Dr. Herman Glass Discusses His Successful Detroit Chiropractic Service

Dr. Herman Glass has built a sustainable and thriving practice in the chiropractic industry spanning over four decades. During this period, he has garnered many accomplishments, such as being the sole owner and director of Glass Chiropractic Health Plaza since 1985.

Dr. Glass was appointed the first chiropractor to the Michigan Cancer Foundation Board in 1985. He was appointed to the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners by Gov. James Blanchard in February 1988 through January 1992, and re-appointed to the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners by Gov. John Engler from February 1992 through February 1996. He served as a staff physician in New Center Hospital’s pioneering Chiropractic Program in 1988 and an adjunct professor at Texas Chiropractic College in Houston from 1985 to 1995. He served as past president of the American Black Chiropractic Association from 1989 to 1992.

We were delighted to catch up with Dr. Glass to talk about his holistic journey as one of the leading chiropractors in the nation.

BLACK ENTERPRISE: You have an extensive, tenured career—but what does your practice look like today?

GLASS: I practice holistic wellness practice, with an emphasis on holistic weight loss as alternatives to the injectables (i.e., Ozempic and Wegovy). I have been in Detroit and recently celebrated 39 years at the same location. I’m the only chiropractor holistic doctor among the members of the Detroit Medical Society. Weekly, I get referrals, but I’m proud to say that all of my referral doctors “look like me.” Arabs refer Arabs, and Jews refer Jews. So, it’s great to have a strong Black referral network here in Detroit.

BE: Are there a lot of Black chiropractors across the country that you know or are aware of?

GLASS: Well, I have been a past president of an association called The American Black Chiropractor Association. I was the youngest president back in 1989 for four years. During this time, I was able to give out quite a number of scholarships to young students who wanted to study under the holistic emphasis of chiropractic practice. The percentage is approximately 7%, or 8% of the 50 to 60 thousand doctors nationwide are Black. Today, I still attend the National Chiropractic Conference annually, speak to various doctors and interns, and give them a few words of wisdom.

BE: Let’s talk about your practice’s “holistic” aspect.

GLASS: The concept of a holistic practice encompasses the assessment of the whole-body wellness spectrum. After over 40 years in practice, I look at a patient beyond the symptoms and map out a treatment plan that offers a very reasonable, natural, and effective means for improving wellness and function. For example, I have over 27 patients who have lost 100 pounds or more and kept it off for over a year, and that not only improves them physically but also mentally. My weight loss program is a scientifically advanced plant-based natural appetite control and glucose regulator with a thermogenic natural component. My practice is based upon collaborative medicine with many of my primary care referral doctors to improve the premise of co-treatment to achieve optimum wellness goals for each patient.

BE: Share more on achieving wellness through holistic health.

GLASS: The key is the chiropractic doctor is the only doctor who does not prescribe pharmaceutical medications. Because of this, we are the leading licensed doctors who can truly concentrate on a holistic emphasis. The chiropractors in our scope are not physical therapists, but we write the orders for the physical therapists to carry out their work.

Interestingly, the spine houses the central nervous system, which controls everything! Your brain cannot communicate with any part of your body until it goes through the spine and central nervous system. You can’t even wiggle your toes without accessing this function. The body is an amazing organism, but it’s controlled neurologically. That’s where me and my team come in. My oldest patient is 99 years old, and I have over 12 patients in their 90s.

BE: Do you pursue other hobbies outside of medicine?

GLASS: Yes. I have three hobbies that I pursue as a balance of fun activities: golf, scuba diving, and snow skiing. I belong to a local Detroit golf league, which gets me out on the golf links at least twice a week. I’ve been a certified scuba diver for over 37 years and have experienced ocean dives from South Africa to Tahiti. I recently did my seventh shark encounter scuba dive on my 70th birthday off the island of Bimini. I’m also proud to say I’ve been a member of the Jim Dandy Ski Club here in Detroit for 40 years, which is the oldest Black ski club in the country. And [I’m] proud to say I’ve received gold medals in the giant slalom ski race competition at the National Brotherhood of Skier’s conference the last three years in a row in Aspen Colorado, and Big Sky Montana recently. I enjoy all of my hobbies and enriching adventures, which is a very fulfilling balance to a busy practice of taking care of patients. I tell my patients on a daily basis that “Health is a journey, not a destination.”

Glass also taught Anatomy and Physiology at Detroit Career Development Center from 1983 to 1987 and was named Chiropractor of the Year by the American Black Chiropractic Association in 1992. He has a decade of consulting experience with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan and a decade as an Independent Medical Examiner Consultant for American Medical Evaluation Company and Phoenix Evaluation Company. Since 2003, he has served on the Medical Advisory Board for First Fitness Weight Loss Corporation.

For more information, find Glass Chiropractic Health Plaza, 17301 West Eight Mile Road, Detroit, Michigan 48235. Phone: (313)533-2225 Email: glass.chiropractic@yahoo.com

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