Have you ever imagined working with your dream client? You know—the kind of person who gets mentioned after this prompt: “If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would it be?”
For Dr. Nick Athens, that dream wasn’t a daydream at all. It was part of his daily reality. Nick spent years as the chiropractor to legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana (yes, that Joe Montana).
You don’t have to love football to enjoy the takeaways I gathered from my conversation with Nick about his new book, To Health With You. His wisdom doesn’t just belong to world-class athletes. It belongs to every one of us who wants to keep living, moving, and thriving.
When Nick shared the name of his book, I thought “Now that’s a toast worth celebrating.” Forget champagne. Let’s clink glasses with something green and vaguely questionable-looking that your fast-food-lovin’ friends wouldn’t be caught dead drinking.
Here are five takeaways from my conversation with Nick that can change the way you think about health and longevity:
1. Think Like an Athlete (Even If You Hate Sports)
Athletes know their body is their contract. They don’t wait until they’re sidelined to take care of it. They train, stretch, and recover because their paycheck depends on it. But here’s the secret: So does yours. Your body might not be making you millions on a football field, but it’s the engine that fuels your career, your family, and your future. If you don’t maintain it, you’re renegotiating with yourself at a steep price later.
2. Stop Sleeping Like a Pretzel
Some of the worst habits happen while we’re unconscious. Sleeping on your stomach, curling your wrists under your chin, or slouching into that one sacred spot on the couch every night might feel cozy, but over time, those habits twist your joints and set you up for chronic pain. The fix? Switch positions, use a body pillow, and give your body a chance to rest without stress. Small tweaks today will save you years of pain tomorrow.
3. Mind Your Mood—Pain and the Brain Are Teammates
When you hurt, your brain isn’t handing out feel-good chemicals. It’s protecting you by dimming down the serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins you crave. That’s why pain feels like a double whammy: Your body aches and your mood tanks. But when you reset your body—through adjustments, stretching, or movement—you flip the dimmer switch back up. Less pain equals a better mood. It’s a win-win.
4. Build Your Health Care Team
Geese fly in V formation for a reason: It saves energy and gets them farther. Athletes have coaches for a reason. Coaches see what the athletes can’t. Yet, most of us try to muscle through life alone. You don’t need to. Your “pack” could be a chiropractor, yoga instructor, massage therapist, or walking buddy. Surround yourself with people who help you course-correct before your habits take you down the wrong road.
5. Calm the Storm
Your mind is like a hurricane. Most of us live in the chaotic outer bands, reacting to stress, anxiety, and what’s next on our to-do list. The trick is to step into the eye of the storm, where it’s calm enough to make good decisions. Laughter, movement, music, sunsets, friendship, and meditation—these aren’t luxuries; they’re anchors. They keep you present, steady, and strong enough to make the little decisions that add up to a better, longer life.
We all want the sweet spot: a wise brain in a body that still lets us hike, travel, laugh, and enjoy life without groaning every time we stand up. Getting there isn’t about perfection; it’s about breaking bad habits, thinking like an athlete, building a team, and calming the storm.
That’s what I call a life worth toasting. To health with you!
Be positively altered,
Dr. Cindy M. Howard
P.S. Want more of Nick’s wisdom (and a few laughs about golf being the dumbest sport on earth)? Tune in to the Positively Altered Podcast. It’s packed with tips you can actually use today to change your health trajectory tomorrow.