Gary Barone, D.C.
Doctor of Chiropractic | Owner of Una Vita Chiropractic & Health Inc.
I am Dr. Gary Barone, a chiropractor and the owner of Una Vita Chiropractic in Newport Village. My practice focuses on optimizing health for families, athletes, and expecting mothers. I help patients with sports injury recovery, performance enhancement, prenatal care, and family wellness.
Chiropractic offers the unique opportunity to make a significant impact in people’s lives through hands-on care. Chiropractic adjustments improve spinal function, which helps prevent arthritis and enhances the function of the nervous system by correcting subluxations. In addition to adjustments, I provide advanced therapies such as class-four laser therapy and custom orthotics, ensuring my patients receive comprehensive care.
Growing up, I aspired to become a medical doctor, but my path changed when the medical system failed my mother, who had suffered for decades from chronic, debilitating headaches. A chiropractor helped her go from taking a shoebox full of pills daily—which only made her feel worse—to being completely headache-free and medication-free. Inspired by her transformation, I pursued a career in chiropractic, and at 93, she remains medication-free.
Education
Chiropractors require a minimum of seven years of university education, which includes three years of undergraduate study in the sciences followed by four years of chiropractic school. I graduated from St. Thomas More Collegiate in 1990, then studied environmental science and philosophy (with a focus on logic and ethics) at Douglas College and Simon Fraser University. I later attended the University of Western States Chiropractic School from 1996 to 2000.
Chiropractic education and practice are both physically and mentally challenging. Physical literacy is beneficial, particularly strength, coordination, and manual dexterity. Experience in sports is helpful, as is knowing how to live an active lifestyle. Additionally, learning a musical instrument such as classical guitar or piano can improve manual dexterity and sensitivity.
To enter chiropractic school, you’ll need to study physics, biology, and chemistry, including organic chemistry.
While not all chiropractors run their own businesses, those who do will find mathematics to be a useful skill for managing finances.
Writing skills are also important, as chiropractors often write reports, advertising copy, website content, social posts, and more to communicate effectively with patients.
I highly recommend studying philosophy either at university or on your own. This will help you understand scientific and ethical principles, improve logical reasoning, and recognize common argumentative fallacies. These skills will assist you in making informed decisions for your patients, understanding scientific research, and navigating the political landscape.
The Most Important Part
The most important prerequisite for a chiropractic career is passion. The best chiropractors have a strong reason for entering the field. It could be a personal story or experience with recovery that motivates them. What will be yours, doctor?
Chiropractic Adjustments: Three Goals
1: Improving spinal health, and preventing osteoarthritis.
There are three phases to spinal decay. Normal spinal segments with normal disc spaces, have a normal shape and are stacked in a graceful curve. Phase one of spinal decay results in a loss of this curve and impaired movement, with narrowed disc spacing. Phase two is indicated by roughening of joint surfaces, bone spurs and reduced mobility. Phase three is joint fusion and permanent loss of motion. This process can occur without noticeable symptoms. A doctor of chiropractic is trained to find areas that are not normal and help to restore movement and alignment to keep them normal.
2. Improving the function of the nervous system.
The spine is closely related to the function of the nervous system which controls the whole body. Chiropractors are trained to detect changes in nerve function (subluxations) and perform adjustments to optimize the function of the nervous system.
3. Improve athletic (and daily) performance.
When your nervous system works better, you have better coordination, reduced stress and better performance. A chiropractor’s goal is to optimize your function so you can be your best.