Dr. Lisa Lewis, Cohasset Family Chiropractic

Most people make an appointment with a chiropractor when they experience back pain. But, really, a visit to the spine specialist should be part of your health regimen, experts say.

The nervous system is the body’s communication mechanism, so to speak. It connects the brain to every cell, tissue, organ, and muscle. When the communication is blocked, your body is impacted--- be it the immune system, stomach, kidneys, even allergies.

Dr. Lisa Lewis, owner of Cohasset Family Chiropractic, knows this better than anyone. When she was a young adult a friend asked her if she were “structurally sound”, going on to explain that the structure of the spinal column affects the spinal cord and every nerve that passes through it. Any interference with this central communication system—the nerves—can disrupt the natural flow of the body.

“We are wired for health,” Dr. Lisa says. “If the nervous system is working properly the body will heal itself.”

She’s not just preaching to the choir. Dr. Lewis knows how the body responds to chiropractic treatment because since that first session 30 years ago she has been getting her own adjustments every two weeks as a preventative measure. Because, she says, it is not a one-shot deal.

“It’s kind of like skipping a meal doesn’t make you skinny,” she says. “It is a process.”

And, now, with her own practice, Dr. Lisa is focusing on a holistic approach that begins at birth, or actually, before birth. For example, if pregnant women have good alignment in the lower back, chances are the baby will not experience as much trauma during birth. In fact, the sooner you get that spine aligned, the better, she says, as some problems that occur later in life originate as a child. “It is frustrating for me when a person doesn’t get better because their spine has degenerated so much.”

To that end, teaching how to be proactive about general health is part of her practice. At her Cohasset office, Dr. Lisa invites other health and skin care professionals to make presentations in an ongoing Expert Speaker Series that she has created as part of her outreach and education.

In September, for example, she had a health coach in to talk about the sugar blues: Why we crave sugar and how to break the cycle. On Thursday, October 27th at 7:00 p.m., Lisa Hebert from Bella Aesthetics will be speaking. Cohasset Family Chiropractic is also giving back to the community this month by offering a comprehensive initial evaluation which includes a consultation and report of findings in exchange for $35 of non-perishable groceries to benefit the Cohasset Food Pantry.

Overall, Dr. Lisa is focused on helping her patients and the people in her community who have supported her over the years. Her practice began in Scituate in 1984 as Lewis Family Chiropractic, which she started with her husband. When her husband passed away in 2001, she kept the practice going for a few years but then had to really focus on taking care of her three kids. She also took that time to study conflict resolution and mediation.

Her kids, now ages 17, 21, and 24, are more self-sufficient, so, in February, she re-launched her practice as Cohasset Family Chiropractic. With her communication skills and chiropractic training, Dr. Lisa lends an empathetic ear to patients as she consults and--- and more importantly--- heals.

For more information visit www.cohassetfamilychiro.com

By Stephanie Neil

Stephanie Neil is a journalist. Her business, technology, and human interest stories have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines including eWeek, Managing Automation, The Harvard Alumni Bulletin, Huggies Baby Network, South Shore Woman, and The Boston Globe.  She lives on the South Shore with her two kids, two cats, and a dog. Contact info: stephanieneil@comcast.net  or 781-378-1652. Follow her on Twitter @StephanieNeil