Dr. Fred Clary's Podcast

The Blood-Brain Barrier: How the Smallest Things Protect What Matters Most

Some of the most important things in life are also the smallest. The blood-brain barrier is an extraordinary microscopic system of specialized cells that protects the brain by carefully regulating what enters and leaves its delicate environment. In this podcast, we explore its fascinating biology, what it does and doesn't do, how inflammation, vascular disease, poor metabolic health, and other factors can compromise it, and practical ways to support brain health. We also examine other remarkable structures in the body, from the heart's electrical pacemaker to the kidney's microscopic filters, that demonstrate how something incredibly small can have enormous consequences. But the lesson extends beyond biology into psychology, life coaching, and sociology. Just as tiny cellular structures help maintain the health of an entire organism, small decisions, healthy boundaries, daily habits, acts of kindness, and individual relationships help shape our lives and sustain entire communities. We often believe meaningful change requires dramatic action, when in reality, the smallest things, consistently done, can produce the greatest results. Never confuse being small with being unimportant. Sometimes the smallest things are protecting everything that matters most.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about never confusing being small with being unimportant.

Life rarely unfolds exactly as we expect, but our neurological, psychological, and behavioral responses to disappointment can significantly influence how we experience adversity. In this episode, we explore how the brain responds when expectations are violated, how stress affects emotional regulation and decision-making, and why the stories we tell ourselves can intensify or reduce distress. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and practical life coaching, we unpack the timeless wisdom of "This too shall pass," examining real-world setbacks, social expectations, resilience, neuroplasticity, and the importance of distinguishing what we can control from what we cannot. The central message is simple: We cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can develop the ability to respond with perspective, patience, and purposeful action.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about a plan of action when life doesn't go your way.  

When the Weather Gets Into Your Head: Barometric Pressure, the Brain, and Human Behavior

Have you ever noticed that approaching storms or sudden weather changes leave you feeling tired, irritable, anxious, mentally foggy, or physically uncomfortable? Changes in barometric pressure, temperature, humidity, and sunlight can influence the nervous system, particularly in individuals susceptible to migraines, vestibular disturbances, and disrupted sleep. These environmental changes may affect neurological processing, autonomic regulation, circadian rhythms, and ultimately our mood and behavior. But the relationship between weather and psychology is more complicated than simply blaming atmospheric pressure for a bad day. Our brains constantly interpret bodily sensations and environmental conditions, and those interpretations influence how we think, feel, and react. While biology can help explain irritability, fatigue, anxiety, or reduced emotional tolerance, it does not excuse poor behavior. Understanding what influences our emotional state is essential, but learning to regulate our responses is what demonstrates psychological maturity. We cannot control the weather or every physiological sensation, but we can improve our sleep, recognize patterns, maintain healthy habits, and exercise greater self-awareness. Ultimately, the weather may influence the conditions under which our brain operates, but it does not have to determine the kind of person we choose to be. — Dr. Frederick Clary, DC, DIBCN, Chiropractic Neurologist and Life Coach

Real change is not proven by promises, apologies, or short bursts of good behavior; it is revealed through consistent patterns over time. Temporary behavior modification may happen because of fear, pressure, reward, or a crisis, while neurological adaptation develops through repeated healthier responses that gradually become easier and more automatic; character change goes deeper still, showing up in a person’s values, accountability, empathy, boundaries, self-control, and ability to respond differently even under stress. Watch what happens when they are tired, criticized, disappointed, told no, or given no immediate reward, because those moments often reveal whether change is superficial or becoming integrated. Genuine growth does not demand instant trust, does not require constant validation, and does not disappear when no one is watching. People can relapse without losing all progress, so look at the trajectory: are mistakes less frequent, less intense, recognized sooner, repaired more quickly, and followed by a return to healthier behavior? The nervous system learns through repetition, so every pause, responsible choice, act of restraint, and honest correction helps reinforce a new pattern. Believe that people can change, but do not confuse hope with evidence—listen to the words, watch the behavior, and judge change by consistency over time.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about watching positive change in others.

Getting out of your own bubble means deliberately exposing yourself to people, cultures, languages, experiences, and thoughtful opinions that differ from your own. Neurologically, the brain is plastic and adapts to what we repeatedly experience, so learning new skills, navigating unfamiliar environments, and considering different perspectives can challenge established mental patterns and encourage greater cognitive flexibility. Sociologically, remaining exclusively within an echo chamber can reinforce assumptions and stereotypes, while genuine contact with people from different backgrounds can increase understanding, empathy, and perspective-taking. From a life-coaching perspective, growth does not require abandoning your convictions; it requires having enough intellectual humility to test them against reality. Learn another language, travel, read serious thinkers you disagree with, enter unfamiliar environments, talk with people outside your normal circle, and listen before responding. Your experience of the world is real—but it is not the entirety of reality. Getting outside your bubble expands not only what you know, but how you learn, think, relate, and grow.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about getting out of your bubble.

Knowing a little history can save us from believing that every new trend, crisis, diet, political movement, medical claim, or social theory is completely unprecedented. History gives us perspective, while neuroscience reminds us that the brain naturally favors familiarity, emotion, confirmation, and belonging—making us vulnerable to repetition, algorithms, propaganda, and groupthink. Sociology shows how quickly opinions can become part of tribal identity, causing us to defend what “our side” believes rather than investigate what is actually true. Doing your own research does not mean automatically distrusting experts or believing social media instead; it means going to original sources, examining evidence, understanding context, listening seriously to opposing arguments, and asking what evidence could change your mind. Whether the subject is nutrition, politics, health care, or social science, the goal is not to become impossible to persuade, but to become difficult to manipulate, humble enough to say “I don't know,” and courageous enough to follow the evidence wherever it leads.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about why knowing a little history is important!

Some people do not reject proven experts because they lack intelligence; they reject them because expert advice can threaten autonomy, identity, ego, and deeply held beliefs. The brain is not a neutral information processor: confirmation bias, motivated reasoning, psychological reactance, sunk-cost thinking, and social identity can all push a person to defend what they already believe rather than update in light of better evidence. This is why some patients “doctor shop,” athletes ignore coaches, business owners reject consultants, and intelligent people keep asking the same question until someone finally gives them the answer they wanted. Seeking a second opinion is often wise; repeatedly searching only for agreement is something very different.

The solution is not blind obedience to experts, because experts can be wrong. The solution is disciplined intellectual humility: weigh expertise rather than merely count opinions, separate identity from beliefs, ask what evidence would change your mind, learn to tolerate the words “I was wrong,” and distinguish healthy autonomy from self-sabotage. A coachable person still questions, investigates, and thinks independently—but also updates when stronger evidence appears. Freedom means you are allowed to make your own choices; wisdom means accepting that reality does not owe your choices good consequences. The mature goal is not to become the person who is always right, but the person who can recognize error, correct course quickly, and keep moving closer to the truth.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about being coachable! 

Modern society is increasingly driven by emotional reactions rather than disciplined critical thought, a trend fueled by anti-intellectualism, social media, tribal identity, and the brain's natural preference for quick emotional judgments over slower analytical reasoning. Neurologically, the limbic system reacts long before the prefrontal cortex has fully evaluated evidence, making us vulnerable to confirmation bias, misinformation, and manipulation unless we intentionally cultivate reflective thinking. This shift has profound consequences for families, education, healthcare, business, politics, and public discourse, where feelings often outweigh facts and certainty replaces genuine inquiry. Rebuilding a healthy society requires strengthening intellectual humility, teaching people how to think rather than what to think, encouraging long-form reading and meaningful dialogue, verifying evidence before forming conclusions, and recognizing that wisdom comes from integrating reason with compassion. Emotion is an essential part of being human, but when it becomes our primary guide instead of a servant to truth, both individuals and civilizations lose their capacity for sound judgment, resilience, and lasting progress.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about emotional reaction vs critical thought! 

Healing does not begin in an injured joint, an aching muscle, or even an immune cell—it begins in the brain. The brain is the master control center that continuously interprets information from every part of the body and decides how to allocate energy, regulate inflammation, coordinate the immune system, repair damaged tissues, and adapt to changing environments. Every movement, breath, thought, emotion, and social interaction provides sensory input that shapes how the brain organizes healing. When the brain accurately processes this information and perceives safety, it creates the optimal conditions for recovery. When it is overwhelmed by chronic stress, poor sleep, inactivity, fear, or inaccurate sensory input, healing often slows because the brain prioritizes survival over repair.

Understanding that the brain controls healing changes how we approach health, performance, and everyday life. Recovery is not simply about treating symptoms—it is about improving the brain's ability to organize the body's response to injury, illness, and stress. Daily movement, quality sleep, controlled breathing, meaningful relationships, lifelong learning, and a strong sense of purpose all strengthen the nervous system's capacity to adapt and recover. Whether recovering from surgery, managing chronic pain, improving athletic performance, or simply striving for better health, investing in brain function is one of the most powerful ways to enhance the body's natural healing potential. The healthier and more adaptable the brain becomes, the greater the body's ability to heal, perform, and thrive.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks about why, when it comes to healing, our brains should be the highest priority! 

Connie Nightingale is a champion in every arena of life. A champion powerlifter, champion flat-track dirt bike racer, champion bodybuilder, devoted wife, and exceptional mother, she has built a life marked by discipline, perseverance, and excellence. Today, we examine the mindset and philosophy that transformed an ordinary person into an extraordinary winner—and the lessons each of us can apply to our own lives.

Dr. Fred Clary, founder of Functional Analysis Chiropractic Technique and lifting/life coach/ gym-chalk covered philosopher talks interviews an expert on  being an extraordinary winner.