Ft Myers Beach - Good Neighbor

FMBGN-BIZ-Novare Medical & Wellness-Turning Strength Into Longevity And Confidence

• "Cabo" Jim Schaller • Season 5 • Episode 44

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What if the real clock on your life isn’t your age, but your strength? We sit down with Dr. Ivan Bracic, clinical director of Novaré Medical and Wellness in Fort Myers, to unpack why muscle, balance, and nerve health are the foundation of longevity—and how neighbors can rebuild capability without surgery or pills. From the first beach walk after pain to the confidence of standing up without armrests, this conversation is about restoring the freedom to live the island life on your terms.

Dr. Bracic shares Novaré’s restore, renew, radiate philosophy and explains the clinic’s integrated approach: manual care paired with noninvasive technology that jump‑starts neuromuscular function. You’ll hear how the “magic chair” (Emsella) creates thousands of pelvic floor contractions to improve balance, reduce low back pain and sciatica, and ease incontinence—while patients remain fully clothed. We also dive into Emsculpt NEO, a device that builds muscle, supports bone, and now carries FDA clearances for chronic and neuropathic pain, including diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The result: stronger legs, steadier gait, and the confidence to pick up grandkids or stroll the sand without fear.

Along the way, we explore the mindset shift from treating pain to building resilience, plus real stories of neighbors who reversed foot drop, calmed neuropathy, and reclaimed daily joys. Dr. Bracic’s vision is simple and bold: help our community age powerfully with strength, balance, and a clear mind—so the island spirit stays alive in every step. If you’re curious, the team welcomes walk‑ins for a no‑pressure tour next to Publix at Summerlin Crossings or a visit to novarewellness.com to see what’s possible

If this conversation sparks a goal you want to chase—more energy, better balance, fewer aches—hit follow, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a quick review to tell us the activity you’re ready to get back to.

Novaré Medical and Wellness
Dr. Ivan Bracic, DC
Summerlin Shopping Plaza
​15880 Summerlin Rd, Ste 114
Fort Myers, FL 33908
novarewellness.com

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"Cabo" Jim:

Welcome, good neighbors. Today we have a special guest. We have Dr. Ivan Bracic the clinical director from Novare Medical and Wellness. Welcome.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, thank you, Jim. It's so nice to be here.

"Cabo" Jim:

Yeah, pleasure to have you on and share your story with our listeners here and the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor podcast. So without further ado, how about for our listeners, you know, for the first time meeting you, why don't you tell us a little about a little bit about what Novari does?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Super. So my name is Ivan Bracic, and yes, I'm the director of Novare Medical and Wellness. Novare is a multidisciplinary clinic. We are a wellness practice built pretty much around one core idea, Jim, and that's helping people live stronger, longer, and more confident lives. You know, our philosophy is a pretty simple one. Let's see if we can restore, renew, and help someone's soul and body just radiate. We restore health and function. We renew one's vitality. We help with their confidence and help people radiate health from the inside out. Pretty much is what the name of our game is.

"Cabo" Jim:

And that's that's a great thing to do. So you grew you you grew up in Florida, right? Moved away, and then you found your way back. But why Fort Myers? Why now, right?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

That's that's true. You know, I grew up in St. Petersburg and I uh originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but my parents moved when I was young, and I fell in love with Florida immediately with the warm weather and the salt and the sun and the sea. Um I wound up uh going away to college and then going to Chicago to of all places, which was a huge departure. But after doing my stint up in Chicago, I finally was able, my boys were off to college, and I was able, they said, Dad, let's it now's your time. Let's uh get you back to Florida. So I did. And you know, I came down to Fort Myers because my sister and my 93-year-old mother live here, and she's in amazing health, and she's just such a radiant individual that uh being around family, as you know, is the most important thing, and that's what I do. That's what I that's what brought me here. I love it. Yeah, we love fishing and being outdoors all the time.

"Cabo" Jim:

That's that's a big thing. I was born in Wisconsin, grew up in Illinois, so I can appreciate the the lack of respect for the cold weather.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

I you know, I sense that little accent in your voice. Uh I was like, this this guy's from up north. I know he's a neighbor from this.

"Cabo" Jim:

I I blame my parents for not being born down here, but I got in here as quickly as I could. So I love it now. So in your journey, was there a defining challenge personally or professionally that kind of helped shape the way you practice today?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

You know, that's interesting. And there is because um early in my career, I guess I was blessed. As I mentioned, my mother's 93, right? And I didn't realize realize how broken down people get, um, how they get into pain. And they really, they really never know how to get out of that, but it's really a lifestyle change. And the turning point was really shifting my focus, not just from treating pain, but to building resilience, you know, see what I could do to build strength and confidence before these deep problems happen. And um, that's the mindset that we that we have, and that's the mindset that completely changed how we care for people.

"Cabo" Jim:

So along that lines, you know, why are strength balance and longevity? Why is that such a big focus for you?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, that's a great question. And you've heard of Peter Atia, correct? He was on 60 minutes. Yeah, you know, he's a very brilliant physician. And Dr. Atia said that strength, not one's age, is truly the measure of one's longevity. And it's no longer a nice to have. Jim, it's a biological requirement. And if we are, if we are going to live a life full of vitality, it needs to be focused around strength. Strength is everything. And if you don't have it, you're not going to live the quality of life that you have available to you.

"Cabo" Jim:

And and we need that quality of life living here on Fort Myers Beach. So, so how does that help people connect with the lifestyle down here specifically?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, you know, it's so funny because people come to Florida. Many people come here to retire, right? They're they're done working. It's like finally I get to retire on the beach, and I go to walk on the beach, and and I get to go out and be with my grandkids and go out boating and doing things. Well, if you have strength, walking on the beach is a no-brainer. It's a piece of cake. If you have strength, you have balance, and that means you can bend over and pick up your grandkids. That means that you can reach for something up high at the house without the fear of falling. You know, when it comes to strength and balance, this is key. This is really key to being able to live a long, thriving life, you know, one that's full of vitality.

"Cabo" Jim:

Absolutely. So, what makes Harari different from the other health and wellness uh healthcare practices in the area?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, we take a, as I mentioned earlier, we have an integrated whole body approach. So instead of just being a chiropractor that moves bones, I've combined my over 30 years of experience, education, and we have state-of-the-art non-invasive equipment to really help people stay strong and capable without hopefully keeping them away from the surgeon without any downtime. It's not about a quick fix, really, it's about sustained strength and confidence. And I'll talk to you about that a little bit more later in the kind of technology we have.

"Cabo" Jim:

And that's you know, and that's important. I know before this we we talked a little bit about technology. What role does that play with people and aging well?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, you know, we have MRI technology in our office. We have a group of materials, or I should say, machines that are manufactured by a company that really energize the body. We are able to build muscle in four treatments uh spaced out one time a week. We can make a muscle approximately 25% stronger without the patient doing a darn thing. Have you ever heard of such a thing? A lot of people would love that. It's really fascinating, and that's what got me into it because so many people suffer from something called foot drop. Foot drop is when you have the inability to raise the lower part of your foot, and then people stumble, they fall, and they'll they're going to break something. This machine can help me reverse that foot drop problem and get people strong again. It may take me some time, but we can get there, and that's truly remarkable.

"Cabo" Jim:

So it sounds like you have a lot of different technologies and ways you can help people. If somebody from Fort Myers Beach were to walk in your office for the first time, is there something that you would say you need to try this?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Absolutely. And that's something that we call the magic chair. Jim, we have a uh machine that we purchased that is specifically designed to strengthen the pelvic floor. Now, what it does is it utilizes MRI technology to induce 11,000 maximal strength contractions of the pelvic floor muscles, kind of like Kegel exercises. I'm sure you've heard of those. Yeah, yeah. Well, the interesting thing, research has shown that when you perform this type of therapy on a patient, their balance improves. They get it helps my patients with lower back pain. It helps patients with sciatica. I literally put patients on this chair, Jim, and they improve like immediately. It is the wildest thing. And it's called M cella. Perhaps some of your listeners have heard of it because it's a chair that is really, it was initially designed for urinary incontinence. And I have tons of testimonials on my website where people talk about how much better they feel after just six sessions. You know, it's only less than half an hour. You sit on the chair fully clothed and you get 11,000 contractions. That's that's one of our gold standard treatments for people that have low back pain and sciatica. Like I said, we're not your standard chiropractic office anymore. But that's yeah, it's really cool. And you know what? It actually, Jim, it helps guys that have erectile dysfunction. Anyone that's had a prostate procedure, may usually have some issues with nighttime urination. You know, they have to they have to get up several times. I've had a patient that had to get up 12 times during the night, and now she's down to twice. I mean, that's that's crazy. You know, it's just amazing how much we forget the importance of the pelvic floor. And this is without surgery, without pills, without any outside intervention. It's truly remarkable, Chair.

"Cabo" Jim:

Doing it in a natural way. Now, you I think you had mentioned before something called the M scalp. Is it Neo?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Yes, M scalp Neo is, and how that fits into the picture, Jim. This is a machine that improves muscle strength and tone. It actually helps regenerate nerves and helps build bone. It's truly a remarkable machine. It was originally designed for reducing fat and building muscle to tone, you know, like somebody wants to shape their abs or their glutes. But now the FDA granted clearance for chronic intractable pain, post-traumatic pain, post-surgical pain. And the big one is diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which is something that many, many people uh suffer with. And I actually lecture around the country for this company because of the outcomes that we've seen in our clinic. Like I said, we're the only clinic in Southwest Florida that has all of these machines. And we've seen remarkable results with our patients. They've improved, their neuropathy subsides, they have better strength and balance. And I need to attribute that to the amazing machines like Msculpneo and M Cella. They've really reshaped the landscape of therapy when it comes to aging and longevity and living a powerful, fruitful life. Truly remarkable.

"Cabo" Jim:

And that's all, that's all we want. That's all we want to, you know, just live powerfully and live healthy, you know, is that exactly. So you've referenced longevity expert uh Peter Atia in recent talks. How does that message run a set with you with you with your work?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, you know, I listened to that doc because he's he's so profound and he's so well respected. He doesn't uh beat around the bush. And he says strength is the new marker of age. And I couldn't agree more, Jim. You know, I see it every day. People who stay strong and independent, they just live better. I had a patient that came in who was 80 and he was having a hard time getting out of the chair in the waiting room. And he looked at me and he said, You know, well, Doc, I'm 80 and he's using the armrest, you know, to push himself up, you know. And I said, Listen, I don't buy that. The doctor that sent you to me, which was a pain management doctor here in town, a very large firm, he sent you here because he knows that you're weak and we're here, we're going to strengthen you. Now, that was six months ago, and now he comes through once a month and he gets his full treatment. And when I go to see him in the waiting room, he looks me in the eye and he sits up without using the armrest. I mean, that's that's a true, that's a true, that's proof that these machines and the therapy that we provide at our clinic has assisted. And he's he's just tickled to death because he's like, you know, starting to think about new things and new places that he wants to travel with his wife, as opposed to just getting old and dying. You know, it's truly remarkable.

"Cabo" Jim:

It helps people stay active, and staying active is important as we age, you know.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Absolutely. Yes, it's that rocket fuel that really stimulates the muscles, it helps them build strength and stamina, it helps with nerve connection so that the brain can tell the body you need to activate this muscle. You know, you you just get a sense, a better sense of what it feels like when you're walking with stability and confidence. And let's not let's not beat around the bush. When somebody feels better, they show up better, don't they? They look better. And you see it in people walking down the beach, right? I mean, you just you see it when couples are walking down the beach, they can be 80 years of age, but they still they have a little swagger about them, you know, and it's like, wow, look at those two, you know, and that's what we're here for.

"Cabo" Jim:

Yeah, and you put you're putting a smile on people's faces, you're making them more active, you're improving their life, you know, instead of sitting around now they're being part of life, they're out experiencing it. So, along those lines, what are you most proud of accomplishing for the Fort Myers Beach community so far?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, I think most importantly, I think it would be hope and confidence. The hope and confidence that they can improve and that there's a place that they can get some therapy that does not require surgery, does not require any invasive procedures, and it can help them improve their balance, feel more capable, no matter what their age is. You know, it's it's incredibly powerful to see our patients improve and kind of walk in and almost forget that they had that condition before. And so your Fort Myers Beach community is full of people that came down here to do one thing, to age gracefully. We're here to help them age powerfully and gracefully. And I think that's a that's a really beautiful thing. Look at how beautiful it is today. We're in Florida, it's December, it's right around Christmas. We've got this gorgeous day before us, and so many people can go out there and decide, let's go for a walk today. And then there's those that say, you know, I'm I'm hurting, my hip is hurting. I mean, what our machines can do for bad hips is amazing. And so, you know, our our goal is to just try to help as many people, especially on the beach, that that love to feel that sand between their toes and watch those those birds flying by. I mean, we live in paradise, let's face it.

"Cabo" Jim:

Absolutely. And you know, we we'd much rather be out there enjoying it than watching it through a window, or you know, you're better off just being up north and watching it on TV than at that point.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

You got it, you got it, you know, and and it's important that people realize that they have options, they just have to trust someone. And when they when they walk in our clinic, they pretty much see that we've got it going on, you know. We've got we have the confidence, we've got the skill, and we've got the equipment to make lives different.

"Cabo" Jim:

So, how do you and your team give back or or stay connected with the the community here locally?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Well, I feel when it comes to knowledge, that's super important, and education is huge for us. Um, we help people understand their bodies, how they move, how they function, and the options that they have. You know, truly we see ourselves as neighbors first. And when we help the community thrive, we thrive. So it's it's a very symbiotic relationship. And we're here as a knowledge base. People are welcome to come in and just see what we've got. There's not gonna, they're not gonna get pressured into a big sales promotion or anything like that. Come and meet us, you know. Um, it's all about education. And and if somebody knows what we've got, I want them to go home and think about it for a while. Do their research and see, wow, they'll see that wow, this stuff really does work. It makes a difference. And like I said, I have testimonial videos that my patients have recorded. I've asked them if they'd be so gracious as to share these insights with others. And they go, What? You mean like help somebody else feel better and get out of pain? Of course I'd do it. So it's it's really beautiful to see how the community is coming together to support and and assist each other, you know, because hey, we all live together. Let's let's have a better quality of life together.

"Cabo" Jim:

Absolutely. And then and like we mentioned before, the technologies are wonderful things, it changes a lot of things for people. Um, it makes them you know able to do things that they enjoy, walking on the beach, being outside. But looking ahead, what's your what's your vision for you know uh what you do? And yeah, how does that play a role with the Fort Myers Beach community?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

You know, it's it's really promoting that vision. You know, we our vision is to help people carry that island spirit, man. Keep it going every day, feel strong, feel confident, get excited about life, you know, for as long as possible. You know, sure things are gonna happen and they're gonna set you back, but let's keep it moving forward, let's pay it forward, let's make these bodies stronger. We even have machines to help with brain fog and depression, anxiety. We we have some amazing technology that needs to be spread, the word needs to get spread uh out in the community, and and we invite people to come by because it is our our vision, our vision of making a much more healthy environment, um, helping people keep that smile on their face and keeping that um that spring in their step.

"Cabo" Jim:

Absolutely. And a lot of people, like you've mentioned, you know, sometimes they're afraid of technology or trying new things, but it sounds like there's a lot of opportunity to do things in a more natural way. Yes, yes. That's important. So, what's the biggest way the community can support you right now?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Honestly, come on in and just take a tour or spread the word, you know. I want, I want people, if they've had an experience with us, you know, tell others. But more importantly, just walk in. I mean, we're there at the clinic, our door's always open. We're we're there, we're next to publics, and people can just, you know, get their healthy veggies and walk on over and see us. Because, like I said, we want people to get it to experience like we're part of your community. We want you to know that we're here, if not for today, someday down the line. That's basically it. Come on in and get to me to shake my hand and see my wonderful staff.

"Cabo" Jim:

Very good, very good. So if people wanted to come out, check you out, had some questions, wanted to check out the magic chair, how would they connect with you?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

So we're right next door to Publix on the corner of Winkler and Summerlin. It's called Summerlin Crossings. I'm sure you know where that's at. And it's a beautiful Publix. And we're on the left-hand side if you're facing Publix. And they can, and it's right there up above, it says Novari Medical and Wellness. And we'd love for them to just stop on in and say hello. You know, they can also check us out at novariwellness.com. That's N-O-V-A-R-E wellness.com. And I actually have an office tour that I recorded around there, but it doesn't have all the newest pieces of equipment, but it has a pretty good, you'll see you'll see a pretty good array of some of the services, whether it's spinal decompression, knee decompression, our x-ray, our radial pressure shock wave systems, our our um our different therapies that are available to people. And we do traditional chiropractic also, but that's how people can find us. And again, um stop on in is the best thing. I love to just see new people and have them leave with a smile on their face.

"Cabo" Jim:

Man, that's the important part. That's all we try to do every day is put smiles on people's faces. Any last words for our listeners today?

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

You know, at the end of the day, it's all about feeling alive in your body, feeling strong, feeling confident, and having gratitude in your spirit and your soul for being alive and being here. You know, that's what it's all about. It's all about sharing love and family time together and energy with your friends and being grateful for being on planet Earth and you know, going to bed with a smile and waking up with a smile. That's my mantra.

"Cabo" Jim:

Absolutely. Living in Southwest Florida, we're in heaven. We're in heaven already.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

True. We truly are.

"Cabo" Jim:

Dr. Ivan, it's been a pleasure getting to know you. Thank you for being such a good neighbor, and we'll see you out at the beach here soon.

Dr. Ivan Bracic:

Sounds great, Jim. Thanks for having us. We really look forward to meeting more of the Fort Myers Beach community.

unknown:

Thank you.

Intro/Close:

Thanks for tuning in to the Fort Myers Beach Good Neighbor podcast. If you love what you heard, share it with a friend and keep the good vibes going. Until next time, remember to cobble, until you're wobble, and keep being a good neighbor. Also, to nominate your favorite neighbors, local legends, heroes, or local businesses to be off the show. Go to fmbgoodneighbor.com. That's fmbgoodneighbor.com or call two three nine four two seven four one zero zero. You want to send us an island love to Eric Tibbs from Edward Jones. We are the good neighbors and businesses that allow us to share the soul of our community with every listener and local stories of the positive island vibe.