Dr. Donna Kulp, founder of Kulp Chiropractic Clinic, Inc. Nutrition & Wellness Center, in Reading, knows that one size does not fit all when it comes to achieving vitality. Through the traditional chiropractic part of her practice, she and her associate, Dr. Steven Zellers, offer individualized approaches including cervical and lumbar traction. But often there are more missing pieces to the wellness puzzle, and that’s where the Nutrition & Wellness Center practice come in. Patients can get chiropractic care, nutrition services or a hybrid of both.

“I mostly work with patients to find out where they’re broken,” explains Kulp. “What is causing your health issue? Is it a poor diet? Is it the food you eat? Is it a lack of nutrients, or gut issues? I concentrate on what is not functioning properly for you and create a plan for balanced wellness.”

Kulp has a diplomate degree in nutrition from Northwestern University and is board- certified in nutrition. As a doctor, she can order blood tests and lab work and interpret those results to guide people in the directions they need to go. Education is key, Kulp says, so people learn how to make healthy choices. “Where we thrive is through working with people one-on-one, as individuals, and get them to understand that when you come in and tell me that you have a problem, we figure out when the problem started, how old you were when the problem started and any medications you’re on. I review all of that and compile a customized program.”

Recommendations might include supplements or dietary changes. According to Kulp, the Center presents diets designed for specific issues including gut health, cardiac issues, thyroid and inflammatory conditions. They also offer exercises for stress reduction, and muscle strengthening exercises to address patients’ issues. Through Kulp’s guidance, patients learn to retrain their bodies to get rid of inflammation and help themselves heal.

“We teach people how to get healthy and how to fix issues related to inflammatory conditions,” she says. “We try to get people to understand that if the foods you’re eating are inflammatory, it doesn’t matter what you do—you can consume all the boswellia and curcumin you want—it will not reduce inflammation until you stop eating processed foods and poor foods that cause inflammation. It’s all connected.”

Kulp gives many workshops and lectures covering nutrition and wellness topics, both in-house at her practice and throughout the community. Kulp hosts weekly weight loss group meetings free of charge on Wednesday nights. She also has a monthly show on BCTV.org (tinyurl.com/y8nboxvz) where she, along with occasional guest speakers, talk about different aspects of health. Kulp also participates in health fairs, where she further educates people about health and nutrition.

Kulp Chiropractic Clinic, Inc. Nutrition and Wellness Center also has a health food store that is open to the public and offers supplements and healthy shelf-stable foods, snacks and beverages for purchase. The clinic also offers colonic hydrotherapy; massage therapy; ultrasound; and myofascial services.

The old adage states that, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and Kulp believes that adults and children can avoid disease and misery later in life by learning to care for their bodies today. “Don’t wait until you’re sick and broken. Develop healthy habits now, while young and healthy, and then you won’t end up sick and broken,” she emphasizes. “If your third-grader can’t read an ingredient on the label of a food package, then you probably shouldn’t eat it. You have choices.”

Kulp Chiropractic Clinic, Inc. is located at 52 Morgantown Rd., Reading. For more information, call 610- 208-0404 or visit KulpChiropractic.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.