Friday, May 7, 2021

Our clinic and Covid-19


Thank you for giving your time to read this information regarding our clinic's response to the Covid-19 virus and pandemic.

We are re-opening our doors on Monday, May 10th after a 14-month closure due to the pandemic. Our Phase 1 of re-opening is for "fully" vaccinated patients only. Phase 2, which will include those yet unvaccinated, will begin at an undetermined time according to the MN State guidelines from the governor and the MN Department of Health. We appreciate you and look forward to seeing you soon!
We will get through this together!

Over the last year, we have refurbished the clinic with fresh paint all around, as well as new carpeting.  Most importantly, we have installed a powerful new air exchanger and have HEPA anti-viral air filters!  We have many other protocols in place to help keep you safe…

> Each patient will be asked a short screen to ensure you have not been exposed, nor are currently experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms.
> Have you been “fully” vaccinated? (at least 2 weeks past your final vaccination dose)
> If you, or someone you have been in close contact with, traveled and been potentially exposed? We will ask that you kindly delay care for 14 days.
> Are you experiencing any COVID-related symptoms such as
a fever of 99.5 or more?
~cough?
~respiratory issues?
~loss of smell or taste?
~headaches?
~and/or have been diagnosed or in contact with someone that has been diagnosed?
If so, we need to delay your care for 14 days.
> We will also be taking your temperature prior to each visit. If your temperature is 99.5 degrees or higher, we will ask you to reschedule your appointment until you are fever-free for a minimum of 24 hours.
> We are temporarily removing items that could carry unnecessary risk such as the shared water cooler, lobby magazines, etc.
> You will find hand sanitizer at the front desk. Please sanitize as you enter and leave to protect yourself.
> We will also sanitize after each patient encounter to ensure your safety as well as the safety of others.
> If anytime prior to your appointment you are feeling ill and/or have a fever, please call us to cancel your appointment. We will reschedule you for another time.
> Do not bring additional family members or friends into the clinic during this time unless it is absolutely necessary for your support. Non-essential visitors must remain in the vehicle. When parents are accompanying children, we ask that only one parent, rather than both, attend with your child. Parents, please send only one parent and the child who is to be seen.
> Unlike many public environments, our clinic remains a very safe space to continue administering care, as we are constantly disinfecting our facility and equipment.
>In addition to our standard levels of hospital-grade sterilization and disinfection after every patient visit, our team is disinfecting common areas throughout the day, including waiting room chairs, and front desk.
> We have removed the water cooler and taken out all waiting room magazines and toys from the child play area in order to minimize congregation and reduce communal contact surfaces.
> Hand sanitizer has been placed throughout the office for your use. Please use it when entering and leaving our office.
Your health means a lot to us. Thank you for your business. We will continue to keep you updated as needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us at 952-474-1777 if we can assist you in any way.
Warm Regards,
Drs. Sharon Levin and Nels Chellen
Levin and Chellen Chiropractic

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

The Triad of Health: SLEEP IMPROVEMENT and Stress Reduction

 

Having problems getting to sleep or maintaining uninterrupted sleep? You are not alone!

There are many natural, inexpensive, and non-invasive/drugless strategies you can implement

to help yourself get the sleep you desire and need!











The Triad of Health: SLEEP IMPROVEMENT

Physical/ Structural TIPS

  • Chiropractic care: balances the nervous system by calming sympathetic energy (flight or fight) and stimulates parasympathetic energy (relax, restore, regenerate). Massage is good too!

  • Properly tend to your injuries: body pain and arthritis are major contributors to insomnia.

  • Exercise: A minimum of 20 minutes per day; but not within 2 hours of bedtime.

  • Mattress: not too old and soft, not too hard and nonconforming; helps control motion. (see The Right Mattress )

  • Pillow: correct height for your size, conforms to your shape, keeps spine straight.

  • Don’t fight daytime sleepiness; nap for 30 minutes or less; earlier in the day is preferable than later.

  • Use a neti pot to restore proper health and air passage to your airways as well as reduce allergen reaction.

  • Do some yoga or easy stretching an hour before bedtime.

  • Have your kidneys, thyroid, hormone levels checked for possible imbalances.

  • Lose weight, if needed.

Mental/ Emotional TIPS

  • Meditate and/or pray daily.

  • Practice letting go of problems, allowing your “higher power” to work things out; refuse to worry.

  • Let go of offenses held against yourself and others.

  • Practice gratitude and count your blessings. (rather than sheep)

  • Hide your clock or commit to not looking at it at night. If available, switch the light level to low.

  • Don’t talk about how you “can’t sleep”; reprogram your mind to believe you can sleep peacefully.

  • Change unsatisfactory lifestyle factors: job, recreation, hobbies, weight, family patterns, routines, relationships.

  • Consider that you are worth every effort you take to help yourself be as healthy and as functional as possible.

  • Consider getting some spiritual or psychological guidance to solve problems, or at least be sure to spend some time talking with a trusted friend.

  • Use your bedroom only for sleep and lovemaking; recondition your mind for proper bedroom use.

  • If you watch TV at night, choose low-key nature or arts programs. For some, this would be best done in a chair and not in the bedroom.

  • Create a routine for sleep preparation, beginning a half-hour before bed. Include light stretching to reduce muscle and joint aches.

  • Reset your internal clock, gradually, to awaken between 6 and 7 a.m. and retire between 10 and 11 p.m.

  • In bed, calm your mind by using a mantra such as “relax”, “calm”, or "peace".

  • Write down all your "to-do's" and worries/concerns which may be occupying your mind; tell yourself you'll take care of them the next day.

Chemical/ Nutritional/ Environmental TIPS

  • Take a warm Epsom salt bath with candlelight and soft scents of jasmine, lavender, rose, marjoram, or hops before bed.

  • Eat your evening meal at least 2 hours before bedtime; include enough protein to sustain blood sugar for 8 hours; enough carbohydrate to soothe the nerves.

  • Get your bed-partner to address their snoring or sleep apnea issues.

  • Eliminate allergens from the bedroom; keep it clean.

  • Do not allow pets into the bedroom.

  • Avoid sugary, caffeinated, salty, spicy, rich or fatty food and drinks anywhere near bedtime, especially.

  • Alcohol and nicotine both interfere with proper sleep even though they may initially sedate you.

  • Keep your bedroom tidy, noise-free, dark, cool.

  • Avoid exposure to electromagnetic frequencies from electronics at work and home, especially in the bedroom. Keep devices at least 3 feet from you.

  • Find out if a medication you are taking may have stimulant effects on metabolism or the nervous system. Ask about alternatives.

  • Five to ten minutes of deep, easy breathing can raise natural melatonin by 500%.

  • There are many helpful herbs, homeopathic remedies, and nutritional supplements to help sleep; consult a knowledgeable practitioner for help in choosing them.

  • Get exposure to sunlight to stimulate the pineal gland, earlier in the day, while avoiding too much light later in the day, especially electronic light/screen light.

  • Most sleep-inducing drugs create dependence and have toxic side effects.

STRESS REDUCTION: The Relaxation Response Technique

Also, consider learning to meditate. There are many books and tapes regarding the learning of meditation, however, my experience is that most people do better with taking a class from an experienced teacher of meditation. One such teacher is me! (Dr. Nels Chellen)

Please see this link which is available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pure-Meditation/112093068801657

and this link at Google Sites: https://sites.google.com/site/puremeditation1/

Levin and Chellen Chiropractic

4144 County Road 101, Minnetonka, MN 55345

(952) 474-1777

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Chiropractic Care for Babies and Little Kids?

From Facebook: Thank you for taking such great care of both our kids over time. I’m so grateful we have found a chiropractor who not only helps us, but that we trust and feel comfortable and confident in to help our children.”  
                                                                                Janette, Brklyn. Prk.
Yes, we treat children of all ages. Our techniques are appropriate for their size and age- just as they are for bigger folks who have conditions that require special consideration like those with osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, hypermobility, acute/inflamed injuries, etc.
Additionally, I thought I’d pass this video news report along to you because sometimes it can be helpful to have something positive to share with friends and family who are skeptical about chiropractic care for kids.
You may also be interested to read the American Chiropractic Association Statement on Pediatric Chiropractic Care


                                          DC's hands and baby
“Thank you for the care of the kids.  You do such a nice job!”
                             Jane, Minnetonka
“I see Dr. Chellen and he is so amazing. My daughter is never scared to go in there and he’s extremely gentle for children as well as grown-ups. He’s the 7th chiropractor I’ve been to around the US and he’s hands down the best one I have been to."                        Kristi, Minnetonka

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Kinetic Chain of Your Body and Why It Matters


One of the reasons why Dr. Sharon and I make such a good team is that we think alike way more than we think differently. One example is that we both take the time to thoroughly assess and treat the many areas of the frame which have the potential to contribute to a person's symptoms.
Quite often these many areas are not symptomatic in themselves. However, the many loads and avenues of force throughout the body, which are important to the coordination and contribution of complex activities we engage in, can become weak links in our frames. When left unattended and unresolved, these non-symptomatic, though contributory "lateral joints" and tissues may reactivate the symptomatic areas over and over.
We are proud of our work and the effort and time we contribute to each patient encounter. The following article, though written for professionals, provides further justification for going the extra mile and doing the thorough work everyone deserves to have.
(Thank you to Dr. Wm. Koch for this article: https://drwilliamhkoch.com/2018/the-kinetic-chain-of-lateral-joints)



Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Going Upstream to Treat Pain at its Cause


Natural and holistic health care has been described in many ways, with many analogies. This analogy, below, is one of our favorites and provides a view into the mindset of true healthcare providers and researchers. Providing care for the relief of pain and prevention of death is a good thing, but as individuals and as a society, we need to keep in mind the idea of "going upstream" to be truly preventative and forward-thinking.
THE STORY OF THE RIVER
"Once upon a time, there was a small village on the edge of a river. The people there were good and life in the village was good. One day a villager noticed a baby floating down the river. The villager quickly swam out to save the baby from drowning. The next day this same villager noticed two babies in the river. He called for help, and both babies were rescued from the swift waters. And the following day four babies were seen caught in the turbulent current. And then eight, then more, and still more!
The villagers organized themselves quickly, setting up watchtowers and training teams of swimmers who could resist the swift waters and rescue babies. Rescue squads were soon working 24 hours a day. And each day the number of helpless babies floating down the river increased. The villagers organized themselves efficiently. The rescue squads were now snatching many children each day. While not all the babies, now very numerous, could be saved, the villagers felt they were doing well to save as many as they could each day. Indeed, the village priest blessed them in their good work. And life in the village continued on that basis.
One day, however, someone raised the question, "But where are all these babies coming from? Let’s organize a team to head upstream to find out who’s throwing all of these babies into the river in the first place!"



At Levin and Chellen Chiropractic, we have used the tag-line, "Our goal is for you to need us less!" The bulk of our energies are first put into getting you out of pain, but as you recover and begin to feel good again, our energies are more tuned toward keeping you feeling good through the application of strategies which empower through a greater self-care knowledge. We do not want to create dependence, but independence; not patients, but partners! Please go to our Testimonials page and read about the many positive experiences our "partners" have had during our almost 20 years in practice.

If you would like to discuss whether chiropractic care is right for you, just give us a call to schedule your complimentary consultation on the phone or in person.  
 
We are waiting to help you! 
Call Us for a Free Consultation!
(952) 474-1777

shared by:
Dr. Sharon Levin and Dr. Nels Chellen
Levin and Chellen Chiropractic
(952) 474-1777
Chiropractor for Minnetonka and
the Minneapolis Metro Community

Monday, November 28, 2016

Heal Yourself Through Calm Breathing

The doctors of Levin and Chellen Chiropractic have long championed our patients' ability to help themselves heal and need professional intervention less.
One well-documented way to do this is by harnessing the power of your nervous system.  Chiropractic care harnesses the power of the nervous system, as does massage, meditation/ mindfulness practice and, indirectly, many other well-known healthy lifestyle practices.  When referring to the nervous system here, we are specifically meaning the autonomic nervous system, or ANS.  Perhaps you remember noticing an article or two, or three, or four while listening to the news, reading popular magazines, or watching shows like Dr. Oz, which showcase the wonders of the ANS.

The ANS is made up of two oppositely functioning, yet completely interdependent halves, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). For a good Wikipedia article which explains these two more thoroughly, see: ANS .  Suffice it to say here that being stuck in too much input from either one of these branches of the ANS can have serious repercussions to one's health.  The more common condition is for us to be stuck in the SNS mode with too little PSNS input.  In our clinical experience, this is not just more common but IS common.  There are a multitude of ways (read "lifestyle habits") we generate this imbalance.  Often it is a "slow-burn", or sneaky development which we won't notice before we begin to feel the effects in our lives from crabbiness/short-temperedness to high blood pressure, to succumbing to the flu.
Besides an occasional "tune-up" of your nervous system at your favorite chiropractor and disciplining yourself to follow basic healthy lifestyle principles, what can you do to re-regulate your ANS?  Breathe!
Here is an excellent article from the New York Times that will help you understand more and incorporate this simple, go-to technique into your life.  Enjoy the immediate benefits and don't forget to share this article!  Everyone needs to know this!  see; BREATHE

If you would like to discuss whether chiropractic care is right for you, just give us a call to schedule your complimentary consultation on the phone or in person.  
 
We are waiting to help you!
 
Call Us for a Free Consultation!
(952) 474-1777

Thank you for visiting the Levin and Chellen Chiropractic web page. Please note that the information located on our site is not intended to provide specific chiropractic advice. You should consult with a chiropractic doctor and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific condition. We welcome the receipt of electronic mail though not for making appointments, soliciting and sales, or inquiries which need immediate response. Please be advised, however, that the act of sending electronic mail to this office or to Dr. Sharon Levin, DC or Dr. Nels Chellen, DC does not alone create a physician-patient relationship. We will neither accept requests for chiropractic advice or treatment nor offer specific chiropractic advice over the internet. The information here is presented for general information purposes only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Why You Should Stop Sitting On Your Wallet



This one is for the men...*
Save yourself from the destructive consequences of sitting on a wallet. If you have been to a chiropractor, you have already heard this and had the "Why" explained to you. If you have not and are not sure "why", take a look at the accompanying illustration and understand that it's about two things,

1. an unlevel foundation for the spine and the compensations the body makes to counter that unlevel foundation, and

2. that wallet is pressing into the buttocks muscles and is slowly crushing the sciatic nerve buried deep within those muscles.
You may not be experiencing the symptoms of either one of these, yet, but it's really just a matter of time. After 20 plus years in practice, I have treated plenty of men for this condition. Also, be aware that this is a slow-burn phenomenon and you will most likely not be aware of the damage until it's "too late"; reversing the configuration of your spine and pelvis will be time-consuming and costly. Enough said?

* For the women: do you fold up one of your legs underneath you when you sit down? You are pretty much doing the same thing!

shared by:
Dr. Sharon Levin and Dr. Nels Chellen
Levin and Chellen Chiropractic
(952) 474-1777
Chiropractor for Minnetonka and
the Minneapolis Metro Community