How To Positively Change Your Life To Be Healthy Again

DATE: June 5, 2026

DESCRIPTION: Explaining how he was inspired to change his life, physiotherapist Brad Dixon shares how this transformation can benefit anyone. This episode will encourage you with fresh ideas on how to make a positive change in your life. Brad Dixon is a physiotherapist, a successful athlete, athletic coach, and writer. He is the Director of EVERFIT Physio and Coaching and lives with his wife and two kids in Mt. Maunganui, NZ.

https://www.everfit.co.nz/

https://danbuettner.com/netflix/

https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath-book

HOST: James A. Devine

James is a registered school teacher, apprentice writer and podcaster. Along with hosting a podcast, James is working on his memoir- the life of an adoptee, and his goal is to be self published by 2026. He is an American-New Zealander and currently resides near his family in Whangamata, NZ.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello, everybody, and welcome to another episode of Life's Journeys, where we are inspired by people's transformation. I'm your host, James Devine, and today's short episode we have physiotherapist and sports coach Brad Dixon from New Zealand. I interviewed Brad not long ago in December 2023, and what I think you'll find intriguing is what caused the positive changes in his life. The full half-hour interview can be seen on my website, divineinspiration.org. And without any further delay, here's Brad Dixon. Today I'm grateful to have New Zealander Brad Dixon on the program to share his personal story of transformation and have a discussion about wellness and health. Brad lives in Mount Monganui, New Zealand with his wife and two daughters. He's a physiotherapist, an accomplished, successful triathlet. He has coached the Ultra Towerware Marathon team. And he's a writer of his book Holistic Human, which came out in 2020, which is a fantastic self-help book. And he's a director of Everfit Physio and Coaching. So welcome, Brad, to life's journeys.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

Hey, thanks very much. Thanks for the intro and uh thanks for having me on.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Well, it's great, it's great to have you. And I just wanted to um share with you that we have something in common. Uh the athleticism and competing in sports. I've done many uh marathons myself and open water swimming and um competed on swim teams and for a long, long time. I still actually do some sporting events, but not so much the competition, but it's uh more the journey. So um most recently was um an open water swim at Fungamata, New Zealand, a 1.8 kilometer swim. Um, and it was absolutely great. I mean, I felt so good, and that's that's really the reason why I do it. Set a goal, reach the goal, and uh just have that awesome experience, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Yeah, absolutely. And that's a beautiful part of the world to swim that that particular um beach to point around that point there. It's um you know, the water's gorgeous, and you just feel in touch with nature, it's just good for your soul. So those sort of events are really soul-enhancing.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

Oh, yeah, without a doubt, beautiful country, and it was a great, great conditions too. So, just a bit of a backstory for the audience. I first met Brad at a public speaking event that he was holding at the Papamoa Library on plant-based diet. And I went along, not knowing what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. And intuitively, at the end of it, it came through go buy his book. So, I mean, it's just lovely when that happens, right? And I ended up buying it, uh, his book, Holistic Human. And I have to say, it's a fantastic self-help book, Brad. And it resonated with me with meditation and yoga, spirituality, uh, some new areas, cold water immersion therapy, that was new, and these things that I've started to incorporate into my daily routine. So I'm so so grateful for it.

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Awesome. Well, thanks, thanks for for buying it and taking it on and and just being, I think, open and curious to some some new ways to to live to enhance you and not only yourself, but a lot of those habits are also pretty good for the planet as well. So that's what I'm trying to promote.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Oh, yeah, absolutely. So, Brad, just um

Transformative Period

SPEAKER_00 4:05

first question. There was a transformative period for you where you accelerated your journey uh and understanding of wellness. Um can you share with us what was that tipping point that started you on this journey?

SPEAKER_01 4:24

Yeah, well, I think we had to probably go back from that tipping point to sort of see what nudged me towards the edge. And um my first experience with I think mortality death was my grandfather um who passed away when I was 12 of a massive heart attack, and he was a very fit man, and um I didn't think uh that was fair or even possible. And then uh following that, about 10 years later, my father um had a needed a quadruple bypass because his arteries were so clogged. Um and again, he was a pretty fit guy with nothing outwardly showing that that he was in any sort of medical distress. And then following that, I think the tipping point for me was in around 2013 uh was my my uncle diagnosed with grade four bowel cancer in only given months to live. And he he was the guy that started blogging and emailing the family about lifestyle changes to try to prevent disease. And um, he's the one that sort of piqued my interest in this, and I started to look into some of the things that he was talking about and put some of those things into my lifestyle, and that's what really created the momentum. And so I think the tipping point was my my uncle's diagnosis, and he eventually eventually passed away. Um, and and from then I just sort of dived in and tried to look at how can I be more well, um, what does holistic wellness mean? And then also it helped me with my physiotherapy and coaching practice because I try to implement a lot of these lessons into other people's lives as well. So it's been a really it's been a really yeah, just a journey that's been very fulfilling.

unknown 6:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Awesome. Thanks for that. So you introduced

Breathwork

SPEAKER_00 6:20

some new methods, um, James Nestor, um, but also Wim Hof. And so thankfully, and thank you, I have a new way of using breath work to help me focus, help me with my meditation. Um, James Nestor, I just want to ask this question. He is quoted as saying that if you are not breathing correctly, you will always be sick. So I know that sounds horrible, but what does he what does he exact mean by that question and this breathing through the nose, nasal breathing? What's the benefits of that?

SPEAKER_01 6:57

Yeah, so James Nestor's book, I think, is very, very good. Um, I mean, that statement's probably again probably a bit too much black and white, but but he's correct in the fact that if you're breathing ineffectively and inefficiently, um, it could be a precursor to poor health. So he talks about in his book how we need to be breathing in our nose and then out our mouth and nose. And there's a number of reasons for this. You know, when you're breathing in your nose, it humidifies the air, um, so it warms it, it makes the gas exchange in the in the lungs um easier. So you're able to get oxygen into the blood a little bit easier if you're breathing in your nose compared to breathing through your mouth. Now, the nose is a natural filter, it filters out um you know some dust and um and another foreign bodies in the air, so it means that the air is um going into your to your lungs probably a little bit cleaner, um, and it just also encourages the diaphragm to work a little bit more effectively. So when you breathe in your nose, your diaphragm is working, which means you're breathing correctly. Um, you're not using accessory upper chest muscles, which can create again a stress type state on the body when you breathe in correctly, like this, um it kind of with its with its two million-year-old circuitry thinks of fight or flight, and you tend to be in a more fight or flight response, which can then create more issues with possibly looking to burn more carbohydrates than fat. There's a whole lot of things that sort of mix in. So, breathing in your nose is going to improve your efficiency to breathe, it's gonna improve, encourage the diaphragm to work, and it's just gonna have a whole lot of other health benefits. So, for me, it's making sure that you're checking in with yourself and that you're breathing in your nose. And if you're a mouth breather, if you're a chronic mouth breather, you know, it's it's you need to try and change that method because it's not as effective and efficient and might also create health issues, you know. And there's some there's some research in that book, um, breath by James Nestor, that goes into that quite deeply.

SPEAKER_00 8:56

Yeah, it's um it's it's wonderful when you mentioned that. Look at James Nestor, you sent me a link, and uh I I was absolutely thrilled and uh inspired uh by his research. And it's it and it helps. I mean, I think one of the main things for me is about sleep deprivation and helping me improve my sleep and this whole idea of uh taping your mouth closed. I thought that was quite extreme, but I actually tried it, you know, in the day and it it helps, it helps. And then I tried it during sleep and it came off, but uh I'll keep trying. But I think the idea with that is to stop this or the sleep apnea, I think. Um so and yeah, and and it it breath work does, you know, I do it before I go to bed and my meditation, and that just calms my system down, brings my heart rate down. I've done that and proven that with myself. I've dropped my heart rate within minutes, uh, you know, the beats per minute by four or five beats. So um have you had improved sleep through through breathwork?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Yeah, look, absolutely. Um back back a few years ago when I was doing it a little uh way more regularly. I used to do um five to ten minutes meditation before bed. Um, and it definitely helped calm the system, um, almost um get the mind in order, um, and then that definitely helps sleep quality. So I think breath work, um meditation, which is just a more formal way of doing breath work, um, definitely helps with sleep quality, and it's one tool that people should try before possibly looking at medication. I think there's a whole lot of other things that people should try, and and breath work and/or meditation before bed, uh, along with other things like journaling and going to bed at the same time every night and in dark room, all that sort of thing can can really help that quality of sleep. So, breath work's just another one of those great cost-effective tools that more people need to use.

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Yeah, no, absolutely. And and and again, back to the focus. I mean, certainly when you're jumping into the cold shower, uh, focused breathing does help. Did your deeper understanding of wellness um did that help you find your purpose in life?

SPEAKER_01 11:26

Yeah, look, I think it did. What what look what this whole journey has done for me is helped strip off layers that that that our society puts on us. You know, so we are we're all born into um family, um, sometimes dysfunctional family, functional family units within a culture, within a country. And so we have all these layers and expectations put on us. And sometimes that can disguise or hide who you really are. And so that know thine self chapter, I think it's one of the most important chapters for people to read because a lot of people are just flying around so busy and stressed doing stuff because they're expected to do it and don't really have time to figure out who they are, which sounds a little bit woo-hoo, I know, but it's just so important for people to maybe just sit down and stop for a little bit, and that's where the meditation and breath work can be very helpful, and just suss out who they are, and once you do know their own self, it really does help then be able to tap into things that you're passionate about, that you that you're good at, that can help maybe make you better, plus that needs to overlap into making the world better, and once you understand using your gift to improve yourself and the planet and the world or the greater community, something bigger than you, you know that that's when we will all as a society move into a better place or move to a um a better way of living. And and I think everybody's hopefully on that journey, but there's a lot of people that just never start it because they're just so busy, so busy rushing around that they never have time to think about it. And you know, and that's sad, but and that's what my uncle Murray's death, when he I think he started to think about that sort of stuff, and he started to do stuff and and and and just you know, he traveled and he he helped people less fortunate than himself than himself. He he really dived into a heap of a whole heap of things. He wrote a book, he he he did lots of stuff, you know. And I think when you know your time is up, when you're given a certain amount of time, you're gonna change how you live. Well, we all need to think like we need to all have that idea of mortality now. You know, what would you be doing if you knew in six months you're gonna die? How would you change your life? And I think we all need to start thinking like that and move to where we're supposed to go, what we're supposed to do, because at the moment, uh 80 to 90 percent of society are just flipping neck, they're just buzzing around, diving down rabbit holes, pointing the finger, yelling, making it creating division. Um, you know, and you maybe they just need to work on their own game a little bit more. Um, because it just seems there's so much static and white noise out there. Um it's creating and it's just creating a real problem for all of us.

SPEAKER_00 14:21

No, well, well said. I it's it's finding finding life's purpose, it's not easy. And it's easy to get get lost in the mire of the matrix, if you want to call it that, or the the hustle culture out there. And for me, it's um it's an ongoing process and finding my life's purpose. And I think for me, it it was just I know that I was I was on the right path, like for example, coming to your free seminar and these serendipitous moments that just kept happening. And uh, so it's just this journey that for me, I see these serendipitous moments. Like,

Key Pillars to Longevity

SPEAKER_00 15:00

for example, a friend mentioned Dan Butner's um Live to 100 uh secrets of the blue zones. And then I read in your book exactly that. So that's a serendipitous moment, reminding me, hey, you're on the right path. So that's a nice segue, and just a little mention about Dan Butner's amazing work and those four key points you he makes about you know life move naturally, um eat um wisely, uh connect with people, relationships, and having a good outlook on life. It just was fan fantastic. Um, I'm sure you've enjoyed his program.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

Yeah, yeah. So I've got several of Dan Butner's books. Um, you know, so I've read the blue zones and I've um he's got another one, you know, um about basically the power nine, which is the sort of nine um segments of life that we need to work on, and you've covered a few of those, you know, predominantly plant-based diet, community, um, having a faith, um, being involved in something bigger than yourself. Um, you know. But the big thing, the big takeaway from Dan Butner's work is I think is community. It's been having he talks about in a lot of these cultures that you know, these blue zones where people are happier and live the longest. Um, a lot of them will have an average of six friends, you know, six really good friends. So these are friends that you can call in the middle of the night if you've got an issue, um, friends that can really count. And then in our western society, this number is between one and two. We're not so we're hyper connected with with lots of shallow acquaintances, but we don't have that deep friendship, that deep sense of being belonging and being in uh a community. That's what these blue zone places um really show, is the pillar of health and well-being. And so that community and that relationships is so important. And if you have that, then you can base the other stuff on top. If you don't have that positive relationship, that community, then you know you can deal with the yoga and the cult therapy and that for the rest of your life, but you're never going to really have that true sense of well-being and connected connectivity.

SPEAKER_00 17:17

Well, I I absolutely agree with you, and again, Butner's work there was truly inspiring, and I enjoy watching it, and I've turned on a lot of people to it as well. And so lots of great lessons there, as well as um in your book. And so it's it's been it's been a pleasure, um, Brad, to have you on the program. And I hope um that you can come back and we can delve a little more deeper, um, zero in on some of these specifics uh that you great.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

Well, thanks for having me. I really enjoyed it, and um, we'll definitely catch up again soon.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

So thank you again for joining. Please share with friends, and until I see you again in a few weeks from now, all the best. Take care.