MysticMag had the privilege of interviewing Dr John A. Podlaski, a distinguished professional with over 41 years of experience in Chiropractic Medicine and holistic Integrative Natural Medicine. In this insightful interview, he shares his expertise on the “Total Person” concept of health, explains the transformative effects of Cranial-Sacral Therapy, and delves into the diverse modalities offered at the Natural Medicine Institute, ranging from LENS Neurofeedback to Doctor Supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss and Acugraph 5 Electro-Meridian Analysis. Journey into the realm of natural healing and learn more about the comprehensive approach to individual well-being advocated by Dr Podlaski.
What can you tell me about yourself and your professional background?
I am Dr. John A. Podlaski, DC, NMD, MD, DABCI, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS, FIAMA, CGP. For over 41 years, I have been licensed to practice Chiropractic Medicine and holistic Integrative Natural Medicine utilizing clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathy, Cranial-Sacral Therapy, and functional medicine testing. I am licensed in the practice of Chiropractic Medicine which includes Clinical Nutrition and Natural Drugless Healthcare and is certified in Medical Acupuncture by the Florida Board of Chiropractic Medicine. Additionally, I have held a license as a registered Naturopath in Washington, D.C., and Bingham County, Idaho.
I am a board-certified Diplomate in Clinical Nutrition (DACBN) through the American Clinical Board of Nutrition, board-certified in clinical nutrition (DCBCN) through the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition, a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) with the American College of Nutrition/Certification Board for Nutrition Specialists, a Certified Gluten Practitioner (CGP), a board-certified Diplomate in Chiropractic Internal Medicine (DABCI) through the American Board of Chiropractic Internists, a Fellow in Medical Acupuncture (FIAMA) with the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture, a Diplomat in International Medicine and have international certifications and degrees in Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, Functional Medicine and Integrative Medicine. Currently, I am the President of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition. Past president of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists.
I have taught and lectured nationally for the past 41 years on the topics of natural health, clinical nutrition, and natural holistic integrative medicine. My perspectives on these topics are both informative and entertaining. I am also the co-author of the book “Unleashing the Physician Within”; The 12 Steps for Maximizing the Health of Your Body, Mind and Spirit”.
Can you explain the “Total Person” concept of health for our readers?
At the Natural Medicine Institute, we are “patient-centered” in our Total Person Concept of Health. Our belief is to provide the best quality health care to every patient we have the privilege of serving by treating the person that has a condition, not the condition that has the person. We deliver the best, most effective natural treatments available to help your body heal itself without unnecessary drugs, needless surgeries, or invasive procedures. We provide excellent patient care, empathy, and thoughtfulness from our carefully selected and highly trained team. Our goal is to find the root cause of any illness and to treat the body naturally, so you can experience life in its fullness.
How does Cranial-Sacral Therapy work?
Cranial Sacral therapy is considered a very gentle, light touch form of natural, manual therapy that can have profound effects on the body’s interconnective tissue called the fascia. The fascia literally connects every aspect of a person’s body including, the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, organs, glands, bones, joints, brain, and spinal cord to each other. In other words, each part of the body is connected to every other part of the body. It is safe for children and adults.
CST may provide relief from pain, headaches, stress, anxiety, and other emotional states. Since it is noninvasive there are usually minimal if any side effects which may include temporary dizziness, increased sinus or postnasal drip drainage, and tiredness.
What issues can chiropractic treatment help with?
At the Natural Medicine Institute, our primary focus is functional medicine, nutrition, and brain health. More and more people are hearing about the term Functional Medicine and wonder what exactly it is and how it is different from traditional medicine or even alternative medicine. Functional Medicine practitioners address the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach that engages both patient and practitioner in a unique therapeutic partnership.
It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. Doctors like me spend time with their patients, listening to their histories, and looking at and for interactions among genetic, environmental, cellular, nutritional, and lifestyle factors. These can all influence long-term health and contribute to complex, chronic diseases. Functional medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.
Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, etc. Contrary to the advances in Western medicine- diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, and cancer are on the rise. Our society is suffering from an epidemic of chronic illness. Current research highlights the pitfalls in the way conventional doctors practice. With the use of pharmaceuticals treating symptoms rather than the patient, we are seeing an overwhelming increase in adverse side effects. This has led to the prescription cascade where drugs are now prescribed to treat symptoms of other drugs rather than the patient’s underlying cause. It is unfortunately all too common now that patients are prescribed 4 or more medications as part of their routine medical care.
WE TREAT A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS, INCLUDING:
- Acid Reflux;
- ADD/ADHD;
- Gas, Bloating, IBS, Leaky Gut, Dysbiosis;
- Gluten Intolerance;
- Colitis;
- Fibromyalgia;
- Chronic Fatigue;
- Adrenal Fatigue;
- Gastrointestinal Problems;
- High Blood Pressure;
- High Cholesterol;
- Headaches & Migraines;
- Hormone Imbalances;
- Weight Issues;
- Allergies;
- Chemical Sensitivity;
- Diabetes & Pre-Diabetes;
- Detoxification;
- Memory, Focus, Concentration problems;
- Thyroid Issues;
- Traditional chiropractic treatments for neck and back pain, and headaches.
Symptoms can be signs of nutritional weakness that can eventually lead to disease. Reverse the ill effects of the modern diet and reclaim your health with nutritional therapy.
What other services do you offer?
At the Natural Medicine Institute, we offer the following:
LENS NEUROFEEDBACK
LENS is short for Low Energy Neurofeedback System and is an advanced form of neurofeedback. Like traditional neurofeedback, LENS uses an EEG to measure brainwaves. LENS differs in that the feedback is in the form of a very low-energy signal. The LENS has been in use since the 1990s.
The LENS is safe, gentle, non-invasive, and does not introduce any foreign substance into the body, it is completely natural. The feedback signal generated by the LENS is much less energy generated by a mobile phone or digital watch. The LENS is an FDA-certified class II 510K exempt biofeedback device. The LENS is not a treatment for any specific condition or directed at a specific diagnosis, and LENS does not promise or imply effectiveness for any medical or psychiatric diagnostic category.
The LENS is a general process that optimizes nervous system and brain function. The LENS is a biofeedback device good for relaxation and self-regulation. As self-regulation occurs, many symptoms that have their basis in central nervous system dysregulation have improved. LENS has been used and is beneficial for symptoms of central nervous system dysregulation which can be numerous: ADD, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, Anxiety, Autism, Brain Fog, Chronic fatigue, Concentration, Concussions/TBI, Dementia, Depression, Fibromyalgia, Insomnia, Learning Disorders, Migraine headaches, MS, OCD, Parkinson’s Disease, PTSD, Tourette’s and many other conditions. We do not expect LENS to cure all these conditions, but instead to improve some of the symptoms, especially in conditions where there is neurodegenerative change.
Some patients have used LENS to enhance their performance at work and in athletics. With LENS, people perform in a more relaxed state which enhances focus and concentration. LENS patients also report better FOCUS, CONCENTRATION, MEMORY, ORGANIZATION, and sequencing of tasks which increases efficiency and enhances performance. LENS is not psychotherapy, mental health therapy, or counseling.
DOCTOR SUPERVISED CHIROTHIN WEIGHT LOSS BODY TRANSFORMATION:
ChiroThin is a natural dietary supplement. Its formula, developed by ChiroNutraceutical, contains a host of nutritional ingredients that are well known to aid in fatty acid transportation, fatty acid metabolism, and blood sugar stabilization, as well as increase metabolism and detoxification. When ChiroThin is combined with healthy and specific amounts of anti-inflammatory foods with a low glycemic index your body will be more efficient at converting stored fat into energy. In general, ChiroThin allows the body to more efficiently metabolize fat and use it as energy when an individual consumes fewer calories than he or she burns in a given period of time. ChiroNutraceutical has specifically designed the ChiroThin formula to include specific amounts of amino acids, vitamins, and cell salts for further added benefits. Additionally, the Doctor Supervised ChiroThin Weight Loss Program includes dietary and behavioral modification guidance, as well as a strategy to help maintain long-term weight loss.
ACUGRAPH 5 ELECTRO- MERIDIAN ANALYSIS:
“What is acupuncture”? It is important to know that there is not one specific style of acupuncture in practice worldwide today. In fact there are numerous styles of acupuncture just as there are martial art styles depending on the nation who is practicing it. Therefore to try to establish one common definition of acupuncture to reflect every style of acupuncture throughout dozens of Asian, Mid East, and European nations would be almost an impossibility creating disagreement amongst the equally diverse practitioners of the various styles.
The ancients recognized and discovered the meridian system thousands of years ago and science today is recognizing the electro-magnetic potential of the body which is what the meridian system is based on. Today we have electrical muscle exams (EMG’s), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other tests that are based on the body’s basic biomagnetic system. Science and the medical profession have accepted the existence of the meridian system as an integral part of human functioning as it controls and coordinates the electromagnetic system of the body which may control all other systems of the body.
The meridian system is very similar to radio in that radio waves likewise cannot be seen by the human eye but we all understand that they do in fact exist. Meridian acupuncture compares to radio in that if a city has 12 radio stations, much like our 12 meridians, it is imperative that each specific station broadcast at its individual frequency. In other words, if a station is operating at 94.5 on the dial it comes in loud and clear, however, if it comes in at 94.4 or 94.6 the radio broadcast is only static. There is nothing wrong with the radio only the fine-tuning is out of adjustment. A simple adjustment to the radio will bring it into full normalcy.
This is what Electro Meridian Imaging with the ACUGRAPH 5 measures, which is the body’s electromagnetic resistance at key acupoints. This will determine if a meridian is within or outside the accepted boundaries of the body by either being too high, too low, extremely split from left to right, or ideally, within normal limits. Acupuncture deals with homeostasis which is the body’s ability to maintain balance. It is the patient who is out of balance electromagnetically who becomes ill and expresses specific symptoms.
“Acupuncture is a principle, not a technique”. As a result, there are a variety of techniques, styles, and procedures which may be employed in the practice of acupuncture. With the advent of modern technology such as electronics and laser, there are a number of modalities that may be successfully utilized to stimulate acupuncture points other than the insertion of a needle. Furthermore, it has been estimated that 65% of the population of the United States would never consider having a needle inserted into them for the purpose of acupuncture due to needle phobia. Since the principle of acupuncture remains the same, the pleasant gentle stimulation of an inexpensive laser light or electronic stimulation device other than a needle literally allows patients who never would consider acupuncture treatments before to now consider non-invasive acupuncture with all of its profound benefits. Acupuncture principles being practiced with non-invasive stimulation devices through the various State Boards physiotherapy laws are generally regarded as “Meridian Therapy”.
APPLIED KINESIOLOGY & THE “TOTAL PERSON” CONCEPT OF HEALTH:
There are three basic factors we consider in maintaining or restoring your health naturally. These represent an evaluation of your structure, chemical (biochemical), and mental (emotional) status. They form an equilateral triangle. If one side of the triad becomes deficient, diminished health results and may lead to a significant health problem. When a patient comes to our office with their health challenges we use Applied Kinesiology techniques to evaluate body function, metabolic and nutritional imbalances.
Applied Kinesiology combines testing and evaluations from many different disciplines, using muscle response testing as functional neurology as a tool or guide for diagnosis and patient care.
Thousands of years ago the ancient Chinese observed that every muscle in the body has a connection or link to a specific organ, gland, or acupuncture meridian. By testing the strength of its related muscle and looking for facilitation or inhibition we get a glimpse of the condition of that particular organ or tissue. Functional muscle response testing helps us uncover the structural, chemical, and mental problems that may be in your body. It can also provide for us with the best treatment options to restore your health.
Finding the Root Cause of the Problem
First, we do an extensive review of the history of your health concern(s). This is followed by a detailed thorough physical examination. We also perform a metabolic and nutritional evaluation of your major organs and systems. We use standard laboratory tests including comprehensive blood tests and other functional medicine tests that may be necessary and discuss with you if they may be needed. Then we analyze you for postural imbalances, your gait while walking, and how you move and bend. By combining these findings with muscle testing, we develop a unique insight into the cause(s) of your problem.
First, we review the history of your health situation. This is followed by a thorough physical examination. Instrumentation and laboratory tests may be needed. Then we analyze you for postural imbalances, your gait while walking, and how you move and bend. By combining these findings with muscle testing, we develop a unique insight into the cause(s) of your problem.
To learn more about Dr Podlaskiand his work, you can visit drjpod.com
