Promoting a New Path to Wellness

DrWarrenAs she gets ready to celebrate her 30th year in practice, Dr. Ramona Warren continues her mission to help others live healthier lives, one patient at a time

Ramona Warren is a woman on a mission.

And make no mistake, she’s set her sights high.

Sitting in her Greensboro office, the 54-year-old doctor of chiropractic medicine speaks with clear conviction.

“I want this to be the healthiest community in the state – the healthiest community in the country,” she says emphatically.  “My hope is that we can use this community as the prototype to help change the healthcare of America.”

It’s a lofty goal, to be sure.  But helping people live healthier lives is something Dr. Warren has always been passionate about.  2014 marks Dr. Warren’s 30th year in practice and, as she looks to the future, her commitment to help people in the Lake Oconee area live remarkably full, healthy lives is stronger than ever.

A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Life University in Marietta, Dr. Warren practiced in Conyers and Covington until 2005.  In 2005, she moved to the lake area and opened Pathways to Healing.  Since then, her business has grown rapidly.  She recently added two additional doctors – Dr. Brack Burris and Dr. Thomas Serra, who bring their own specialties to the practice.

“People are not aware of their bodies and they don’t truly understand their health, so they just assume it’s normal to get aches and pains,” says Warren.  “But we can have so much more vitality.  I want to add life to people’s years.”

Chiropractic care is rooted in the belief that good health is based, in part, on a normally functioning nervous system. When people experience pressure or irritation on spinal nerves, it creates “nerve interference,” which disrupts the body’s normal processes. The result can be pain, inflammation and restricted mobility. When the pressure is relieved through a chiropractic adjustment, the body’s proper flow of nerve energy is restored. Pain and inflammation are alleviated, body tissue is allowed to heal, and mobility and health return.

But according to Dr. Warren, spinal adjustments are only part of the picture.

“We’re more than just a spine,” she says, pointing out the importance of a more holistic approach. “We have to look at the nutritional aspect.  We are what we eat.  We are what we digest.  And there’s also the mind-body connection.  Our emotions have a tremendous impact on our bodies.”

Considering the whole person, as well as his environment, is crucial if you want to treat the ailment and not just the symptoms, says Warren.  She likens a person’s health to a four-legged stool, with one leg being a healthy musculoskeletal system, one leg being proper nutrition, one leg being the removal of environmental toxins and the final leg being a healthy emotional outlook.  If any one leg of the stool is out of balance, a person’s health can suffer.

While Dr. Warren seeks to address the body’s structural needs through chiropractic care, she draws on a variety of other techniques, including kinesiology, hair and saliva analyses, cold laser therapy, nutritional supplementation and a high-quality purification program to help address the other areas.  The result is a customized treatment plan for each patient, based on his individual needs.

“Holistic chiropractic care is not a one-size fits all approach,” she says.  “Every person’s body is different.  Nutrition is a huge part of it.  If the body isn’t receiving quality nutrients, it will never heal in the long term and people won’t hold their adjustments.”

The good news, says Warren, is that there are many simple lifestyle changes people can make to help improve their health.

“Education is the key. If people have the right information and the proper support, they can begin to make healthier choices that will change their lives for the better.”

Educating the community has always been a priority for Warren. From Healthy Movie Nights that educate people on pertinent health issues to cooking classes demonstrating easy, healthy recipes, Warren has always sought out creative opportunities to help area residents learn how to live healthier lives.

Most rewarding, however, has been hearing the success stories of her patients.  She recalls one patient who shared an email from his doctor.  The doctor was so impressed with a recent cholesterol screening that he was recommending the patient significantly reduce his Lipitor.  The improved numbers are the result of the nutritional plan Warren created for him – a plan that involved eliminating processed food, while also lowering his carbohydrate and sugar consumption.

And Warren cites several more patients with similar stories.

“We can do so much naturally through our food, diet and lifestyle so that we’re not so dependent on medicine,” she says.  “There’s so much potential inside our own bodies.  The body was designed to heal itself.”

In the end, what truly excites Dr. Warren is to know that people are taking control over their own health and well being.

“It’s so much more than people just coming to see me for an adjustment,” she says.  “I want people to know that the choices they make every day contribute to their health.  There are so many things that are well within their control – simple choices — that can significantly improve their health and add years to their lives.”

And ultimately, adding years to people’s lives is something Dr. Warren hopes to be doing for years to come.

Pathways to Healing is located at 1022 Founders Row in Greensboro.  The office can be contacted at 706-454-2040.  More information can also be found at www.PathwaystoHealing.biz