A Holistic Approach To Wellness

JORDAN PYSZ / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Enrique and Grace are members of Dr. Simpson’s Wellness Collective, which offers access to services that promote healthy aging, including the Himalayan salt room, red-light therapy and cold plunge. Grace says she feels better overall since joining.

With an engineering degree in hand, Enrique Santiago left his native Puerto Rico to make his mark in the electronics world on the US mainland.

Before he started his professional career in earnest, he served as an avionics technician in the Navy. After that, he held several engineering positions over 30 years until he retired in 2007.

“At the time I retired, I was working in the United States Patent and Trademark Office,” Enrique shares. “It was an interesting job because I got to see new products years before they went on the market.

“Once we received an application for a patent on a new invention, I examined it, compared it to everything else already out there and made a judgment as to whether it was a brand new, innovative invention. If it was, I approved it and it could go to market. I was the prosecutor, judge and jury, and I gave the verdict.

“I worked on many of the new technologies popular today, including 3D technology, holograms and animation, as well as cellphone technology. I actually went on a ride at Disney World, where they used one of the holograms I approved.”

Before those eight years with the patent office, Enrique held jobs in the electronics end of computer systems and in pharmaceuticals, supervising the production of medications.

Enrique, now 68, and his wife, Grace, 58, also raised four children. When the kids grew a little older, Grace worked as a receptionist in a medical office for 10 years.

“I scheduled appointments, helped the doctors translate from English to Spanish and assisted patients with anything they needed,” Grace elaborates. “I worked with medical records and collected payments. I did just about everything necessary for the operation of a medical office.”

Following retirement, the couple relocated from Virginia to Florida in 2009. One of the first things they did when they arrived in the Sunshine State was search for a chiropractor because they were both suffering from nagging ailments that chiropractic treatments helped alleviate.

“I’ve been going to chiropractors since I was in the military,” Enrique discloses. “There was an incident when I was working on top of an aircraft. It was wet, and I slipped and fell to the tarmac. I began to experience aches and pains in my back soon after. I discovered chiropractic, which helped, and thought, This is great. So I stuck with it.”

Grace also struggled with back pain, as well as other issues.

“My lower back hurt a little when I did my household chores,” she states. “At times, it would get pretty sore. And I was really stressed out all the time, too.”

But Enrique wasn’t impressed by the first chiropractor the couple chose.

“I’ve been to quite a few chiropractors, but they were all kind of mechanical,” Enrique observes. “The people at the office we initially visited were so busy. It was a nice office, but the staff had no time for you. You waited in line for an hour for your turn, then you went in, got an adjustment and you’re out the door. It was like waiting in line at Disney World for two hours for a five-minute ride. It was actually kind of stressful.

“I went to a couple of other chiropractors for a while, and then I stopped going altogether. But then my back started bothering me again. I had driven by Dr. Simpson’s office many times and thought, I’d like to go there.”

Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center, the practice of Charles A. Simpson, DC, is a full-service health and wellness facility in Stuart.

When Enrique first visited, he immediately saw that the environment there was far different than at the other practices.

“The personnel are extremely friendly and very professional,” Enrique describes. “They seem to really like what they’re doing. They care and work hard to get us everything we ask for and need. They treat us well, and when we leave, they say, Goodbye. They know our names, and when we call on the phone they recognize our voices, which is amazing.”

At first, Enrique and Grace received only standard chiropractic adjustments at Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center. But before long, they desired access to all the health and wellness services the practice offers. As a result, they became members of the center’s Wellness Collective, a membership program that provides multiple leading-edge therapies.

All-Inclusive Spa

“The Santiagos have been patients for many years, especially Enrique, who had been coming to the office for a couple of years before his wife began coming as well,” Dr. Simpson recalls. “At one point, Enrique told me that his wife had become less willing to do the activities they used to enjoy, such as camping, hiking and walking. They had a very good, active life.

“Then Enrique noticed that Grace’s interest in those activities as well as her energy level were declining. We told them about the Wellness Collective, which includes services to improve mood and increase energy, and they both joined.”

Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center’s Wellness Collective is an exclusive spa for longevity and wellness. It combines an array of services designed to help patients stay active, look good and feel better so they can enjoy life longer.

“The Wellness Collective is an all-inclusive spa membership geared toward age management, anti-aging cell repair, and various techniques to help patients look good on the outside and feel good on the inside,” Dr. Simpson describes. “It addresses all aspects of healthy living, from nutrition to skin care, to spine and nerve health, and all the factors that go with that.”
-Dr. Simpson

Membership in the Wellness Collective gives members unlimited access to services that include the Himalayan salt room, IV therapy, red-light therapy, cold plunge, massage therapy, sauna, nutrition counseling and more. Chiropractic adjustments and spinal decompression are also included in the package.

“When patients join the program, we create a personalized wellness plan for them based on their individual needs and goals,” Dr. Simpson discloses. “We determine which of our leading-edge therapies will give the patient the best chance to reach those goals. Different plans are created to help patients stay fit, active and relaxed, and to help them look and feel younger.

“Achieving each patient’s individual goals requires more than the limited, one-size-fits-all approach to wellness that is offered at other practices. And with all the services available within our spa, patients don’t have to run all over town to fit in all the treatments they need and desire.”

Popular Choices

One of the most popular therapies offered through the Wellness Collective is the Himalayan salt room.

Himalayan salt combines more than 84 minerals that naturally work to detoxify the body, Dr. Simpson reveals.

“The body is always in an oxidative state,” the chiropractor explains. “The cells are continually trying to repair themselves. But there are many chemicals in the environment, in the air we breathe, and in the food and water we consume, and the body is constantly fighting against them. It’s always fighting oxidative stress.

“The minerals in the salt boost the immune system, clear the airways so people can breathe better and fully oxygenate their organs and tissues. This helps in the fight against oxidative stress and the cell deterioration associated with aging.”

The Himalayan salt room is just that, a room furnished with comfortable chairs and infused with salt. Even the walls and floor are made of salt, so patients breathe in salted air.

“The intensity and concentration of the salt can be adjusted based on the health objective the patients is trying to achieve,” Dr. Simpson elaborates. “There’s a whole list of health issues that the salt concentrations can improve. It can help with asthma and allergies; it can strengthen a weakened immune system; and it can improve skin, among other benefits.”

IV therapy involves infusing a combination of vital nutrients and fluids directly into the bloodstream. It promotes overall wellness by replenishing the body with hydrating factors, vitamins and minerals.

Red-light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, uses low-level wavelengths of red light to target certain conditions, many of which do not respond to conventional remedies.

“It’s a way to enhance the natural process for metabolizing free radicals, which are unstable molecules that contribute to many health problems, and minimizing the damage they cause,” Dr. Simpson asserts. “The red-light energy has an impact on many body functions. It boosts the healing cycle, reduces inflammation and pain, and repairs damaged cells that lead to aging. It also improves muscle performance and enhances mood and sleep.”

The cold plunge is another popular service available through the Wellness Collective. The cold plunge is a tub of water that uses cooling technology rather than ice to maintain a temperature between 35 and 59 degrees. Dr. Simpson calls it the “opposite of a hot tub.”

“We’ve found that sitting in temperatures below 59 degrees for two minutes or more has multiple benefits,” he remarks. “It eases muscle aches, increases energy, speeds recovery from sports-related injuries, boosts mood and metabolism, and mitigates oxidative stress on the body’s cells.

“Further, the cold plunge improves cardiovascular health by supporting heart function and circulation. It boosts the immune system, burns fat, and improves insulin sensitivity and sleep.

It has a tremendous effect on cell repair, energy and weight loss. It speeds up neurocognitive function as well. It heightens brain performance by improving memory and enhancing thought processes.

“All of these therapies boost vitality by creating an antioxidant pathway that removes oxidative stress from the body. This, in turn, allows for healing, pain relief and better lymphatic flow, which improves general health and wellness.”

Beautiful and Healthy

Chiropractic adjustments are an essential component of the personalized wellness plan created through the Wellness Collective.

All members receive regular chiropractic care, which realigns vertebrae, hydrates the discs between vertebrae, eliminates nerve pain and improves overall nerve function.

“I compare chiropractic to anti-aging of the spine,” Dr. Simpson observes. “It keeps the spine moving, and when it’s moving it’s not degenerating. It’s not aging. Just as moss doesn’t grow on a rolling stone, arthritis doesn’t develop in a moving spine.”

Members with herniated or bulging discs can take advantage of spinal decompression using the DRX9000, a specialized machine that creates a decompressive force that separates compressed discs, allowing them to rehydrate and return to their natural height.

The body then resorbs the herniated or bulging material, taking pressure off spinal nerves and relieving neck and back pain.

Also available through the Wellness Collective at Dr Simpson’s practice are regenerative medicine treatments at a discounted cost and a full complement of facial and skin care services.

“The spa employs an aesthetician who performs facials and a nurse practitioner who injects facial fillers and BOTOX® Cosmetic,” Dr. Simpson says. “They also provide cosmetic services that boost collagen production and skin repair for a younger looking face and neck.

“Those in the collective receive member pricing for our regenerative medicine protocol, which uses platelet rich plasma (PRP) from the patient’s blood and the patient’s stem cells to regenerate tissue in arthritic or injured joints and relieve pain.

“For patients that need a higher level of aesthetic care, they receive member pricing for face-lifts performed by a plastic surgeon.”

In addition to basic chiropractic care, Enrique and Grace enjoy many Wellness Collective services that promote healthy aging, Dr. Simpson reports.

“They started with the Himalayan salt room and IV therapy, then they added the sauna, red-light therapy and cold plunge,” the doctor states. “That combination revitalized them. Today, they look better and are back to walking and enjoying their lives together.”

“Like Brand New”

Enrique first visited Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center by seeking routine chiropractic care. But when he saw all the services available through the Wellness Collective, he encouraged Grace to join as well.

“At first, I just went for chiropractic adjustments,” Enrique notes. “But then I saw that they had the spa and so many services I thought my wife would like, so I convinced her to check it out. Before she started going, I had been a patient there for almost two years.

“Today we go together and take advantage of many of the services, including red-light therapy, sauna, cold plunge and massage. We don’t use everything all the time. We use different services during each appointment, whatever’s available at the time. When we finish, we usually go into the salt room for 20 minutes to relax. And it’s all included in the membership. We’ve been members for about eight months now.

“The Wellness Collective is great. It’s got Grace taking care of her fitness again. We go to the spa often. It’s like a second home, and it gives us an excuse to get out of the house.”

“We usually go two or three times a week,” Grace discloses. “When we first started going, we went five days a week. That’s because the chiropractors want to see you more often at the beginning. Now we go every chance we get, and we’re really enjoying it.”

Enrique and Grace report experiencing an improvement in their back pain from the chiropractic treatments. They also say that their general health and well-being are enhanced through visits to Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center.

“My wife and I were always stressed from life in general, and in recent years we’ve been stressed about COVID,” Enrique relates. “Going to Dr. Simpson’s practice really helped a lot. The ambiance in the office is so nice. There’s aromatherapy and very nice, soft music playing, and the employees are happy. When we come out of our appointments, we’re very relaxed and feel really good. We feel like we’re like brand new. We feel light, like we’re floating.”

“Before, I was all stressed out,” Grace shares. “Now that I’m going to Dr. Simpson’s, I feel more relaxed – extremely relaxed, in fact. I also sleep better and have more energy. I just feel a lot better overall. And doing the different services is fun.”

Enrique and Grace highly regard the primary provider behind the Wellness Collective at Simpson Advanced Chiropractic & Medical Center. They praise Dr. Simpson for his expertise as well as his dedication to those in his care.

“Dr. Simpson is a great person and a great chiropractor,” Grace raves. “He treats everybody so nice. To him, we’re not patients – we’re family.”

“He’s really concerned about us and our recovery,” Enrique adds. “Sometimes I go to his office alone, and if he hasn’t seen Grace in a while, he always asks how she’s doing with this or that condition that he’s treating her for. He cares.

“And his attitude is so positive, which is reflected in his employees. The staff is very busy, but they never act stressed out. Everybody seems happy, and they always have smiles on their faces. It’s great.”

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