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What if the biggest breakthrough in healing isn't learning something new, but getting back to what you've been overlooking all along? After 30 years in clinical practice, I have learned something that completely changed how he approaches pain, health, and healing: The human body isn't nearly as complicated as we make it. In this solo episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry kicks off a new series sharing the lessons he wishes he'd known when he first started practicing three decades ago. These aren't lessons from textbooks or research papers. They're insights gained from working with real people, making mistakes, changing perspectives, and discovering what matters when conventional approaches aren't getting results. One of the biggest lessons? When things go wrong, simplify. We live in a world obsessed with the next supplement, biohack, complicated exercise program, or magic solution. But sometimes the very things you're overlooking are the fundamentals your body needs most. In This Episode, You'll Discover: Why 30 years of clinical experience taught Dr. Perry to stop overcomplicating the human body. Why chronic pain and persistent symptoms may be a signal to return to the basics. The importance of hydration and its relationship to lymphatic function, circulation, and recovery. How simple breathing strategies can support better function. Why walking and fundamental human movement deserve more attention. How the BIG 6® fits into Dr. Perry's approach to daily self-care. Why consistency matters more than constantly searching for another technique. How removing unhealthy habits can sometimes accomplish more than adding new supplements or routines. Why the overwhelming amount of health information available today can actually make healing feel harder. The Biggest Takeaway If you've been struggling with pain, trying everything, and feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice, consider simplifying your approach. Start with the fundamentals. Hydrate. Breathe. Move. Remove unnecessary negatives. Be consistent. You don't necessarily need another complicated strategy. You may need to start consistently doing the simple things you already know. And remember one of Dr. Perry's favorite sayings: "The human body is under no obligation to make sense to you." Your body is constantly adapting and responding. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying to outsmart it and start supporting its fundamental needs. Connect With Dr. Perry Nickelston 🌐 Stop Chasing Pain Website https://www.stopchasingpain.com/ 🧠 Learn More About Dr. Perry https://www.stopchasingpain.com/about/ 🎓 BIG 6® Lymphatic Mojo, Workshops & Education https://www.stopchasingpain.com/ ▶️ Stop Chasing Pain YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@stopchasingpain 📱 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stopchasingpain/ 🎙️ Listen to More Stop Chasing Pain Podcast Episodes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stop-chasing-pain/id381697894 🔗 All Stop Chasing Pain Resources https://linktr.ee/stopchasingpain If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Stop Chasing Pain. Start Understanding Your Body. Stay Golden. Live With MOJO! #StopChasingPain #DrPerryNickelston #ChronicPain #Healing #LymphaticSystem

What if everything you were told about your heart was missing the bigger picture? At 34, Dr. Stephen Hussey was doing everything "right." He ate whole foods, exercised, avoided toxins, and kept his type 1 diabetes under tight control. On paper his labs looked great. Then he had a massive "widowmaker" heart attack. In this episode, Stephen shares how the hospital's standard approach left him with more questions than answers, and how he chose a different path. He used infrared sauna, sunlight, grounding and circadian rhythm to bring his heart back to normal function within months. Over the next two years, a 70–99% blockage in his leg cleared to a normal artery. We get into ideas that challenge conventional cardiology. Stephen explains why he sees the heart less as a pressure pump and more as a vortexing hydraulic ram, and how infrared light and structured water help move blood, lymph and spinal fluid. He also covers why many heart attacks may be driven by nervous system imbalance rather than plaque alone, and why they spike on Monday mornings, holidays and after daylight saving time changes. The thread running through all of it is oscillation. Light and dark, warm and cold, stress and recovery: the body is built to move between them, and modern life keeps us stuck in one state. This conversation will change the way you think about your heart, your nervous system and your environment. Stephen closes with two simple, no-cost habits you can start tonight. Keep asking better questions, and live with MOJO, because MOJO means magic. In this episode, you'll learn: How a health-conscious type 1 diabetic with "perfect" labs still had a 100% widowmaker blockage The infrared sauna, sunlight, grounding and circadian strategy Stephen used to recover his heart and reverse peripheral artery disease Why the heart may not be the main pump, with evidence from embryos and stopped-heart studies, plus Dr. Gerald Pollack's research The three roles of the heart: vortexing the blood, slowing blood flow during exertion, and sensing coherence What structured water is, and how infrared light builds it while toxins and wireless signals break it down How nervous system imbalance can trigger heart attacks with no blockages (MINOCA), and the "dog on a leash" analogy for the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems Why heart attacks cluster on Monday mornings, holidays and daylight saving time changes The overlooked research of forensic pathologist Dr. Giorgio Baroldi suggesting some blockages may result from a heart attack rather than cause it Why oscillation and rhythm are the foundation of adaptability and health Two simple habits to start now: limit blue light after sunset, and stop eating 4–5 hours before bed to support melatonin, deep sleep and nighttime lymphatic flow Dr. Stephen Hussey — Resource Your Health Stop Chasing Pain Podcast #193: Dr. Gerald Pollack — The Fourth Phase of Water #StopChasingPain #LiveWithMOJO #HeartHealth #StephenHussey #HeartDisease #CardiovascularHealth #InfraredLight #StructuredWater #NervousSystem #CircadianRhythm #Lymphatics #LymphaticHealth #Grounding #Sunlight #HeartAttackRecovery #Oscillation #Coherence #FunctionalHealth #HolisticHealth #ChronicPain #HealthPodcast #RethinkHealth

In this Mini Podcast episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry explores the surprising connection between your eyes, nervous system, movement, balance, and chronic pain. Your eyes do far more than help you see. Eye movement communicates constantly with the vestibular system, cerebellum, brainstem, and the muscles that prepare your body for movement. That means problems with eye tracking, coordination, or gaze control may influence how you move, how you balance, and potentially where you experience persistent tension or discomfort. Dr. Perry breaks down the relationship between eye movement and the cerebellum—the part of the brain heavily involved in accuracy, balance, coordination, and timing—and explains why the principle "where the eyes go, the head goes, and the body goes" can be important when looking at chronic pain and recurring injuries. You'll also learn how moving the eyes can activate the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, creating a potential connection between visual function, neck tension, headaches, and jaw discomfort. The episode also introduces the cranial nerves involved with vision and eye movement, including the optic, oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves, and why these pathways provide such a powerful window into brainstem and nervous-system function. Dr. Perry finishes with simple eye-movement exercises you can experiment with and encourages you to notice changes in movement, pain, sleep, and overall nervous-system state. If you've been chasing the painful area without getting lasting results, it may be time to look somewhere completely different. Think systems. Not symptoms. Eye Mojo Class Link: https://education.stopchasingpain.com/courses/eye-mojo-webinar-Oct-2026 Eye Exercise Video Link: https://youtu.be/RdOf-Isk0IU?si=2-LSlpluSTT-_4Zh #ChronicPain #NervousSystem #EyeExercises #BrainHealth #VestibularSystem #Cerebellum #PainRelief #FunctionalNeurology #StopChasingPain #TheLymphDoc

In this episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry sits down with board-certified cardiac surgeon and author Dr. Philip Ovadia for a wide-ranging conversation about heart disease, metabolic health, nutrition, and what it really means to take control of your health. After more than 25 years as a heart surgeon, Dr. Ovadia brings a unique perspective to the conversation—not only from the thousands of patients he has treated, but from his own health journey. Once morbidly obese and pre-diabetic, he began questioning the conventional nutritional advice he had been taught after realizing it wasn't working for him. He ultimately lost more than 100 pounds and made metabolic health a central focus of his work. Dr. Perry and Dr. Ovadia explore how our food environment has changed over the last century, the rise of processed foods and refined carbohydrates, and the long-running debate surrounding dietary fat, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. They also discuss why nutrition can feel so confusing, how conflicting health information leaves people unsure of what to believe, and why looking at the relationships between multiple health markers may provide more useful context than focusing on a single laboratory value. The conversation also dives into Dr. Ovadia's new book, Stay Off My Kitchen Table, the follow-up to Stay Off My Operating Table, and his goal of giving people practical tools to better understand nutrition, digestion, metabolic health, and their own blood work. Topics discussed include: • Why heart disease remains such a major health challenge • Dr. Ovadia's journey from unhealthy heart surgeon to metabolic health advocate • How processed food changed the modern diet • The history and evolution of dietary guidelines • Low-carbohydrate nutrition and metabolic health • Cholesterol and the debate surrounding LDL • Blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, and cardiovascular risk • Why one laboratory marker should be viewed in the context of the whole person • Understanding and interpreting your blood work • Moving from managing disease toward building health • Giving people the knowledge to become more active participants in their own health This episode is ultimately about asking better questions, looking beyond isolated numbers, and understanding the bigger picture of health. Dr. Philip Ovadia — Ovadia Heart Health Stay Off My Kitchen Table — Official Book Page Dr. Ovadia's Books

In this powerful episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry sits down with Dean Hall, therapist, two-time cancer survivor, extreme-distance swimmer, and author of The Wild Cure: From Death to Life on Oregon's Longest River. Dean shares the extraordinary story of swimming 187 miles of Oregon's Willamette River while facing leukemia and how the experience transformed his relationship with his body, grief, fear, and the natural world. What began as a challenge to leave his daughter a legacy of courage became a profound lesson in resilience, purpose, and refusing to let a diagnosis define your life. Dean describes how immersing himself in cold water and nature changed his mental and emotional state and helped him reconnect with life after years of illness and devastating loss. Dr. Perry and Dean explore why reconnecting with nature may be one of the simplest ways to change the state of the nervous system. They discuss water, cold exposure, movement, fractals in nature, grief, human connection, purpose, resilience, and the feeling of becoming part of nature rather than merely observing it. Dean shares how his relationship with the river evolved from something to conquer into what he called "Mama River," and how that experience helped reshape the way he viewed himself and the world around him. This conversation is ultimately about much more than surviving cancer, it is about remembering what it means to feel alive, reconnecting with the environments humans evolved within, and discovering how powerful small steps back toward nature can be. Connect with Dean Hall on Instagram: @DeanHallOfficial on Instagram Get Dean's book — The Wild Cure: From Death to Life on Oregon's Longest River: Official The Wild Cure book page Learn more about Dean: The Wild Cure Way #StopChasingPain #TheWildCure #DeanHall #NervousSystemRegulation #HealingThroughNature

In this solo mini-episode, Dr. Perry breaks down why the liver deserves a serious look for anyone dealing with chronic pain, chronic inflammation, or chronic disease. The liver performs over 500 functions in the body, and problems there often don't show up on standard blood work until things are already seriously compromised. Dr. Perry walks through a simple self-check: pressing under the angle of the right ribcage to feel for tightness or tenderness, a sign the liver's fascia may be inflamed or under strain. He explains the liver's deep connection to the lymphatic system, since it produces 25–50% of the body's lymph, which drains through the thoracic duct and splits unevenly between the left and right venous angles (75/25). He also cautions against jumping straight into liver detox supplements without first clearing the lymphatic pathways, since an overburdened liver can make people feel worse when the "pipes" aren't clear yet. Key symptoms covered that may point back to the liver: Itchy or reddened skin Referred pain into the right shoulder, neck, and trap (sometimes migrating left) Brain fog and memory issues from disrupted vascular flow and intracranial pressure Yellowing of the eyes Unexplained weight gain tied to estrogen elimination Chronic fatigue and easy bruising Swollen ankles and feet Body and back pain Cold or dry hands and feet, tingling/numbness Dry eyes and dry mouth He also introduces the cisterna chyli, the body's largest lymphatic sac, sitting midway between the navel and sternum — and how stagnation there backs up into the liver. Takeaway: The liver is a major detox organ under constant assault from modern toxins, poor food, and supplement overload — and it deserves direct attention, especially for anyone with chronic pain, inflammation, or lymphatic issues. Youtube Video link Liver Self Care Video Link Organ Mojo Course

What if supporting brain health isn't only about neurons, neurotransmitters, and blood flow—but also about how effectively the brain moves fluid and clears waste? In this episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry sits down with Shalin Bhatt for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving science of brain drainage, the glymphatic system, meningeal lymphatics, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuroinflammation. They explore a fundamental question: How does the brain keep its internal environment clean and maintain fluid homeostasis? The conversation examines emerging research suggesting that cerebrospinal fluid, the glymphatic system, meningeal lymphatics, the venous system, and peripheral lymphatics may function as interconnected parts of a much larger brain-fluid network. In this episode, you'll discover: Why scientists once believed the central nervous system had no lymphatic drainage The discovery and renewed interest in meningeal lymphatic vessels What the glymphatic system does in the brain How cerebrospinal fluid moves through different brain compartments The connection between the brain's fluid systems and the deep cervical lymph nodes The Cerebral Lymph Hypothesis and its fountain model of interconnected fluid compartments Why fluid homeostasis may be critical for maintaining a healthy brain environment How impaired clearance could potentially relate to neuroinflammation and brain fog Why amyloid and tau accumulation raises important questions about waste removal—not simply waste production The relationship between the nervous, immune, vascular, and lymphatic systems Why sleep and circadian rhythms may be important for glymphatic function The emerging concept of looking at the brain through a neurofluid rather than purely neurocentric lens Why curiosity, systems thinking, and asking "what if we're missing something?" continue to drive discoveries in neuroscience This conversation is about looking beyond isolated structures and asking a bigger question: What happens when the systems responsible for moving fluid, maintaining homeostasis, and clearing waste can no longer keep up? If you're interested in brain health, lymphatics, neuroinflammation, chronic pain, brain fog, cerebrospinal fluid, or complex systems, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Subscribe to the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast for more conversations exploring the connections that are often overlooked when we focus only on where the symptoms are. #GlymphaticSystem #BrainHealth #LymphaticDrainage #Neuroinflammation #BrainFog #LymphaticSystem #StopChasingPain Link to the Breaking Points Video Pub Med Artile by Shalin Bhatt

The Law of Connection: Look Beyond Where It Hurts In this mini episode, Dr. Perry introduces the first of the 30 Laws of Stop Chasing Pain: The Law of Connection—the idea that no system in the body works, gets injured, or heals in isolation. When pain becomes chronic, focusing only on where it hurts may cause you to miss the bigger picture. A painful foot, for example, may involve compensations from the hip, opposite side of the body, circulation, lymphatic flow, the gut, nervous system, eyes, organs, fascia, or other interconnected systems. Dr. Perry explains the Body Ecosystem Algorithm, a framework for widening the lens and considering the brain and nervous system, lymphatic flow, blood flow, peripheral nerves, gut and organs, fascia, musculoskeletal system, and finally the painful area itself. The core message is simple: when something has been hurting for months, think systems—not just symptoms. Your body is constantly adapting and compensating in an attempt to protect you, so the source of the problem may be several layers removed from where you actually feel the pain. Key takeaway: Everything is connected. Look beyond where it hurts. Think and link instead of isolating the symptom.

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:e0593763-1c92-45bf-9f36-5c67c62d2950-1" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:e0593763-1c92-45bf-9f36-5c67c62d2950-1" data-testid= "conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant"> What if one of the most powerful tools for healing has been with you all along...your own nervous system? In this episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry sits down with physician, neuroscientist, author, and Apollo Neuro co-founder Dr. David Rabin to dicuss how stress, soothing touch, vibration, and the vagus nerve influence pain, recovery, resilience, and emotional well-being. They discuss why chronic distress can keep the body locked in survival mode redirecting resources away from digestion, immunity, sleep, learning, creativity, and pain and why effective healing strategies don't always need to be complicated. You'll discover how gentle touch and vibration may communicate safety to the nervous system, why the body responds differently to distress and growth-promoting "eustress," and how changing your interpretation of a challenge can change your physiological response to it. This conversation offers a hopeful reminder: your nervous system is not broken—it may simply need consistent signals that help it feel safe enough to recover. In this episode, you'll learn: Why soothing touch may activate vagal pathways involved in recovery How chronic fight-or-flight activation can affect pain and healing The difference between distress and beneficial eustress Why perceived safety matters to digestion, immunity, sleep, and repair How gentle vibration can influence nervous-system regulation Why mindset can help transform hardship into an opportunity for growth How simple, consistent practices can build greater resilience Why healing requires treating the whole human—not merely the painful body part If you're living with chronic pain, inflammation, stress, poor sleep, or the feeling that your body is constantly on high alert, this episode will help you understand what may be happening beneath the symptoms. Listen now—and if this conversation helps you think differently about your body, subscribe to the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, share the episode with someone who needs it, and join us as we learn to think systems, not symptoms. BOOK LINK APOLLO NEURO LINK   Use code SCP    _:empty]:hidden">

Healing can feel overwhelming especially when conflicting health advice, complicated protocols, and endless biohacks make you question every decision. In this mini episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry explains why healing may be simpler than you've been led to believe. Instead of adding more, it may be time to master less and return to the fundamentals your body needs most. Discover the restorative power of drinking more water, walking every day, spending time in nature, moving with variety, and being present without your phone. Dr. Perry shares practical ways to begin wherever you are even if you can only walk a few steps and gradually build your body's capacity. The message is simple: stop overthinking, stop overcomplicating, and consistently give your body the basic ingredients it needs to heal. Newsletter Sign Up Hidden Life of Trees Book Link

What if the goal isn't to control life, but to become better at responding to it? In this episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry welcomes back perception expert Dr. Beau Lotto to explore why life's nonlinear and unpredictable nature makes control an illusion. Beau explains the difference between control and agency mand how the curiosity, humility, and self-awareness we bring into each moment shape our perceptions, responses, relationships, and future. Beau also introduces his new book, Becoming Evolvable, and the Evolvable.me platform, which uses neuroscience, psychology, and AI to help people see themselves more honestly and adapt more effectively. Together, Perry and Beau discuss why collaboration matters more than competition, how small shifts can transform our lives, and why becoming more evolvable begins with changing how we enter the present moment. Link to Unlock Your Personal Evolution  Evolvable.me    Link to Book Deviate Book Link Links to prior episodes: SCP Podcast 188: An Adventure with Dr. Bea Lotto SCP Podcast Episode 217: Dr. Beau Lotto – Uncertainty and Perception

In this mini episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry explains why better breathing doesn't need to be complicated. Learn how simple awareness, nasal breathing, slowing your breath, and gently lengthening your exhale can help calm an overwhelmed nervous system and shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode. Healing begins with the fundamentals and one intentional breath can be a powerful place to start.

You'll learn why more heat and longer sessions are not always better, how infrared exposure may influence circulation and cellular energy, and why it can be a valuable addition to the fundamentals of healing. Infrared therapy is not a replacement for movement, hydration, nutrition, sleep or medical care but it can help the body create a better internal environment for recovery. In this episode, Dr. Perry chats with Connie Zack the co-founder of Sunlighten Saunas. We discuss: The differences between far, mid, and near-infrared wavelengths Why hotter and more isn't better.  How infrared therapy may support blood flow, oxygen delivery and nutrient movement The relationship between infrared light, mitochondria and cellular energy Potential benefits for relaxation, sleep and nervous-system regulation How infrared sauna may support exercise recovery and inflammation regulation How beginners can start "low and slow" with shorter sessions How session length should be adjusted based on health, energy and tolerance Why consistency matters more than forcing yourself through an intense session The goal is not to chase another complicated health intervention. It is to understand how a simple practice helps calm the nervous system, move the fluids, support cellular energy and improve the conditions in which healing can occur. ✔️ Discount code to save up to $1500 on your SUNLIGHTEN for Stop Chasing Pain Subscribers Code: 'stopchasingpain'  Get Your Sauna Here

In this podcast episode, Dr. Perry talks about the power of working with the ears in relationship to cranial nerves and chronic pain. You will learn specific strategies you can do to help yourself heal.  Cranial Nerve Mojo Workshop Youtube Video  Vagal Rounds Tape

What if chronic pain is not something you have to manage forever, but something your brain and body can actually unlearn? In this powerful episode of the Stop Chasing Pain Podcast, Dr. Perry sits down with Dr. Howard Schubiner to discuss his new book, Unlearn Your Pain: The Science of Recovering from Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Anxiety and Depression. They explore how chronic pain can be driven by learned neural pathways, nervous system sensitization, stress, emotion, and the brain-body connection, not always by damaged tissue. Dr. Schubiner shares a science-based, compassionate approach to helping people understand their symptoms differently, calm the threat response, and begin creating the conditions for real recovery. If you or someone you love feels trapped in a cycle of pain, inflammation, fatigue, or fear of movement, this conversation will open a new door. It is a reminder that healing begins when we stop only chasing symptoms and start asking better questions about the nervous system, the brain, and the story the body has learned to protect you with. Share this episode with others and get the UNLEARN YOUR PAIN book here. BOOK LINK