Although Dr. Jamie Settimi of Settimi Chiropractic & Wellness Center followed in her family’s footsteps—both parents and two of her uncles were chiropractors—she first aspired to be an Olympic figure skater. As a youth in Buffalo, New York, her father used to freeze part of their backyard into a skating rink for Settimi and her six siblings.

However, despite years of diligent practice, she realized by the end of high school that professional figure skating was not in her future. Then she thought about how her parents’ chiropractic care over the years had helped her overcome skating injuries. “I realized that this natural approach allowed me to heal and get back on the ice faster than my friends, who turned to pharmaceuticals to help with their problems. I began thinking about chiropractic college.”

Settimi went on to teach figure skating, which helped pay for her college education. She began her studies at Niagara University, in Lewiston, New York, and then finished her Bachelor of Science degree and earned her Doctor of Chiropractic from National College of Chiropractic, in Lombard, Illinois. After graduation, she worked with her father at his practice, but since she had made many friends in Wisconsin, she decided to move to the Badger State.

Armed with her chiropractic degree, Settimi was ready to begin treating people, yet she had difficulty finding a practice to join. She reflects how, during the early 1980s in Wisconsin, the chiropractor field was dominated by men. “Since then, the field has grown; 50 percent of chiropractors now are women,” she notes. She eventually found space to rent from a semi-retired chiropractor in West Allis. In 1990, she moved her practice to Brookfield, and she’s been at her current North Avenue location for 15 years.

As the name suggests, Settimi Chiropractic & Wellness Center is wellness-based, and in addition to treating men, women and children of all ages utilizing her chiropractic skills, the center also provides education, teaching patients how lifestyle choices affect health and longevity. Settimi is certified as a chiropractic wellness practitioner, which requires post-graduate study in a number of areas related to healthy living, such as diet, toxicity, exercise and emotional wellness. Although she treats conditions such as headaches and backaches, she finds that many of her patients are seeking preventive adjustments.

“I educate people about how the nervous system really impacts their overall wellness. We talk about nutrition, stress management and exercise, and how important those things are in the overall puzzle of good health,” Settimi explains. “When the nervous system is free from interference and the body can work at its optimal level, that means less chance of getting sick.”

The center also treats women during pregnancy. A fetus developing in utero can cause torsion on the ligaments that support the baby, which can contribute to breech presentation. Settimi is certified in the Webster technique, which focuses on specific problems with the pelvis and sacrum and allows the baby to move or stay in its proper position. Since the birthing process can cause distortion in a newborn’s neck, resulting in irritability, chronic ear infections and vomiting, gentle chiropractic adjustments for newborns are offered—done just with the fingertips—which can help resolve those issues.

Settimi experienced a rewarding opportunity to work on a group of babies when she traveled to China in 1995 to adopt her first daughter. “All of the babies in the orphanage we visited were really sick,” she relates, adding that the institution that cared for the infants had very limited staff and resources. “I got the chance to adjust all of them, and most of them got better.” She and her husband later adopted another daughter from China, and both of her children are now in college. She is always willing to share her adoption experience with anyone that wants to hear her story.

Enthusiastic to give back to the community, Settimi is active with groups supporting research for both Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. She also uses her charitable efforts to promote wellness and to educate people on how keeping the nervous system free from interference helps the body stay healthy.

“We talk a lot about diet, drinking enough water and getting back to basics. Your body is always trying to move you toward wellness,” Settimi advises. “You just have to listen to it.”

Settimi Chiropractic & Wellness Center is located at 17280 W. North Ave., Brookfield. For more information, call 262-789-0576 or visit SettimiChiropractic.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.