Omaha Wellness Center helps you make the choice to achieve health
Photos by Christopher Tierney
Eat well. Move well. Think well. These are the three pillars that Omaha Wellness Center uses to help patients make the conscious decision toward living a healthier lifestyle. It’s a concept that Dr. Ryan Goss, who’s had his own private chiropractic practice since 2005, became interested in five years ago. He completed his lifestyle wellness certification and incorporated it into his practice. Formerly Clocktower Chiropractic, Dr. Goss moved his office into a larger location a few doors down and renamed it Omaha Wellness Center to better reflect whole body wellness.
“It’s a patient-centered model of care,” Dr. Goss explained. He can do a lot to help improve a patient’s movement and function, but once they leave his office they need to make healthier choices in their daily lives. Although it’s something most people know they need to do, it’s often difficult to implement. So Dr. Goss wants to educate patients on what it means to make healthier lifestyle choices, and then give them resources to help them follow through.
The “eat well” component comes first, and Dr. Goss helps patients understand the types of foods they should be consuming versus the types of foods they should avoid. He also educates on what should be supplemented, such as vitamin D and probiotics, and what can be consumed naturally through food. “Most of what we need can be obtained simply through a well-rounded diet,” he said. “Most people don’t need to take a lot of extra vitamins.”
The “move well” piece involves making sure the body is functioning at an optimal level, which he improves through chiropractic care to ensure the nervous system is healthy. Once that’s achieved, then patients need to make sure they are moving and meeting daily exercise requirements. “Sitting still is the new smoking,” he explained. “Movement affects overall physiology, and isn’t just a vessel for weight loss. It affects every other system, including digestion, and is critical to a healthy lifestyle.”
The third component, “think well,” is where Dr. Goss has recently invested a lot of his time because he says mental health is the most important part. If the first two elements are being met, then it allows people to achieve a peace of mind, which allows for happiness, joy, and fulfillment. “Finding clarity helps people make good decisions, and everyone’s goal ultimately is to be happy,” he said. “If we eat well and move well, then we can be emotionally well.”
Unfortunately, one of the barriers to achieving overall wellness is believing that health is dictated by genetics or environment and is out of our control. But there are many examples of people who have reversed states of disease. “My dad survived a heart attack at age 48, which really impacted me,” Dr. Goss said. “But even though heart disease runs in the family, I wanted to do whatever it would take to defy the odds so it wouldn’t happen to me.”
To help patients achieve all three pillars of health, Dr. Goss partners with other health and wellness professionals, such as dieticians, personal trainers, massage therapists, and counselors. He provides free consultations for anyone exploring their options in healthcare. If there is a possibility he can help, then Dr. Goss performs testing, which includes a physical examination, health risk assessment, and X-rays for all new patients. He also offers an online 90-day wellness program and does corporate lunch and learns and dinners talks to help raise awareness for people about his approach and what he offers. “Your lifestyle choices play the biggest role in determining your level of health,” he said. “Once people discover that, they become empowered. That’s the difference that I try to bring.”
