January 27, 2025 • 52 mins
Dr. Jordan Axe shares insights into the transformative power of functional medicine, emphasizing its focus on root cause solutions rather than just symptom management. The episode explores Dr. Axe’s personal journey and offers key tips for listeners to take control of their health.
• Defining functional medicine as a holistic and thorough exploration of health
• The need to shift focus from traditional medicine to a more preventive approach
• Dr. Axe's personal health challenges leading to a holistic philosophy
• Importance of mindset and personal growth in health improvement
• Creating a supportive environment for patients to thrive
• Encouragement to find a functional medicine provider for personalized care
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Donnie Hathaway (00:00):
Welcome to another episode of Palm Harbor
Local, where we bring youinspiring stories from the heart
of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we're joined by Dr
Jordan Axe.
He's a chiropractor and theowner and founder of Axe
Holistic Medicine.
Now our show is all aboutcelebrating those who have put
in the sweat, overcome thehurdles and still find time to
(00:21):
give back to the community.
Hurdles and still find time togive back to the community.
If you want to be inspired byhow they got started, what keeps
them going and what they'redoing to make Palm Harbor even
more awesome, you're in theright place.
In today's episode, you'lllearn the definition of
functional medicine, how DrJordan Axe became a functional
medicine doctor and his besttips for taking back control of
your health.
(00:42):
Now be sure to follow us onsocial media at Palm Harbor
Local for behind the scenescontent and join our weekly
newsletter at palmharborlocalcom.
Let's get started.
So, dr Jordan Axe, welcome tothe podcast.
Dr. Jordan Axe (00:58):
Thanks for having me.
Donnie Hathaway (00:59):
I'm excited to chat with you.
We were just talking a littlebit about health and and um kind
of your approach and and someof the things that are important
to you and stuff, so we'll diveinto some of that.
But first I want to start offwith like um, like functional
medicine, like how do you, howdo you like define?
Dr. Jordan Axe (01:17):
that, um, functional medicine, I would
consider, is just right, whatshould be true health care right
.
It's like hey, talk to apatient, get a good history, do
an evaluation, do the testingand then figure out what's
causing their issue, theirailment, and then give them the
(01:41):
things they're gonna fix itright.
Yeah, not a shortcut, not along cut, just exactly what it
is right.
To me that's just like what itshould be right.
And so what we call traditionalmedicine um is pretty much give
a diagnosis and give aprocedure, medication for it.
It's not, it's giving medicineright.
(02:04):
It's not like the practice ofbeing, um, a doctor.
Donnie Hathaway (02:10):
In my opinion, a doc, being a functional
medicine doctor, is really justbeing a detective, you know it's
funny you say that because I Ilooked up the definition before
um, and it was that it was kindof like you know, like what you
just said, like let's, let'stake a history, let's talk to
the patient, let's understand,like what's going on and then
(02:33):
find a solution, like a rootcause solution you know, and I'm
reading that and I'm just likeyeah, why isn't?
Dr. Jordan Axe (02:39):
that's why I think innately, like if you ask
me what a doctor was, they wouldkind of tell you.
That's what it is right butthat's not what they're doing,
right right.
Donnie Hathaway (02:47):
So how, like?
How do we get away from that?
And now it's like coming back.
We're like that.
That seems like what morepeople are are after now it's
this functional medicineapproach.
Dr. Jordan Axe (02:59):
You know, and I think we always look at the root
cause.
My clinic was called the rootcause clinic originally but we
had a name change.
But I think a big.
The root of it is like how didmedicine turn into this, like
who made that decision?
Right.
Like, how did we get here?
You know it's like money, right, it's the root cause of all
(03:20):
evil.
And so I think obviously moneyand a lot of has to do with
insurance and insurancereimbursements.
It's like insurance kind ofmade sense but unfortunately
what doctors are doing isdictated by the insurance, not
by what gets the patient better.
So you're following moneyinstead of getting the patient
(03:43):
better.
It's made the whole thing gototally backwards and, um, you
know it's, it's crazy.
It's like hey, for an exam code, a lot of insurance is
reimbursed a doctor 40 for anexam.
That's why primary care doctorsare going under.
But then you can do thisprocedure that takes six minutes
(04:04):
and you can bill a thousanddollars.
So the doctor's, like I canspend 40 minutes talking to the
patient and help them and getpaid 40, or I could inject them
and get a thousand.
What do you think?
What do you think thebusinesses that own the doctors
are going to start to promote?
Yeah, so you follow the money.
That's what's going to happen.
Yeah right, it's common sense.
(04:25):
I think that's the root causeis insurance and following those
guidelines and where themoney's going is there a way
that we can?
Donnie Hathaway (04:35):
can, I guess, like progress past that or move
past that and get back to likelet's treat the patient, find
their root cause and, and reallylike, prevent a lot of the, you
know, illnesses that we havetoday?
Dr. Jordan Axe (04:49):
yeah, I mean, to me it's a.
I guess I've been doing thislong enough.
It just seems so simple.
Yeah, like I said, you don'tneed to be a doctor to like take
a really deep history.
Yeah, um, I remember I had thispatient.
She was.
Her memory was totally gone.
She was like she was young, likeupper 20s or something like
(05:10):
that oh, wow and um husband waslike military and um, she had
like 15 mris like her brain anda bunch of other stuff.
And there's like, we don't know, you're depressed, take an
antidepressant, right, that kindof thing.
And I was like so, when I'mjust taking a history, when did
(05:31):
it start?
Oh, you know 2013.
Okay, when did you move toflorida?
That's about 2013.
I'm like, okay, let's go downthis path a little bit, like I'm
not even looking for this,right, yeah, and I'm like and
you moved into to, you know, so,a long story short.
It's like, hey, there was moldin her house, right, did a mold
(05:52):
test found it?
She was excreting mold.
Um, we did mold tests on herbody, not her house, right, and
um, she got out of her house,whatever, we did a mold detox
and a month later, memory isback.
You know, crazy.
I didn't even get into anythingwith her yet.
It was like a five minuteconversation.
So it's just like a history likejust be a detective, don't even
(06:16):
think like a doctor, right,start there and then do the
testing to narrow it down.
Like some people, I'm like thiscould be a.
Maybe you got a parasite, maybesomething that you're eating,
you know, I'll put like sixplausible possibilities together
.
I let the testing narrow itdown.
Okay, we've narrowed it down tothree things.
Let's treat those three thingsRight.
(06:37):
So it's not, that's not rocketscience, right, and it's
obviously being a goodpractitioner.
You have like a lot ofexperience with the testing and
knowing what to look for, but atthe core it shouldn't be
complicated.
Donnie Hathaway (06:52):
Yeah, it's almost so like that scenario
that you're talking about.
It's like they're looking forsomething to treat, right.
That's why they do like all theMRIs and all that kind of stuff
right.
It's like, instead of findingout well, what's what's causing,
what's the cause, and we keepsaying that but, um, all right,
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Dr. Jordan Axe (08:10):
Not at all.
I was going to be an engineer,okay, so I would love building
things and that's always what Iwanted to do.
And then I was in undergradengineering and started work for
my brother who was achiropractor and he was doing
like a lot of health talks,getting out in the community
helping people with their healthand everything.
(08:30):
And I started chatting with acivil engineer, mechanical
engineer, and they were justsitting in cubicles.
I was like I thought I wasgoing to be like on the tractor,
like knocking the building over, I don't know, you know, and I
was like, hmm, and then I sawhim in the community, like
actually helping people.
Um, engineers help mankind,obviously, but I just wanted to
(08:52):
be a little bit more activeanyway.
So I started building equipmentfor him, actually like welding
it together, building tables,building vibration plates, and I
started.
I went to a seminar with himabout structural correction,
chiropractic, where theengineers, like 100 years ago,
created these techniques oh, wowwhere you use engineering
principles and physics to likecorrect people's spine and get
(09:14):
their posture back.
I'm like, okay, well, I can usemy engineering brain and maybe
go into chiropractic, reallyright, so it led me into there
and, um, then I was having a lotof health issues kind of
leading up to this, just sickall the time I was like the sick
kid, okay, you know, chronicsinus infections, fatigued, some
(09:36):
anxiety, um, and anyways, mybrother said, go to this more
holistic clinic, functionalmedicine doctor.
Yeah, they did a bunch oftesting.
Hey, I went there for my eczemabecause it had gone out of
control.
I was putting steroid cream onit, yep, and the steroid cream
like, seemed like it wasn'tworking as well and I'm like, oh
(09:58):
, gosh, what do I do now?
Like you know, it's like on mybody.
I'm like is this going to liketake over my body?
Yeah, and I walk around and Isee people that would have been.
I would have been in that sameboat, you know, it's like their
entire arms.
Right At the time, I thought itwould kill me, right.
Yeah.
Now I see people.
They're alive, but, right, itdoesn't look good, it doesn't
feel good.
The main thing and they said,your microbiome was just totally
(10:22):
jacked and you took all theseantibiotics for your acne when
you were a kid and everythingelse happened.
And I took Accutane also too,which is linked to autoimmune
disease.
So they're like, yeah, yourgut's screwed up and it's
causing your skin issues andit's turned into Hashimoto's
thyroiditis, an autoimmunethyroid condition.
(10:43):
So I went through theirprotocols for six months A lot
of the same stuff I do at myclinic today and we did a lot of
testing.
But the stool test was the meatand potatoes and skin totally
cleared up in 60 days and myautoimmune antibodies were gone
in four months Crazy, and I waslike, hmm, like, hmm, my
(11:06):
chiropractor, like doctor,behind my name, I'm learning
about natural medicine.
I would love to open a clinicdoing structural correction but
also offering everythingholistic people, like a one-stop
shop.
People can get everything theyneed to get healthy.
And 2016 opened up and that'skind of what happened and nice,
(11:27):
it's been good did you in 2016?
Donnie Hathaway (11:31):
was that like right out of school, or were you
a chiropractor somewhere else?
Dr. Jordan Axe (11:33):
uh, two years I worked for someone else learned
how to get in the community?
Yeah, learned how to talk infront of people yeah um live
with my parents like spent zeromoney.
You know they cooked for me andI saved every dime that I made
working for a year yeah and uh,they helped me a little bit.
(11:54):
I opened like four credit cards, you know 10 grand.
I put all that money.
Donnie Hathaway (11:58):
I'm like all right, I got a year to make, you
know, be successful let's getit done and I just worked as
hard as I could yeah, you learn,Like before you opened the
clinic, like what did you learnin those in those two years,
like practicing, um, living withyour parents, that that set you
up for for opening up your ownclinic?
Dr. Jordan Axe (12:15):
Yeah, it was really, uh, getting out in the
community doing a lot of healthtalks Cause I knew if you open
something from scratch, no one'scoming.
Yeah, every single person thatwalks through the door you're
going to have to go out and meet.
Donnie Hathaway (12:29):
Shake hands with the choir.
Dr. Jordan Axe (12:35):
So that for me was just kind of that
preparation and learning aboutthe integrative, like
integrating chiropractic withphysical therapy.
I was going to seminars, it wasa time of prep and it was a
weird time for me too, like thattransition, like you used to be
in school your whole life andlike, like no friends, I'm like
gonna do, I'm like, oh, likewhat is going on.
(12:56):
But that's where, like I know,we're talking about mindset.
Earlier, you know, I startedgetting like tony robbins, like
awakening within and like tryingto get control of my thoughts
and my emotions, which is big,and how we treat our patients
now like incorporating.
So that was a big thingpersonally that I went through
during that time.
(13:17):
Also, what led you to?
Donnie Hathaway (13:19):
that um to?
Is that something you've alwaysbeen like, kind of like that
personal development side of it,um, or did something happen
that you, like I need to?
Dr. Jordan Axe (13:28):
I need to learn more about this and be better
myself mindset I think it wasjust when you're in school you
don't they tell you what to do.
And then it's like, okay, I'vebeen preparing, I've had mentors
, I've had school, and then it'slike, now I'm just like
floating out here, I can dowhatever I want.
I don't know what I want, Idon't know what I'm doing, like
you just kind of like almost hadlike a breakdown.
(13:50):
You know, yeah and uh.
Yeah, I wanted to learn, likeyou know, breathing and
meditation, and just I don'teven know.
I think someone just gave methe book.
Okay, it was life changing andjust helped me get control over
a lot of that.
Donnie Hathaway (14:05):
Yeah, that was your first book, Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within, or whatwas the first book that really
like kicked it off for you?
Dr. Jordan Axe (14:11):
That's a great question.
Actually, because I had theHashimoto's issues, I was like,
okay, you know, this is verydear to me, I want to really
become an expert in this, inhashimoto's.
So, um, dr karazian, he's afunctional medicine doctor.
I read his book on overcominghashimoto's, so it was actually
(14:34):
some hashimoto's books.
I just jumped into it like earlyon yeah to try to, but, um,
that was the first more likemotivational book and it's still
my favorite book.
It's like the first one's likemy favorite one.
Yeah, I feel like that's alwaysthe case.
Right, like the first more likemotivational book, and it's
still my favorite book.
Donnie Hathaway (14:44):
It was like the first one's, like my favorite
one yeah, I feel like that'salways the case right, like the
first book for me it was um richdad, poor dad.
Yeah.
And kind of the same thing, likeI was, I think at that point I
was thinking about I'dconsidered real estate and, um,
(15:05):
looking for something to likemindset, like I needed something
, yeah, and and I jumped intothat and it's still, it's like
one of my favorite favoritebooks.
Yeah, it's a big, big shift inmy, I think, maybe because it's
like that, that big, like shiftbig first yeah yeah right.
Dr. Jordan Axe (15:14):
So it's like the stamps, the the time period
right but even like today, it'slike I fell away from a lot of
that.
But now I'm like man.
I don't think I might open thatbook back up.
You know, it's like somethingyou always, if you're not moving
forward with it, you're movingbackwards, you're like losing.
You're losing it you know, it'slike I felt like, oh, I got my
mind right, I got this right, Igot my business right, but then
(15:35):
it's like, okay, now you know.
So that's been like some thenew year I've been thinking a
lot about, like, okay, we got toget back into those habits that
got us here.
You know, yeah, it's not.
Like oh, I check check mark, Ican work on something else.
Like no, there's no, you can'tcheck these things off that
stays with you.
Donnie Hathaway (15:53):
Yeah, yeah, that's so true, I think I was
talking to somebody um, but kindof the same thing, like the
last couple years actually lastyear I kind of got out some of
my morning habits and stuff tooum, and I've kind of been
thinking about like, okay, youknow reading like I didn't read
much last year and then that Ihad, you know, the last four or
five years before that.
(16:13):
So like getting back into thehabit of like just reading a few
pages every single night, orwhatever it is yeah you know
it's a big part of it.
Um, so you opened your practicein 2016.
Dr. Jordan Axe (16:31):
Yep, what, what was the hardest part of like
getting started, or that firstyear in practice?
Um, everything, I mean it was,I remember, like the first
patient walked in and she's like, oh, like, is there any other
equipment?
Like you know it was like likeyou don't have that rolling
volume like high energy, like 10people I'm like, oh my gosh,
you know, I remember like Ilearned my own facebook ads,
just staying up like three inthe morning, like uh, it's a
(16:55):
little bit too advanced for menow, but back then it was a
little easier to run your ownads.
But yeah, just new people.
And then I would say, rightafter that was just this
realization of like, oh, Ithought like I just hired
someone and show them what to do, and then they knew that, and
then they just got better at iton their own.
And then, being like, no,actually you have to like tell
(17:17):
them 10 times and train them onit.
Like 20 times, and then youprobably still need to touch
base with them and make surethey're still doing it that way,
because I was such aself-starter I didn't realize
starting a business.
I just thought people were likeme yeah right and like as we
grow and start to hire people,like having, like I mean it
(17:39):
sounds a little ridiculous, butthat's kind of what I thought.
You know, like I just show themonce and then they would excel
at it.
Donnie Hathaway (17:45):
Yeah, linearly yeah ever after not the case.
Dr. Jordan Axe (17:48):
Yeah, you know like and so that was that was
hard and that was like, oh mygosh, like it wasn't really a
natural skill set.
I had right, that's like.
It's like okay, I need to learnhow to market.
Okay, I need to.
Now I need to, like, be abetter doctor and learn these
techniques and learn thesetesting.
Okay, I got that.
Oh, now the none of the staffknows what they're doing.
(18:09):
There's no systems.
Okay, now I have to learn howto create systems.
Now I need to learn how totrain staff.
I was like it's, it was thebest thing I ever could have
gone through, because I probably, like, in a year or two,
learned could take decades.
It seems like you know cause it.
Like in a year or two, learnedcould take decades.
It seems like you know, Becauseit was like you better learn
this or you're not going to payyour debt off.
You know.
Yeah.
I think what's his name.
(18:32):
He's got that book like thePower of being Broke.
Okay Right, it's like thatwhole situation and so it forced
me to become a leader.
And then it forced me how tolike.
I remember the book tractiongain control over your business.
Donnie Hathaway (18:44):
You know, yeah, so it just oh gosh how do you
so, how did you balance all that?
Because I think that's that's ahard part for um, for a lot of
like uh, entrepreneurs, businessowners and they and they I'd
say most of the small businesscommunity doesn't like get past
(19:06):
that where they hire staff andand truly become like the ceo of
their business.
They just get stuck in like theI'm just working this job and
maybe I have some staff that aretrained to do some things right
, but they're not like you'renot like truly leveraging their,
their expertise or whatever.
So how did you like balance allof that in those first two
(19:27):
years to to grow yourself andgrow the business?
um was it just like late nightsjust?
Dr. Jordan Axe (19:37):
yeah, uh.
Well, you know, having mentorsright is so important, just be
able to call at night and belike, yeah, this is going on.
Just getting that little bit ofdirection Just between my
brother and my brother-in-law isa chiropractor, started a
business.
My cousin Just meeting peopleat seminars, I had a lot of good
people in my corner, I just hadto really reach to them for
(19:59):
direction and figure out whatthe heck, what's the next step.
But you know, then you're,you're, you're fueled by it's
new, it's exciting.
So it definitely gives you someenergy, you know, starting a
new business yeah, yeah, likethat.
Donnie Hathaway (20:17):
So your business acts holistic medicine
yeah what do you guys do therenow?
Dr. Jordan Axe (20:23):
um yeah, currently yeah, so, um, you know
I'm still a chiropractor, so westill have that part where we
do.
You know we treat autoaccidents and like help
herniated discs and whiplash andwe do my engineering mind like
we do really good to have theright machines and techniques to
fix that where a lot of theoffices don't.
(20:44):
It's just like a hot pack orwhatever feel a little bit
better.
Um, so that's part of ourclinic, but the bigger part
really is that functionalmedicine side.
We have multiple health coaches.
I have another lead doctor, drbinner, who's just brilliant,
like he's on vacation, he's likestudying new research and tests
(21:04):
that are coming out.
Yeah, so he just stays on theleading edge of all that.
I send him my labs.
I'm like tell me what to do,you know?
Yeah, so the doctor and healthcoaches you know we just help a
lot of hard cases and we justhave an amazing team.
So, yeah, just functionalmedicine, a lot of telemed,
probably 80 on the phone, okay,and uh, we bring normally six
(21:28):
months for someone where we tryto get them well doing the right
testing and health coaching.
You know, keep them accountable, work on their diet, um, habits
, mindset, training, breathing,exercises, all the supplements
they need to be doing you knowwe're doing everything a to z.
Donnie Hathaway (21:46):
So someone comes to you are they?
Are they coming to you andsaying like I, um, I have this
issue and I want it to get fixed?
Or, um, I just want to be abetter version of myself, like,
do you have a mix of that?
Or what are your?
What are your majority of yourpatients?
Dr. Jordan Axe (22:01):
We get everything.
Yeah, so I just want to behealthier to I'm dying, but a
majority of it is, I mean, kindof people like myself.
Like you know, I'm doing okay,I'm trying to make health
changes but, like you know, myweight's not the way I want it
to be.
(22:21):
I'm like, I'm tired, I don'thave the motivation I want.
I just got diagnosed withautoimmune disease.
I think my hormones are off,like my mood's not.
You know, it's just like someof these aren't even diagnosable
issues.
Like you want to feel betterand do better, right?
so, um, a lot of people, likepeople are going to their doctor
for these things and they'relike oh no, you know, you don't
(22:43):
have liver disease, you don'thave cancer, you're not anemic,
you're, you're okay, you'redepressed that's why you're
tired, take an antidepressant.
That's what's happening, wherewe're saying, okay, well, maybe
your, your hormones aren't bad,but maybe they're not optimal
yeah and let's let's not look atyour hormones, let's look at
(23:05):
your adrenals and your cortisol.
So that has to do with yoursleep and your mood and controls
your hormones.
Like, let's get, optimize that,even though it's normal in your
blood work right.
Let's, to digest a piece ofbread is the same amount of
energy to work out for an hour.
Is the same amount of energy towork out for an hour, oh wow.
(23:29):
So let's optimize your guthealth, because if it's working
inefficiently and it's burningtwo hours of energy instead of
one, okay, now you're, you'reburning half your energy just
because your digestive tract isworking very inefficiently, just
like a motor.
Right?
If it's self-consuming its ownenergy because it's so much
friction, you're not going tomake any horsepower.
So let's optimize your gutright.
80 of your serotonin anddopamine made in the gut.
(23:52):
It's released in the gut togive you mood, so you're not
anxious, tired.
Let's optimize the gut right.
So it's like we start there witha lot of patients.
We do a lot of stool testing,okay, just like I did with
myself.
Then we normally work on.
So that's number one.
Number two clearing the liver.
Cause your gut, if it's notworking properly, spills over
(24:13):
into the liver.
Okay.
And your liver has like hundredsand hundreds of functions.
So we clear the liver, then wedo it.
If there's like a mold detox,heavy metal detox, we get all
this junk that's junking up yoursystem, slowing you down,
slowing your brain down, slowingyour weight loss down, um, and
then we do testing.
I call it kind of a cherry ontop.
(24:35):
That's when we optimize all thehormones, because a lot of
people are going even to a wholelot more holistic office and
they're just getting hormonesand it's like, well, well, your
liver has to process yourhormones and your gut is where
you're pooping and getting allthe excess hormones or
non-precious hormones out.
So I'm like, how can you dothat when you haven't laid the
(24:55):
framework down?
yeah sometimes I have to startover with patients, like stop
doing all that stuff.
We're going to do it in sixmonths from now and it's going
to work a hundred times betteryeah right.
So that's kind of our theory,that's kind of our process.
We go through with patients andwe've been able to help a lot
of people with it, um, but thething we do before all well,
during the beginning of all,that is kind of that lifestyle
(25:18):
yeah the mindset like what areyou thinking, what are you
reading?
what are your relationships like?
What are you eating, exercise,time management, right?
So I was watching a video.
He's like it's not.
It's not about time management,it's more about energy
management.
And it started to be like Iwant to get home and I want to
(25:39):
eat healthier and I want to readthis and get some extra stuff
done.
I'm like I want to eathealthier and I want to read
this and get some extra stuffdone.
I'm like it's six o'clock, Ihave four hours, but I'm tired.
Yeah Right, I have the time.
Technically, people are sayingthey don't have the time, no, no
no yeah.
You don't have the energy left.
Yeah, true, and for me that wasmy thing at the beginning of
(26:01):
this year.
When I'm doing having healthcoach, doing health coaching for
myself is like let me get myenergy up, let me get my mind
right so that I can have thetime, I can have the energy to
do those things Right.
Donnie Hathaway (26:17):
So it's really like laying the.
It's almost like like you'rebuilding a house, right, you
gotta, you gotta lay thefoundation first, right.
It's almost like like you'rebuilding a house, right, you
gotta, you gotta lay thefoundation first, right.
And that's kind of figuring outlike what's going on with your
gut and all that stuff, likewhat you're talking about, and
then and then you can work on onbuilding up the walls and
putting on the roof andeverything.
Yeah, um, yeah.
It's interesting because, liketraditional medicine, right.
(26:40):
It's like oh yeah, let's, let'stake, take this, let's try to
solve this issue with this, withthis medicine.
Dr. Jordan Axe (26:45):
that might create more issues and stuff
yeah, um, yeah, we do it withnatural health too, in a way.
Yeah right, covering stuff up,or here's a supplement pill
instead of a medication for acondition.
It's like well, is that reallyfixing the?
What's triggering all thisright?
Donnie Hathaway (27:00):
yeah, so when it's it's almost like that that
should be, like, like why isn'tthat healthcare from an early
age?
Like let's you know, in, in.
Can you do like the um, likethe stool, testing yearly or how
often?
Like would you do that?
Cause, like things are changingright, your diet's changing a
(27:23):
little bit your body's changingI mean because that like
literally saved my life.
Dr. Jordan Axe (27:27):
Essentially, I do one a year.
Okay, it's always been my myweakest link.
But for a lot of patients, wedo regular blood work.
We do, um, a dutch stool test.
We do a lot of times do a dutchtest that's to look at like
your cortisol and likedeficiencies and your hormones
(27:47):
and all that.
So, yeah, once we fix all that,like, hey, let's touch base.
You're doing great, you haveyour resources, you're your own
doctor.
Now you know what you're doing.
Let's do a checkup in sixmonths, um, and, yeah, let's.
It's been a year now.
Let's go ahead and redo thatstool test and make sure
everything's on the straight andnarrow and get everything
optimized before something elsehappens.
Donnie Hathaway (28:08):
So, yeah, absolutely, we want to stay up
on that every six months orwhatever, and it's like to me
that makes sense, right, Like weshould all be doing that.
Yeah, you know.
Dr. Jordan Axe (28:21):
But yeah, people go, oh, you know, I got my
yearly health check or whatever.
Oh, yeah, you know.
But yeah, people go, oh, youknow, I got my like yearly
health check or whatever.
Oh, I'm good, I'm like, what'sthat even mean?
Like what did they even check?
Okay, like you're not diabetic.
Donnie Hathaway (28:34):
Okay, what about everything else going on
in your body?
Yeah, I think they they legit.
Just have a conversation, rightyeah that's the conversation
you have with, with the, withthe uh, with the gps, and yeah,
so yeah, like we're talkingabout testing yeah one of them
is a organic acids test.
Dr. Jordan Axe (28:48):
A lot of people don't know about it.
That's what I give to sometimeskids or I give to my healthy
patients that they don't evenknow what direction to go.
I just want to optimize things.
My blood work was normal, mycholesterol is good, all that's
good, and organic acids testbasically shows you if you have
any like mitochondria, energydeficiencies, some vitamin
(29:08):
deficiencies.
It's got like a gut biomarkers.
Is there anything that'sovergrowing in your gut that you
don't know about?
Um, it's got a liver section onit and it's got like your
neurotransmitters, like you'relike the brain.
Everything's fine, correct.
So I love that test forprevention.
So I know some people watchyour channel.
You know like successful people, real estate, all that, like
(29:30):
just be a better.
You sharpen your brain, makesure you don't have anything
coming down the pipeline.
Um, that's a cool test a lot ofpeople don't know about yeah
that's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
It's a urine test, you just do it at home nice,
simple simple I like.
Donnie Hathaway (29:44):
So let's go back to the mindset that you
were talking about, right,because I think that's a big
part of it and I feel like thelast couple, last few years that
we've we've had as a society,like mindset is even more
critical, I think, than than itever has been before.
You know, talk to me about like, like your approach to like
(30:05):
managing your mindset and, um,like, what are you helping your,
your patients with?
Dr. Jordan Axe (30:11):
oh, mindset, yeah, it's such a, it's such a
big one.
Well, I mean, I think, findingpurpose.
You know, starting at the top,like why am I waking up?
Why am I going to work, likeyou know, like, obviously,
finding that big, why I think,is really big, um, this changed
for me over the years but, youknow, when I was originally
(30:31):
starting out, it was like I haveto get the word out that, hey,
you don't have to live withthese conditions, like your
doctor, just because he doesn'thave the answers doesn't mean
you're hopeless.
Like I had this message.
I'm like I got to get this outto the masses.
Like this message essentially,right, it's like the gospel,
it's like the health gospel.
Yeah.
Right, I got to get thisinformation out and that was a
(30:53):
driving force between startingthe business and everything else
.
So I think identifying that andfor some people it might be
something more simple, like youknow, I just want to make
everyone smile, right, and maybeby making them smile they're
more likely to do whatever orfind the Lord or whatever.
You know, it could be justsomething simple.
(31:14):
It doesn't have to be startinga business, but I think figuring
that out is first and that canchange too, like you said, like
it changed for you.
Donnie Hathaway (31:23):
I think when I first like heard that concept of
, like you know, find your whyit was when I got into real
estate, it was like to find thatyeah I thought I had to like
have it figured out from likeday one of like my ultimate, why
that's never going to change.
Yeah.
And I struggle with that, butlike realizing, like, oh no,
that changes, you know.
Dr. Jordan Axe (31:40):
Yeah, and that's okay.
Yeah, exactly yeah, but and youknow it's a consistency of it
for mindset, like I think thefundamentals for me is like
reading and praying in themorning and maybe listening to
(32:01):
something motivational, likelistening to a video on success
and like the eight ways, and youknow, just like feeding my mind
what I'm working on and reading, praying, like meditate, like I
think breath work and likemeditating anything in that kind
of sphere is super importantwhen it comes to mindset,
(32:22):
because that's your time tofocus and take all the things
you're thinking about and kindof like organize them.
Essentially, it's like, hey,you have all these words, but
until you organize them into asentence, it's kind of just
gibberish chaos, yeah and so Ithink you know meditation is a
way to do that and there'sdifferent types of breathing.
(32:43):
Um, there's box breathing,there's wim hof.
You know, it's like it doesn'treally matter, just start with
one, just google one and juststart it and then try another
one and see what works yeah aslong as just like working out.
Sometimes it just doesn't matterwhat you're doing, as long as
you're doing it.
So mindset to me is likegetting those things together,
(33:04):
those two or three things, andjust trying to do them like five
days a week.
Yeah, right, for me that was my2025.
Like I have my things I want todo five days a week, not seven.
I'm good with five, yeah I havemy other things that I want to
do twice a week.
You know I don't need to do aton, so I think it's the mindset
is finding those core thingsand doing them consistently and
(33:26):
I and I yeah, I want to touch onlike what you said, like five
days a week, like that can beconsistency.
Donnie Hathaway (33:32):
It doesn't have to be like everyday consistent,
you know, because it's hard todo that, especially starting
from zero.
So if it's like you're goinglike I need to work out, you
know consistently we'll work outlike one day a week,
consistently.
Dr. Jordan Axe (33:44):
If that's like your starting point, you know.
Donnie Hathaway (33:46):
Yeah, yeah.
So what is so?
You mentioned like reading,meditating, praying, journaling
any journaling- yeah, yeah, yeah.
And you do those like that'slike your morning routine.
Do you have like any of thatstuff at nighttime?
Dr. Jordan Axe (34:02):
I should, but no , not really.
I think.
For me, um, what I like to doat nighttime is just think about
the next day.
Start to put a calendartogether, kind of like a to-do
list.
Yeah, um, but no, that's a good, that's a.
That's a great idea.
Um, yeah, it was.
(34:24):
I love this quote.
It's like if everyone should bemeditating 20 minutes a day,
right, organizing their thoughts, but people say, well, what if
I'm too busy?
Well then you should bemeditating an hour a day, right,
yeah.
So it's like if you're so busyyou can't even do these things.
Like, wow, you're sodisorganized, like your kind of
(34:44):
brain is so disorganized and youhaven't really figured out, you
haven't meditated.
Like meditating is like you canfigure out what's priority,
what should I really be doing,what should I be cutting out?
Donnie Hathaway (34:53):
like yeah, I love that.
I think that's a good point,because I I feel like I've been
more aware of that recently andit you, when you are, when you
do you take that 20 minutes orwhatever it is right, and then
you have like your time block oflike I'm gonna work during this
time.
Dr. Jordan Axe (35:10):
I think you're more efficient because one
you've organized your thoughts,you know what needs to be
accomplished and then, likementally, you're a little bit
more clear so you're able tolike focus in on on that task
yeah you know um, yeah, mindsetis is everything yeah, the other
, um, I feel like this was likemore hippie science or whatever,
(35:37):
but now it's become realscience, like the fact of like
yeah, there was, there's so manystudies on this now, but it's
like I could eat something andif, like, mentally I feel like
it's unhealthy for me, it'sgonna have like a negative
(35:57):
effect on your body.
But if you like believe thatyou're gonna absorb the
nutrients and you're gonna likeit's gonna have a positive
effect on your body, right, soit's just like what you believe
about what that's gonna do toyou is like more important is,
obviously, what you're eating isimportant, but like your
beliefs around that are soimportant.
(36:18):
There was a study about likethey're putting like rats on the
, on these hamster wheels orwhatnot, and like to exercise
and like hey, the ones that theywant to do it because they knew
it like helped them feel better.
So the rats would go on thereand, like all their health
markers would go up.
But there was another one that,at the same time, they would
force them to do.
They didn't have a choice, itwasn't like an open thing, they
(36:39):
just were forced.
These rats did the exact sameaction, but these had like their
health markers went down andthese went up.
Yeah, and it was like they didthe same thing, they ate the
same thing, they did the sameexercise, but like um, like
their belief about, like theirmindset around it.
Donnie Hathaway (36:57):
Yeah, you know so I, I think I heard that too,
so that that goes into like you,you can't force anybody to do
anything.
Right like they have to beready, willing and able to like
take care of their health rightand so that's them, like walking
in the door to see you um,which is why, I mean all these
(37:19):
hell things get overwhelmed.
Dr. Jordan Axe (37:20):
Overwhelming because there's so many things
to do and it's like that's a lotof people like working out.
you know like, yeah, I don'thave a good mindset about going
to an enclosed gym for an hour.
Some people like it.
There's there's a socialcomponent, there's a get the
frustration out.
It's like therapeutic for them.
No, I want to be outside.
So for me it's like, hey, I canmentally enjoy like hard
(37:43):
circuit for 15, 20 minutes.
15, 20 minutes, that's all I'mgoing to do.
But if you would like force meto stay there another four
minutes, it's just not good forme, right.
So I think people are like, no,it's worthless, unless you can
go do it for an hour, I'm notgoing to change my diet unless I
can eat fully this way.
It's like it's not true, right?
And so it's just like making asmall change, doing a crappy
(38:08):
workout for five minutes.
Hey.
And like you believed it, youenjoyed it.
You got a little bit of a sweaton.
That's great.
That's helping you a lot, right.
You know what I'm saying.
So I think people are justoverthinking it.
It's like do what you, what'sgonna like, what's gonna help
you, right?
And it's like don't, don'toverthink it, don't think you
(38:32):
have to do this grand thing.
It's like, no, just do a littlebit of it each day and it'll be
fine, it'll be great.
Donnie Hathaway (38:36):
Yeah, you know like I, um, I started following
this, this training program, andhe, he talks kind of about that
where it's like he's like ifyou, if you like, struggle with
the workouts or whatever, likedon't finish the workouts, like
I, I have, like it's like anhour-long workout, but if that's
too much for you or whatever,um, or you're just getting
(38:57):
started, like, don't finish them, make it easy, so it's like
it's not draining you.
And then you feel like the, thewant to come back to it, like
oh, I left more on the table.
You know I left some on thetable and I want to.
I want to come back to thatright and I've kind of like
adopted that mindset andeverything right.
So it's like sometimes you justdon't feel like reading a whole
(39:19):
lot or meditating for 20minutes or whatever it is right,
so like let's meditate for twominutes yeah whatever I have in
me that day, like that's, I'mjust given 100 of like wherever
I'm at that day yeah you know,which is yeah.
So if you had to pick, like thelike, an overall, like if you
(39:41):
know I need to focus on myhealth, like what are four to
five things that I should, Ishould be focusing on yeah, if
you're like, hey, I want to gethealthy, like where do I start
right?
Dr. Jordan Axe (39:49):
yeah um, like I said, I think that morning
routine is so important gettingup earlier like I love getting
up when the sun comes up andhaving, like you're filling your
brain with good stuff, maybe acouple of pages in the Bible, a
couple of pages out of a bookyou like like a video, like just
get your positivity flowing inyour brain, and then maybe
(40:12):
meditating five, ten minutes,like now you're ready to crush
the day.
So for me I think that's numberone getting that set um.
Number two, like we said,getting your like your vision
and your goals and, um, like,what the heck are you doing with
your year, you know?
(40:33):
like letting that that's gonnabe your, that's going to drive
you to get everything else done.
We're about like the otherthree things right, like that's
what's going to push you forward.
So that has to happen.
And then I think, um, I'm ahuge believer in functional
medicine.
Like you got to get your bodyand your internals right so you
can do all this stuff, now thatyou have the why behind it, now
that you have the morning, youknow, routine to support it, um,
(40:56):
I think finding a goodfunctional medicine doctor
sitting down, getting pickingmaybe one test that you or the
doctor thinks is super important, take a look under the hood and
optimize your health.
Um, and you know, with that,having that accountability
partner, having that healthcoach to with my health coach I
(41:18):
did the same thing.
I'm like there's like threedifferent types of like
meditation I don't even knowwhat it means anymore.
She's like just do this one.
I'm like, okay, I like that.
You know what I mean.
Like I'm like overthinking itright.
She's like just do this, okay,shut up, okay, I'm good.
Now my mind's there again, youknow well.
I think the fourth thing whichwe and you were talking about a
little bit earlier was um, yougotta, you gotta enjoy life.
(41:41):
Yeah right, laughter is the bestmedicine yeah how funny is that
that we have this quote, butit's like no one's talking about
the quote that much and I'mlike we're talking about
medicine, but what aboutlaughter?
You know what I mean it's likeand I told you, like all the
patients we haven't been able tohelp that I looked at which is
really not that many people Ilike I could literally just
(42:04):
think of them because it's likeone person like a year or
whatever, Like really.
I'm like because I was upsetthat I couldn't help this person
at least a little bit, and I'mlike man, all they had no
hobbies.
They weren't traveling, liketheir marriage wasn't good, they
didn't really have any funpeople they were hanging out
with.
I'm like no good relationship,nothing fun, no hobbies.
You know, uh, you know I thinkabout some of these.
(42:27):
It's guys and girls, but guysthat I think of that are just
like like not healthy at all,but man, they're like they're in
their bowling league andthey're like in all these clubs
like in these greatrelationships and they're in
these sports, getting a littlebit of activity like they're,
they're having fun and they'reconnected.
(42:48):
It's like we're made to havethese good relationships and
we're made to have fun and beoutside and do sports.
You know, it's like gettingback to like those roots of a
connection and enjoyment andfulfill like.
So for me it's I would saythat's kind of like the fourth
thing yeah it's just enjoy bejoyful and laugh um.
Donnie Hathaway (43:12):
I love that and it's almost like like community
right, like find your group ofpeople that are, you know, doing
similar things, and yeah, Ifeel like it's hard to like like
work heavy and you got to haveyour job in nine to five or you
(43:39):
know, you got to grind it outand and work so much yeah and
and people kind of forget about,like enjoying life yeah you
know, like, what is it thatbrings you joy?
Like, go do more of that so offthe sidetrack guys.
Dr. Jordan Axe (43:53):
But like something else I was thinking
about yeah, with this enjoymentthing, um is like it's that,
that, that balance, that yin andyang of like you know, you
could partially retire and justhave all day to do all the fun
things.
But, to be honest, because I'veslowed down, like last year a
little bit now.
Now I'm like really trying topush again.
(44:13):
I was like man, they're notthat fun when that's all you
have to do.
Like that, hey, I'm like reallytrying to push again.
I was like man, they're notthat fun when that's all you
have to do.
Like that I'm productive, I'mgetting like helping society,
I'm like loving and helpingother people with their goals,
like I'm a positive impact.
Like you feel, you know, likeyou've done something, you've
(44:36):
worked hard for it, and thenit's like you get done with your
day and like, oh, I get to gogolf.
That golf round, for somereason, is 10 times more
enjoyable when I had to work sohard for it and I was productive
all day.
And then I got to squeeze it inat the end of the day versus
walk around, do whatever, grabbreakfast, oh, we'll golf again,
whatever, you know, it's like,yeah, it's hot, it's tired.
(44:59):
I'm ready to go home.
Why am I even golfing?
Yeah, I don't know.
It's like kind of thisrealization of like it's so
important.
So maybe the fifth point isjust balance.
Donnie Hathaway (45:11):
Yeah, like really, and that's different for
everyone too, right?
Yeah, but it's, I think, Ithink you're, you're right.
It's like what's your purpose,right, like?
That's the main focus right butthen you need times like I
think it's like if you gaveeverything into all your
patients, like you're gonnadrain yourself and you're not
gonna take care of yourself,right, right.
(45:32):
So you're right.
Dr. Jordan Axe (45:32):
It's like the, the balance of that right but
when you have time away from thepatients and you're laughing
and enjoying life yeah, you'remore filled and right, and then
those patients you give thatmuch more.
It's that much more enjoyable.
So it's like balance iseverything when you really start
to look at it that way you knowI've been in both where I was
(45:53):
just just trying to have fun,and then I had where I was just
trying to help as many people aspossible and it was like
neither situation was good yeahso how do you?
Donnie Hathaway (46:06):
I don't think there's any tricks or whatever,
but like finding that balanceright, it's just like testing it
out, like seeing what works foryou yeah, um, yeah, that's a,
that's a great question.
Dr. Jordan Axe (46:19):
Yeah, I think everyone's different.
Yeah, and they're balanced.
But don't play stupid withyourself.
We know a lot more but for somereason we just play stupid
right, and I think that's thepower between meditation and
relaxation and journaling,because you know this stuff.
(46:40):
Sometimes you just have toorganize in your brain and write
it out and you're like, well,duh yeah okay, there it is.
Yeah, you know.
Donnie Hathaway (46:48):
So just more that self-awareness do you think
everybody has self-awareness,or is that like a?
Is that like a muscle like youcan exercise?
And oh for sure, I think yeahthat's.
Dr. Jordan Axe (46:59):
That's definitely a lot of uh dust on
that machine for a lot of people, and I think it's because we're
so busy that we don't have timefor it.
Essentially, like you don't,people aren't taking the time to
to look at what they're like,who they are, what's happening,
(47:19):
because it's like work, work,work, family, family, family,
ding ding ding on my phone, whatyou know.
So, um, and that's something wemean you've been talking about
today, it's like that's thewhole.
Well, if you're too busy, thenyou need to meditate for an hour
.
Situation of going directlywhere you want to go and cutting
out a hundred miles andfiguring out what do I need to
(47:42):
add, what do I need to to takeout?
Um, just for me, that's been.
It's like do that, like figureout where you're going a little
bit more yeah yeah and I hate tosay that too, because some
people just think they have tohave it all figured out before
they go anywhere, and that'seven worse.
(48:03):
That's true, right, you justneed to start going and let the
kind of some direction.
Yeah, but it's like hiking,right, it's like just just go up
the mountain.
Okay, now let me sit down, letme look, let me look at the map,
let me let me self-correct, andthen you need to start running
again, right, but if you neverget the map out and stop and
look and you're, you're justplowing through a jungle.
You have no time, you have noenergy I think a lot of people
(48:26):
are there.
Donnie Hathaway (48:26):
They're, they're not aware, they're just
yeah infinitely pushing forwardto who knows where yeah, and I
think that's like where the I'verealized like a lot the last
six months, whatever.
It's like the meditation andjust like being able to slow
down, like that's where thatreally comes in to play.
Is like to think through, likewhere am I going?
Or let me take aself-assessment of like you know
(48:50):
what's going on in myday-to-day, like am I truly
being as productive as I can beor efficient as I can be, you
know?
But if you don't take time tolike stop, then you're never
gonna figure that out.
Dr. Jordan Axe (49:05):
Yeah, I found for me like massages are a great
way.
I'm like man, is this my formof meditation?
Cause it's like so ADD, I'mlike, even if in my room, I'm
like I'm thirsty, maybe I'llmake some tea real quick.
You know, I don't know like I'mgetting a massage.
I'm not really like allowed tomove you're forced to stay still
(49:27):
not supposed to be using yourphone.
I'm like, yeah, okay, and it'slike some people draw.
When they're listening, they'llactually pay better attention
because they're drawing.
I'm like, well, they'relistening, they'll actually pay
better attention because they'redrawing.
I'm like, well, they're doingsomething, no, but it stops them
from being able to do any.
It's like I'm drawing and I'mlistening.
Yeah.
And for me it's like a massage.
(49:47):
It's like, you know, like I'mgetting worked on, so my mind's
kind of like thinking about thatand that's it, and then the
rest of my mind is just totallycleared out and I have like my,
all these ideas come to me, thethings that are frustrating me
come into my brain and I'm justlike walking through it.
Why am I mad about that?
That's ridiculous.
Okay, next time that comes up,blah, blah, blah.
(50:09):
Right, and you're just takingall this information and like
sorting through it.
But, um, I think a lot ofpeople, um, like, like I said,
for me, I think massages haveput me in a good spot for
meditating, but for other people, yeah, just also like getting
out on a mountain or justgetting outside where there's no
distractions, you don't havecell phone service.
(50:31):
So I think, for a lot of people, finding where they can
meditate, and then what and it'sdifferent for everyone yeah,
right, some people couldprobably do it when they're
driving.
They're just kind of like, yeah, okay.
Donnie Hathaway (50:43):
You know and they can process things, but I,
you know, I was just thinking,like when you were saying that,
like I, I used, I like to runand I would.
Um, I've gone through timeswhere.
I'm like, okay, I have aquestion or something I want to
think through, like while I'mrunning, and I'll try to do that
, like on the run, and I can't,like you know, really like focus
(51:04):
on like that topic.
Whatever I get, you know, Ijust my mind's going everywhere,
but then, like towards the endof the run, like that's when,
like more thoughts come to mefor whatever reason.
Right, I just thought of thatI'm'm like that's kind of
interesting.
Um, but you're right, it's likeit's different for everybody, so
(51:25):
you try a bunch of differentthings, right?
Yeah, yeah, cool, all right.
So how can people get in touchwith you and and visit your
clinic and learn more about you?
Dr. Jordan Axe (51:30):
yeah, um, we're in tampa so, like I said, we're
80 telemed, but we do see peoplein clinic if they're local.
But just our website, ax,holistic medicinecom, ax it's my
last name tons of greatresources on our website.
You can find all kinds of stuff, um, and then you have my
instagram youtube, dr jordan ax.
(51:50):
Like my youtube I did on my ongut health.
I did like a 10 minute video on, like my stool test and all the
things I went through, just sopeople like know what I'm
talking about.
Um, so I have some cool like 10minute tutorial, a disease on
some of the stuff we talkedabout, nice and uh yeah, just
give us a call, answer questionsand come to the office and hang
(52:12):
out yeah, that's awesomejoining me and thanks for being
here.
Donnie Hathaway (52:15):
Yeah, thank you .
Welcome to another episode of Palm Harbor
Local, where we bring youinspiring stories from the heart
of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we're joined by Dr
Jordan Axe.
He's a chiropractor and theowner and founder of Axe
Holistic Medicine.
Now our show is all aboutcelebrating those who have put
in the sweat, overcome thehurdles and still find time to
(00:21):
give back to the community.
Hurdles and still find time togive back to the community.
If you want to be inspired byhow they got started, what keeps
them going and what they'redoing to make Palm Harbor even
more awesome, you're in theright place.
In today's episode, you'lllearn the definition of
functional medicine, how DrJordan Axe became a functional
medicine doctor and his besttips for taking back control of
your health.
(00:42):
Now be sure to follow us onsocial media at Palm Harbor
Local for behind the scenescontent and join our weekly
newsletter at palmharborlocalcom.
Let's get started.
So, dr Jordan Axe, welcome tothe podcast.
Dr. Jordan Axe (00:58):
Thanks for having me.
Donnie Hathaway (00:59):
I'm excited to chat with you.
We were just talking a littlebit about health and and um kind
of your approach and and someof the things that are important
to you and stuff, so we'll diveinto some of that.
But first I want to start offwith like um, like functional
medicine, like how do you, howdo you like define?
Dr. Jordan Axe (01:17):
that, um, functional medicine, I would
consider, is just right, whatshould be true health care right
.
It's like hey, talk to apatient, get a good history, do
an evaluation, do the testingand then figure out what's
causing their issue, theirailment, and then give them the
(01:41):
things they're gonna fix itright.
Yeah, not a shortcut, not along cut, just exactly what it
is right.
To me that's just like what itshould be right.
And so what we call traditionalmedicine um is pretty much give
a diagnosis and give aprocedure, medication for it.
It's not, it's giving medicineright.
(02:04):
It's not like the practice ofbeing, um, a doctor.
Donnie Hathaway (02:10):
In my opinion, a doc, being a functional
medicine doctor, is really justbeing a detective, you know it's
funny you say that because I Ilooked up the definition before
um, and it was that it was kindof like you know, like what you
just said, like let's, let'stake a history, let's talk to
the patient, let's understand,like what's going on and then
(02:33):
find a solution, like a rootcause solution you know, and I'm
reading that and I'm just likeyeah, why isn't?
Dr. Jordan Axe (02:39):
that's why I think innately, like if you ask
me what a doctor was, they wouldkind of tell you.
That's what it is right butthat's not what they're doing,
right right.
Donnie Hathaway (02:47):
So how, like?
How do we get away from that?
And now it's like coming back.
We're like that.
That seems like what morepeople are are after now it's
this functional medicineapproach.
Dr. Jordan Axe (02:59):
You know, and I think we always look at the root
cause.
My clinic was called the rootcause clinic originally but we
had a name change.
But I think a big.
The root of it is like how didmedicine turn into this, like
who made that decision?
Right.
Like, how did we get here?
You know it's like money, right, it's the root cause of all
(03:20):
evil.
And so I think obviously moneyand a lot of has to do with
insurance and insurancereimbursements.
It's like insurance kind ofmade sense but unfortunately
what doctors are doing isdictated by the insurance, not
by what gets the patient better.
So you're following moneyinstead of getting the patient
(03:43):
better.
It's made the whole thing gototally backwards and, um, you
know it's, it's crazy.
It's like hey, for an exam code, a lot of insurance is
reimbursed a doctor 40 for anexam.
That's why primary care doctorsare going under.
But then you can do thisprocedure that takes six minutes
(04:04):
and you can bill a thousanddollars.
So the doctor's, like I canspend 40 minutes talking to the
patient and help them and getpaid 40, or I could inject them
and get a thousand.
What do you think?
What do you think thebusinesses that own the doctors
are going to start to promote?
Yeah, so you follow the money.
That's what's going to happen.
Yeah right, it's common sense.
(04:25):
I think that's the root causeis insurance and following those
guidelines and where themoney's going is there a way
that we can?
Donnie Hathaway (04:35):
can, I guess, like progress past that or move
past that and get back to likelet's treat the patient, find
their root cause and, and reallylike, prevent a lot of the, you
know, illnesses that we havetoday?
Dr. Jordan Axe (04:49):
yeah, I mean, to me it's a.
I guess I've been doing thislong enough.
It just seems so simple.
Yeah, like I said, you don'tneed to be a doctor to like take
a really deep history.
Yeah, um, I remember I had thispatient.
She was.
Her memory was totally gone.
She was like she was young, likeupper 20s or something like
(05:10):
that oh, wow and um husband waslike military and um, she had
like 15 mris like her brain anda bunch of other stuff.
And there's like, we don't know, you're depressed, take an
antidepressant, right, that kindof thing.
And I was like so, when I'mjust taking a history, when did
(05:31):
it start?
Oh, you know 2013.
Okay, when did you move toflorida?
That's about 2013.
I'm like, okay, let's go downthis path a little bit, like I'm
not even looking for this,right, yeah, and I'm like and
you moved into to, you know, so,a long story short.
It's like, hey, there was moldin her house, right, did a mold
(05:52):
test found it?
She was excreting mold.
Um, we did mold tests on herbody, not her house, right, and
um, she got out of her house,whatever, we did a mold detox
and a month later, memory isback.
You know, crazy.
I didn't even get into anythingwith her yet.
It was like a five minuteconversation.
So it's just like a history likejust be a detective, don't even
(06:16):
think like a doctor, right,start there and then do the
testing to narrow it down.
Like some people, I'm like thiscould be a.
Maybe you got a parasite, maybesomething that you're eating,
you know, I'll put like sixplausible possibilities together
.
I let the testing narrow itdown.
Okay, we've narrowed it down tothree things.
Let's treat those three thingsRight.
(06:37):
So it's not, that's not rocketscience, right, and it's
obviously being a goodpractitioner.
You have like a lot ofexperience with the testing and
knowing what to look for, but atthe core it shouldn't be
complicated.
Donnie Hathaway (06:52):
Yeah, it's almost so like that scenario
that you're talking about.
It's like they're looking forsomething to treat, right.
That's why they do like all theMRIs and all that kind of stuff
right.
It's like, instead of findingout well, what's what's causing,
what's the cause, and we keepsaying that but, um, all right,
so how did you, how did you getinto this um, career?
Is it something like you?
Uh, like grew up like this iswhat I want to do, and you knew
(07:13):
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Dr. Jordan Axe (08:10):
Not at all.
I was going to be an engineer,okay, so I would love building
things and that's always what Iwanted to do.
And then I was in undergradengineering and started work for
my brother who was achiropractor and he was doing
like a lot of health talks,getting out in the community
helping people with their healthand everything.
(08:30):
And I started chatting with acivil engineer, mechanical
engineer, and they were justsitting in cubicles.
I was like I thought I wasgoing to be like on the tractor,
like knocking the building over, I don't know, you know, and I
was like, hmm, and then I sawhim in the community, like
actually helping people.
Um, engineers help mankind,obviously, but I just wanted to
(08:52):
be a little bit more activeanyway.
So I started building equipmentfor him, actually like welding
it together, building tables,building vibration plates, and I
started.
I went to a seminar with himabout structural correction,
chiropractic, where theengineers, like 100 years ago,
created these techniques oh, wowwhere you use engineering
principles and physics to likecorrect people's spine and get
(09:14):
their posture back.
I'm like, okay, well, I can usemy engineering brain and maybe
go into chiropractic, reallyright, so it led me into there
and, um, then I was having a lotof health issues kind of
leading up to this, just sickall the time I was like the sick
kid, okay, you know, chronicsinus infections, fatigued, some
(09:36):
anxiety, um, and anyways, mybrother said, go to this more
holistic clinic, functionalmedicine doctor.
Yeah, they did a bunch oftesting.
Hey, I went there for my eczemabecause it had gone out of
control.
I was putting steroid cream onit, yep, and the steroid cream
like, seemed like it wasn'tworking as well and I'm like, oh
(09:58):
, gosh, what do I do now?
Like you know, it's like on mybody.
I'm like is this going to liketake over my body?
Yeah, and I walk around and Isee people that would have been.
I would have been in that sameboat, you know, it's like their
entire arms.
Right At the time, I thought itwould kill me, right.
Yeah.
Now I see people.
They're alive, but, right, itdoesn't look good, it doesn't
feel good.
The main thing and they said,your microbiome was just totally
(10:22):
jacked and you took all theseantibiotics for your acne when
you were a kid and everythingelse happened.
And I took Accutane also too,which is linked to autoimmune
disease.
So they're like, yeah, yourgut's screwed up and it's
causing your skin issues andit's turned into Hashimoto's
thyroiditis, an autoimmunethyroid condition.
(10:43):
So I went through theirprotocols for six months A lot
of the same stuff I do at myclinic today and we did a lot of
testing.
But the stool test was the meatand potatoes and skin totally
cleared up in 60 days and myautoimmune antibodies were gone
in four months Crazy, and I waslike, hmm, like, hmm, my
(11:06):
chiropractor, like doctor,behind my name, I'm learning
about natural medicine.
I would love to open a clinicdoing structural correction but
also offering everythingholistic people, like a one-stop
shop.
People can get everything theyneed to get healthy.
And 2016 opened up and that'skind of what happened and nice,
(11:27):
it's been good did you in 2016?
Donnie Hathaway (11:31):
was that like right out of school, or were you
a chiropractor somewhere else?
Dr. Jordan Axe (11:33):
uh, two years I worked for someone else learned
how to get in the community?
Yeah, learned how to talk infront of people yeah um live
with my parents like spent zeromoney.
You know they cooked for me andI saved every dime that I made
working for a year yeah and uh,they helped me a little bit.
(11:54):
I opened like four credit cards, you know 10 grand.
I put all that money.
Donnie Hathaway (11:58):
I'm like all right, I got a year to make, you
know, be successful let's getit done and I just worked as
hard as I could yeah, you learn,Like before you opened the
clinic, like what did you learnin those in those two years,
like practicing, um, living withyour parents, that that set you
up for for opening up your ownclinic?
Dr. Jordan Axe (12:15):
Yeah, it was really, uh, getting out in the
community doing a lot of healthtalks Cause I knew if you open
something from scratch, no one'scoming.
Yeah, every single person thatwalks through the door you're
going to have to go out and meet.
Donnie Hathaway (12:29):
Shake hands with the choir.
Dr. Jordan Axe (12:35):
So that for me was just kind of that
preparation and learning aboutthe integrative, like
integrating chiropractic withphysical therapy.
I was going to seminars, it wasa time of prep and it was a
weird time for me too, like thattransition, like you used to be
in school your whole life andlike, like no friends, I'm like
gonna do, I'm like, oh, likewhat is going on.
(12:56):
But that's where, like I know,we're talking about mindset.
Earlier, you know, I startedgetting like tony robbins, like
awakening within and like tryingto get control of my thoughts
and my emotions, which is big,and how we treat our patients
now like incorporating.
So that was a big thingpersonally that I went through
during that time.
(13:17):
Also, what led you to?
Donnie Hathaway (13:19):
that um to?
Is that something you've alwaysbeen like, kind of like that
personal development side of it,um, or did something happen
that you, like I need to?
Dr. Jordan Axe (13:28):
I need to learn more about this and be better
myself mindset I think it wasjust when you're in school you
don't they tell you what to do.
And then it's like, okay, I'vebeen preparing, I've had mentors
, I've had school, and then it'slike, now I'm just like
floating out here, I can dowhatever I want.
I don't know what I want, Idon't know what I'm doing, like
you just kind of like almost hadlike a breakdown.
(13:50):
You know, yeah and uh.
Yeah, I wanted to learn, likeyou know, breathing and
meditation, and just I don'teven know.
I think someone just gave methe book.
Okay, it was life changing andjust helped me get control over
a lot of that.
Donnie Hathaway (14:05):
Yeah, that was your first book, Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within, or whatwas the first book that really
like kicked it off for you?
Dr. Jordan Axe (14:11):
That's a great question.
Actually, because I had theHashimoto's issues, I was like,
okay, you know, this is verydear to me, I want to really
become an expert in this, inhashimoto's.
So, um, dr karazian, he's afunctional medicine doctor.
I read his book on overcominghashimoto's, so it was actually
(14:34):
some hashimoto's books.
I just jumped into it like earlyon yeah to try to, but, um,
that was the first more likemotivational book and it's still
my favorite book.
It's like the first one's likemy favorite one.
Yeah, I feel like that's alwaysthe case.
Right, like the first more likemotivational book, and it's
still my favorite book.
Donnie Hathaway (14:44):
It was like the first one's, like my favorite
one yeah, I feel like that'salways the case right, like the
first book for me it was um richdad, poor dad.
Yeah.
And kind of the same thing, likeI was, I think at that point I
was thinking about I'dconsidered real estate and, um,
(15:05):
looking for something to likemindset, like I needed something
, yeah, and and I jumped intothat and it's still, it's like
one of my favorite favoritebooks.
Yeah, it's a big, big shift inmy, I think, maybe because it's
like that, that big, like shiftbig first yeah yeah right.
Dr. Jordan Axe (15:14):
So it's like the stamps, the the time period
right but even like today, it'slike I fell away from a lot of
that.
But now I'm like man.
I don't think I might open thatbook back up.
You know, it's like somethingyou always, if you're not moving
forward with it, you're movingbackwards, you're like losing.
You're losing it you know, it'slike I felt like, oh, I got my
mind right, I got this right, Igot my business right, but then
(15:35):
it's like, okay, now you know.
So that's been like some thenew year I've been thinking a
lot about, like, okay, we got toget back into those habits that
got us here.
You know, yeah, it's not.
Like oh, I check check mark, Ican work on something else.
Like no, there's no, you can'tcheck these things off that
stays with you.
Donnie Hathaway (15:53):
Yeah, yeah, that's so true, I think I was
talking to somebody um, but kindof the same thing, like the
last couple years actually lastyear I kind of got out some of
my morning habits and stuff tooum, and I've kind of been
thinking about like, okay, youknow reading like I didn't read
much last year and then that Ihad, you know, the last four or
five years before that.
(16:13):
So like getting back into thehabit of like just reading a few
pages every single night, orwhatever it is yeah you know
it's a big part of it.
Um, so you opened your practicein 2016.
Dr. Jordan Axe (16:31):
Yep, what, what was the hardest part of like
getting started, or that firstyear in practice?
Um, everything, I mean it was,I remember, like the first
patient walked in and she's like, oh, like, is there any other
equipment?
Like you know it was like likeyou don't have that rolling
volume like high energy, like 10people I'm like, oh my gosh,
you know, I remember like Ilearned my own facebook ads,
just staying up like three inthe morning, like uh, it's a
(16:55):
little bit too advanced for menow, but back then it was a
little easier to run your ownads.
But yeah, just new people.
And then I would say, rightafter that was just this
realization of like, oh, Ithought like I just hired
someone and show them what to do, and then they knew that, and
then they just got better at iton their own.
And then, being like, no,actually you have to like tell
(17:17):
them 10 times and train them onit.
Like 20 times, and then youprobably still need to touch
base with them and make surethey're still doing it that way,
because I was such aself-starter I didn't realize
starting a business.
I just thought people were likeme yeah right and like as we
grow and start to hire people,like having, like I mean it
(17:39):
sounds a little ridiculous, butthat's kind of what I thought.
You know, like I just show themonce and then they would excel
at it.
Donnie Hathaway (17:45):
Yeah, linearly yeah ever after not the case.
Dr. Jordan Axe (17:48):
Yeah, you know like and so that was that was
hard and that was like, oh mygosh, like it wasn't really a
natural skill set.
I had right, that's like.
It's like okay, I need to learnhow to market.
Okay, I need to.
Now I need to, like, be abetter doctor and learn these
techniques and learn thesetesting.
Okay, I got that.
Oh, now the none of the staffknows what they're doing.
(18:09):
There's no systems.
Okay, now I have to learn howto create systems.
Now I need to learn how totrain staff.
I was like it's, it was thebest thing I ever could have
gone through, because I probably, like, in a year or two,
learned could take decades.
It seems like you know cause it.
Like in a year or two, learnedcould take decades.
It seems like you know, Becauseit was like you better learn
this or you're not going to payyour debt off.
You know.
Yeah.
I think what's his name.
(18:32):
He's got that book like thePower of being Broke.
Okay Right, it's like thatwhole situation and so it forced
me to become a leader.
And then it forced me how tolike.
I remember the book tractiongain control over your business.
Donnie Hathaway (18:44):
You know, yeah, so it just oh gosh how do you
so, how did you balance all that?
Because I think that's that's ahard part for um, for a lot of
like uh, entrepreneurs, businessowners and they and they I'd
say most of the small businesscommunity doesn't like get past
(19:06):
that where they hire staff andand truly become like the ceo of
their business.
They just get stuck in like theI'm just working this job and
maybe I have some staff that aretrained to do some things right
, but they're not like you'renot like truly leveraging their,
their expertise or whatever.
So how did you like balance allof that in those first two
(19:27):
years to to grow yourself andgrow the business?
um was it just like late nightsjust?
Dr. Jordan Axe (19:37):
yeah, uh.
Well, you know, having mentorsright is so important, just be
able to call at night and belike, yeah, this is going on.
Just getting that little bit ofdirection Just between my
brother and my brother-in-law isa chiropractor, started a
business.
My cousin Just meeting peopleat seminars, I had a lot of good
people in my corner, I just hadto really reach to them for
(19:59):
direction and figure out whatthe heck, what's the next step.
But you know, then you're,you're, you're fueled by it's
new, it's exciting.
So it definitely gives you someenergy, you know, starting a
new business yeah, yeah, likethat.
Donnie Hathaway (20:17):
So your business acts holistic medicine
yeah what do you guys do therenow?
Dr. Jordan Axe (20:23):
um yeah, currently yeah, so, um, you know
I'm still a chiropractor, so westill have that part where we
do.
You know we treat autoaccidents and like help
herniated discs and whiplash andwe do my engineering mind like
we do really good to have theright machines and techniques to
fix that where a lot of theoffices don't.
(20:44):
It's just like a hot pack orwhatever feel a little bit
better.
Um, so that's part of ourclinic, but the bigger part
really is that functionalmedicine side.
We have multiple health coaches.
I have another lead doctor, drbinner, who's just brilliant,
like he's on vacation, he's likestudying new research and tests
(21:04):
that are coming out.
Yeah, so he just stays on theleading edge of all that.
I send him my labs.
I'm like tell me what to do,you know?
Yeah, so the doctor and healthcoaches you know we just help a
lot of hard cases and we justhave an amazing team.
So, yeah, just functionalmedicine, a lot of telemed,
probably 80 on the phone, okay,and uh, we bring normally six
(21:28):
months for someone where we tryto get them well doing the right
testing and health coaching.
You know, keep them accountable, work on their diet, um, habits
, mindset, training, breathing,exercises, all the supplements
they need to be doing you knowwe're doing everything a to z.
Donnie Hathaway (21:46):
So someone comes to you are they?
Are they coming to you andsaying like I, um, I have this
issue and I want it to get fixed?
Or, um, I just want to be abetter version of myself, like,
do you have a mix of that?
Or what are your?
What are your majority of yourpatients?
Dr. Jordan Axe (22:01):
We get everything.
Yeah, so I just want to behealthier to I'm dying, but a
majority of it is, I mean, kindof people like myself.
Like you know, I'm doing okay,I'm trying to make health
changes but, like you know, myweight's not the way I want it
to be.
(22:21):
I'm like, I'm tired, I don'thave the motivation I want.
I just got diagnosed withautoimmune disease.
I think my hormones are off,like my mood's not.
You know, it's just like someof these aren't even diagnosable
issues.
Like you want to feel betterand do better, right?
so, um, a lot of people, likepeople are going to their doctor
for these things and they'relike oh no, you know, you don't
(22:43):
have liver disease, you don'thave cancer, you're not anemic,
you're, you're okay, you'redepressed that's why you're
tired, take an antidepressant.
That's what's happening, wherewe're saying, okay, well, maybe
your, your hormones aren't bad,but maybe they're not optimal
yeah and let's let's not look atyour hormones, let's look at
(23:05):
your adrenals and your cortisol.
So that has to do with yoursleep and your mood and controls
your hormones.
Like, let's get, optimize that,even though it's normal in your
blood work right.
Let's, to digest a piece ofbread is the same amount of
energy to work out for an hour.
Is the same amount of energy towork out for an hour, oh wow.
(23:29):
So let's optimize your guthealth, because if it's working
inefficiently and it's burningtwo hours of energy instead of
one, okay, now you're, you'reburning half your energy just
because your digestive tract isworking very inefficiently, just
like a motor.
Right?
If it's self-consuming its ownenergy because it's so much
friction, you're not going tomake any horsepower.
So let's optimize your gutright.
80 of your serotonin anddopamine made in the gut.
(23:52):
It's released in the gut togive you mood, so you're not
anxious, tired.
Let's optimize the gut right.
So it's like we start there witha lot of patients.
We do a lot of stool testing,okay, just like I did with
myself.
Then we normally work on.
So that's number one.
Number two clearing the liver.
Cause your gut, if it's notworking properly, spills over
(24:13):
into the liver.
Okay.
And your liver has like hundredsand hundreds of functions.
So we clear the liver, then wedo it.
If there's like a mold detox,heavy metal detox, we get all
this junk that's junking up yoursystem, slowing you down,
slowing your brain down, slowingyour weight loss down, um, and
then we do testing.
I call it kind of a cherry ontop.
(24:35):
That's when we optimize all thehormones, because a lot of
people are going even to a wholelot more holistic office and
they're just getting hormonesand it's like, well, well, your
liver has to process yourhormones and your gut is where
you're pooping and getting allthe excess hormones or
non-precious hormones out.
So I'm like, how can you dothat when you haven't laid the
(24:55):
framework down?
yeah sometimes I have to startover with patients, like stop
doing all that stuff.
We're going to do it in sixmonths from now and it's going
to work a hundred times betteryeah right.
So that's kind of our theory,that's kind of our process.
We go through with patients andwe've been able to help a lot
of people with it, um, but thething we do before all well,
during the beginning of all,that is kind of that lifestyle
(25:18):
yeah the mindset like what areyou thinking, what are you
reading?
what are your relationships like?
What are you eating, exercise,time management, right?
So I was watching a video.
He's like it's not.
It's not about time management,it's more about energy
management.
And it started to be like Iwant to get home and I want to
(25:39):
eat healthier and I want to readthis and get some extra stuff
done.
I'm like I want to eathealthier and I want to read
this and get some extra stuffdone.
I'm like it's six o'clock, Ihave four hours, but I'm tired.
Yeah Right, I have the time.
Technically, people are sayingthey don't have the time, no, no
no yeah.
You don't have the energy left.
Yeah, true, and for me that wasmy thing at the beginning of
(26:01):
this year.
When I'm doing having healthcoach, doing health coaching for
myself is like let me get myenergy up, let me get my mind
right so that I can have thetime, I can have the energy to
do those things Right.
Donnie Hathaway (26:17):
So it's really like laying the.
It's almost like like you'rebuilding a house, right, you
gotta, you gotta lay thefoundation first, right.
It's almost like like you'rebuilding a house, right, you
gotta, you gotta lay thefoundation first, right.
And that's kind of figuring outlike what's going on with your
gut and all that stuff, likewhat you're talking about, and
then and then you can work on onbuilding up the walls and
putting on the roof andeverything.
Yeah, um, yeah.
It's interesting because, liketraditional medicine, right.
(26:40):
It's like oh yeah, let's, let'stake, take this, let's try to
solve this issue with this, withthis medicine.
Dr. Jordan Axe (26:45):
that might create more issues and stuff
yeah, um, yeah, we do it withnatural health too, in a way.
Yeah right, covering stuff up,or here's a supplement pill
instead of a medication for acondition.
It's like well, is that reallyfixing the?
What's triggering all thisright?
Donnie Hathaway (27:00):
yeah, so when it's it's almost like that that
should be, like, like why isn'tthat healthcare from an early
age?
Like let's you know, in, in.
Can you do like the um, likethe stool, testing yearly or how
often?
Like would you do that?
Cause, like things are changingright, your diet's changing a
(27:23):
little bit your body's changingI mean because that like
literally saved my life.
Dr. Jordan Axe (27:27):
Essentially, I do one a year.
Okay, it's always been my myweakest link.
But for a lot of patients, wedo regular blood work.
We do, um, a dutch stool test.
We do a lot of times do a dutchtest that's to look at like
your cortisol and likedeficiencies and your hormones
(27:47):
and all that.
So, yeah, once we fix all that,like, hey, let's touch base.
You're doing great, you haveyour resources, you're your own
doctor.
Now you know what you're doing.
Let's do a checkup in sixmonths, um, and, yeah, let's.
It's been a year now.
Let's go ahead and redo thatstool test and make sure
everything's on the straight andnarrow and get everything
optimized before something elsehappens.
Donnie Hathaway (28:08):
So, yeah, absolutely, we want to stay up
on that every six months orwhatever, and it's like to me
that makes sense, right, Like weshould all be doing that.
Yeah, you know.
Dr. Jordan Axe (28:21):
But yeah, people go, oh, you know, I got my
yearly health check or whatever.
Oh, yeah, you know.
But yeah, people go, oh, youknow, I got my like yearly
health check or whatever.
Oh, I'm good, I'm like, what'sthat even mean?
Like what did they even check?
Okay, like you're not diabetic.
Donnie Hathaway (28:34):
Okay, what about everything else going on
in your body?
Yeah, I think they they legit.
Just have a conversation, rightyeah that's the conversation
you have with, with the, withthe uh, with the gps, and yeah,
so yeah, like we're talkingabout testing yeah one of them
is a organic acids test.
Dr. Jordan Axe (28:48):
A lot of people don't know about it.
That's what I give to sometimeskids or I give to my healthy
patients that they don't evenknow what direction to go.
I just want to optimize things.
My blood work was normal, mycholesterol is good, all that's
good, and organic acids testbasically shows you if you have
any like mitochondria, energydeficiencies, some vitamin
(29:08):
deficiencies.
It's got like a gut biomarkers.
Is there anything that'sovergrowing in your gut that you
don't know about?
Um, it's got a liver section onit and it's got like your
neurotransmitters, like you'relike the brain.
Everything's fine, correct.
So I love that test forprevention.
So I know some people watchyour channel.
You know like successful people, real estate, all that, like
(29:30):
just be a better.
You sharpen your brain, makesure you don't have anything
coming down the pipeline.
Um, that's a cool test a lot ofpeople don't know about yeah
that's pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
It's a urine test, you just do it at home nice,
simple simple I like.
Donnie Hathaway (29:44):
So let's go back to the mindset that you
were talking about, right,because I think that's a big
part of it and I feel like thelast couple, last few years that
we've we've had as a society,like mindset is even more
critical, I think, than than itever has been before.
You know, talk to me about like, like your approach to like
(30:05):
managing your mindset and, um,like, what are you helping your,
your patients with?
Dr. Jordan Axe (30:11):
oh, mindset, yeah, it's such a, it's such a
big one.
Well, I mean, I think, findingpurpose.
You know, starting at the top,like why am I waking up?
Why am I going to work, likeyou know, like, obviously,
finding that big, why I think,is really big, um, this changed
for me over the years but, youknow, when I was originally
(30:31):
starting out, it was like I haveto get the word out that, hey,
you don't have to live withthese conditions, like your
doctor, just because he doesn'thave the answers doesn't mean
you're hopeless.
Like I had this message.
I'm like I got to get this outto the masses.
Like this message essentially,right, it's like the gospel,
it's like the health gospel.
Yeah.
Right, I got to get thisinformation out and that was a
(30:53):
driving force between startingthe business and everything else
.
So I think identifying that andfor some people it might be
something more simple, like youknow, I just want to make
everyone smile, right, and maybeby making them smile they're
more likely to do whatever orfind the Lord or whatever.
You know, it could be justsomething simple.
(31:14):
It doesn't have to be startinga business, but I think figuring
that out is first and that canchange too, like you said, like
it changed for you.
Donnie Hathaway (31:23):
I think when I first like heard that concept of
, like you know, find your whyit was when I got into real
estate, it was like to find thatyeah I thought I had to like
have it figured out from likeday one of like my ultimate, why
that's never going to change.
Yeah.
And I struggle with that, butlike realizing, like, oh no,
that changes, you know.
Dr. Jordan Axe (31:40):
Yeah, and that's okay.
Yeah, exactly yeah, but and youknow it's a consistency of it
for mindset, like I think thefundamentals for me is like
reading and praying in themorning and maybe listening to
(32:01):
something motivational, likelistening to a video on success
and like the eight ways, and youknow, just like feeding my mind
what I'm working on and reading, praying, like meditate, like I
think breath work and likemeditating anything in that kind
of sphere is super importantwhen it comes to mindset,
(32:22):
because that's your time tofocus and take all the things
you're thinking about and kindof like organize them.
Essentially, it's like, hey,you have all these words, but
until you organize them into asentence, it's kind of just
gibberish chaos, yeah and so Ithink you know meditation is a
way to do that and there'sdifferent types of breathing.
(32:43):
Um, there's box breathing,there's wim hof.
You know, it's like it doesn'treally matter, just start with
one, just google one and juststart it and then try another
one and see what works yeah aslong as just like working out.
Sometimes it just doesn't matterwhat you're doing, as long as
you're doing it.
So mindset to me is likegetting those things together,
(33:04):
those two or three things, andjust trying to do them like five
days a week.
Yeah, right, for me that was my2025.
Like I have my things I want todo five days a week, not seven.
I'm good with five, yeah I havemy other things that I want to
do twice a week.
You know I don't need to do aton, so I think it's the mindset
is finding those core thingsand doing them consistently and
(33:26):
I and I yeah, I want to touch onlike what you said, like five
days a week, like that can beconsistency.
Donnie Hathaway (33:32):
It doesn't have to be like everyday consistent,
you know, because it's hard todo that, especially starting
from zero.
So if it's like you're goinglike I need to work out, you
know consistently we'll work outlike one day a week,
consistently.
Dr. Jordan Axe (33:44):
If that's like your starting point, you know.
Donnie Hathaway (33:46):
Yeah, yeah.
So what is so?
You mentioned like reading,meditating, praying, journaling
any journaling- yeah, yeah, yeah.
And you do those like that'slike your morning routine.
Do you have like any of thatstuff at nighttime?
Dr. Jordan Axe (34:02):
I should, but no , not really.
I think.
For me, um, what I like to doat nighttime is just think about
the next day.
Start to put a calendartogether, kind of like a to-do
list.
Yeah, um, but no, that's a good, that's a.
That's a great idea.
Um, yeah, it was.
(34:24):
I love this quote.
It's like if everyone should bemeditating 20 minutes a day,
right, organizing their thoughts, but people say, well, what if
I'm too busy?
Well then you should bemeditating an hour a day, right,
yeah.
So it's like if you're so busyyou can't even do these things.
Like, wow, you're sodisorganized, like your kind of
(34:44):
brain is so disorganized and youhaven't really figured out, you
haven't meditated.
Like meditating is like you canfigure out what's priority,
what should I really be doing,what should I be cutting out?
Donnie Hathaway (34:53):
like yeah, I love that.
I think that's a good point,because I I feel like I've been
more aware of that recently andit you, when you are, when you
do you take that 20 minutes orwhatever it is right, and then
you have like your time block oflike I'm gonna work during this
time.
Dr. Jordan Axe (35:10):
I think you're more efficient because one
you've organized your thoughts,you know what needs to be
accomplished and then, likementally, you're a little bit
more clear so you're able tolike focus in on on that task
yeah you know um, yeah, mindsetis is everything yeah, the other
, um, I feel like this was likemore hippie science or whatever,
(35:37):
but now it's become realscience, like the fact of like
yeah, there was, there's so manystudies on this now, but it's
like I could eat something andif, like, mentally I feel like
it's unhealthy for me, it'sgonna have like a negative
(35:57):
effect on your body.
But if you like believe thatyou're gonna absorb the
nutrients and you're gonna likeit's gonna have a positive
effect on your body, right, soit's just like what you believe
about what that's gonna do toyou is like more important is,
obviously, what you're eating isimportant, but like your
beliefs around that are soimportant.
(36:18):
There was a study about likethey're putting like rats on the
, on these hamster wheels orwhatnot, and like to exercise
and like hey, the ones that theywant to do it because they knew
it like helped them feel better.
So the rats would go on thereand, like all their health
markers would go up.
But there was another one that,at the same time, they would
force them to do.
They didn't have a choice, itwasn't like an open thing, they
(36:39):
just were forced.
These rats did the exact sameaction, but these had like their
health markers went down andthese went up.
Yeah, and it was like they didthe same thing, they ate the
same thing, they did the sameexercise, but like um, like
their belief about, like theirmindset around it.
Donnie Hathaway (36:57):
Yeah, you know so I, I think I heard that too,
so that that goes into like you,you can't force anybody to do
anything.
Right like they have to beready, willing and able to like
take care of their health rightand so that's them, like walking
in the door to see you um,which is why, I mean all these
(37:19):
hell things get overwhelmed.
Dr. Jordan Axe (37:20):
Overwhelming because there's so many things
to do and it's like that's a lotof people like working out.
you know like, yeah, I don'thave a good mindset about going
to an enclosed gym for an hour.
Some people like it.
There's there's a socialcomponent, there's a get the
frustration out.
It's like therapeutic for them.
No, I want to be outside.
So for me it's like, hey, I canmentally enjoy like hard
(37:43):
circuit for 15, 20 minutes.
15, 20 minutes, that's all I'mgoing to do.
But if you would like force meto stay there another four
minutes, it's just not good forme, right.
So I think people are like, no,it's worthless, unless you can
go do it for an hour, I'm notgoing to change my diet unless I
can eat fully this way.
It's like it's not true, right?
And so it's just like making asmall change, doing a crappy
(38:08):
workout for five minutes.
Hey.
And like you believed it, youenjoyed it.
You got a little bit of a sweaton.
That's great.
That's helping you a lot, right.
You know what I'm saying.
So I think people are justoverthinking it.
It's like do what you, what'sgonna like, what's gonna help
you, right?
And it's like don't, don'toverthink it, don't think you
(38:32):
have to do this grand thing.
It's like, no, just do a littlebit of it each day and it'll be
fine, it'll be great.
Donnie Hathaway (38:36):
Yeah, you know like I, um, I started following
this, this training program, andhe, he talks kind of about that
where it's like he's like ifyou, if you like, struggle with
the workouts or whatever, likedon't finish the workouts, like
I, I have, like it's like anhour-long workout, but if that's
too much for you or whatever,um, or you're just getting
(38:57):
started, like, don't finish them, make it easy, so it's like
it's not draining you.
And then you feel like the, thewant to come back to it, like
oh, I left more on the table.
You know I left some on thetable and I want to.
I want to come back to thatright and I've kind of like
adopted that mindset andeverything right.
So it's like sometimes you justdon't feel like reading a whole
(39:19):
lot or meditating for 20minutes or whatever it is right,
so like let's meditate for twominutes yeah whatever I have in
me that day, like that's, I'mjust given 100 of like wherever
I'm at that day yeah you know,which is yeah.
So if you had to pick, like thelike, an overall, like if you
(39:41):
know I need to focus on myhealth, like what are four to
five things that I should, Ishould be focusing on yeah, if
you're like, hey, I want to gethealthy, like where do I start
right?
Dr. Jordan Axe (39:49):
yeah um, like I said, I think that morning
routine is so important gettingup earlier like I love getting
up when the sun comes up andhaving, like you're filling your
brain with good stuff, maybe acouple of pages in the Bible, a
couple of pages out of a bookyou like like a video, like just
get your positivity flowing inyour brain, and then maybe
(40:12):
meditating five, ten minutes,like now you're ready to crush
the day.
So for me I think that's numberone getting that set um.
Number two, like we said,getting your like your vision
and your goals and, um, like,what the heck are you doing with
your year, you know?
(40:33):
like letting that that's gonnabe your, that's going to drive
you to get everything else done.
We're about like the otherthree things right, like that's
what's going to push you forward.
So that has to happen.
And then I think, um, I'm ahuge believer in functional
medicine.
Like you got to get your bodyand your internals right so you
can do all this stuff, now thatyou have the why behind it, now
that you have the morning, youknow, routine to support it, um,
(40:56):
I think finding a goodfunctional medicine doctor
sitting down, getting pickingmaybe one test that you or the
doctor thinks is super important, take a look under the hood and
optimize your health.
Um, and you know, with that,having that accountability
partner, having that healthcoach to with my health coach I
(41:18):
did the same thing.
I'm like there's like threedifferent types of like
meditation I don't even knowwhat it means anymore.
She's like just do this one.
I'm like, okay, I like that.
You know what I mean.
Like I'm like overthinking itright.
She's like just do this, okay,shut up, okay, I'm good.
Now my mind's there again, youknow well.
I think the fourth thing whichwe and you were talking about a
little bit earlier was um, yougotta, you gotta enjoy life.
(41:41):
Yeah right, laughter is the bestmedicine yeah how funny is that
that we have this quote, butit's like no one's talking about
the quote that much and I'mlike we're talking about
medicine, but what aboutlaughter?
You know what I mean it's likeand I told you, like all the
patients we haven't been able tohelp that I looked at which is
really not that many people Ilike I could literally just
(42:04):
think of them because it's likeone person like a year or
whatever, Like really.
I'm like because I was upsetthat I couldn't help this person
at least a little bit, and I'mlike man, all they had no
hobbies.
They weren't traveling, liketheir marriage wasn't good, they
didn't really have any funpeople they were hanging out
with.
I'm like no good relationship,nothing fun, no hobbies.
You know, uh, you know I thinkabout some of these.
(42:27):
It's guys and girls, but guysthat I think of that are just
like like not healthy at all,but man, they're like they're in
their bowling league andthey're like in all these clubs
like in these greatrelationships and they're in
these sports, getting a littlebit of activity like they're,
they're having fun and they'reconnected.
(42:48):
It's like we're made to havethese good relationships and
we're made to have fun and beoutside and do sports.
You know, it's like gettingback to like those roots of a
connection and enjoyment andfulfill like.
So for me it's I would saythat's kind of like the fourth
thing yeah it's just enjoy bejoyful and laugh um.
Donnie Hathaway (43:12):
I love that and it's almost like like community
right, like find your group ofpeople that are, you know, doing
similar things, and yeah, Ifeel like it's hard to like like
work heavy and you got to haveyour job in nine to five or you
(43:39):
know, you got to grind it outand and work so much yeah and
and people kind of forget about,like enjoying life yeah you
know, like, what is it thatbrings you joy?
Like, go do more of that so offthe sidetrack guys.
Dr. Jordan Axe (43:53):
But like something else I was thinking
about yeah, with this enjoymentthing, um is like it's that,
that, that balance, that yin andyang of like you know, you
could partially retire and justhave all day to do all the fun
things.
But, to be honest, because I'veslowed down, like last year a
little bit now.
Now I'm like really trying topush again.
(44:13):
I was like man, they're notthat fun when that's all you
have to do.
Like that, hey, I'm like reallytrying to push again.
I was like man, they're notthat fun when that's all you
have to do.
Like that I'm productive, I'mgetting like helping society,
I'm like loving and helpingother people with their goals,
like I'm a positive impact.
Like you feel, you know, likeyou've done something, you've
(44:36):
worked hard for it, and thenit's like you get done with your
day and like, oh, I get to gogolf.
That golf round, for somereason, is 10 times more
enjoyable when I had to work sohard for it and I was productive
all day.
And then I got to squeeze it inat the end of the day versus
walk around, do whatever, grabbreakfast, oh, we'll golf again,
whatever, you know, it's like,yeah, it's hot, it's tired.
(44:59):
I'm ready to go home.
Why am I even golfing?
Yeah, I don't know.
It's like kind of thisrealization of like it's so
important.
So maybe the fifth point isjust balance.
Donnie Hathaway (45:11):
Yeah, like really, and that's different for
everyone too, right?
Yeah, but it's, I think, Ithink you're, you're right.
It's like what's your purpose,right, like?
That's the main focus right butthen you need times like I
think it's like if you gaveeverything into all your
patients, like you're gonnadrain yourself and you're not
gonna take care of yourself,right, right.
(45:32):
So you're right.
Dr. Jordan Axe (45:32):
It's like the, the balance of that right but
when you have time away from thepatients and you're laughing
and enjoying life yeah, you'remore filled and right, and then
those patients you give thatmuch more.
It's that much more enjoyable.
So it's like balance iseverything when you really start
to look at it that way you knowI've been in both where I was
(45:53):
just just trying to have fun,and then I had where I was just
trying to help as many people aspossible and it was like
neither situation was good yeahso how do you?
Donnie Hathaway (46:06):
I don't think there's any tricks or whatever,
but like finding that balanceright, it's just like testing it
out, like seeing what works foryou yeah, um, yeah, that's a,
that's a great question.
Dr. Jordan Axe (46:19):
Yeah, I think everyone's different.
Yeah, and they're balanced.
But don't play stupid withyourself.
We know a lot more but for somereason we just play stupid
right, and I think that's thepower between meditation and
relaxation and journaling,because you know this stuff.
(46:40):
Sometimes you just have toorganize in your brain and write
it out and you're like, well,duh yeah okay, there it is.
Yeah, you know.
Donnie Hathaway (46:48):
So just more that self-awareness do you think
everybody has self-awareness,or is that like a?
Is that like a muscle like youcan exercise?
And oh for sure, I think yeahthat's.
Dr. Jordan Axe (46:59):
That's definitely a lot of uh dust on
that machine for a lot of people, and I think it's because we're
so busy that we don't have timefor it.
Essentially, like you don't,people aren't taking the time to
to look at what they're like,who they are, what's happening,
(47:19):
because it's like work, work,work, family, family, family,
ding ding ding on my phone, whatyou know.
So, um, and that's something wemean you've been talking about
today, it's like that's thewhole.
Well, if you're too busy, thenyou need to meditate for an hour
.
Situation of going directlywhere you want to go and cutting
out a hundred miles andfiguring out what do I need to
(47:42):
add, what do I need to to takeout?
Um, just for me, that's been.
It's like do that, like figureout where you're going a little
bit more yeah yeah and I hate tosay that too, because some
people just think they have tohave it all figured out before
they go anywhere, and that'seven worse.
(48:03):
That's true, right, you justneed to start going and let the
kind of some direction.
Yeah, but it's like hiking,right, it's like just just go up
the mountain.
Okay, now let me sit down, letme look, let me look at the map,
let me let me self-correct, andthen you need to start running
again, right, but if you neverget the map out and stop and
look and you're, you're justplowing through a jungle.
You have no time, you have noenergy I think a lot of people
(48:26):
are there.
Donnie Hathaway (48:26):
They're, they're not aware, they're just
yeah infinitely pushing forwardto who knows where yeah, and I
think that's like where the I'verealized like a lot the last
six months, whatever.
It's like the meditation andjust like being able to slow
down, like that's where thatreally comes in to play.
Is like to think through, likewhere am I going?
Or let me take aself-assessment of like you know
(48:50):
what's going on in myday-to-day, like am I truly
being as productive as I can beor efficient as I can be, you
know?
But if you don't take time tolike stop, then you're never
gonna figure that out.
Dr. Jordan Axe (49:05):
Yeah, I found for me like massages are a great
way.
I'm like man, is this my formof meditation?
Cause it's like so ADD, I'mlike, even if in my room, I'm
like I'm thirsty, maybe I'llmake some tea real quick.
You know, I don't know like I'mgetting a massage.
I'm not really like allowed tomove you're forced to stay still
(49:27):
not supposed to be using yourphone.
I'm like, yeah, okay, and it'slike some people draw.
When they're listening, they'llactually pay better attention
because they're drawing.
I'm like, well, they'relistening, they'll actually pay
better attention because they'redrawing.
I'm like, well, they're doingsomething, no, but it stops them
from being able to do any.
It's like I'm drawing and I'mlistening.
Yeah.
And for me it's like a massage.
(49:47):
It's like, you know, like I'mgetting worked on, so my mind's
kind of like thinking about thatand that's it, and then the
rest of my mind is just totallycleared out and I have like my,
all these ideas come to me, thethings that are frustrating me
come into my brain and I'm justlike walking through it.
Why am I mad about that?
That's ridiculous.
Okay, next time that comes up,blah, blah, blah.
(50:09):
Right, and you're just takingall this information and like
sorting through it.
But, um, I think a lot ofpeople, um, like, like I said,
for me, I think massages haveput me in a good spot for
meditating, but for other people, yeah, just also like getting
out on a mountain or justgetting outside where there's no
distractions, you don't havecell phone service.
(50:31):
So I think, for a lot of people, finding where they can
meditate, and then what and it'sdifferent for everyone yeah,
right, some people couldprobably do it when they're
driving.
They're just kind of like, yeah, okay.
Donnie Hathaway (50:43):
You know and they can process things, but I,
you know, I was just thinking,like when you were saying that,
like I, I used, I like to runand I would.
Um, I've gone through timeswhere.
I'm like, okay, I have aquestion or something I want to
think through, like while I'mrunning, and I'll try to do that
, like on the run, and I can't,like you know, really like focus
(51:04):
on like that topic.
Whatever I get, you know, Ijust my mind's going everywhere,
but then, like towards the endof the run, like that's when,
like more thoughts come to mefor whatever reason.
Right, I just thought of thatI'm'm like that's kind of
interesting.
Um, but you're right, it's likeit's different for everybody, so
(51:25):
you try a bunch of differentthings, right?
Yeah, yeah, cool, all right.
So how can people get in touchwith you and and visit your
clinic and learn more about you?
Dr. Jordan Axe (51:30):
yeah, um, we're in tampa so, like I said, we're
80 telemed, but we do see peoplein clinic if they're local.
But just our website, ax,holistic medicinecom, ax it's my
last name tons of greatresources on our website.
You can find all kinds of stuff, um, and then you have my
instagram youtube, dr jordan ax.
(51:50):
Like my youtube I did on my ongut health.
I did like a 10 minute video on, like my stool test and all the
things I went through, just sopeople like know what I'm
talking about.
Um, so I have some cool like 10minute tutorial, a disease on
some of the stuff we talkedabout, nice and uh yeah, just
give us a call, answer questionsand come to the office and hang
(52:12):
out yeah, that's awesomejoining me and thanks for being
here.
Donnie Hathaway (52:15):
Yeah, thank you .
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