In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Scott Mitchell, a chiropractor at Lifespring Chiropractic in Austin, Texas. Nick has been working with Dr. Scott for the past few months after having recurring intense headaches. Today we will discuss holistic approaches to health and wellness and why chiropractics is not just cracking your back, but plays a huge role in taking care of the nervous system. Balancing your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system can have such a big impact on your mood, energy, sleep, digestion and immunity.

Dr. Scott studied medical biology in college and always knew he wanted to be some sort of doctor. The more he learned about traditional healthcare approaches, he realized his preference for holistic approaches. As he learned more about various holistic approaches he knew it was the path for him, and eventually joined a chiropractic school in California. One of the biggest challenges he experienced upon leaving school was learning to explain these medical functions to patients in a simple and relatable way. He urges his patients to take necessary measures in their daily life to reach their maximum potential outside of his office.

Then, Nick asks Dr. Scott to explain the cracking noise which often scares people away from seeing a chiropractor. Rather than bone against bone, the noise actually comes from a change in pressure compared to the noise made when uncorking a wine bottle. When joints are compressed, there is air and gas stuck in between them which is released upon readjusting. There are so many chiropractic techniques out there, and not all of them produce the cracking noise but still have great results. He cautions against popping your own joints yourself because it can make the problem worse.

Chiropractors are like neurologists in their concern with the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. Humans function and heal optimally when the nerves, spine and brain aren’t being interfered with. The vagus nerve runs from the brain, through the spine and into the gut. It is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates rest and digestion. The sympathetic nervous system regulates fight or flight. Most people don’t know that you are always either in one or the other. Realignment releases tension off of the vagus nerve, which allows for connection between the brain and gut. Correcting your alignment will also improve your overall health and help you actually absorb nutrients in the food you consume.

Next, they discuss the reasons people in today’s work have more issues with alignment. Since quarantine, Dr. Scott’s practice has doubled. Looking down at your phone and computer or sitting in a chair incorrectly can cause huge misalignment issues over time. The pain you’re feeling is your body telling you what you need to adjust. When you’re out of alignment, your dentate ligaments, which anchor your spinal cord, will start to put a twist on the spinal cord itself. Tension on the nerves will affect your ability to shorten and lengthen, impacting the signal between brain and body. Adjusting takes the pressure off the spinal cord by allowing the dentate ligaments to become even on both sides.

Finally, Dr. Scott gives some pointers as to what you can do in your everyday life to help your alignment. Going to a chiropractor’s office will give you the opportunity to receive personalized advice based on your own lifestyle. He also offers advice for the ultimate way to sleep to avoid misalignment and the best shoes to wear. After being unaligned for so long, your body will naturally want to return to that state after being realigned. This is why seeing a chiropractor is a lifestyle choice as a treatment for life’s natural stresses.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction of today’s episode and guest

3:50 - Dr. Scott’s introduction to ho