Seeking a better way

NORTH CANAAN — At a health fair at Geer Village on Feb. 12, area health-care providers talked to seniors and the public about ways to treat and prevent health problems and about alternative care approaches.

Specialists who attended said seniors are not as wary of the less traditional approaches as one might think. This attitude stems from untoward experiences with medical procedures and drugs tha , though helpful, may come with a price of discomfort and side effects. That is rarely the case with treatments such as massage and acupuncture.

Fairgoers listened quietly to the integral medicine approach demonstrated by Dr. Michelle Hemingway. At her Lenox, Mass., office, she treats body, mind and spirit with a holistic approach but does not discount scientific advances.

Focusing on one aspect of her work, she explained how diagnosis can be made by measuring energy levels in various parts of the body. The energy given off by the earth is used as a baseline. Seated in front of a laptop computer, a subject places his or her hand on a large computer mouse. In less than a minute, an analysis pops up on the screen.

A full workup would result in a unique formula of natural ingredients the patient would take over a course of time, targeting what are often numerous problems, such as immune system deficiencies and organ dysfunction.

“This may be more than what most people, especially seniors are able to accept,� Hemingway admitted. “but I think this will eventually catch on as people get fed up with traditional care. It’s become so much about the drug companies making money. There has to be a better way.�

North Canaan chiropractor David Godwin said small adjustments to the spine can have a big impact on the entire body, as well as the mind. “Mobility is almost always an issue for this age group. Walking, moving their arms, bending over, these are all things where they lose mobility to the point where their lives are profoundly affected.�

Godwin said proper spine alignment itself, which he described as not a dramatic approach at all, as well as the increased mobility it provides, means an increase in blood circulation that helps everything work better.

Massage therapist Erin Drislane, acupuncture therapist Becky Schirber and hypnotherapist John Parisi, who all work with Godwin at the Canaan Chiropractic Center, also attended the fair.