The Reason for the Season...It's Not What You Think

by Glen Depke

We're going to have some fun with this conversation but let's recognize the truth within it.

The reason for the season is to put clients in my office. What??? It's not about family, the baby Jesus, Santa Claus, giving, or peace on earth? While we like to think it is all about the above sentence, is that what you truly recognize every year.

I see the fallout of holiday stress, eating, drinking, family issues, and adrenal exhaustion, in my office at the beginning of every year. With this, it is my conclusion that the reason for the season is to fill my schedule.

So what's a person to do?

While I am more than happy to take care of my clients when they have challenges, there are some simple tips you can follow to keep yourself healthy through the holidays.

First, when you recognize that the hustle and bustle is getting to you…breathe. Yes, taking the time to take 3 -5 deep belly breaths can shift you out of the stress and anxiety and put your body back into a state of balance. To deal with the stress, I would also recommend downloading your favorite upbeat and energizing song and/or a clip from a movie that you know gives you the warm and fuzzies. This will give you something “ready to go” to create that ever important mood shift.

Second, is to stay hydrated. Too often the holiday parties lead to an overconsumption of alcohol and an under consumption of water. Be sure to start every day with a 16 – 20 ounce glass of water, sip water all day and be sure to always have a big glass of water between every alcoholic beverage. Just falling into dehydration can create many challenges for you, so this one is easy to maintain with little effort.

Food, oh yes, food during the holidays. Be sure to stay away from the flour based foods as much as possible and take a small piece of what entices you instead of loading the plate. It is a good idea to cut down on the quantity of food you consume at regular meal time, since you know you are going to make up the difference at your holiday parties and gatherings. Be sure to also take you Prime Digestive Support every time you are eating cooked food, to be sure you maintain proper digestion. I would also recommend that you eat prior to drinking when you are out and enjoying. Nothing is worse than working all day, going to a party hungry, and starting the festivities with a couple of glasses of wine on an empty stomach.

Be sure to schedule adequate sleep. If you know you will be out late for a holiday party, give yourself permission to sleep in the next day. To make sure you can fall asleep quickly, be sure to cut off alcohol the last hour or so of you party also and switch to water. This will assist in come improved sleep habits. On nights that you are not out, get to bed a bit earlier than normal. This will help you immensely in the long run.

Often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle to the point that our usual exercise routine also suffers. If this is the case, recognize that you need less food and not more at this time. You can also help by doing some little things like parking further away from the mall when shopping, taking stairs instead of elevators…you get the picture.

Most importantly, simply enjoy yourself. Yes, it is a busy time of the year but if you create the energy of fun and play with what you are doing, this will immensely help you in maintaining your own health and wellness and heck, the people around you will have a lot more fun also.

For those that are not able to make these simple changes and your holiday’s are going to push you into states of poor health, feel free to take advantage of the Depke Wellness “Gift of Health” offer on our newsletter. This is an awesome way to start the new year of 2011!

Please enjoy the holiday season and by all means , have fun!

Giving Thanks

by Glen Depke

Regardless of our current state of life, we all have something to be thankful for. Often we judge our lives or the lives of others, with the recognition of what is wrong. There is often more that is right than wrong, yet most of us were domesticated to put our attention on the negative rather than the positive.

I can remember back to being a kid going to grammar school. After I would take a test, it would come back graded with marks and circles in red pen to bring attention to what I did wrong. I often have clients in my office that tell me that their parents were quick to punish them what they did wrong but lack praise when they did something right. Do you ever wonder what life would be like if our teachers would have circled in red everything we did right on our papers? We would have gotten it back all marked up, all excited about everything we did right. How about if our parents praised us for all the good deeds that we did and taught us the what was looked at as wrong is simply about lives learning and growing? We could be excited about every moment!

Understand that this attention on what is wrong is not what who we are; it is what we were taught. So what do we do from here? I know, we should blame our teachers and parents for all our problems in life. No, no, no! They did the best they could based on what they were taught, so it really is not about passing the blame and living a life of a victim. It is about taking a stand and choosing something different in your life; one moment at a time. Since it is Thanksgiving Eve, let’s start with looking at what is right today by being thankful for what we have right now.

I would recommend that as soon as your finish reading this post, sit down with a piece of paper and write the top ten things you are thankful for. Here’s the big question though. How many of you thought of what was wrong as soon as you read that? If that was you, simply drop it. We all have something to be thankful for. Maybe your health is challenged, you don’t like your job, you did not sleep well last night, you hate the holidays and the list goes on? That could be true but do you have roof over your head, do you have food on the table, do you have children, family or friends that love you, do you have heat in your home and that list goes on and on and on? So what do you want to focus on?

I want you to really get in this moment, is that whatever you focus on is what you get more of. I see this consistently in my life, the life of my clients and those around me. Do you know somebody that everything always seems to go wrong for them? How do they talk? Is there focus positive or negative? What does their life continue to look like? I think we all know those answers.

As an example: when someone comes into my office with cancer, one of the first points I make is that we are not going to fight cancer, we are going to learn to live in harmony with this. Just that simple distinction can lay the ground work for choosing a life of health and wellness rather than of pain and suffering. It is much easier to reach health and wellness coming from the positive and gratitude. Trust me on this one.

Remember, the first thing to do as soon you finish this post; write your top ten list for what you are thankful for in life. Here’s mine.

• My current health as it is
• My wife Dawn and Ruben too (our dog)
• My friends
• My parents and siblings
• My in-laws (so much for stereotypes)
• My clients
• Living in Southern California
• My ability to help others
• Being a person that typically focuses on what is right
• Consistent growth as a person

I hate to stop at ten because the list can really go on and on. Do I have challenges in my life? You bet, don’t we all? What makes all the difference is what we focus on and giving thanks!

As a bonus for yourself and all of our readers, I would recommend that you post your top ten below for all of us to share the positive energy together.

Happy Thanksgiving from Glen and Dawn!

Is High Blood Pressure a Disease?

by Glen Depke

I have seen more and more new clients in my office lately that are challenged with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. This has at times been shared by my clients as a disease that they have been diagnosed with that needs to be treated by medicine. So the question is, “Is this really a disease?”

If you do not already know this I will share that the answer is, absolutely not. While this is not a disease, it is often a symptom of stress or serious malnutrition.

Let’s understand that when we are talking about blood pressure, we are discussing your body’s ability to move your blood throughout your body to every aspect of your being to nourish the cells of your body and assist in removing cellular waste. When your body determines that it does not have the ability to move your blood in an optimal manner, your heart will pump harder to achieve this goal. Obviously, if this is determined by your body, it is a need.

Also understand that your blood pressure raises based on any fight or flee response that your body/mind can be currently responding to. Often we experience white coat syndrome, that is often the factually reaction to having your blood pressure taken in the doctor’s office. I would estimate that there are many individuals wrongly placed on meds for hypertension due to this white coat syndrome. I can remember in the past, showing up for a doctor’s appointment after being stuck in traffic and running late. When they took my blood pressure, it was off the charts. I explained what happened and they took it again at the end of my appointment and it was back to normal. What if I was put on meds because I did not open my mouth and share my experience that lead to the high readings?

There are other factors that may skew your blood pressure readings, such as consuming coffee or high sugar prior to having your blood pressure measured. Just drinking a simple cup of coffee can raise your blood pressure 10 points or more.

Another factor is smoking. Did you know that by lighting up and “enjoying?” your cigarette can increase your blood pressure by as much as 15-20 points?

We often hear that using salt raises blood pressure but I find this to be the case with the approximate 15% of the population that is salt sensitive or more of the case that conventional table salt is sodium and chloride and simply not the natural product as it is meant to be used. Since typical table salt is limited to only two minerals this often leads to an imbalance in sodium/potassium levels which leads to high blood pressure.

Kidney disease of liver stagnation can also lead to hypertension and need to be addressed if this is the issue. This is obviously best addressed by your doctor or natural health practitioner.

Atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis should not be overlooked either. This narrowing of the arterial system by deposits such as calcium, cholesterol or other blood constituents is commonly referred to as atherosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a thickening, stiffening and calcification of the artery walls, which can increase pressure because of a lessened diameter. These conditions are often due to an inflammatory challenge that causes a rupture of the inner lining of the artery wall and creates a perfect circumstance for the formation of plaque.

Let’s not forget that we mentioned nutritional deficiencies also and we will address this.

To address the stress factor, this could be as easy as practicing some deep belly breathing. This has a strong physical and emotionally relaxing effect on the body and should be used on a regular basis. I would also recommend consistent deep belly breathing when you know your blood pressure is going to be assessed. This will give you a higher chance of gaining a true reading for yourself. You could also use techniques such as ERT as used in my clinic.

Obviously the best way to address the smoking tie into hypertension is to stop smoking, but we can recognize that this is easier said than done for many. I recommend that quitting smoking be a part of a whole health program and to address this after you have shifted to positive health practices on the basic levels. I would suggest that you start by looking at your fundamentals of health and work from there.

Next we will discuss salt and nutrition together. From the nutritional perspective, I would suggest you search through our gluten intolerance page as well as nutritional ID. In regard to salt, it is best to use a high quality salt product such as the product we use in our home, Himalayan salt. This is not just a sodium/chloride product, but the full complement of some 80 or so naturally occurring minerals. This will not create the same stealing of other important minerals in the body, especially potassium.

Often when you look at minerals that are typically found to be depleted in hypertension individuals, this would include potassium, calcium and magnesium. Often by supplementing with these minerals there is a natural balance in blood pressure, especially when used in conjunction with the other tips in this article. When I am addressing this with my patients, I use liquid ionized forms of these individual minerals when available for the best possible absorption and assimilation.

If kidney disease is part of your problem, I would suggest eliminating all coffee, tea, alcohol and high sugar beverages. I would also never use tap water for drinking, showering or bathing. Drink approximately one quart of water for every fifty pounds of body weight daily and dry skin brush before your morning shower every day. Start with this and work with a qualified natural health practitioner to address balance within your kidneys.

If liver congestion is involved in your hypertension, I would also recommend working with a qualified natural health practitioner to assist in balancing your liver function.

As far as atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are concerned you may want to research oral or intravenous chelation as this has been reported to assist on this level. I would also address the underlying causes of these challenges since this is generally caused by free radical activity and oxidative stress created by poor life style choices. A highly absorbable product that can assist with this free radical activity and oxidative stress is the Isotonix OPC-3.

So recognize that high blood pressure is not a disease and address the underlying challenges tied into this challenge. Very often when you take care of these areas the body is able to bring you back to a state of balance. Feel free to post any comments or questions for me to address personally.

Is Inflammation Good or Bad?

by Glen Depke

I continually hear people talk about inflammation like it is a disease. If you are wondering this yourself, I want you to know right now that it is not. The reality of inflammation is that it is a part of the healing crisis that is leading you to wellness, as long as your body has the strength and balance to complete this healing process.

I was explaining to a client in my office the other day, how happy I am that both of my knees were inflamed. I shared that I was a weekend warrior and played in a game of flag football. My 46 year old knees that have had many other challenges in the past were pushed to a point of stress and damage. Thankfully my bodily processes created inflammation as a response to this damage and my knees are on their way to recovery in the healing crisis.

Let’s briefly discuss the different types of bodily inflammation.

It is first important to understand the different types of inflammation. There is acute inflammation that is the initial response to injury. There is the immune system response that occurs when cells of the immune system are activated in response to the antigens released during acute or chronic stages of inflammation. We then have chronic inflammation which involves the release of interleukins 1, 2 and 3. Over the years with my clients, I find that this chronic inflammatory response is activated by severe stress or alcohol abuse. Stress is such a significant challenge in this chronic inflammatory response.

What should you do with inflammation? It is first helpful to understand what type of inflammation you are dealing with.

If you have acute inflammation the one choice you can make that is a substantial benefit is to soak that area in cold water. For my knees, I fill a bath with the coldest water possible and I sit in this for 20 minutes. I know you may be thinking that you could not possibly deal with the cold water, but after about 30 seconds your body adapts to the temperature and you will gain comfort even in the cold water. I recommend cold water vs. icing the inflamed area because ice can stop the healing crisis without restoration of the tissue in the area. Understand that you do not want to remove acute inflammation; you want to assist your body in moving through the process.

From a supplemental aspect; during acute inflammation I often suggest a homeopathic from Germany called AB No. 11. The indication of use for this is any inflammation that is not accompanied by fever. This is not a cure for inflammation, this is simply another way to assist in your bodies healing crisis. In my mind, a must for any inflammatory response is the use of enteric coated proteolytic enzymes. The one I use in my office is another German product called Marcozymes. These enzymes are designed to survive the acid bath of the stomach with eventual breakdown in the more alkaline environment in the small intestines. From here they will be released in our blood where the enzymes can control inflammation by breaking up inflammatory debris and initiate tissue restitution. If you are looking for rapid healing, proteolytic enzyme use is remarkably effective. It is important to note that these special enzymes are to be taken away from meal time or just before bed. I cannot talk about supplements without also mentioning the benefit of omega 3 fatty acids such as fish oils to aid in the inflammatory response. The omega 3 supplement that we use in our household that I also recommend to my clients is krill oil.

Recognize that the immune response inflammation can be a part of the acute or chronic stage of inflammation. If this is due to the acute response I would recommend the same as above. If the inflammation is long term and the underlying cause of the inflammation is not resolved you may also want to support your immune function. You could review last week’s post, “It’s Cold and Flu Season” to get further information on supporting your immune system function.

Once you get into the chronic inflammatory response, I often find this to be tied into adrenal function. Understand that your body’s natural anti-inflammatory is the hormone cortisone. Cortisone is not a stand-alone hormone and is actually converted from the hormone cortisol. Yes, this is the same hormone we produce when we are under mental, emotional or physical stress. Due to poor functioning adrenal glands, many individuals to not have proper bodily function to initiate the body’s pro and anti-inflammatory response. At this point it is of utmost importance to assess your adrenal function and create the balance needed for your adrenals to do their job. To address this adrenal function you could call our office at 949.642.2094, to schedule a complimentary phone consult to understand adrenal insufficiency. You can also click through the links on our website to gather further information.

There are many other herbs and supplements used to assist with inflammation but this is what I see work consistently in my office with my clients.

Follow these tips to deal with any inflammatory response but most importantly recognize that inflammation is very positive for your body, when your healing crisis is allowed to initiate and finish the job.

If you have any questions or comments please post these below and I will answer them personally.

November Take Control of Your Health

Greetings!

Congratulations for making the commitment to yourself by taking the steps to change your health and change your life. By replying with a post that you are "all in", you will be acknowledging your commitment to yourself, to me and the rest of the group. This commitment solidifies that you are going to do everything within your power to follow this workshop and support others in our group so we can all accomplish or weight and/or health goals.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke

It's Cold and Flu Season

by Glen Depke

If you have been following Depke Wellness, you would probably guess that I am not a proponent of flu shots. While I am not going to use this platform to address the debate of receiving a flu shot, I want to assist you in maintaining a healthy immune system to stay healthy and strong throughout this year’s cold and flu season. These are the practices I use myself and recommend to my clients.

Let’s first look at the lifestyle aspect to improve your immune system function. Stress plays a significant role in challenging immune system dysfunction. I have seen stress over the years significantly lower white blood cell count and put countless individuals in a challenged state. One easy practice you can incorporate to improve your stress levels is to practice deep belly breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose while breathing down to the area of your belly button for a count of eight seconds. Hold that breath for four seconds and then forcefully release this breath while contracting your stomach muscles. This will allow for optimal oxygen supply to the cells in your body and understand that you cannot be stressed and take a deep breath at the same time. I would recommend 3-5 of these breaths each hour of your waking day.

Proper sleep cycles play such an important role in immune system function. Believe it or not this starts with good digestion and proper nutrition which includes the consumption of foods that contain the essential amino acid L-Tryptophan. This is then converted to Serotonin and eventually Melatonin, which is of utmost importance to initiate the high immune system response while you sleep. To learn more about sleep cycles visit our previous post here.

Another way to impact your immune system is to support your lymphatic system. In my opinion, the best way to do this is by using a rebounder. You know…one of those little trampolines. Jump on this for at least 5 minutes per day and if you feel any health challenges coming on, rebound a couple of times per day. This is healthy and fun. You can also dry skin brush to assist your lymphatic system. Get one of those long handled body brushes and every day before you shower, brush your skin from the extremities of your body toward your heart. This not only assists the lymph but also your skin and kidneys.

Staying hydrated is also very important and often for those in cooler climates water consumption is reduced quite a bit at this time. Be sure to be drinking approximately one quart for every 50 pounds of body weight daily.

Let’s look at a way to assist your immune system and address it at the core. About 80% of your immune system function originates in your gut, so be sure to create a healthy environment in your GI tract. One powerful way to address this is to take a quality probiotic daily. Personally, I take a probiotic produced in Germany called Ba-Co-Flor. I have seen much success with this product in my family as well as with my clients.

One of the most supportive supplements for your immune system is another product from Germany called Mycosurge. This is the only known product in the world that combines twelve medicinal mushrooms that are carefully selected in order to provide the most effective immune system boosting efficacy possible. The manufacturing of this product is done in such a way to deliver each mushroom’s full and complete natural ingredient in its natural ratio. Mycosurge is a liquid tonic to facilitate rapid absorption in the mouth and throat with quick delivery into the blood stream. Due to this revolutionary delivery system the GI is bypassed and there is a quick distribution via the heart. Unfortunately Ba-Co-Flor and Mycosurge cannot be sold over the internet so if you really want to support your GI and immune system, feel free to call our office today at 949.642.2094 or email me at Glen@DepkeWellness.com.

Another leading supplement to support the immune system function is the Isotinix OPC-3®. Isotonix OPC-3® is an isotonic-capable food supplement that is made from a combination of bilberry, grape seed, red wine and pine bark (pycnogenol) extracts, and citrus extract bioflavonoids, all found to be powerful antioxidants. Utilizing antioxidants has been shown to support a healthy immune system and the Isotonix form is the best delivery system available today. To order your OPC-3® today visit this link provided.

Understand that you do not have to fall victim to the cold and flu season and if you take care of your body and support your immune system properly, you will give yourself the best opportunity to enjoy the season; that is the holiday season.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to post below and I will personally address this.