortunately, everyone he spoke to already knew me – and told him he was mistaken – so the talk died out. But he could’ve pursed it legally, attempting to claim I was “practicing medicine without a license.”

He wouldn’t have won, as I was working within my professional scope of practice, but he could have tried. If someone is going to question the legalities of what you are doing it will more likely be a professional that sees you as a threat rather than your clients who are benefiting from your work.

Many practitioners use the words examine, diagnose, prescribe, treat, cure, patient, etc without even realizing that all of these words are “copyrighted” by the American Medical Association. These words are illegal to use in your practice unless you are a licensed medical practitioner.

Realize that we are in different businesses. We are in the health-building industry and those in the medical field are in the disease industry. We do not “treat diseases” as only doctors can do that.

However, there are no laws in any state that prohibit the practice of educating people about health and lifestyle.

A Medical Doctor is one who examines or diagnoses, prescribes, advises, recommends, administers or dispenses a drug or medicine, appliance, mold, cast, application, operation or treatment of whatever nature, for the cure or relief of a wound, fracture or bodily injury, infirmity or disease for compensation of any kind, direct or indirect.

If you wish to name diseases and organs, and it is your desire to treat them, then you are not practicing health, you are practicing medicine and are guilty under the law. Rather than working in the health field, you would be illegally working in the disease industry.

It was pointed out by two medical professionals that in order to get medical attention, you must qualify. Either you must fall victim to some degenerate disease or you must become a victim of some devastating accident. And as superb and educated as the medical community is, it only meets the needs of 30% of our diseased population. Even though they have addressed themselves extremely well to the traumatic and crisis conditions of our people, 70% of our unhealthy people have disease conditions which are outside the range of the medical community’s expertise. There is a huge opportunity to help people increase their wellness, their health, their happiness.

Do you know what your state’s medical statutes are? They vary state to state so you can always write to your State Medical Board and request the statues of your state regulating the practice of medicine so that you know them.

In the meantime, be aware of your language and how you position yourself. Are you helping someone to increase their health and wellness? Or are you treating a disease that they have?

You may never be challenged in this way but the question remains - what industry are you really working in?

Be well,

Suzanne