Shelton Chiropractic Center
1635 Olympic Hwy N
Shelton, WA
(360) 426-8060

Hoodsport Chiropractic
60 N Lake Cushman Road
Hoodsport, WA
(360) 877-2225

Chiropractic care and Diabetes

A case study published in the December issue of the scientific periodical, the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, followed a case of a 48-year-old man who had undergone recent blood and urine tests that indicated the early onset of diabetes mellitus as confirmed by his medical physician.

This patient sought chiropractic care to see if non-medical care could assist him and prevent the need for injectable insulin. The author of this report noted that there had been several previous studies that showed varied degrees of success for several non-medical therapies used for patients with diabetes mellitus.  Such therapies included vitamin therapy, exercise and acupuncture.  

In this case the patient received chiropractic care for the correction of subluxations.  Additionally he implemented nutritional changes which included increased protein intake and specific nutritional supplementation.  He also engaged in a program of exercise.

 Within one month of the initiation of chiropractic care the indicators used to monitor corrections of subluxations showed improvement.  In conjunction with this the patient's medical physician noted that the patient's blood and urine sugar levels were also balanced.  He continued to have his condition monitored and it was determined that he would not need insulin at that time, or in the immediate future if his condition continued to maintain itself.  

The author of the study made it clear that chiropractic care is not the treatment of diabetes or any condition, when he stated that chiropractic, "does not look to treat any condition such as diabetes mellitus,"  However, he did point out that a significant contribution could be made to the health of diabetes sufferers if chiropractic were added to care. He concluded, "If chiropractic care can offer assistance in treatment of 5% of the diabetic conditions commonly presented to health care providers this alone could offer significant life style enhancement for those patients positively influenced."

Meet The Staff

Dr. Ernst, Chiropractor and Clinic director for Shelton and Hoodsport Chiropractic.  Dr. Ernst enjoys helping the patient reach their potential health and well being through chiropractic.  Dr. Ernst and Shannon have 4 children and one grandchild.

Dr. Morson is our token Canadian chiropractor, contributing to the multicultural feel of the office- not really eh!  He is a 2002 graduate of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, and has been practicing chiropractic in the South Sound since 2003.  He lives in Shelton with his wife and 4 young children, and  enjoys aviation in his free time.

Dr. Norton graduated cum laude from Western States Chiropractic College in 1996. He and his wife Hati have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Dr. Norton practices full time at Hoodsport Chiropractic and part time at Shelton Chiropractic Center. Dr. Norton loves to help people with their health and get them feeling better. He looks forward to helping you.

Shannon Ernst is our Office Manager and the better half of Dr. Ernst!! :) We have been in Shelton since 1998, We enjoy the beauty of this area and the small community. We have a great staff at Shelton Chiropractic and Hoodsport Chiropractic, and we are here to help you!

My name is Carolyn.. I've been at Shelton Chiropractic Center since 1999. My position here is Chiropractic Assistant.  I can help you with all of your insurance questions and much more. If I can't figure it out, I'll have Shannon do it. :) I am the mother of 2, stepmother of 2, mother-in-law of 3 and grandma to 1!

Erika, Chiropractic Assistant.  My Husband Curtis and I moved from North Bend to Shelton in 2005. Including Shelton Chiropractic I have eight years experience working with chiropractic. When I'm not at work you will most likely find me knitting on some project. Look forward to seeing you soon at Shelton Chiropractic Center.  

Carolyne W. Chiropractic Assistant started at Shelton Chiropractic July 2007 she is learning the ropes and is eager to help you.

Kristin, massage therapist, joined Shelton Chiropractic in 2000. She specializes in deep tissue and personal injury work. Kristin also works part time as our office manager/massage therapist in our Hoodsport office.

Sara, massage therapist, joined Shelton Chiropractic this year.   She lives in Shelton with her husband and two children.  Sara employs several therapeutic techniques including hot stone massage.

Jennifer, massage therapist, graduated from Massage School in August of 2000 and has worked at Shelton Chiropractic since April of 2005. She lives here in Shelton with her husband, step daughter and new baby girl born on January 4th!

Chiropractic Care for Infertility

The TV station KOLD-TV from Tucson Arizona, ran a feature on March on the subject of infertility and the positive results that chiropractic offers for women with this problem.  The story starts off by saying, "Infertility. If you haven't struggled with it, chances are you know someone who wants to become pregnant, but can't. Infertility affects more than 6 million women and their partners across the country. Now there's surprising new research that may crack the case and offer couples new hope."

In the story, they feature the case of a woman named Kaycee Mogel who had always dreamed of becoming a mother. She and her husband had attempted for years  to conceive. She had tried fertility drugs, but nothing worked. Then, she decided to go to the chiropractor. She recalls "within a couple months, I was pregnant. Oh, we're really excited."

It was noted that new research shows a possible link between spinal adjustments and increased fertility in some women.  Dr. Madeline Behrendt, Kaycee's chiropractor said "it (chiropractic) lets couples who have been infertile or couples who are planning on having a family, it offers them hope." Dr. Behrendt led a study, looking at 15 women who struggled with infertility. Some for more than a decade. Then, for various reasons, each went to the chiropractor. Of these women 14 became pregnant and are now mothers. Dr. Behrendt says "the chiropractor identifies spinal distortions, which are called subluxations, and once they were detected and corrected, the fertility function improved."

Dr. Behrendt explained that there is a link between chiropractic care and fertility because the nerves to your reproductive system run through your spine. She says when the back is misaligned, the nerves misfire and cause a hormone imbalance, which can prevent a woman from getting pregnant.

Chiropractic Care for the Pregnant Woman

Because of the additional weight and stress on the framework of the body in pregnant women, chiropractic adjustments can help lower the incidence of pain in the low back and legs, and between the shoulder blades. In some cases, fewer headaches and problems with nausea and elimination may also result. Many chiropractors care for expectant mothers in the regular course of their daily practices.

Most importantly is that chiropractic helps the expecting mother by improving nerve system function.  Chiropractic has been based for over 100 years on correcting interference to the nervous system known as subluxations.  With a properly functioning nerve system free of subluxations it is easy to see how many aspects of this important time for an expectant mother will be made easier.  Many women rely on chiropractic care as a regular part of their pre-natal routine.

Water 

by Dr. Lyle Norton

            Every chemical reaction in your body happens in water.  No water, no reaction.  Water carries nutrients to your cells and carries waste products away.  Water allows the neurons in your brain to fire (synapse).  A 2% drop in body water causes short term memory problems, fuzzy thinking, an inability to perform basic math quickly and accurately, and difficulty focusing on a computer screen or a printed page.  It’s about time to get a glass of water, don’t you think?

Mild dehydration slows your metabolism by 3%.  Let's see, am I trying to slow my metabolism down or speed it up?  Besides not drinking enough water, what are other things that cause dehydration?  Here is a short list: caffeine, alcohol, soda pop, acids (tannic acid in tea, etc.), and heat.  Some of you may need to read that list again.

This is a sad statistic.  Over 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.  You'd think we lived in the Sahara.  Dehydration and lack of adequate fresh water is one of the largest contributors to poor health.  Most people, when increasing their water intake, actually get thirstier because their bodies are able to recognize what they have been missing for so long.  In at least 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak it is mistaken for hunger.  In a University of Washington study, one glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied.  What's the number one cause of daytime fatigue?  That's right, lack of water or dehydration.  Could you use more energy?

Research has shown that 8-10 glasses of water a day significantly decreased back and joint pain for 80% of the subjects tested.  Got any pain?  Studies also show that drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and you are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. 

"So how much water do I need, Doc?"  I'm sure you've heard that 8-10 glasses is the right amount.  However, if the conservation systems are turned off you will loose 8-10 glasses of water a day and that is without considering heat or exercise.  To put it another way, would you want to bathe in the same water every day?  Remember, water has to carry nutrients to the cell and waste products away.  When do you get to exchange the polluted water for fresh if all you are doing is replacing what you loose?  Add to this that every person and environment is different and it complicates things considerably.  After all, a 250 lb. hunk of a guy on a hot day needs a different amount of water than a 94 lb. wisp of a woman on a cold day.

"So Doc, how much is enough?"  The technical answer is enough water so that when you urinate the toilet water is not tinted yellow.  It remains clear (the exception is if you take a lot of B vitamins, but that is a different shade of yellow).  When you first start drinking this much the first urination of the morning will still tint the water.  If you are consistent and are drinking enough the tint will get lighter and lighter and finally be clear on the first urination of the day as well as the last.  Then you will know that you are drinking enough consistently and your interstitial fluid (the water between the cells) is clean.

There is one additional aspect of water that I want to share with you today. That is how water affects your muscles. Your muscles are somewhat like a sponge to water. A sponge that has no water becomes stiff. A sponge with a lot of water in it is very relaxed, pliable and flexible.  Water affects muscles in much the same way. If you are dehydrated muscles become stiff and tight. When you are well hydrated they tend to relax and become more flexible. This is very important both for you and your chiropractor. If we release a joint and its nerve irritation we don't want a tight and stiff muscle to lock it right back up again. We need a relaxed, flexible and pliable muscle to help maintain good joint mobility and prevent nerve irritation. Water and chiropractic go hand in hand. So drink to your good health.

Patient Appreciation Week

If you have a family member, friend or loved one, that you feel could benefit from Chiropractic care, we would be proud to consult and examine them as a personal favor to you using this special program. (You may also use this for yourself if you have not recently been into the office.)

As our gift to you and or your loved ones, during September, you or your loved ones consultation, examination, and needed x rays are  complimentary. Simply mention this newsletter

The greatest gift we can give to someone else is the gift of drugless health. Please call our office for your appointment today.

We want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for referring your family and friends to us!! We are honored by your confidence in us and we thank you for your generosity and your loving concern for others.

We extend a warm welcome to all of our new practice members!!!

Shelton Chiropractic Center