Activate Your Practice Podcast

If you expect to live longer than your grandparents did, here’s the uncomfortable follow-up: are you prepared to stay healthy for those extra years, or just survive them? We dig into the difference between lifespan and healthspan, why the US often spends a decade or more in decline, and what it costs families when “care” becomes a long, expensive slow fade instead of a plan for function.

Dr. Eric Plasker shares the real patient story that sparked the 100-Year Lifestyle, including the moment he started asking one simple question: if you knew you would live to 100, what would you change today? From there, we connect the dots between mobility, posture, spinal health, nervous system function, and the everyday outcomes people actually want, like staying active, avoiding unnecessary meds, and keeping independence as the years add up.

We also talk about the Chiropractic Healthspan Project and why chiropractic needs a clearer, unified public message that moves beyond short-term pain relief into healthy longevity and performance-based lifestyle care. We cover how Activator Methods can remove the fear barrier for people who do not want their neck “cracked,” opening the door for seniors, families, and anyone who wants a gentle, precise approach.

If this conversation challenges how you think about aging, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a review. What’s one habit you would change today if you were planning to thrive at 100?
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Your feet touch the ground thousands of times a day, and every one of those steps sends a message up your body. That is why we sat down with Jamie Greenawalt, president of Foot Levelers Incorporated, to get practical about foot biomechanics, custom orthotics, and how better support can change posture, comfort, and daily energy.

Jamie shares the company’s origin story, starting in 1952 with Dr. Monty Greenawalt experimenting in his garage after seeing patients struggle with rigid, uncomfortable prescription orthotics. We talk about why flexible, three-arch support matters, how forces travel through the kinetic chain from the feet to the ankles, knees, hips, and low back, and why “small” alignment problems can compound through repetitive stress.

We also shift from gait to sleep. Jamie explains how Foot Levelers is applying the same research-first mindset to recovery with the Nexi Custom Pillow, including imaging that maps the head, neck, and shoulders to help support optimal sleep posture. You will hear why listeners report fewer wake-ups, better sleep consistency, and even reduced snoring, plus how travel feedback shaped the product line.

Finally, we connect recovery to performance through their partnership with marathoner Sarah Hall and what they look for in aligned, long-term wellness partnerships. If you want to explore custom orthotics or custom sleep support, start at footlevelers.com and nexicustompillow.com, then share this with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
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What should a chiropractic education guarantee when a student finally walks across the stage: seat time, or real competence? We sit down with Dr. Deb Bushway, president of Northwestern Health Sciences University, to get specific about what “practice-ready” actually means and why outcomes like graduation rates and chiropractic board pass rates are still the clearest promise a program can make to students and the public. Along the way, we talk candidly about how easily education can drift into tradition instead of measurable skill. 

We also go straight at a pain point every new chiropractor recognizes: business readiness. Great clinicians can still struggle with pricing, cash flow, staffing, and the day-to-day reality of private practice. Dr. Bushway explains an approach built for how people learn and when they need the information: online practice management modules reinforced throughout school, plus free access after graduation when the lessons finally feel urgent and practical. 

Then we zoom out to the bigger system shaping chiropractic training: the relationship between academic programs, accreditation, licensing boards, and the NBCE. We discuss why standardization matters, why hours are a shaky proxy for learning, and how competency-based education could raise clarity and quality across the profession. We also share a powerful VA story that shows how integrative care can shift minds fast when results are undeniable. If you found this useful, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway.
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AI is rewriting healthcare while most clinics are still trying to survive the front desk rush, insurance friction, and an endless admin pile. We sit down with Dr. Jay Greenstein, a chiropractor, entrepreneur, and digital health builder, to talk about what it really takes to grow a modern chiropractic practice without losing your values or your sanity.

We start with Dr. Greenstein's guiding philosophy of kindness and his drive for justice, then get honest about leadership mistakes that nearly every clinic owner makes. Culture is not a poster on the wall. We explain how hiring for core values, building a repeatable recruiting and onboarding process, and putting the team first creates a better patient experience and a business that can actually scale. We also break down autonomy, mastery, and purpose as a practical framework for keeping purpose from getting crushed by daily chaos.

Then we zoom out to the biggest shift in chiropractic practice management right now: AI in healthcare and digital health. Dr. Greenstein shares why “learn, play, implement” beats fear and procrastination, plus concrete starting points with tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and more. We also talk patient engagement between visits, remote therapeutic monitoring, and why at-home care is becoming the expectation, especially for older adults focused on mobility and independence.

If you want clearer systems, better leadership, and a realistic path to adopting AI without the hype, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with the one idea you are going to implement this week.
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A 105-degree fever, weeks of rapid weight loss, and no clear answers sent Dr. John Maltby down a path he never expected. One chiropractic visit changed everything and that moment eventually led him to 48 years in practice and a new role as Secretary General of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC). We sit down with John to hear the full story, from a teenage health crisis to building a long-term practice in a small farming community, and why he believes chiropractic’s impact grows when we stay focused on results that matter to real people.

We also get specific about what the WFC actually does and why its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO) is such a big deal for global health. John breaks down how the WFC represents chiropractic to the WHO, helps open doors with governments and health leaders, and supports a simple vision: access to chiropractic care for all people, of all ages, in all nations. Along the way, we talk about the profession’s biggest obstacle: internal division that confuses the message when the world is asking one question, “How can you help our people be healthy?”

From low back pain as a leading cause of disability worldwide to the everyday goal of staying mobile as we age, we connect chiropractic, rehabilitation, and quality of life. John also shares why the adjustment remains the profession’s unique core, plus an exciting look at sports chiropractic momentum and how close chiropractic is to being part of every Olympic team. Subscribe, share this with a colleague or patient, and leave a review, what do you think chiropractic should be known for globally?
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