Services & Techniques
At New Life Chiropractic Center, we take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic wellness care to our patients. Below is a sampling of the different chiropractic services we offer in our Weston office.
Move well... Eat well... Be well.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care
We provide advanced spinal correction utilizing "state of the art" chiropractic techniques. Never in the history of chiropractic have we been able to provide the level of help and expertise that now exists. These newer correction methods are even safer, more comfortable and more effective than ever before. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Vanessa Shields has years of training and experience in the upper cervical spinal correction procedure known as Atlas Orthogonal.
Atlas Orthogonal (A/O) is an Upper Cervical chiropractic technique. A/O is a scientific, extremely gentle and 
precise spinal correction method. A/O chiropractic focuses on th correction of the Atlas (C1) and sometimes the Axis (C2), these are the two 2oz. bones that surrounds your brainstem at the base of the skull. Dr. Shields may adjust other areas of your spine (with a different gentle method), but that is the exception rather than the rule.
When the Atlas is in its proper position, body balance is restored and cord irritation is removed at the brainstem level. This removes interference from the Central Nervous System and the brain can send its health and healing messages to ALL parts of the body freely. This enables the body's natural self-healing process to begin from head to toe. The moment the Atlas is corrected, healing begins, even though you may not feel it immediately.
Dr. Shields will perform a nervous system evaluation to determine if upper cervical care is needed. If an Atlas misalignment is detected, precision radiographs will show the exact misalignment of the Atlas. Dr. Shields can determine how much the Atlas has shifted left of right, tilted forward or back, how much it has rotated and also the rotation of Axis (C2) from these radiographs. She will develop a spinal correction formula specific to each patient. This formula is the key to her work and must be done prior to the first correction. Precision radiographs also show how effective the first correction was.
Dr. Shields is not just interested in moving bones. Her goal is to place the bone back into its correct position or as close to it as possible. You will be shown your x-rays so you can see for yourself how far out of its proper position your Atlas has moved. When you see your x-rays, you will begin to understand why a misaligned atlas may directly or indirectly be the cause of many of your health problems!
A great example:
When the Atlas and/or Axis are out of their proper position, the head moves off center of the body. This creates body imbalance from head to toe. More weight shifts to one side of the body than another. If these vertebrae are also rotated out of position, they can twist your entire spinal structure, including the pelvis, so that one leg becomes shorter than another. (We are NOT born this way!!!) Not having your atlas corrected to restore body balance is like continuing to drive a car that is misaligned. Over time everything is going to break down. You can keep replacing the tires, but unless you have the car aligned, you’ll just be wasting your money. The same thing is true for headaches or ADD or hundreds of other conditions that have been known to respond well to Upper Cervical health care. You can keep taking medication, but if your Atlas is out of its proper position and causing the problem, it’s not going away until you get your Atlas corrected.
Corrective Exercises
We teach our patients special "blueprint" exercises designed just for them to help strengthen and correct their own unique problem. These exercises can be performed in the comfort of your own home and can improve the effectiveness of your spinal correction by as much as 30-40%. In addition to skeletal misalignment, muscles and connective tissues can be out of place or strained by improper alignment and use. Specific exercises and stretches can help your body stay in balance and in health.
Lifestyle Advice
We often find it helpful to "coach" our patients on certain activities they should avoid or do differently to avoid aggravating their particular health challenge. Our goal is to help every patient achieve a fulfilling and happy lifestyle full of the activities they enjoy most. We recognize that each patient is a whole person, and helping them reach true health and wellness is a collaborate effort between our professionals and our patients.
Meridian Response Technique/ Biomeridian
Muscle testing provides a great deal of information about the energized status of the
body and its various organs, glands and systems without having to penetrate the skin or use invasive techniques. The degree of accuracy is remarkable and is best seen in the results achieved and the speed of that achievement when performed by experienced practitioners skilled in this approach.
Using the muscle system as a barometer this technique analyzes the various meridians and contact points located upon these pathways for the assessment of energy flow. When the practitioner touches one of the surface contact areas he/she is monitoring the energy of that specific system as a challenge to the system integrity. If the strength of that point remains when it is challenged it may be interpreted that the system or function associated is energized and potent.
When a area tests weak or is defeated by the challenge it is interpreted that there is a loss of energy and adequacy about that system. It should be noted that a weakness can never be equated to a diagnosis of a disease or a condition, so that if the liver area tests weak it could never be said that the liver is sick (e.g. hepatitis, cirrhosis, inflammation, etc.), only that the system is energetically imbalanced.
Weaknesses are interpreted as areas of need, areas wherein the body may require cleansing, strengthening, or repair. Usually, after one to three months of nutritional support, specific for the target system or organ which is identified as weak, the area no longer can be defeated by a challenge test, and there is often an improvement in the individual's state of health and symptoms associated with that particular function in the body.
There are many ways to strengthen a particular weakness, such as nutritional supplementation to enhance function in the spedfic area of need, lifestyle modification to unburden the "physiology, chiropractic to influence the nervous tone and energy reaching the tissue, acupuncture to remove blockages in
the normal flow of energy through the meridian pathways of the body, mind/body therapies to release somatized memory, and others.
Using muscle testing employs upper motor pathways in the nervous system which are theorized to be weakened when the body is challenged, thus resulting in muscular weakness, identified by any single muscle or group of muscles. Type A muscle fiber contraction requires a Significant amount of energy to contract, and this is why any distraction to the system can weaken the muscles.
MRT is a form of kinesiological testing, of which there are many variations. This technique of analysis is growing daily, and many more practitioners are finding the advantage of quickly surveying the body without unnecessary expense or penetration. The enlivening achieved through this approach is exciting to experience in your own body. It creates an interest in finding weaknesses before they manifest as conditions or diseases and this is truly a form of prevention.
M.R.T. allows Dr. Shields to determine which whole food supplements are going to be the most beneficial for you. This way you are not getting too much of something and not enough of another. M.R.T. is based on the ancient Chinese Meridian System that dates back thousands of years. Dr. Shields detects imbalances in certain meridians and balances them using whole food supplements. These whole food supplements are derived only from organic foods and organically fed animals.
Biomeridian Testing is a complete, reliable, a
nd accurate systemic/nutritional evaluation that takes approximately 20 minutes. The testing is done with a unique Biomeridian Computer which measures the BioElectrical Impedance Measurement (BIM), measuring the conductivity between specific points on the body. Combined with proper atlas care, the recommended specific Nutritional support and regular testing, you can improve your level of wellness! Begin improving your Health today!
The invaluable test results act as a baseline measurement around which we will use to customize your nutritional plan to help you obtain Optimal Wellness. Schedule your Biomeridian Test today! Call (954)389-8297. 
Nutritional Counseling
We provide specific recommendations on nutritional supplements and healthy food choices to enhance our patient´s return to optimal health. Do you know which supplements are good for you? Dr. Vanessa Shields can provide a structured nutritional program based on your individual needs.
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine said, "There are natural forces within that do the true healing, let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food."
Let's face it, because of today's society, nobody eats 13 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables a day. Even if you did, they are not as good for you as they were 100 years ago. This is because industrialization has depleted the soil of essential minerals. Did you know? In 1948, 1 cup of raw spinach had 158mg of Iron in it. Today, it only has 27 mg. With today's advanced society and fast-paced lifestyles, most people depend on quick meals, which are processed and full of chemicals. In the last 15 years, over 10,000 "convenience" foods have been introduced into the U.S. It's really no surprise that there has also been an increase heart disease, obesity, and diabetes over the last decade. These "convenience foods" are NOT food. They have ZERO nutrition in them.
A doctor once said, "The news is not that fruits and vegetables are good for you, the news is that the are so good for you, they could save your life!" Eating fresh, raw fruits and vegetables will provide your body with basic building blocks that are needed for healing and repairing.
Juice Plus products are also offered. JuicePlus provides the equivalent of 17 fresh, raw fruits and vegetables in 4 capsules. Juice Plus delivers key antioxidants and other phytonutrients that are easily absorbed by the body, reduces oxidative stress to the cells, helps support a healthy immune system, protects your DNA and improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system as well. Juice Plus products are whole foods, not synthetic vitamins.
Juice Plus products can be ordered through www.4newlifejuiceplus.com
The next best thing to eating fruits and vegetables!
Spinal & Postural Screenings
Posture and spinal screenings can reveal important health information and unlock the door to improved health and well-being. We provide screenings at area malls, community events, health fairs and places of employment. Contact us today to arrange a screening at your event or workplace.
Physiotherapy
To complement and enhance the healing effects of Dr. Vanessa specific Chiropractic adjustment treatment, we at New Life Chiropractic Center also provide the following physiological therapeutic procedures:
- Manual therapy
- Mechanical traction
- Cryotherapy
- Moist heat therapy
- Neuromuscular re-education
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy offers a natural conservative treatment approach that relieves musculoskeletal pain for many patients. Our office provides specific massage and muscular therapy that is tailored to meet the patient's condition and/or injury. The benefits of massage therapy may include increasing blood circulation, reducing swelling, relaxing muscles, relieving muscle pain and spasms, and aid in recovery and range of motion.
Call the office at 954-389-8297 to schedule.
3D Spine Simulator
Launch 3D Spine Simulator