The Chiro-Factor Episode 27: Pharma Unmasked: A 100-Year History

The Chiro-Factor Episode 27: Pharma Unmasked: A 100-Year History

In this special edition of The Chiro-Factor, hosts Dr. Brad Glowaki and Dr. James Chestnut welcome investigative journalist and attorney Gerald Posner, author of Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of America, for a no-holds-barred deep dive on the pharmaceutical industry. Gerald brings the receipts — five-plus years of FOIA requests, court documents, and whistleblower interviews tracing pharma's 100-year history from selling morphine in the Civil War to becoming the second-largest industry on earth. Brad and James push the conversation further into where health actually comes from — and why no drug, even a "clean" one, can ever produce it. Together, they connect the dots between guideline manipulation, captured medical schools, direct-to-consumer advertising, vaccine immunity, off-label prescribing, NIH-funded patents, and the ongoing cancer and obesity-drug machine. If you're a chiropractor, this episode is your ammunition. Decisions have consequences — and your patients deserve to know what's on the other side of the recommendation they didn't follow. 🎯 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬 - Glow's six-month masterclass on the exact table-talk sound bites and conversations that convert existing patients into a steady stream of referrals. One new patient pays for the entire program: https://www.levelupmentoring.rocks/pricing-plans/tabletalk 🎤 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡 - 𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐬, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖-𝟏𝟗 - Chiropractic's birthday celebration and the live seminar of the year. Earn your CE while getting the unfiltered truth on everything Gerald covered in this episode: https://www.levelupmentoring.rocks/luevents Timestamps: 00:00 - Introductions: meeting Gerald Posner, the Pharma book, and how COVID supercharged this conversation 04:54 - Why medical doctors aren't scientists — they're clinicians running on guidelines they didn't create 09:27 - Who really writes the guidelines: how cholesterol numbers got lowered overnight and 12M statin users became 36M 18:26 - A walk through pharma history: the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906), morphine, Pfizer, Squibb, Wyeth, Lilly, and Bayer's "favorite five years" (heroin, aspirin, Tylenol, phenobarbital) 27:43 - 1938 and the Humphreys Act: how off-label prescribing became the industry's biggest loophole 32:02 - Properly prescribed drugs as the 4th leading cause of death — and how Viagra, Rogaine, and Botox were all "happy accidents" 34:40 - The core argument: even if pharma were clean, the paradigm is still wrong — drugs don't address the cause 42:11 - Puberty blockers, the Dutch studies, and "the greatest medical scandal since lobotomies" 47:42 - Penicillin's untold story: how pharma abandoned cheap cures and chased "me-too" patented variations 52:41 - Gerald's Oxford debate vs. the former Pfizer medical director and former FDA director (won 12-to-1) 57:04 - COVID, the NIH's $930 billion, and how taxpayers fund drugs pharma then patents and sells back 1:00:17 - 1986 vaccine immunity, 1997 direct-to-consumer advertising, and the Claritin loophole that built a $10B ad industry 1:05:43 - Media capture: why ER shows multiply, why CNN can't quit pharma ads, and how journals bury negative studies 1:09:03 - Inside the opioid crisis: Purdue, the Sacklers, Dopesick, and the Congressional bill that handcuffed the DEA 1:17:45 - Gerald's upcoming Jordan Peterson Academy course: The Politics of Cancer 1:20:32 - Why people accept the system: convenience, fear, and the cult-like structure of medical training 1:24:51 - Should chiropractors fight for prescribing rights? All three agree — it's a trap 1:34:09 - How "prestige" panels really work, the FDA's expedited-fee scandal, and statins gaining you 3-5 days over 5 years 1:38:46 - What's coming next: Bobby Kennedy, MAHA, and steering the ocean liner 1:44:00 - Closing thoughts for chiropractors: confidence, urgency, and why your recommendation is the alternative to all of this

The Chiro-Factor Episode 26: Genes vs. Genome: Why Lifestyle Wins

Dr. Brad Glowaki and Dr. James Chestnut broadcast live from the Best Practices Seminar on the campus of Life University — hosted in the Guy Riekeman building — for a packed episode blending hard science, practice-building tools, and live Q&A with the next generation of chiropractors. The guys dig into why restriction and tenderness (allodynia) are the most valid indicators of a segmental problem, how neuroplasticity sensitizes nociceptive pathways, and how the adjustment paired with patient movement rebuilds healthy neurology. From there, they introduce two practical tools — the Chestnut Spinal Health Assessment and the new Table Talk for Referrals master class — before opening the mic to students from Palmer Florida, Life University, and beyond. The back half of the episode takes a deeper turn into epigenetics, stem cell expression, and the crucial difference between gene possession and gene expression — answering one of the most common questions students ask: why do some unhealthy people live long lives while some healthy people get sick young?Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome from the Best Practices Seminar at Life University0:45 - Allodynia explained: why tenderness + restriction = a valid segmental finding2:30 - Neuroplasticity, C-FOS proteins, and how nociceptive pathways become habits3:45 - The adjustment as stimulus, healing as response — why movement at home matters6:40 - The Chestnut (Chiropractic) Spinal Health Assessment: measuring severity & progress10:15 - Table Talk for Referrals — the new master class at LevelUpMentoring.rocks13:00 - Earning the right to ask for referrals (and why it's not a flywheel pitch)17:40 - Student Q&A #1 — Petra (Palmer Florida): Science, philosophy, and art in chiropractic21:30 - Defining the adjustment: HVLA, manipulation vs. adjustment, and the Niazi/Haavik study27:00 - Student Q&A #2 — Redmond (Life University, from Canada): navigating a mechanistic, anti-adjustment environment as a new grad29:30 - Vitalism vs. evidence: winning the argument by out-evidencing the "evidence-based" crowd32:30 - Student Q&A #3 — Michael (Palmer Florida): Why do healthy-looking people get sick young?35:00 - Toxicity, deficiency, and the bioaccumulation of exposures37:50 - Genome vs. genes: what determines lifespan vs. what determines expression43:20 - The stem cell analogy — the clearest way to explain epigenetics to patients47:00 - Twin studies, adopted-child studies, and why genes have near-zero predictive value49:00 - The 2% of true genetic illness vs. the 98% lifestyle-driven chronic disease52:00 - Wrap-up: honoring Dr. Guy Riekeman's legacy and closing thoughts

The Chiro-Factor Episode 25: Chiropractic Politics, Purpose & Personal Health

In this special live edition of The Chiro Factor, Drs. Brad Glowaki and James Chestnut record from London during their Best Practices Seminar — and the result is one of the most loaded episodes yet. From the future of chiropractic education in Scotland, to the political landscape of UK practice regulations, to raw, heartfelt moments with chiropractors navigating their own health crises, this episode has something for every chiropractor at every stage of their career.Sign up for the Best Practices here: https://www.levelupmentoring.rocks/bestpractices⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Introduction & Sponsor Note3:27 - Welcome from London4:19 - Guest 1: Dr. Ross McDonald21:37 - Guest 2: Melissa Sanford36:47 - GCC Code of Conduct Clarified49:48 - Live Audience Q&A1:31:31 - Closing remarks

The Chiro-Factor Episode 24: The JAMA Study That Could End Chiropractic

In one of the most important episodes of The Chiro-Factor to date, Dr. Brad Glowaki and Dr. James Chestnut sound the alarm on a newly published JAMA study that, if taken at face value, could render the chiropractic profession obsolete. Chestnut breaks down in meticulous detail why the study's methodology is not just flawed, but deliberately designed to misrepresent usual chiropractic care. This is not a philosophical debate. This is a scientific methodology issue with existential stakes for the profession.This episode also carries a heavy heart. We lost one of chiropractic's true giants, Dr. Guy Riekeman, the same week this study dropped. We close the episode with personal stories and a heartfelt tribute to a man who shaped the profession in ways that cannot be overstated. Please listen all the way through.Sign up for the Best Practices here: https://www.levelupmentoring.rocks/bestpractices⏱️ TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Opening & Tribute: The passing of Dr. Guy Riekeman3:00 - Episode intro: The alarming text from Chestnut8:20 - Setting the stage: Why this study threatens the entire profession10:50 - Reading the JAMA abstract — what it actually says13:00 - Breaking down the deceptive language in the conclusions20:00 - Methodology exposed: How SMT was redefined and underdosed34:40 - Best Practices Seminar announcement (Atlanta, April 18–19)37:40 - NIH funding, Ivy League institutions, and the research agenda50:00 - The long game: How chiropractic has been systematically diluted56:00 - "If this study is valid, chiropractic is irrelevant" — the hard truth1:02:00 - What usual chiropractic care actually looks like (and why it matters)1:09:00 - Call to action: What chiropractors and students must do now1:28:00 - Tribute to Dr. Guy Riekeman: Personal stories and his legacy1:47:00 - Closing remarks

The Chiro-Factor Episode 23: The Evidence that Changes Everything

Recorded live on location in London, UK, Dr. Brad Glowaki and Dr. James Chestnut deliver a special field episode straight off the heels of their latest Best Practice Seminar. With chiropractors from 13 countries in the room, the energy was electric — and this episode captures exactly why.Dr. Chestnut opens with a deep dive into the landmark Manga Report, the most thorough literature review of low back pain interventions ever conducted, and explains why its conclusions are just as relevant today as they were in 1993. From there, the conversation moves into dose-response research, the D&R brain metabolite study, and the Haas study — all pointing to the same conclusion: more chiropractic care produces better outcomes, and there is still no rival intervention with comparable evidence.The guys also pull back the curtain on what actually happens in the seminar room — the fear, the misinformation, the doubt that chiropractors carry from school — and how two days of evidence can completely transform a practitioner's confidence and clinical identity. Plus, a candid conversation about the state of chiropractic across Europe, the GCC guideline changes, the UCA's momentum, and a strong recommendation for Scotland College of Chiropractic.Whether you're a seasoned DC or a student just starting out, this episode is a reminder of who you are, what the evidence says, and why chiropractic is the only remaining guideline-concordant intervention for low back pain.🎯 Grab your seats to the Best Practices Seminar here: https://www.levelupmentoring.rocks/bestpracticesEpisode Timestamps:0:00 - Welcome & The Manga Report: Chiropractic vs. Medicine, Head-to-Head2:18 - London Best Practice Seminar Recap & Why They Travel the World4:03 - Dose-Response Research: The D&R Brain Study & The Haas Study Explained6:36 - Philosophy Meets Evidence: Building a 24–36 Visit Care Plan with Confidence9:15 - Inside the Seminar Room: Chiropractors Who've Never Seen the Peer-Reviewed Literature10:43 - Cervical Adjustment Safety, Stroke Myths, and Passing Fear to Students13:07 - Decisions Have Consequences: What Happens When Patients Don't Get Adjusted15:02 - SMT Is the Last One Standing: The Only Guideline-Concordant Intervention Left17:50 - Rebuilding Chiropractors' Confidence and Professional Identity18:12 - Show & Tell vs. Tell & Tell: Patient Communication, Re-Exams & the GCC Guidelines21:09 - Erasing Scientific Doubt: Why Evidence, Not Philosophy, Is the Key22:19 - Virtual Coaching, Table Talk Masterclass & the Level Up Academy23:17 - The State of Chiropractic in Europe: UCA, Scotland College & the Youth Movement24:32 - Wrap-Up, Upcoming Events (Atlanta, Amsterdam, London) & A Call for One More World Tour