Speaking From Experience
I’m DeLaney Gabriel and I’m a Holistic Health Practitioner. I have specialized in Holistic Anti-Aging Therapy since 1991. In my practice, I recommend dietary supplements, Anti-Aging supplements and Bioidentical Hormones Including Progesterone and Estradiol for hormone replacement therapy.
My primary practice is in Santa Barbara, California where I live. I also have offices in Carmel and Sacramento where I established my private practice in 1984.
I have long been a student of diet, dietetics, nutrition, dietary supplements, integrative medicine and alternative health therapies. I have learned a great deal through self-education focusing on specific topics of interest to me. And I have learned from the mastery of others and am sharing the culmination of my knowledge and life experience with you all.
How and Why I Got into the Health Industry as a Profession
Like many others, I came into the health profession to regain my health. After being fired from my position as Hearing Officer at U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California in 1984 (Sacramento) because I had become too ill to fulfill the duties of my job, I sought the care of highly competent medical doctors to diagnose and treat my illness. That just did not work out!!!
For survival, I returned to my holistic roots and also engaged the help of some like-minded practitioners. Within three months of taking some amazing probiotics, supplements and herbal remedies, I opened my private practice in Sacramento.
Thanks to integrative therapies, alternative medicine and lots of amazing dietary supplements, I have overcome numerous health challenges in my life including a compromised immune system from childhood, several surgeries in my 20s, issues with environmental chemicals and a heart attack/stroke in 1982 when I was 33.
All of these life events were apparently situations that I needed to experience and rise above in order to become an effective holistic practitioner and help people on their healing journeys from a “been there, done that” kind of experience.
Dietary Supplements–My Commitment to Quality
Two of the most important things I can tell you is that. 1) Quality of supplements varies tremendously – it’s really shameful!!! – and 2) High-quality supplements taken at optimal dosages can make all the difference in addressing health needs and regaining your health.
What I mean by “quality of supplements” includes these concerns:
- Company: Owners, ethics, procedures and employees.
- Supplements: Quality of ingredients, packaging methods, storage areas and shipping methods. I’m also concerned about how retailers store the supplements and have other issues that I will save for another time. Call me picky!!! I just happen to believe that all of these things matter!
I just know that my 35 years professional success is due to the quality of supplements that I have utilized in my practice for improving the health and lives of my clients. I can share health information and make recommendations for you and others, but while information often diminishes over time, benefits of dietary supplements can last a lifetime.
Professional Experience
I have been a member of the prestigious American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) since 1992. In 1993, I was able to meet and study from world-renowned physician Thierry Hertoghe, M.D. who is a fourth generation endocrinologist from Brussels.
Through A4M, I have been exposed to research on many health topics and treatment programs for progressive anti-aging therapies.
Dr. Garry Gordon is the person to whom I give primary credit for my professional success. He was a great pioneer in preventive medicine and chelation therapy and was undoubtedly the most well-known and highly respected doctor in the fields of integrative and alternative medicine. Through Dr. Gordon, I have been introduced to many great physicians in those fields and as I say, “I’ve run with the big dogs” in this field. In addition to Dr. Gordon, my absolute all-time favorite M.D.’s include Dr. Robert Atkins, Dr. Julian Whitaker, Dr. Jonathan Wright, Dr. Alan Gaby, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, Dr. Thierry Hertoghe and Dr. John R. Lee.
In 1988, I had the great fortune of being personally introduced to John R. Lee, M.D. who was instrumental in pioneering knowledge about Progesterone and its amazing role in treating numerous kinds of hormonal imbalances including PMS, menopausal and osteoporosis. Dr. Lee authored several books on the subject of Progesterone and I still recommend them as excellent books on that subject and women’s health.
The Importance of Hormones
In 1988, my practice was located at the Preventive Medical Clinic in Sacramento and I was working as a Naturopathic Doctor with Garry Gordon, M.D. People came to the clinic from cities across the U.S. to receive treatments which were not locally available to them.
With all of the skills the doctors had and through all of the modalities of progressive therapies that were utilized at the clinic, I knew that something significant was missing in treatment programs.
One afternoon in October of 1988, I sat alone in my office and felt very overwhelmed by the tremendous health needs of our patients, so many of whom had made great sacrifices in order to come to the clinic–and so many who had been disappointed by other physicians who were unable to help them. Many patients were at the point to where they had pretty much given up and were looking to us as a last resort for regaining their health.
So, sitting at my desk that afternoon, I got out my pen and paper and drew a pie graph then filled it in with the names of the primary health issues and symptoms that patients presented to us.
As I sat doodling on the pie graph, I remember stating out loud, “What in the world is it that all of these health things have in common?” Then I “heard a voice” from over my right shoulder, one so clear that I literally turned my head and looked up as though someone were standing there speaking the answer to me: That answer was: hormones. And somehow it fit – and it felt right. But, having been born in Gainesville, Missouri, the “Show Me State,” I questioned the answer and later set out to look at every health condition I had named, either to prove or disprove its connection to hormones. With the help of my daughter, many late nights were spent at UC Davis medical library in Sacramento reading microfiche and searching for any research I could find that showed a link to the health conditions and hormones.
Inflammatory diseases, lupus, arthritis and all of the “itis” conditions, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, memory loss and neurological disease, cancer, Candida Albicans, adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, auto immune disease, Epstein-Barr Virus, Cytomegalovirus, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, PMS, insomnia, bone loss, osteopenia and osteoporosis, headaches/migraines, endometriosis, infertility, hot flashes and a variety of menopausal symptoms, and of course issues with weight gain–and these all had a direct link to hormones! And certainly there were other conditions that we treated–these are just the ones that I can rattle off the top of my head!
Later that very afternoon Dr. Gordon came into my office to tell me he was leaving to attend a seminar in New Orleans. He was particularly excited about hearing the keynote speaker, Dr. Lee–and the subject was hormones!!!
That was just too much of a coincidence to have no meaning! I quickly called my husband and bought two airline tickets departing that night to New Orleans. And that was where I first met Dr. John Lee who became my friend and mentor in progesterone therapy and who reviewed my presentation on “Super Women Need Super Hormones” at the California State Capital Legislative Summit on October 13, 1995.
How I Work with Clients–Focus on Lab Test Analysis
A very significant part of how I work with clients to help them overcome their health issues and actually improve their health has to do with lab tests. Most of my clients have been to at least two doctors or more before they come into my practice. When people schedule appointments with me, they are told to bring their lab tests to their appointment.
My appointments involve a great exchange of information through Q and A. Whether I am consulting with a client in my office, doing a FaceTime appointment, or consulting over the phone, I review with each client the information on their Health History Questionnaire and any lab test results they have provided.
During the appointment, I go over every lab test line by line and I explain the significance of each test to them and describe how some of the tests point to certain deficiencies and imbalances in the body which are significant to their primary complaints. And I also tie things together for the big picture as to 1) how the tests provide enough information for me to either diagnose health conditions, or 2) how the tests only provide enough information to cause me to require further testing for more complete evaluation.
About 25 years ago, a client asked me if I use a crystal ball to figure out what was wrong with people. My response was, “Yes, I do–it’s called Lab Tests!!!”
In my practice, I strongly rely on comprehensive lab tests to give me the big picture of what’s going on inside the body. I just quite frankly don’t like guesswork! And I also don’t like it when a physician or practitioner of any sort focuses on a primary health condition or whatever shows up with a specific focus. Many times, people only get a partial diagnosis from their physicians, but we need the big picture–the most complete diagnosis that we can get. The head bone is connected to the toe bone–and I want to know as much information as I can about what is happening between those two points.
My classic statement is this: “We don’t have enough information to make a decision.” And re-stated in a positive form, that statement would be “WE NEED MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE A DECISION.”
I strongly prefer fact-based information that is in black-and-white so that people can see the information for themselves, and so they can also see when that information changes–whether it’s for good or bad. I know that there are a number of very valuable tools which are used in the healing arts that have to do with iridology, reiki, cranial sacral, energy work, various forms of chiropractic, acupuncture, and/or intuitive healer’s, etc. I am very open to and embrace those assessments and treatment modalities when performed by excellent practitioners. BUT, I have learned that people tend to trust and prefer the “black and white” lab test results, and their families do, too.
When reviewing lab test results, I’m oftentimes adamantly asked, “Why didn’t my doctor tell me that???!!! Why didn’t my doctor run those tests???!!! Why is it you know that and my doctor doesn’t???!!!” And when I hear those voices and I see those faces, and I see the tension in their bodies – I totally understand, I am totally empathetic and sympathetic because I have those same questions myself!!!
Having had health issues and challenges which I have overcome in my life, I was driven to self-discovery because the physicians from whom I sought healthcare certainly did not fully address my health issues–only some of them. So, I’m always looking for the whole and complete picture of someone’s health in order to help them heal.
Working with me and the supplements I recommend is typically very different from going to the doctor and being given prescriptions which may only require three or four “pills” a day. Depending on the nature of the health condition that I am treating, there are typically several different supplements to be taken several times a day. I do consider the number of supplements that a person can take and I also consider the cost. BUT ultimately I make the best recommendations that I can for my clients.
Two Highly Under-Diagnosed Health Conditions
Hypothyroidism, indigestion and digestive complaints have always been a significant part of my practice because many of the people who come to me for help have been diagnosed with those conditions–or people have actually just figured it out on their own based on symptoms.
As for hypothyroidism, many clients actually have hypothyroidism that have not been diagnosed because of the broad reference range in thyroid blood tests or because their thyroid issues have not been adequately addressed with treatment.
As for indigestion, the lack of important digestive enzymes is the primary cause of so many serious health conditions. Anybody who belches, burps, passes excessive gas, suffers from constipation or diarrhea to any extent has a lack of digestive enzymes. Treating digestive issues is one of the most important things that I do in my practice. I will undoubtedly do several videos on this subject–so I hope that you will watch and learn from those.
Speaking from Experience–Videos
I’m going to be doing a series of videos entitled “Speaking from Experience.” I’ll be relying on all the experience that I’ve had over the years for helping people with different modalities for their health care.
One of my goals for the videos is that people will learn how to take care of themselves and that they will trust their intuition when they’re given a diagnosis of something they don’t feel is correct. Maybe your doctor says that your lab test results are fine, but something is wrong with you and you just know it.
Quality of Supplements
Another goal for the videos is to enlighten people about some unsuspected owners of some dietary supplement companies. So if you have ethical concerns and care about who profits from your supplement purchases, you will most likely be interested in the fact that some drug companies and some profit-driven opportunistic investor companies have purchased and are likely to continue purchasing popular brands of dietary supplement companies.
I’m greatly concerned that the quality of some popular brands of supplements have been or will be compromised, and that people have no idea about it!! For example, the Schwabe drug company owns Enzymatic Therapy, Integrative Therapeutics and Nature’s Way, and Pfizer drug company owns Emergen-C. To my best knowledge, investor companies including Proctor & Gamble, Clorox, and Nestle have purchased the following popular brands of supplements: Country Life, Ester-C, Kal, Garden of Life, Innate, Nature-Made, Puritan Pride, Schiff, and Soloray. Also, Metagenics which used to be privately owned and was one of my favorite supplement companies is now owned by Amway. If integrity of the owner company is important to you and you are interested in taking any of the brands that I have named, I encourage you to verify that information for yourself.
If you value integrity and demand high quality supplements, I want you to know that I greatly share your values. I only work with supplement companies that are privately owned by people who are steadfastly involved in every level of management and production of the company. This is really important to me and is crucial for healthcare. I only want to offer my clients quality supplements. I’m concerned about what the public knows and doesn’t know about this industry. I personally know the owners of my Private-Label companies and meet with them routinely at medical conferences.
I know that healthcare is a very personal thing. That’s why I am providing information to you via my videos on my YouTube channel. I’ll be talking about popular health topics in the industry, and how about some specific supplements that I utilize in my practice to treat specific health conditions.
I invite you to follow me on Facebook, to comment on my posts, and to check out my videos on my DeLaney Gabriel YouTube channel and Facebook Page.
If you want to learn more about me personally, click here to find out how I went from being a Hearing Officer in US Bankruptcy Court to suddenly being in private practice as a Holistic Health Practitioner, using my knowledge to help others.
Wishing You the Very Best of Health!!!
DeLaney Gabriel
