Episode 32
Table of Contents:
In this episode:
Today we are joined by Dr. Jane Brewer, chiropractor extraordinaire.
Dr. Jane focuses on Upper Cervical Chiropractic and Neurostructural Correction, which is a unique approach to restoring balance to the three core aspects of one’s body: the structural framework, function, and auto-regulation. In this episode, we dive into this unique and effective approach to enhancing wellness and supporting the immune system and how it differs from traditional chiropractic care.
Dr. Jane explains the importance in having your head on straight, and she shares easy to do tips for supporting the Vagus Nerve to improve immune health.
Dr. Jane focuses on Upper Cervical Chiropractic and Neurostructural Correction, which is a unique approach to restoring balance to the three core aspects of one’s body: the structural framework, function, and auto-regulation. In this episode, we dive into this unique and effective approach to enhancing wellness and supporting the immune system and how it differs from traditional chiropractic care.
Dr. Jane explains the importance in having your head on straight, and she shares easy to do tips for supporting the Vagus Nerve to improve immune health.
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Episode Transcript
Julie Michelson: Welcome back to the inspired living with auto immunity podcast. I'm your host, Julie Michelson. And today we are joined by Dr. Jane Brewer, chiropractor extraordinaire. Dr. Jane focuses on upper cervical chiropractic and neuro structural correction, which is a unique approach to restoring balance to the three core aspects of one's body, the structural framework function and autoregulation.
[Page//00:00:57] In this episode, we dive into this [Page//00:01:00] unique and effective approach to enhancing wellness and to supporting the immune system and how it differs from traditional chiropractic care. Dr. Jane explains the importance in having your head on straight and she shares easy to do tips for supporting the vagus nerve to improve immune health.
[Page//00:01:18] Dr. Jane, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited to have you with us today.
[Page//00:01:23] Jane Brewer: I'm really happy to be here.
[Page//00:01:25] Julie Michelson: So full disclosure, everybody. Dr. Jane is my incredible chiropractor and she, we could spend a whole half hour just talking about the benefits I've received and how different, what you do is. From typical chiropractic when people think of chiropractors, because I've had years of experience with that as well, but we're not here to talk about me today.
[Page//00:01:50] So I'd love to start out by having you share with listeners a little bit about, you know, how did you get [Page//00:02:00] to be not only a chiropractor, but, but somebody who's practicing, you know, upper cervical chiropractics focused on neuro structural correction. Because that's very specific. And so I'm guessing that wasn't your dream when you were in peaceful.
[Page//00:02:16] Jane Brewer: This is true. The brief answer to your question is I got here. It is very round about way. I grew up in New York city and had a crazy and wild upbringing there. And then I went to undergrad and I got an art degree and I really enjoyed it. Making things and really utilized said art degree.
[Page//00:02:35] So I had about 11 years of a very interesting, diverse life between undergrad and the time that I had a life-changing experience with chiropractic care, but found myself living in Crested Butte. There, I really just got,
[Page//00:02:47] Julie Michelson: you who don't know.
[Page//00:02:48] Jane Brewer: yes, so beautiful paradise of a mountain town and in Colorado and. Just discover the love of all things outdoors, learn how to Mount psych [Page//00:03:00] took up skiing.
[Page//00:03:01] And those two things really are what brought me to the chiropractic profession. I know it's probably in my. Mid to late twenties at that time. And you know, still in that window where you think your body is pretty invincible, but I was beating it up pretty badly. And a friend of mine suggested to go see a chiropractor in town to give your listeners an idea across the views of town at that time, about 20 years ago, maybe 1,012 hundred year residents, a pretty small town.
[Page//00:03:27] And so I went to see Dr. Mimi she was my first encounter practor and got under care. It just totally transformed my life. Of course, physically, I felt better, but she really taught me the foundations of why, why this chiropractic matters. You know, why care for your sign at houses, your central nervous system?
[Page//00:03:46] Arguably the most important thing we've got because it controls the rest of everything else. And it really, after 11 years of being out of school inspires me to make a total 180 in my life and go back to school to learn how to [Page//00:04:00] practice. And so she was preparing me, she's like, You're going to go to school and you're going to realize that there are a bunch of different approaches to care, different adjusting techniques.
[Page//00:04:09] And she really suggested that I, for all of them and just find what really resonated with me. And I really remember her saying, she's like, Jayden, he can chiropractors that just focus on the top bone of the neck. And at that time I was like, that's crazy. Like why? And here we are. I am the chiropractor that focuses on the top bone of the neck. It really is the structural foundation of the whole spine. It holds her head up her head as our world. It holds our brain and just, you know, focusing and really owning and understanding that area has helped me be the facilitator to help people be really amazing changes in their lives and their health.
[Page//00:04:49] Julie Michelson: Which is absolutely true. I can personally attest. And, and for something that listeners can directly relate to, again, whether it's that [Page//00:05:00] top bone or the whole spine, we tend to think of chiropractic care for. Right or neck pain, right. Like something that we would, we're going for pain relief. And you and I were talking before we started, because I know part of your story that I didn't use to know was that you have personal experience with chiropractic improving your lab numbers, right.
[Page//00:05:26] For your thyroid labs.
[Page//00:05:28] Jane Brewer: exactly. So, and this wasn't anything I was expecting. You know, I got under care. I said, I don't know if they still do, as in color, they had the nine news health fair and they would come through crest abuse and they would do blood work either free or low cost. I can't remember, but you know, the 20 something, I probably didn't even have insurance at that time.
[Page//00:05:46] I was like, sure, I'll get my lab work done. And the one thing that was kind of out of a normal range was my TSH. So my thyroid was, under-functioning and it was reflected in my lab work and, you know, I didn't at that point, [Page//00:06:00] I didn't know
[Page//00:06:01] Julie Michelson: something about this, right.
[Page//00:06:04] Jane Brewer: I was like, that's just a little bit abnormal.
[Page//00:06:06] Right. And through my chiropractic, it was just the only thing I added. I didn't change any other self-care elements of my routine. And then, you know, that healthcare came around again and all of a sudden, mom, I have lab work with normal and.
[Page//00:06:26] Julie Michelson: Let's start that part over.
[Page//00:06:28] Jane Brewer: Okay.
[Page//00:06:32] Julie Michelson: Sorry. That's that's. This is the first that's actually the first time they've done that.
[Page//00:06:37] Jane Brewer: Oh, it's okay.
[Page//00:06:39] Julie Michelson: Okay. Sorry, max. Thank you, max. Okay. Just the like only self care you changed
[Page//00:06:47] Jane Brewer: Got it.
[Page//00:06:48] Julie Michelson: ish.
[Page//00:06:49] Jane Brewer: Cool. So yes. The only self-care edition I had was getting my spine adjusted. And I went back to [Page//00:07:00] my chiropractor. I was like, look, this changed. And she was like, having, I taught you anything. I was like, maybe teach me again play the same concept she did when I initially started care. You know, we've got this central nervous system, the master control system from the spinal cord.
[Page//00:07:18] We have the nerves that branch off. Send and receive signals to every cell tissue and organ in our body. And, you know, there was some kind of obstruction or miscommunication, so to speak. Then perhaps my hormone production, my hormone balance, my thyroid function was not optimal. And by addressing those underlying structural issues, Getting the spine adjusted, clearing all of that up.
[Page//00:07:43] My body was able to regain some of that normal function, which really is at the Harvard, in my opinion of what the chiropractic profession can offer people, whether chiropractors themselves it or. We are much thicker than just back or neck pain, like you mentioned especially with [Page//00:08:00] this subspecialty, that upper cervical offers for sure.
[Page//00:08:02] We definitely look at things from that non-traditional lens.
[Page//00:08:07] Julie Michelson: Amazing. So let's talk a little bit about this upper cervical specialty and you know, why, why did. Grab your attention. Why are you so sold? I'm so good at it, but you know, what is, what is different about coming to see you versus coming to see a chiropractor who does, again, more traditionally, what I would consider, you know, a full spine adjustment and to qualify.
[Page//00:08:34] It's not that you only touch that one place either.
[Page//00:08:38] Jane Brewer: Yes.
[Page//00:08:39] Julie Michelson: So tell us about like this, the power of that little area.
[Page//00:08:45] Jane Brewer: Totally. So to preface that I truly don't look at any other approaches as good or bad or right or wrong. Like I think there's a time and a place for everything. And I think that starting with what I consider to be the structural [Page//00:09:00] foundation, that's fine to make a huge difference between. Just chasing around symptoms and compensations and actually getting to the underlying causes of what might be going on structurally speaking.
[Page//00:09:10] So I tell my patients when they come in for a consultation that instead of just looking at where it hurts, we're going to try to figure out where it's coming from. It's really easy to Petit up a crack in the wall and make it look nice on the surface. Sometimes it's a little harder to figure out where that's coming from, but the reward and actually getting to the bottom of what's going on.
[Page//00:09:29] Being able to make those repairs so to speak so that we create the conditions for a longer lasting change. And I love my patients. I do not want to see them in my office twice a week for the rest of their lives. I want to help people along the way to reestablish as much strength and stability in their spine as we can and work to protect those gains.
[Page//00:09:49] So that over time their bodies do get stronger and stronger. I think that's a little bit different than what would be considered that more traditional chiropractic approach where perhaps. [Page//00:10:00] Chiropractors or just kind of addressing symptomatically what's going on, maybe relieving some muscle tension, restoring a bit of range of motion.
[Page//00:10:07] But I really prefer to take kind of that 10,000 foot views that bird's eye view. It's all interconnected, really try to address where it's coming from. We screen every single one of our patients, whether they come in with neck pain or pain in their little toe or a shift at the Atlas that upper most per segment in the neck. Because it has such a big impact on what's going on.
[Page//00:10:32] Julie Michelson: Puppies puppies barking. And, and I know, so what, what that boils down to, for your patients? I want to just circle back and reiterate you said it, but I want people to really understand the difference. I had referred a good friend to you, who I knew had. I happened to be with, with his neck. And he said exactly, kinda what I was thinking before I met you, which [Page//00:11:00] was, you know, I don't have time to go to a chiropractor twice a week for the rest of my life.
[Page//00:11:03] And I'm like, no, no, no, no, really just go meet her and you'll see. And, and it, it really is, there is such a difference. Between. I love that. I call, I was waiting for you to say top down you know, that the
[Page//00:11:19] Jane Brewer: is a top-down approach.
[Page//00:11:20] Julie Michelson: is really at the top.
[Page//00:11:22] Jane Brewer: Yeah, we kind of flip upside down. I know it's funny to think of the foundation of something at the top, but structurally speaking, it might come from our side. If it's really true, that Atlas is the most freely moveable segment in our spine. It also lacks some of the rest of the protection mechanisms that the rest of the site has.
[Page//00:11:39] Stable and in place. So that's really why we check there first and don't get me wrong. Of course, I'm an advocate for caring for your spine throughout your lifetime, but it shouldn't require as much effort to keep things happy and healthy as it does get them back up to that level in the first place.
[Page//00:11:54] Julie Michelson: Yep. And I just said to you, before we hit record that I need to come in next week for a little [Page//00:12:00] adjustment. It's been, you know, it probably, I'm not the best. I'm not, I could be a little more consistent. I think it's probably been a couple of months or so. But at this point that seems to be all I need to feel.
[Page//00:12:14] Amazing. I know we're going to bring this to auto-immune that, you know, kind of under the auto-immune umbrella, most of us with autoimmunity have a myriad of things. And so I want to kind of, it's kind of like the high, low, I definitely want to talk about, you know, you keep talking about the central nervous system.
[Page//00:12:36] I want to talk about how caring for your central nervous system impacts immune health. For sure, because I know listeners will be. Obviously interested and willing probably to take any steps you're going to share with them to, to start taking care of their spine. But for me personally, things like, I mean, I've [Page//00:13:00] seen you, there've been so many things that, you know, again, we're all whole humans, so it's not like, oh my auto-immune conditions over here on the left.
[Page//00:13:10] And my migraine is over here on the right. And. I have congenital structural issues that one would pro I probably could have been told just like we are with, auto-immunity like, oh, too bad. Like you have, you know, fused vertebrae. So of course you can't turn your head very far versus like, oh, well, you know, we need to be extra shore.
[Page//00:13:34] You know, your approach has been amazing. So against these things that we think we have to live with, Or things that I've personally experienced improvement with. So, so let's talk a little bit about, how does, what you do support people's immune systems or how can it help them improve auto-immune [Page//00:14:00] symptoms?
[Page//00:14:00] Jane Brewer: Totally. You just reminded me of a quote and I do, I don't want to miss attribute it to somebody, but there's a quote in chiropractic that talks about how it's probably, I want to say it's BJ Palmer, who was really the developer of the chiropractic profession. He said, medicine is what is the study of.
[Page//00:14:18] Makes a person sick and I'm butchering this a little bit, but chiropractic is the study of what makes a person healthy. And so it's looking at it from that different lens and we're like you said, I think there's always hope. And there's always room for healing. We are incredibly designed to be self-healing self-regulating self-maintaining and I look at what I do as remove what's getting in the way from that expressing as well as it should. So as far as auto-immunity is concerned the biggest thing that I think would be valuable for your listeners is to talk a bit about the vagus nerve, which I find to be the most interesting nerve in the whole body.
[Page//00:14:57] Julie Michelson: Powerful one for sure.[Page//00:15:00]
[Page//00:15:00] Jane Brewer: it's one of our 12 cranial nerves, which means they have their origin type ahead.
[Page//00:15:06] And the biggest nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It wanders the word Vegas means wandering. And it connects a lot of our vital work. And so when there's an issue with the communication over that nerve, it can really have a whole host of secondary effects that can affect our digestion. It can affect our heart rates, it can affect our respiration and it can also affect our immune function.
[Page//00:15:29] Which of course is E yeah.
[Page//00:15:33] Julie Michelson: Absolutely. And so. I would actually have to second, you are, you are not the first guest who's come on and mentioned the importance of the Vegas nerve. This is not new information. But then I know you're going to give us some trips and trips, no tricks and tips on how to stimulate. So, so [Page//00:16:00] we kind of tend to think of things almost backwards because when somebody is in a high stress, All the time.
[Page//00:16:07] You know, and we, we think of, oh, we have to calm down, but we usually don't are usually our vagus nerve is under stimulated, not overstimulated. There's that inverse relationship there.
[Page//00:16:21] Jane Brewer: The way I explained to my patients is that we have. These two parts to our autonomic or automatic nervous system. You can think about it as you have the sympathetic, which is the fight or flight. You have the parasympathetic, which is the rest of the digest. I tell people to think about that, like the gas pedal and the brake pedal.
[Page//00:16:39] You need both of those elements to have a properly functioning car. Like you don't want to drive a car without either one of those things, but you need them to work in tandem with each other and not against each other. And yeah, it's not a situation where I guess it's easier to explain it in the way that we tend to live in that more sympathetic driven world.
[Page//00:16:59] And so yes, [Page//00:17:00] that other side of things is a bit neglected. Like we need to learn how to pump the brakes a little bit better.
[Page//00:17:05] Julie Michelson: I love that. So I never connected before kind of, you know, even the work that you've done for me, but it makes perfect sense of, you know, that connection to the vagus nerve.
[Page//00:17:18] Jane Brewer: Going to be able to see things or is this just audio?
[Page//00:17:24] Julie Michelson: hang on, let me.
[Page//00:17:25] Jane Brewer: Yes. Sorry. All right. So structurally the way the Vegas nerve can be influenced is that we have that top on that in the neck, the Atlas, and it's very uniquely shaped. It's shaped entirely different from any other segment of the spine. And it's kind of got wings. It's got the opening of course, in the center where the spinal cord passes through, but it's got these wings that come out on the side of us.
[Page//00:17:52] And when we have a misaligned. Of the vertebra, the Vegas nerve runs just in front of one of those [Page//00:18:00] wings. And if this rotates a bit out of alignment, it can really create irritation on those tissues and create an inflammatory response and really hinder that normal communication over the vagus nerve. So a structural issue can be a piece of the puzzle when it comes to, like you said, an underactive Vegas nerve.
[Page//00:18:22] Julie Michelson: Which is amazing to, to think about, yeah, it's just, as you said before, the body is amazing. And I know to imagine something like an adjustment and it, again, it's this isn't like a pinched nerve or what we think of like, You know, my alignment is off and I feel pain. Like you wouldn't really necessarily notice,
[Page//00:18:51] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:18:52] Julie Michelson: but
[Page//00:18:52] Jane Brewer: And there's been some really interesting patties published. One of the biggest ones I can think of is concerning HRV and [Page//00:19:00] chiropractic and upper cervical adjustments specifically, and to see a positive influence on heart rate variability, and really that can be directly attributed to reducing the irritation on the big.
[Page//00:19:13] There was a specific chiropractic adjustment, really cool stuff.
[Page//00:19:17] Julie Michelson: That is amazing. So. And we're going to, hopefully to I'm throwing you under the bus, I'm just presuming you'll help listeners figure out how to find a qualified upper cervical practitioner. But before we even get there, say somebody doesn't have, you know, right this minute, they, you know, they're not here in Northern Colorado, so they can't drive over to precision and make an appointment with you.
[Page//00:19:45] What are some things, obviously this is not going to fix any kind of structural issue, but what are some things just talking about Vegas nerve, you know, that we can do to support or stimulate good function there?
[Page//00:19:59] Jane Brewer: [Page//00:20:00] Absolutely. One of the easiest things that I do every day is once in the morning, and once in the evening, when I'm brushing my teeth, I take the time to gargle. Sometimes I do it in the shower apologize to your partner, spouse roommate in advanced, because I want you to do this as loudly as possible, but that gargling or alternatively you can hug or even sing.
[Page//00:20:19] But that, that vibration is a great way to stimulate the biggest thing. That's one thing I do a couple of times a day and then laughter has the same effect. So just get with some good friends and have a good belly laugh, but those are good, easy ways to do that.
[Page//00:20:39] Julie Michelson: I love that. And I love that you pointed out yet. It's that vibration. We want to be. I like laughter is my favorite of all of them, because it does so much more than simply stimulate the vagus nerve, but the gargling is such a good. Easy trick, you know, like you said, just build it into your [Page//00:21:00] routine. And I say, don't apologize.
[Page//00:21:02] Just, just go for it. They shouldn't be doing it too.
[Page//00:21:05] Jane Brewer: Exactly
[Page//00:21:06] Julie Michelson: And I do, I have a client who intentionally sings in the car loudly to stimulate her vagus nerve. It's part of her home, weekly homework. She loves
[Page//00:21:16] Jane Brewer: That's great. There's other stuff, too, stuff that is not maybe as easy, like there's cold water immersion. Like I think immersing your face in cold water can be good, but I'll be at maybe not super pleasant all the time. Belly breathing, of course. And just you know, I always placed one hand on my chest, one hand on my belly and make sure the hand on my belly is moving more than the one on my chest and also paying attention to.
[Page//00:21:40] The exhalation being a bit longer than the inhalation, because that's really the trigger for the relaxation response is it's not a long exhale.
[Page//00:21:51] Julie Michelson: I love that. That is that's amazing. I. Had had an interview out with her name's Jody Cohen. She has an amazing essential oils [Page//00:22:00] company by vibrant brute. Can't talk today, vibrant blue oils, sorry, Jodie. As she has an amazing oil blend that she created called parasympathetic
[Page//00:22:11] Jane Brewer: Oh, I'm going to look into that.
[Page//00:22:13] Julie Michelson: it is it's amazing.
[Page//00:22:15] But again, It helps stimulate the vagus nerve, but you, you don't want to use it to relax. You actually want to use it during the day. And it'll let that Vegas nerve better do its job later. And so as, as listeners can tell those of us that are geeky and do this for a living that more, there's no reason not to do more than one thing.
[Page//00:22:36] Like it's just, it's, we're always playing around. And again, knowing Jane, I know she is too with different approaches and. I would have everybody do all of it. If we could all, you know, spend that much time on. So if I could convince everybody to spend that much time on self care, that would be amazing.
[Page//00:22:57] Jane Brewer: Totally, but that, which is why, like things like [Page//00:23:00] arguing, like do it in the shower. You're going there anyways. You might just open your mouth, put some water in there.
[Page//00:23:04] Julie Michelson: Well, then that's, that's the thing. It doesn't, it's not taking any extra time. Right. And, and I literally do. I try not to prescribe homework to my clients, but we usually come upon. I have probably five private clients right now that have. Watching old sitcoms as part of their routines that are like
[Page//00:23:27] Jane Brewer: I love
[Page//00:23:28] Julie Michelson: in on, because especially with COVID right, there was less out and about with friends and laughter and community and on a regular basis.
[Page//00:23:38] And it's like, you know, we can actually create those opportunities. It doesn't, you don't have to be, you know, it can be my lesson funny. And, but that laughter is so healing.
[Page//00:23:48] Jane Brewer: Totally. My inner new Yorker to the Seinfeld for those. So.
[Page//00:23:52] Julie Michelson: And you know, I'm right there with you. Although I have one client right now, who's just watching. I love Lucy and that's [Page//00:24:00] kind of hard to go wrong with two. Yes. Yes. So how does somebody. Find, I mean, I guess it's hard because I'm like, well, who is, who should be looking? I mean, everybody, I think just because everybody that I know that I've sent to you has, you know, just feels better, whatever, whatever that looks like.
[Page//00:24:24] But what, what would be something that you would recommend, obviously, anybody listening, if. Diagnosed with an autoimmune condition or they have a loved one. Who is, is that in your book? Because to find somebody, to help them with their.
[Page//00:24:41] Jane Brewer: think so. And the reason is it's often an overlooked component in people's overall health. And if they're, you know, I can't even tell you how many times I sit with somebody in my conference room during an initial consultation, just getting to know each other with a conversation and having them say like, I've tried everything.
[Page//00:24:59] This is my. [Page//00:25:00] Resort. And I wish it wasn't looked at like that. Although I'm grateful to be able to help them along their path appealing, but people need to know that something structural going on in their spine can be the underlying cause for many, many secondary issues. So I think it's worth screening for it, you know, just because you stepped foot into. chiropractic office does not necessarily mean you have a chiropractic problem, but I would say that anyone experiencing auto-immunity, especially if you have any kind of history of accident or injury, at times you can think back decades. And it takes many years for these processes, these processes to develop.
[Page//00:25:48] And so sometimes you'll remember, 20 years ago, I backed into a lamp. And it kind of made my neck feel a little sore. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then here we are a couple of decades on the road and it [Page//00:26:00] created this degenerative process that is now contributing to other issues. So I don't know if that answered your question whatsoever, but I
[Page//00:26:09] Julie Michelson: it did. And I have to, I'm going to segue because two and a half years ago, as I'm sure you remember, I experienced a head injury and I, I mean, I didn't work for three months. It was a significant head injury. It was not my first head injury. It was after. You know, years of many growing up as a competitive equestrian and riding as a, not young equestrian as well.
[Page//00:26:36] But this one was really Cigna and had I known then I would've done the same thing back then, but this was so significant that I couldn't drive. And I didn't leave my house for probably two months except to have somebody drive me to come see.
[Page//00:26:53] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:26:54] Julie Michelson: a week. I mean, it was, and it was such a made such a difference [Page//00:27:00] and I know head injuries are cumulative and there's all kinds of other things, but, but treating that one So consistently, it's like, I feel like I have to worry almost less about that one than the ones years ago that I didn't take care of at the time.
[Page//00:27:15] But that you've helped me since, you know, correct anything that I was feeling residually from those as well.
[Page//00:27:22] Jane Brewer: Yeah. Your body wants your head to be on straight. Your brain wants your head to be on straight. And, you know, I was joking around with people and we have to do, like teacher says is your head on straight, but it's true. And when the heads and that's something to like your listeners, I always tell patients to like, go on your phone and look at photographs of yourself.
[Page//00:27:45] Is your head tilted the same way? Every single time. That's a really easy indication that it may be. Getting your Atlas checked because if there's a load of carrying in our head, you know, we're carrying this little 12 pound bowling [Page//00:28:00] ball on top of a bone that just weighed a few ounces. It is the most vulnerable.
[Page//00:28:05] And the spine, and if it shifts out of all alignment, it starts to create a whole cascading effect of compensation. And I think something you asked before, how do you find one of us? Because there aren't many of us, there are a couple of online directories that you might find. If you just Google, maybe upper cervical chiropractor in my area.
[Page//00:28:22] There's a couple of online directories. That'll pop up. I'm the one that's coming to mind has to do with this post-doctoral degree that I'm working on. There's a council for upper cervical chiropractic care. That's administered through that. The ICA international chiropractic association. I know there's an online directory for members there.
[Page//00:28:40] I'm always happy to be a resource for your listeners. It would be super easy for somebody to just send me an email, say, Hey, I'm in this. Can you help me find somebody in my area? I'm more than happy to be a resource in that way.
[Page//00:28:52] Julie Michelson: So generous of you. I want to also. Share your process and I'm not, well, I don't even [Page//00:29:00] want to put words into your mouth. What do you recommend? I've never walked into a chiropractic office and had an intake like you do and had an evaluation like you do. I'm guessing since that's how you do it. You think that you value that process and you think it's the best way, but what should listeners be looking for?
[Page//00:29:21] Say, they find a practitioner and they go to the office. What are the kinds of things that let them know? That they're in a place, you know, at least at the level of what you're talking about and what you.
[Page//00:29:34] Jane Brewer: That's a great question. So the first thing that I would say, you know, and everyone's going to operate a little bit differently, but most people that I know offer at least some kind of either complimentary or very low cost consultation in my office. It's the first step to establishing any relationship with a potentially new patient is that I just want to sit down with.
[Page//00:29:56] Take a thorough health history understand really well. What brings [Page//00:30:00] them in the vehicle to explain our approach to care, because if they've had the more traditional chiropractic first, they're going to find this to be very different. And just from that place of understanding, see where it makes sense to go from there.
[Page//00:30:13] The next step would be okay. Make sure that this doctor is going to do a very thorough exam. And we screen things from a structural perspective, as well as a neurological perspective. There's many ways to do that. So there's, you know, there may be some variety in the types of tests, but at a minimum, there needs to be some imaging done of the craniocervical junction.
[Page//00:30:34] So of the Atlas to identify exactly how in that individual that has shifted. So that an adjustment can then be customized based on those measurements for that person. So upper cervical care is very much. Individualized it's tailored for each patient. I likely will never give the same adjustment twice to two different people in my entire career, because we're all built a bit differently.
[Page//00:30:59] So that to me, [Page//00:31:00] the imaging is really the foundation of any type of upper cervical correction, you know, beyond that there's going to be. Tool the tests that different practitioners will use. For example, some of the ones we use here is we test script strength because that gives us a great window into how well the nerves that come from the neck are communicating down the arm and hand.
[Page//00:31:17] There's also some really cool research concerning grip, strength and longevity, and our ability to kind of fend off diseases as we age. So it's a beach stuff there, and it's cool to see that improve as people heal. We also look at a weighted distribution and see how the body's compensating. We test range of motion digitally of the neck and weak, you know, basic cranial nerve screening.
[Page//00:31:37] There's a lot of different ways to cook an egg, but at a minimum you should be at least in a place where they're going to take the time to understand. Bringing it in and to have a very thorough intake process that involves some kind of imaging you know, the standard has often been x-ray, but now a lot of the upper cervical world is kind of dipping their toe into [Page//00:32:00] CBCT or cone beam, CT, similar to kind of the panoramic images that a dentist would take of the teeth.
[Page//00:32:05] There's a really neat 3d imaging coming out that. You know, and he wasn't out there looking to buy me a, you know, $150,000 birthday present. That would be great.
[Page//00:32:16] Julie Michelson: we won't be seeing that at precision next week
[Page//00:32:20] Jane Brewer: Not next week, but I it's it's, it's a top priority. I think it'll just take our ability to care for people to the next level, but there's some really cool stuff happening in the imaging role, but either x-ray CDCC, but some way to really put our eyeballs on exactly what's happened. Are, you know, just like we're not symmetrical all the outside are not symmetrical and inside.
[Page//00:32:39] So oftentimes, you know, of course, chiropractors rely a lot on the sensitivity of our hands to feel what's going on to the side. There's never going to be anything for be symmetrical. So we need to confirm what we're feeling with what we actually can see on those images.
[Page//00:32:56] Julie Michelson: Thank you for sharing that because I, I, when I [Page//00:33:00] started my process with you I think for me the, the most, I'm a show me kind of person. So first of all, yeah, I don't know how anyone, even with hands, you know, would know what's going on with the Atlas. But on the other side as a patient to then sit down with you and look at my pictures.
[Page//00:33:20] And see, like, and then put the pieces together, like, oh, wow. That makes so much sense. I've always been whatever it is uneven in this way, or and it's it's can be I'm sure not everybody is, is as exciting as me, but the experts were really dramatic. And one of the most fun parts was I. I've had my spine x-rayed before I have again, back to the equestrian sports I have fractured my back.
[Page//00:33:50] I have, you know, I've had arthritis in my back. I've had other issues and other, and x-rays and nobody had ever mentioned to me throughout my life that my [Page//00:34:00] C2 and C3 were just one boom. And it was like, oh, wow, that explains a lot too.
[Page//00:34:05] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:34:06] Julie Michelson: to see the wonky angle of my. Was it just gave me on the other side of it, like, okay, now I know what she's working to.
[Page//00:34:18] Correct. Right. And, and I'm a visual person, so that was helpful for me. Yeah.
[Page//00:34:26] Jane Brewer: Yeah, which is my for all you listeners out there, I had to ask Julia, if this is a video or an audio, because of tools to kind of demonstrate if people can see what I'm talking about.
[Page//00:34:37] Julie Michelson: And for references people just as solicitors. Now, one of the other differences I find in how you practice is you are referencing those records when you adjust. So you're, this is Jane is a, is a. Science geek and, and you know, it is like mathematical [Page//00:35:00] she's at so it is, it's not like you said, yes, you're always going to use your hands, but this is so much more than that.
[Page//00:35:07] So it's, it's a, it's a whole different art. It's an art.
[Page//00:35:12] Jane Brewer: It is, and it's, you know, I kind of geek out on it. Like it says it it's understanding physics, it's understanding levers at wedges and how things move together, the biomechanics of the finery. Incredible. And I think once you kind of understand that, that can run in the background and, you know, using image guided and adjusting, and some of the tools that we use, you know, when you use a very Precisely calibrated instrument to make these corrections.
[Page//00:35:37] And because it's so precisely because the adjustments designed for that person that not require a great deal of force to accomplish those results. In fact, some people after they're used to having those more traditional, like twisting, popping, cracking more forcible type adjustments, this can actually seem quite underwhelming, but I
[Page//00:35:54] Julie Michelson: That was me.
[Page//00:35:56] Jane Brewer: Yeah, we're
[Page//00:35:57] Julie Michelson: That's it.
[Page//00:35:58] Jane Brewer: I know, [Page//00:36:00] but we're trying to move things millimeters, so we don't need to move the miles, but we need to know exactly which way to move things so that it actually correct the problem instead of making it worse. And it's something you said before. It reminded me as well. I think as much as.
[Page//00:36:18] When to adjust and where to adjust, is it important? I think the opposite is true too, knowing where not to adjust and when not to adjust that equally as important, we're after stability for the people that we take care of. And. You know, if you come in and your Atlas is holding, the worst thing I could do is go in there and fuck around with it because you know, the age old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
[Page//00:36:42] Like we need to know when things are in place and when to leave them be so that your body can continue on that uninterrupted path of healing.
[Page//00:36:51] Julie Michelson: And so that's another piece. I want to share with listeners that I find really unique. Every time I go see you, you're checking [Page//00:37:00] how that Atlas is before you're adjusting anything, because maybe I don't need it adjusted. And which is actually often the case because.
[Page//00:37:08] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:37:09] Julie Michelson: Your treatment approach really does allow things to hold.
[Page//00:37:13] And, and so I find that to be really unique too. It's not just individualized care, but it's each time someone, a patient comes in, what do they need? Or as you said, what don't they need? It's it's like, I always say, it's not just what you don't eat. It's also what you do eat that like, both are
[Page//00:37:30] Jane Brewer: Totally. Yeah, there's a thing in our upper cervical that holding is feeling and it's true. You know, the longer the body can hold the adjustments. The more it can function at that higher level is as continuously as possible.
[Page//00:37:44] Julie Michelson: Love that. What is one step that listeners can take today? Just right now, say someone's driving, they're listening. They're like me. They don't want to go on links and look, and we will have links in show [Page//00:38:00] notes for things, but what's one thing people can do starting today to improve their.
[Page//00:38:06] Jane Brewer: Well, if you're driving in your car, I suggest putting on a good tune and humming along. That'll help stimulate that biggest nerve common, the shower, gargling shower, like some of the stuff that we talked about earlier, and then actually, sorry, you asked her one thing. I'm going to give you two, both of which we referenced before, but this can be done anywhere, whether you're sitting at work.
[Page//00:38:28] You're commuting. You're laying down to go to bed at night, or you just get up in the morning. It's take a few of those deep, slow belly breath for sure. I know for myself anyways, over the last few years, things have been haywire, but stressful. When I tune in, I've noticed myself holding my breath and not getting into that normal rhythm of breathing and just bringing it back to the breath, even if it's just for 30 seconds, take it in a few nice deep belly breath.
[Page//00:38:55] That's something we could do anywhere we are, no matter what.
[Page//00:38:58] Julie Michelson: I love that and you [Page//00:39:00] can't overdo it. So I, I wholeheartedly agree with all of that advice. So stimulate that vagus nerve, get that parasympathetic nervous system working for you
[Page//00:39:11] Before we wrap up, I just mentioned all kinds of links are going to be in the show notes. But if somebody again is like me and they don't want to go looking, where's the best place to find you?
[Page//00:39:23] Jane Brewer: Well, the easiest place to find us would be our website. And it's precision chiropractic. We're located in Johnstown, Colorado. So the website is www dot precisionchiroco.com. And on there, you'll actually find some great resources, a ton of information. There's a form there. If you want to reach out to me, if you need help finding a practitioner in your area I would say that would be the easiest.
[Page//00:39:46] We also have social media. Facebook Instagram. I can't say I'm the greatest at keeping us updated, but there's also some fun stuff on there as well.
[Page//00:39:55] Julie Michelson: Wonderful Dr. Jane, thank you so much. You've shared some [Page//00:40:00] amazing gold with us.
[Page//00:40:03] Jane Brewer: Thank you. I just, I love what I do. It's more than just a job, but it's definitely a lifestyle and it's always my hope that people find something beneficial that they can put an action right away. And I just, I love being a part of the community and I hope people will look upon me as a resource other way to get as healthy as possible.
[Page//00:40:23] Julie Michelson: Incredible! For everyone listening, remember you can get the show notes and transcripts by visiting inspired living.show. I hope you had a great time and enjoyed this episode as much as I did, I will see you next week.
[Page//00:00:57] In this episode, we dive into this [Page//00:01:00] unique and effective approach to enhancing wellness and to supporting the immune system and how it differs from traditional chiropractic care. Dr. Jane explains the importance in having your head on straight and she shares easy to do tips for supporting the vagus nerve to improve immune health.
[Page//00:01:18] Dr. Jane, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited to have you with us today.
[Page//00:01:23] Jane Brewer: I'm really happy to be here.
[Page//00:01:25] Julie Michelson: So full disclosure, everybody. Dr. Jane is my incredible chiropractor and she, we could spend a whole half hour just talking about the benefits I've received and how different, what you do is. From typical chiropractic when people think of chiropractors, because I've had years of experience with that as well, but we're not here to talk about me today.
[Page//00:01:50] So I'd love to start out by having you share with listeners a little bit about, you know, how did you get [Page//00:02:00] to be not only a chiropractor, but, but somebody who's practicing, you know, upper cervical chiropractics focused on neuro structural correction. Because that's very specific. And so I'm guessing that wasn't your dream when you were in peaceful.
[Page//00:02:16] Jane Brewer: This is true. The brief answer to your question is I got here. It is very round about way. I grew up in New York city and had a crazy and wild upbringing there. And then I went to undergrad and I got an art degree and I really enjoyed it. Making things and really utilized said art degree.
[Page//00:02:35] So I had about 11 years of a very interesting, diverse life between undergrad and the time that I had a life-changing experience with chiropractic care, but found myself living in Crested Butte. There, I really just got,
[Page//00:02:47] Julie Michelson: you who don't know.
[Page//00:02:48] Jane Brewer: yes, so beautiful paradise of a mountain town and in Colorado and. Just discover the love of all things outdoors, learn how to Mount psych [Page//00:03:00] took up skiing.
[Page//00:03:01] And those two things really are what brought me to the chiropractic profession. I know it's probably in my. Mid to late twenties at that time. And you know, still in that window where you think your body is pretty invincible, but I was beating it up pretty badly. And a friend of mine suggested to go see a chiropractor in town to give your listeners an idea across the views of town at that time, about 20 years ago, maybe 1,012 hundred year residents, a pretty small town.
[Page//00:03:27] And so I went to see Dr. Mimi she was my first encounter practor and got under care. It just totally transformed my life. Of course, physically, I felt better, but she really taught me the foundations of why, why this chiropractic matters. You know, why care for your sign at houses, your central nervous system?
[Page//00:03:46] Arguably the most important thing we've got because it controls the rest of everything else. And it really, after 11 years of being out of school inspires me to make a total 180 in my life and go back to school to learn how to [Page//00:04:00] practice. And so she was preparing me, she's like, You're going to go to school and you're going to realize that there are a bunch of different approaches to care, different adjusting techniques.
[Page//00:04:09] And she really suggested that I, for all of them and just find what really resonated with me. And I really remember her saying, she's like, Jayden, he can chiropractors that just focus on the top bone of the neck. And at that time I was like, that's crazy. Like why? And here we are. I am the chiropractor that focuses on the top bone of the neck. It really is the structural foundation of the whole spine. It holds her head up her head as our world. It holds our brain and just, you know, focusing and really owning and understanding that area has helped me be the facilitator to help people be really amazing changes in their lives and their health.
[Page//00:04:49] Julie Michelson: Which is absolutely true. I can personally attest. And, and for something that listeners can directly relate to, again, whether it's that [Page//00:05:00] top bone or the whole spine, we tend to think of chiropractic care for. Right or neck pain, right. Like something that we would, we're going for pain relief. And you and I were talking before we started, because I know part of your story that I didn't use to know was that you have personal experience with chiropractic improving your lab numbers, right.
[Page//00:05:26] For your thyroid labs.
[Page//00:05:28] Jane Brewer: exactly. So, and this wasn't anything I was expecting. You know, I got under care. I said, I don't know if they still do, as in color, they had the nine news health fair and they would come through crest abuse and they would do blood work either free or low cost. I can't remember, but you know, the 20 something, I probably didn't even have insurance at that time.
[Page//00:05:46] I was like, sure, I'll get my lab work done. And the one thing that was kind of out of a normal range was my TSH. So my thyroid was, under-functioning and it was reflected in my lab work and, you know, I didn't at that point, [Page//00:06:00] I didn't know
[Page//00:06:01] Julie Michelson: something about this, right.
[Page//00:06:04] Jane Brewer: I was like, that's just a little bit abnormal.
[Page//00:06:06] Right. And through my chiropractic, it was just the only thing I added. I didn't change any other self-care elements of my routine. And then, you know, that healthcare came around again and all of a sudden, mom, I have lab work with normal and.
[Page//00:06:26] Julie Michelson: Let's start that part over.
[Page//00:06:28] Jane Brewer: Okay.
[Page//00:06:32] Julie Michelson: Sorry. That's that's. This is the first that's actually the first time they've done that.
[Page//00:06:37] Jane Brewer: Oh, it's okay.
[Page//00:06:39] Julie Michelson: Okay. Sorry, max. Thank you, max. Okay. Just the like only self care you changed
[Page//00:06:47] Jane Brewer: Got it.
[Page//00:06:48] Julie Michelson: ish.
[Page//00:06:49] Jane Brewer: Cool. So yes. The only self-care edition I had was getting my spine adjusted. And I went back to [Page//00:07:00] my chiropractor. I was like, look, this changed. And she was like, having, I taught you anything. I was like, maybe teach me again play the same concept she did when I initially started care. You know, we've got this central nervous system, the master control system from the spinal cord.
[Page//00:07:18] We have the nerves that branch off. Send and receive signals to every cell tissue and organ in our body. And, you know, there was some kind of obstruction or miscommunication, so to speak. Then perhaps my hormone production, my hormone balance, my thyroid function was not optimal. And by addressing those underlying structural issues, Getting the spine adjusted, clearing all of that up.
[Page//00:07:43] My body was able to regain some of that normal function, which really is at the Harvard, in my opinion of what the chiropractic profession can offer people, whether chiropractors themselves it or. We are much thicker than just back or neck pain, like you mentioned especially with [Page//00:08:00] this subspecialty, that upper cervical offers for sure.
[Page//00:08:02] We definitely look at things from that non-traditional lens.
[Page//00:08:07] Julie Michelson: Amazing. So let's talk a little bit about this upper cervical specialty and you know, why, why did. Grab your attention. Why are you so sold? I'm so good at it, but you know, what is, what is different about coming to see you versus coming to see a chiropractor who does, again, more traditionally, what I would consider, you know, a full spine adjustment and to qualify.
[Page//00:08:34] It's not that you only touch that one place either.
[Page//00:08:38] Jane Brewer: Yes.
[Page//00:08:39] Julie Michelson: So tell us about like this, the power of that little area.
[Page//00:08:45] Jane Brewer: Totally. So to preface that I truly don't look at any other approaches as good or bad or right or wrong. Like I think there's a time and a place for everything. And I think that starting with what I consider to be the structural [Page//00:09:00] foundation, that's fine to make a huge difference between. Just chasing around symptoms and compensations and actually getting to the underlying causes of what might be going on structurally speaking.
[Page//00:09:10] So I tell my patients when they come in for a consultation that instead of just looking at where it hurts, we're going to try to figure out where it's coming from. It's really easy to Petit up a crack in the wall and make it look nice on the surface. Sometimes it's a little harder to figure out where that's coming from, but the reward and actually getting to the bottom of what's going on.
[Page//00:09:29] Being able to make those repairs so to speak so that we create the conditions for a longer lasting change. And I love my patients. I do not want to see them in my office twice a week for the rest of their lives. I want to help people along the way to reestablish as much strength and stability in their spine as we can and work to protect those gains.
[Page//00:09:49] So that over time their bodies do get stronger and stronger. I think that's a little bit different than what would be considered that more traditional chiropractic approach where perhaps. [Page//00:10:00] Chiropractors or just kind of addressing symptomatically what's going on, maybe relieving some muscle tension, restoring a bit of range of motion.
[Page//00:10:07] But I really prefer to take kind of that 10,000 foot views that bird's eye view. It's all interconnected, really try to address where it's coming from. We screen every single one of our patients, whether they come in with neck pain or pain in their little toe or a shift at the Atlas that upper most per segment in the neck. Because it has such a big impact on what's going on.
[Page//00:10:32] Julie Michelson: Puppies puppies barking. And, and I know, so what, what that boils down to, for your patients? I want to just circle back and reiterate you said it, but I want people to really understand the difference. I had referred a good friend to you, who I knew had. I happened to be with, with his neck. And he said exactly, kinda what I was thinking before I met you, which [Page//00:11:00] was, you know, I don't have time to go to a chiropractor twice a week for the rest of my life.
[Page//00:11:03] And I'm like, no, no, no, no, really just go meet her and you'll see. And, and it, it really is, there is such a difference. Between. I love that. I call, I was waiting for you to say top down you know, that the
[Page//00:11:19] Jane Brewer: is a top-down approach.
[Page//00:11:20] Julie Michelson: is really at the top.
[Page//00:11:22] Jane Brewer: Yeah, we kind of flip upside down. I know it's funny to think of the foundation of something at the top, but structurally speaking, it might come from our side. If it's really true, that Atlas is the most freely moveable segment in our spine. It also lacks some of the rest of the protection mechanisms that the rest of the site has.
[Page//00:11:39] Stable and in place. So that's really why we check there first and don't get me wrong. Of course, I'm an advocate for caring for your spine throughout your lifetime, but it shouldn't require as much effort to keep things happy and healthy as it does get them back up to that level in the first place.
[Page//00:11:54] Julie Michelson: Yep. And I just said to you, before we hit record that I need to come in next week for a little [Page//00:12:00] adjustment. It's been, you know, it probably, I'm not the best. I'm not, I could be a little more consistent. I think it's probably been a couple of months or so. But at this point that seems to be all I need to feel.
[Page//00:12:14] Amazing. I know we're going to bring this to auto-immune that, you know, kind of under the auto-immune umbrella, most of us with autoimmunity have a myriad of things. And so I want to kind of, it's kind of like the high, low, I definitely want to talk about, you know, you keep talking about the central nervous system.
[Page//00:12:36] I want to talk about how caring for your central nervous system impacts immune health. For sure, because I know listeners will be. Obviously interested and willing probably to take any steps you're going to share with them to, to start taking care of their spine. But for me personally, things like, I mean, I've [Page//00:13:00] seen you, there've been so many things that, you know, again, we're all whole humans, so it's not like, oh my auto-immune conditions over here on the left.
[Page//00:13:10] And my migraine is over here on the right. And. I have congenital structural issues that one would pro I probably could have been told just like we are with, auto-immunity like, oh, too bad. Like you have, you know, fused vertebrae. So of course you can't turn your head very far versus like, oh, well, you know, we need to be extra shore.
[Page//00:13:34] You know, your approach has been amazing. So against these things that we think we have to live with, Or things that I've personally experienced improvement with. So, so let's talk a little bit about, how does, what you do support people's immune systems or how can it help them improve auto-immune [Page//00:14:00] symptoms?
[Page//00:14:00] Jane Brewer: Totally. You just reminded me of a quote and I do, I don't want to miss attribute it to somebody, but there's a quote in chiropractic that talks about how it's probably, I want to say it's BJ Palmer, who was really the developer of the chiropractic profession. He said, medicine is what is the study of.
[Page//00:14:18] Makes a person sick and I'm butchering this a little bit, but chiropractic is the study of what makes a person healthy. And so it's looking at it from that different lens and we're like you said, I think there's always hope. And there's always room for healing. We are incredibly designed to be self-healing self-regulating self-maintaining and I look at what I do as remove what's getting in the way from that expressing as well as it should. So as far as auto-immunity is concerned the biggest thing that I think would be valuable for your listeners is to talk a bit about the vagus nerve, which I find to be the most interesting nerve in the whole body.
[Page//00:14:57] Julie Michelson: Powerful one for sure.[Page//00:15:00]
[Page//00:15:00] Jane Brewer: it's one of our 12 cranial nerves, which means they have their origin type ahead.
[Page//00:15:06] And the biggest nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It wanders the word Vegas means wandering. And it connects a lot of our vital work. And so when there's an issue with the communication over that nerve, it can really have a whole host of secondary effects that can affect our digestion. It can affect our heart rates, it can affect our respiration and it can also affect our immune function.
[Page//00:15:29] Which of course is E yeah.
[Page//00:15:33] Julie Michelson: Absolutely. And so. I would actually have to second, you are, you are not the first guest who's come on and mentioned the importance of the Vegas nerve. This is not new information. But then I know you're going to give us some trips and trips, no tricks and tips on how to stimulate. So, so [Page//00:16:00] we kind of tend to think of things almost backwards because when somebody is in a high stress, All the time.
[Page//00:16:07] You know, and we, we think of, oh, we have to calm down, but we usually don't are usually our vagus nerve is under stimulated, not overstimulated. There's that inverse relationship there.
[Page//00:16:21] Jane Brewer: The way I explained to my patients is that we have. These two parts to our autonomic or automatic nervous system. You can think about it as you have the sympathetic, which is the fight or flight. You have the parasympathetic, which is the rest of the digest. I tell people to think about that, like the gas pedal and the brake pedal.
[Page//00:16:39] You need both of those elements to have a properly functioning car. Like you don't want to drive a car without either one of those things, but you need them to work in tandem with each other and not against each other. And yeah, it's not a situation where I guess it's easier to explain it in the way that we tend to live in that more sympathetic driven world.
[Page//00:16:59] And so yes, [Page//00:17:00] that other side of things is a bit neglected. Like we need to learn how to pump the brakes a little bit better.
[Page//00:17:05] Julie Michelson: I love that. So I never connected before kind of, you know, even the work that you've done for me, but it makes perfect sense of, you know, that connection to the vagus nerve.
[Page//00:17:18] Jane Brewer: Going to be able to see things or is this just audio?
[Page//00:17:24] Julie Michelson: hang on, let me.
[Page//00:17:25] Jane Brewer: Yes. Sorry. All right. So structurally the way the Vegas nerve can be influenced is that we have that top on that in the neck, the Atlas, and it's very uniquely shaped. It's shaped entirely different from any other segment of the spine. And it's kind of got wings. It's got the opening of course, in the center where the spinal cord passes through, but it's got these wings that come out on the side of us.
[Page//00:17:52] And when we have a misaligned. Of the vertebra, the Vegas nerve runs just in front of one of those [Page//00:18:00] wings. And if this rotates a bit out of alignment, it can really create irritation on those tissues and create an inflammatory response and really hinder that normal communication over the vagus nerve. So a structural issue can be a piece of the puzzle when it comes to, like you said, an underactive Vegas nerve.
[Page//00:18:22] Julie Michelson: Which is amazing to, to think about, yeah, it's just, as you said before, the body is amazing. And I know to imagine something like an adjustment and it, again, it's this isn't like a pinched nerve or what we think of like, You know, my alignment is off and I feel pain. Like you wouldn't really necessarily notice,
[Page//00:18:51] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:18:52] Julie Michelson: but
[Page//00:18:52] Jane Brewer: And there's been some really interesting patties published. One of the biggest ones I can think of is concerning HRV and [Page//00:19:00] chiropractic and upper cervical adjustments specifically, and to see a positive influence on heart rate variability, and really that can be directly attributed to reducing the irritation on the big.
[Page//00:19:13] There was a specific chiropractic adjustment, really cool stuff.
[Page//00:19:17] Julie Michelson: That is amazing. So. And we're going to, hopefully to I'm throwing you under the bus, I'm just presuming you'll help listeners figure out how to find a qualified upper cervical practitioner. But before we even get there, say somebody doesn't have, you know, right this minute, they, you know, they're not here in Northern Colorado, so they can't drive over to precision and make an appointment with you.
[Page//00:19:45] What are some things, obviously this is not going to fix any kind of structural issue, but what are some things just talking about Vegas nerve, you know, that we can do to support or stimulate good function there?
[Page//00:19:59] Jane Brewer: [Page//00:20:00] Absolutely. One of the easiest things that I do every day is once in the morning, and once in the evening, when I'm brushing my teeth, I take the time to gargle. Sometimes I do it in the shower apologize to your partner, spouse roommate in advanced, because I want you to do this as loudly as possible, but that gargling or alternatively you can hug or even sing.
[Page//00:20:19] But that, that vibration is a great way to stimulate the biggest thing. That's one thing I do a couple of times a day and then laughter has the same effect. So just get with some good friends and have a good belly laugh, but those are good, easy ways to do that.
[Page//00:20:39] Julie Michelson: I love that. And I love that you pointed out yet. It's that vibration. We want to be. I like laughter is my favorite of all of them, because it does so much more than simply stimulate the vagus nerve, but the gargling is such a good. Easy trick, you know, like you said, just build it into your [Page//00:21:00] routine. And I say, don't apologize.
[Page//00:21:02] Just, just go for it. They shouldn't be doing it too.
[Page//00:21:05] Jane Brewer: Exactly
[Page//00:21:06] Julie Michelson: And I do, I have a client who intentionally sings in the car loudly to stimulate her vagus nerve. It's part of her home, weekly homework. She loves
[Page//00:21:16] Jane Brewer: That's great. There's other stuff, too, stuff that is not maybe as easy, like there's cold water immersion. Like I think immersing your face in cold water can be good, but I'll be at maybe not super pleasant all the time. Belly breathing, of course. And just you know, I always placed one hand on my chest, one hand on my belly and make sure the hand on my belly is moving more than the one on my chest and also paying attention to.
[Page//00:21:40] The exhalation being a bit longer than the inhalation, because that's really the trigger for the relaxation response is it's not a long exhale.
[Page//00:21:51] Julie Michelson: I love that. That is that's amazing. I. Had had an interview out with her name's Jody Cohen. She has an amazing essential oils [Page//00:22:00] company by vibrant brute. Can't talk today, vibrant blue oils, sorry, Jodie. As she has an amazing oil blend that she created called parasympathetic
[Page//00:22:11] Jane Brewer: Oh, I'm going to look into that.
[Page//00:22:13] Julie Michelson: it is it's amazing.
[Page//00:22:15] But again, It helps stimulate the vagus nerve, but you, you don't want to use it to relax. You actually want to use it during the day. And it'll let that Vegas nerve better do its job later. And so as, as listeners can tell those of us that are geeky and do this for a living that more, there's no reason not to do more than one thing.
[Page//00:22:36] Like it's just, it's, we're always playing around. And again, knowing Jane, I know she is too with different approaches and. I would have everybody do all of it. If we could all, you know, spend that much time on. So if I could convince everybody to spend that much time on self care, that would be amazing.
[Page//00:22:57] Jane Brewer: Totally, but that, which is why, like things like [Page//00:23:00] arguing, like do it in the shower. You're going there anyways. You might just open your mouth, put some water in there.
[Page//00:23:04] Julie Michelson: Well, then that's, that's the thing. It doesn't, it's not taking any extra time. Right. And, and I literally do. I try not to prescribe homework to my clients, but we usually come upon. I have probably five private clients right now that have. Watching old sitcoms as part of their routines that are like
[Page//00:23:27] Jane Brewer: I love
[Page//00:23:28] Julie Michelson: in on, because especially with COVID right, there was less out and about with friends and laughter and community and on a regular basis.
[Page//00:23:38] And it's like, you know, we can actually create those opportunities. It doesn't, you don't have to be, you know, it can be my lesson funny. And, but that laughter is so healing.
[Page//00:23:48] Jane Brewer: Totally. My inner new Yorker to the Seinfeld for those. So.
[Page//00:23:52] Julie Michelson: And you know, I'm right there with you. Although I have one client right now, who's just watching. I love Lucy and that's [Page//00:24:00] kind of hard to go wrong with two. Yes. Yes. So how does somebody. Find, I mean, I guess it's hard because I'm like, well, who is, who should be looking? I mean, everybody, I think just because everybody that I know that I've sent to you has, you know, just feels better, whatever, whatever that looks like.
[Page//00:24:24] But what, what would be something that you would recommend, obviously, anybody listening, if. Diagnosed with an autoimmune condition or they have a loved one. Who is, is that in your book? Because to find somebody, to help them with their.
[Page//00:24:41] Jane Brewer: think so. And the reason is it's often an overlooked component in people's overall health. And if they're, you know, I can't even tell you how many times I sit with somebody in my conference room during an initial consultation, just getting to know each other with a conversation and having them say like, I've tried everything.
[Page//00:24:59] This is my. [Page//00:25:00] Resort. And I wish it wasn't looked at like that. Although I'm grateful to be able to help them along their path appealing, but people need to know that something structural going on in their spine can be the underlying cause for many, many secondary issues. So I think it's worth screening for it, you know, just because you stepped foot into. chiropractic office does not necessarily mean you have a chiropractic problem, but I would say that anyone experiencing auto-immunity, especially if you have any kind of history of accident or injury, at times you can think back decades. And it takes many years for these processes, these processes to develop.
[Page//00:25:48] And so sometimes you'll remember, 20 years ago, I backed into a lamp. And it kind of made my neck feel a little sore. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then here we are a couple of decades on the road and it [Page//00:26:00] created this degenerative process that is now contributing to other issues. So I don't know if that answered your question whatsoever, but I
[Page//00:26:09] Julie Michelson: it did. And I have to, I'm going to segue because two and a half years ago, as I'm sure you remember, I experienced a head injury and I, I mean, I didn't work for three months. It was a significant head injury. It was not my first head injury. It was after. You know, years of many growing up as a competitive equestrian and riding as a, not young equestrian as well.
[Page//00:26:36] But this one was really Cigna and had I known then I would've done the same thing back then, but this was so significant that I couldn't drive. And I didn't leave my house for probably two months except to have somebody drive me to come see.
[Page//00:26:53] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:26:54] Julie Michelson: a week. I mean, it was, and it was such a made such a difference [Page//00:27:00] and I know head injuries are cumulative and there's all kinds of other things, but, but treating that one So consistently, it's like, I feel like I have to worry almost less about that one than the ones years ago that I didn't take care of at the time.
[Page//00:27:15] But that you've helped me since, you know, correct anything that I was feeling residually from those as well.
[Page//00:27:22] Jane Brewer: Yeah. Your body wants your head to be on straight. Your brain wants your head to be on straight. And, you know, I was joking around with people and we have to do, like teacher says is your head on straight, but it's true. And when the heads and that's something to like your listeners, I always tell patients to like, go on your phone and look at photographs of yourself.
[Page//00:27:45] Is your head tilted the same way? Every single time. That's a really easy indication that it may be. Getting your Atlas checked because if there's a load of carrying in our head, you know, we're carrying this little 12 pound bowling [Page//00:28:00] ball on top of a bone that just weighed a few ounces. It is the most vulnerable.
[Page//00:28:05] And the spine, and if it shifts out of all alignment, it starts to create a whole cascading effect of compensation. And I think something you asked before, how do you find one of us? Because there aren't many of us, there are a couple of online directories that you might find. If you just Google, maybe upper cervical chiropractor in my area.
[Page//00:28:22] There's a couple of online directories. That'll pop up. I'm the one that's coming to mind has to do with this post-doctoral degree that I'm working on. There's a council for upper cervical chiropractic care. That's administered through that. The ICA international chiropractic association. I know there's an online directory for members there.
[Page//00:28:40] I'm always happy to be a resource for your listeners. It would be super easy for somebody to just send me an email, say, Hey, I'm in this. Can you help me find somebody in my area? I'm more than happy to be a resource in that way.
[Page//00:28:52] Julie Michelson: So generous of you. I want to also. Share your process and I'm not, well, I don't even [Page//00:29:00] want to put words into your mouth. What do you recommend? I've never walked into a chiropractic office and had an intake like you do and had an evaluation like you do. I'm guessing since that's how you do it. You think that you value that process and you think it's the best way, but what should listeners be looking for?
[Page//00:29:21] Say, they find a practitioner and they go to the office. What are the kinds of things that let them know? That they're in a place, you know, at least at the level of what you're talking about and what you.
[Page//00:29:34] Jane Brewer: That's a great question. So the first thing that I would say, you know, and everyone's going to operate a little bit differently, but most people that I know offer at least some kind of either complimentary or very low cost consultation in my office. It's the first step to establishing any relationship with a potentially new patient is that I just want to sit down with.
[Page//00:29:56] Take a thorough health history understand really well. What brings [Page//00:30:00] them in the vehicle to explain our approach to care, because if they've had the more traditional chiropractic first, they're going to find this to be very different. And just from that place of understanding, see where it makes sense to go from there.
[Page//00:30:13] The next step would be okay. Make sure that this doctor is going to do a very thorough exam. And we screen things from a structural perspective, as well as a neurological perspective. There's many ways to do that. So there's, you know, there may be some variety in the types of tests, but at a minimum, there needs to be some imaging done of the craniocervical junction.
[Page//00:30:34] So of the Atlas to identify exactly how in that individual that has shifted. So that an adjustment can then be customized based on those measurements for that person. So upper cervical care is very much. Individualized it's tailored for each patient. I likely will never give the same adjustment twice to two different people in my entire career, because we're all built a bit differently.
[Page//00:30:59] So that to me, [Page//00:31:00] the imaging is really the foundation of any type of upper cervical correction, you know, beyond that there's going to be. Tool the tests that different practitioners will use. For example, some of the ones we use here is we test script strength because that gives us a great window into how well the nerves that come from the neck are communicating down the arm and hand.
[Page//00:31:17] There's also some really cool research concerning grip, strength and longevity, and our ability to kind of fend off diseases as we age. So it's a beach stuff there, and it's cool to see that improve as people heal. We also look at a weighted distribution and see how the body's compensating. We test range of motion digitally of the neck and weak, you know, basic cranial nerve screening.
[Page//00:31:37] There's a lot of different ways to cook an egg, but at a minimum you should be at least in a place where they're going to take the time to understand. Bringing it in and to have a very thorough intake process that involves some kind of imaging you know, the standard has often been x-ray, but now a lot of the upper cervical world is kind of dipping their toe into [Page//00:32:00] CBCT or cone beam, CT, similar to kind of the panoramic images that a dentist would take of the teeth.
[Page//00:32:05] There's a really neat 3d imaging coming out that. You know, and he wasn't out there looking to buy me a, you know, $150,000 birthday present. That would be great.
[Page//00:32:16] Julie Michelson: we won't be seeing that at precision next week
[Page//00:32:20] Jane Brewer: Not next week, but I it's it's, it's a top priority. I think it'll just take our ability to care for people to the next level, but there's some really cool stuff happening in the imaging role, but either x-ray CDCC, but some way to really put our eyeballs on exactly what's happened. Are, you know, just like we're not symmetrical all the outside are not symmetrical and inside.
[Page//00:32:39] So oftentimes, you know, of course, chiropractors rely a lot on the sensitivity of our hands to feel what's going on to the side. There's never going to be anything for be symmetrical. So we need to confirm what we're feeling with what we actually can see on those images.
[Page//00:32:56] Julie Michelson: Thank you for sharing that because I, I, when I [Page//00:33:00] started my process with you I think for me the, the most, I'm a show me kind of person. So first of all, yeah, I don't know how anyone, even with hands, you know, would know what's going on with the Atlas. But on the other side as a patient to then sit down with you and look at my pictures.
[Page//00:33:20] And see, like, and then put the pieces together, like, oh, wow. That makes so much sense. I've always been whatever it is uneven in this way, or and it's it's can be I'm sure not everybody is, is as exciting as me, but the experts were really dramatic. And one of the most fun parts was I. I've had my spine x-rayed before I have again, back to the equestrian sports I have fractured my back.
[Page//00:33:50] I have, you know, I've had arthritis in my back. I've had other issues and other, and x-rays and nobody had ever mentioned to me throughout my life that my [Page//00:34:00] C2 and C3 were just one boom. And it was like, oh, wow, that explains a lot too.
[Page//00:34:05] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:34:06] Julie Michelson: to see the wonky angle of my. Was it just gave me on the other side of it, like, okay, now I know what she's working to.
[Page//00:34:18] Correct. Right. And, and I'm a visual person, so that was helpful for me. Yeah.
[Page//00:34:26] Jane Brewer: Yeah, which is my for all you listeners out there, I had to ask Julia, if this is a video or an audio, because of tools to kind of demonstrate if people can see what I'm talking about.
[Page//00:34:37] Julie Michelson: And for references people just as solicitors. Now, one of the other differences I find in how you practice is you are referencing those records when you adjust. So you're, this is Jane is a, is a. Science geek and, and you know, it is like mathematical [Page//00:35:00] she's at so it is, it's not like you said, yes, you're always going to use your hands, but this is so much more than that.
[Page//00:35:07] So it's, it's a, it's a whole different art. It's an art.
[Page//00:35:12] Jane Brewer: It is, and it's, you know, I kind of geek out on it. Like it says it it's understanding physics, it's understanding levers at wedges and how things move together, the biomechanics of the finery. Incredible. And I think once you kind of understand that, that can run in the background and, you know, using image guided and adjusting, and some of the tools that we use, you know, when you use a very Precisely calibrated instrument to make these corrections.
[Page//00:35:37] And because it's so precisely because the adjustments designed for that person that not require a great deal of force to accomplish those results. In fact, some people after they're used to having those more traditional, like twisting, popping, cracking more forcible type adjustments, this can actually seem quite underwhelming, but I
[Page//00:35:54] Julie Michelson: That was me.
[Page//00:35:56] Jane Brewer: Yeah, we're
[Page//00:35:57] Julie Michelson: That's it.
[Page//00:35:58] Jane Brewer: I know, [Page//00:36:00] but we're trying to move things millimeters, so we don't need to move the miles, but we need to know exactly which way to move things so that it actually correct the problem instead of making it worse. And it's something you said before. It reminded me as well. I think as much as.
[Page//00:36:18] When to adjust and where to adjust, is it important? I think the opposite is true too, knowing where not to adjust and when not to adjust that equally as important, we're after stability for the people that we take care of. And. You know, if you come in and your Atlas is holding, the worst thing I could do is go in there and fuck around with it because you know, the age old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
[Page//00:36:42] Like we need to know when things are in place and when to leave them be so that your body can continue on that uninterrupted path of healing.
[Page//00:36:51] Julie Michelson: And so that's another piece. I want to share with listeners that I find really unique. Every time I go see you, you're checking [Page//00:37:00] how that Atlas is before you're adjusting anything, because maybe I don't need it adjusted. And which is actually often the case because.
[Page//00:37:08] Jane Brewer: Yeah.
[Page//00:37:09] Julie Michelson: Your treatment approach really does allow things to hold.
[Page//00:37:13] And, and so I find that to be really unique too. It's not just individualized care, but it's each time someone, a patient comes in, what do they need? Or as you said, what don't they need? It's it's like, I always say, it's not just what you don't eat. It's also what you do eat that like, both are
[Page//00:37:30] Jane Brewer: Totally. Yeah, there's a thing in our upper cervical that holding is feeling and it's true. You know, the longer the body can hold the adjustments. The more it can function at that higher level is as continuously as possible.
[Page//00:37:44] Julie Michelson: Love that. What is one step that listeners can take today? Just right now, say someone's driving, they're listening. They're like me. They don't want to go on links and look, and we will have links in show [Page//00:38:00] notes for things, but what's one thing people can do starting today to improve their.
[Page//00:38:06] Jane Brewer: Well, if you're driving in your car, I suggest putting on a good tune and humming along. That'll help stimulate that biggest nerve common, the shower, gargling shower, like some of the stuff that we talked about earlier, and then actually, sorry, you asked her one thing. I'm going to give you two, both of which we referenced before, but this can be done anywhere, whether you're sitting at work.
[Page//00:38:28] You're commuting. You're laying down to go to bed at night, or you just get up in the morning. It's take a few of those deep, slow belly breath for sure. I know for myself anyways, over the last few years, things have been haywire, but stressful. When I tune in, I've noticed myself holding my breath and not getting into that normal rhythm of breathing and just bringing it back to the breath, even if it's just for 30 seconds, take it in a few nice deep belly breath.
[Page//00:38:55] That's something we could do anywhere we are, no matter what.
[Page//00:38:58] Julie Michelson: I love that and you [Page//00:39:00] can't overdo it. So I, I wholeheartedly agree with all of that advice. So stimulate that vagus nerve, get that parasympathetic nervous system working for you
[Page//00:39:11] Before we wrap up, I just mentioned all kinds of links are going to be in the show notes. But if somebody again is like me and they don't want to go looking, where's the best place to find you?
[Page//00:39:23] Jane Brewer: Well, the easiest place to find us would be our website. And it's precision chiropractic. We're located in Johnstown, Colorado. So the website is www dot precisionchiroco.com. And on there, you'll actually find some great resources, a ton of information. There's a form there. If you want to reach out to me, if you need help finding a practitioner in your area I would say that would be the easiest.
[Page//00:39:46] We also have social media. Facebook Instagram. I can't say I'm the greatest at keeping us updated, but there's also some fun stuff on there as well.
[Page//00:39:55] Julie Michelson: Wonderful Dr. Jane, thank you so much. You've shared some [Page//00:40:00] amazing gold with us.
[Page//00:40:03] Jane Brewer: Thank you. I just, I love what I do. It's more than just a job, but it's definitely a lifestyle and it's always my hope that people find something beneficial that they can put an action right away. And I just, I love being a part of the community and I hope people will look upon me as a resource other way to get as healthy as possible.
[Page//00:40:23] Julie Michelson: Incredible! For everyone listening, remember you can get the show notes and transcripts by visiting inspired living.show. I hope you had a great time and enjoyed this episode as much as I did, I will see you next week.
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My Guest For This Episode
Connect with Jane Brewer, DC
Jane Brewer, DC
Neuro Structural Correction Specialist
Dr. Jane Brewer is a doctor of chiropractic who focuses on Upper Cervical Chiropractic and NeuroStructural Correction, which is unique in that it restores balance to the three core aspects of one's body: the structural framework, function, and auto-regulation. Not only does Dr. Brewer understand why it is that many individuals are experiencing the effects of conditions secondary to a Structural Shift of the spine, but her first-hand experience with thousands of patients both at home and internationally is one of the primary reasons that people come from far and wide to seek out her care.
When Dr. Brewer is not caring for her patients, she serves on the Board of Directors of Loveland Habitat for Humanity and enjoys spending as much time as possible outdoors with her husband mountain biking, hiking, or skiing.
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