The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Week Six

Hello Everyone,

We are in the home stretch of "The PAIN of Inflammation" program and I am very excited for all of you! I have seen some huge positive shifts for most of you in the program and that's what makes this all worth it.

Thank you for making such a significant commitment to change your own health and happiness, but do not let you foot off the gas. This last week is often still full of positive responses from every perspective for all.

Here are the supplemental needs for week six:

• Turmero - one teaspoon before breakfast and dinner
• Resvero - one teaspoon before breakfast and dinner
• Ultra D - two teaspoons before breakfast and dinner
• Hepato-Synergy – 1 packet twice daily before breakfast and dinner
• ClearVite - 
• Days 15 thru 17
• 1 serving daily before breakfast and dinner
• Days 18 thru 21 
• 1 serving before breakfast

Have an amazing last week of the program and start preparing yourself for life after the plan!

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Belly Fat: More than Meets the Eye

A couple of weeks ago we talked about cherry angiomas and this was obviously fascinating to many of you based on the post from that article. Today we will take a look at some of the deeper cultural challenges that this elevated estrogen has created.

Belly fat is a problem many people face as we hit a certain age. Some might consider it as an inevitable fact of life...just something to "live with." Others do their hardest to get rid of it. Whether you're just living with it orbattling it, the fact is that abdominal fat is more dangerous than you think. More so than general obesity, abdominal obesity is closely associated to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

SUBCUTANEOUS vs. VISCERAL FAT

There are two types of fat in the abdominal area. Subcutaneous fat is located beween the skin and abdominal wall (or abdominal muscles). It is the fat that you can grasp. Visceral fat, on the other hand, lies deeper and surrounds the abdominal organs. Our focus is on visceral fat because it is visceral fat that is more dangerous and is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, gallbladder issues, chronic inflammation and aging-related diseases.

Here are some key facts about visceral fat:

• Visceral fat cells are biologically active and can disrupt the normal functioning of hormones such as leptin and adiponectin, which can profoundly affect appetite and insulin sensitivity.
• Visceral fat releases inflammatory cytokines which increase the risk for cardiovascular and aging-associated diseases and promote chronic low-level inflammation.
• Visceral fat can also influence lipid metabolism since it is located near the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the intestines to the liver). Substances released by visceral fat are more likely to enter the portal vein into the liver, which can then affect the production of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Many studies show that people with increased waist circumference (a measure of excess visceral fat) are more likely to develop insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, dementia, colorectal cancer and more.

THE GOOD AND BAD NEWS

The bad news is that many substances that we are exposed to contribute towards more visceral fat: Estrogenic compounds, Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and Sugar. It may very well be difficult to avoid all of them all of the time.

The good news is that there is a lot you can do to fight abdominal fat. Visceral fat, in fact, responds most favorably to exercise and a healthy diet. Making lifestyle changes can therefore have a great impact on reducing visceral fat.

Get Rid of Visceral Fat with MYOMIN

For those who need additional help in keeping the belly fat off, Myomin is recommended. Here's why.

If you have been exercising regularly and eating healthy but still cannot get rid of the belly fat, hormonal imbalance may be the cause. When estrogen dominance is involved, there is a vicious cycle involving estrogen, fat tissue and aromatase that makes it very difficult to remove that excess weight in the belly. 

Excess estrogen (or estradiol, more specifically) promotes fat gain, especially around the abdomen. Abdominal fat tissue has the highest concentration of aromatase, which converts testosterone to estradiol. So more fat tissue promotes more aromatase which promotes more estradiol. And the cycle goes on and on.

MYOMIN interrupts this belly fat-promoting cycle by reducing aromatase expression and estradiol level. As aromatase expression reduces, so does the conversion of testosterone to estradiol. Eventually testosterone level increases (which promotes muscle buildup) and estradiol level declines (which means less belly fat accumulation). 

More info on Dr Chi

Myomin's effect on abdominal fat is evident in these cases. 

K. Kaplan, DC from Florida, has a 58-year-old female patient who weighed 245 lbs. After a year on Myomin, she lost 52 lbs and 4 inches around her waist.

J. Weber, DC, DCBCN from New York, has a 54-year-old male patient who took Myomin for 6 months. His waist size reduced from 40 inches to 38 inches.

J. Wycoff, DO from Michigan, has a 78-year-old male patient who took Myomin for 6 months. He lost 15 lbs and 2 inches around his waist.

See Dr Chi Personally

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any diseases. Individual results may vary. 

The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Week Five

Hello Everyone,

Congratulations for making it to the beginning of week number five and how exciting that you only have two weeks left of "The PAIN of Inflammation" program.

This is a good time to start talking about this as not having and end though. As you have moved through this program and found success on so many levels, do you really want to go back to what you've done in the past? I would hope not and we will be talking about this in our upcoming webinars.

Here are the supplement recommendations for week five.

• One teaspoon of Turmero and Resvero before breakfast and dinner
• Two teaspoons of Ultra D before breakfast and dinner
• If any are still left, finish all gut supplements at the dose you have been using until they are gone
• Continue with one packet of Hepato-Synergy before breakfast and dinner
• Clearvite
• Days 8 thru 14 
• 1 serving daily before breakfast, lunch and dinner

Remember to cut back your flesh protein consumption to the lowest level possible while still maintaining proper energy through the day.

Please let us know if you have any comments or questions. We are always more than happy to address these for you.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Early Detection of Kidney Problems

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

In honor of the upcoming Dr Chi visit to our clinic on June 5-7 we are continuing to build on last week's article on cherry angiomas. We were so happy to see so many of you positively responding to the understanding of cherry angiomas and we look forward to sharing signs of kidney challenges. This is a very important subject because we see kidney challenges with consistency with the clients at Depke Wellness. This is a such an issue due to the toxic world we live in but addressing this and keeping the kidneys functioning properly is such a key to health and happiness. 

Today we will not only provide you with the key assessment tools but also some of the recommendations that Dr Chi would make to support proper kidney function. 

If you would like to learn more about the upcoming Dr Chi visit to Depke Wellness or his comprehensive fingernail and tongue assessment book, click on this link. 

Without a blood or urine test and obvious symptoms, it can be difficult to determine kidney problems. Kidney disease can be a silent disease, sometimes only showing up in lab tests when there is only 30% kidney function left. By then, it is hard to recover kidney function.

The good news is that there are physical markers we can watch for that will help us detect kidney issues very early. Some of these include the following:

• Puffy face when waking up - This signifies retention of excess fluids.
• Foamy urine - This means that the kidneys are not filtering properly. Foam in the urine signifies proteins lost (proteinuria).
• Edema - Because of the loss of protein, the blood is unable to absorb enough fluids, resulting in fluid retention in the face, hands, feet or abdomen.
• Teeth marks - Water retention can manifest on the tongue, making it swell and push against teeth, creating teeth marks.

If you notice any of these signs, give prompt attention to your kidneys as these can indicate that a problem is already starting even if blood tests show normal values.

KIDNEY PROTOCOL

These natural supplements have been proven to support kidney function and are recommended for individuals who already have kidney disease or those who may be at risk for it.

ASPARAGUS EXTRACT

Asparagus is a natural diuretic and is beneficial in reducing excess water retention. In addition, Asparagus also increases creatinine clearance, which is low in people with kidney disease.

KIDNEY CHI

In past issues of this health letters, we have presented the many benefits of Kidney Chi for the kidneys. It reduces proteinuria and stones in the kidneys and urethra. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it effective for urinary tract infections and nephritis.

BATHDETOX

Bathdetox is a skin dialysis formula that can be used in a full body bath or a foot/leg soak.  Once absorbed in the body, it increases urination and perspiration to get rid of accumulated waste in the body. Studies show that Bathdetox reduces creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), which are elevated in kidney disease.

CORDYCEPS EXTRACT

Cordyceps Extract is a mushroom that has been traditionally used for centuries for kidney problems, among other things. It blocks C3b receptor binding to the immune completent to prevent kidney disease. It also reduces BUN and creatinine levels.

 CASE REPORTS

• E.W.,  36-year-old male from California has focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. His BUN, creatinine and urine protein were high and he had difficulty urinating. After 4 months of using Asparagus, Kidney Chi, Bathdetox and Cordyceps Extract, his levels all improved (see table below).

Test	Before	After
BUN	34	15
Creatinine	2.5	1.5
Urine protein	3+	-
24h Urine output	0.8 L	1.8 L

• H. Clark, MD from New York, has a patient who could not urinate at all. A few hours after taking Asparagus Extarct, he was able to urinate.
• V.B., 48-yera-old female from New York, has been on kidney dialysis for 6 months when she started on the kidney protocol. After 5 months, her creatinine level dropped from 11.8 to 9.2. Her kidney clearance increased from 54% to 62%.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any diseases. Individual results may vary. 

The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Week Four

Hello Everyone,

Congratulations for making it to the half way point of "The PAIN of Inflammation" program. There have been countless successes for most in the program already and many more to come.

Remember to cut back on protein consumption for the next three weeks and follow the recommendations on the webinar per Nutritional ID.

Here are the supplement recommendations for week four.

• One teaspoon of Turmero and Resvero before breakfast and dinner
• Two teaspoons of Ultra D before breakfast and dinner
• Finish all gut supplements at the dose you have been using until they are gone
• Add one packet of Hepato-Synergy before breakfast and dinner
• Days 1 - 4 in week four add one scope of Clearvite as a shake or smoothie before breakfast or as your breakfast
• Days 5 - 7 in week four add an additional Clearvite shake or smoothie before both breakfast and dinner

Thank you for your sharing and support on the blog. Creating this community is a big part of the program.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

What the heck is a cherry angioma?

By Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

I was trained by Dr Chi years ago in to use the tool of fingernail and tongue assessment and I cannot share the level of assistance this has provided for my clients throughout the years. While I often use other testing such as adrenal saliva testing, stool collection, urine analysis and blood testing for food sensitivity, the use of the body provides another holistic benefit for all.

Dr Chi has agreed to come to our clinic for 3 days in June to work with our clients personally and this is truly a gift because there is nobody better at fingernail and tongue assessment than this man. He is internationally renowned for his skills, years of work in this field and his uncanny ability to get right to the point of your health issues.

While I would suggest that everyone comes in during those three days, this is not realistic. First off, there are only 105 available appointments, so there is no possible way that everyone that follows Depke Wellness could get in. Second, there are many people that follow our newsletter that either are not in the Southern California area or do not have the ability to travel on these specific dates. 

Since most of you will miss the opportunity to see Dr Chi personally, I am going to share some of the assessment tools over the next few weeks, so you can enjoy some of these "gifts" personally. I will also share that when we reach out in upcoming emails, you will not only have an opportunity to see Dr Chi, but we will also offer Dr Chi's books on fingernail and tongue assessment as well as his herbal treatment book. 

Look for this coming out soon!

So let's get into the question, what the heck is a cherry angioma?

Have you ever notice cherry or red-colored moles or dots on your forehead or chest? These are called cherry angiomas and often signify estrogen dominance. They are a manifestation that excess estrogen attacks peripheral blood vessels, causing an aneurysm, which creates that cherry color. 

The location of the cherry angiomas is helpful in determining what may be the problem.

CHERRY ANGIOMAS ON THE ABDOMEN/CHEST

Cherry angiomas located on the abdomen, or the chest, may either be because of a liver or hormone problem, or both.

Liver - In both men and women, cherry angiomas in the abdomen can signify a liver problem, most likely liver cirrhosis.

Hormone - If there is no liver issue, then excess estrogen may be the cause. This is typically related to problems with the reproductive organs, such as prostate or testicular issues in men and ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, breast tumors, endometriosis, etc, in women. If there are over 10 to 15 large cherry angiomas, it can signal prostate cancer risk in men and breast cancer risk in women. 

J.P., DC from Montana, has a 34-year-old female patient with cherry angiomas on the abdomen and red dots on the tongue, indicating a risk for estrogen-related conditions. She said that she did have an ovarian cyst but did not treat it. A year after that, she found that her CA.125 (ovarian cancer marker) was 16 (normal is below 3) and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

CHERRY ANGIOMAS ON THE FOREHEAD

Cherry angiomas on the forehead or hairline can indicate a stroke or aneurysm risk. Again, this is also tied to hormones, particularly estrogen. Many studies have linked excess estrogen (and low testosterone in men) to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.

S.M. from Florida has cherry angiomas on the forehead and abdomen, making her at risk for aneurysm or stroke. She reveals that five years prior to that, she had a stroke. Her estrogen level is also elevated, which is already affecting her breast and liver.

R.L, a 58-year-old male from Minnesota has more than 50 cherry angiomas on his abdomen and more than 10 on his face and head. When he learned that the cherry angiomas are related to hormones and heart issues, he revealed that he already had a stroke twice before.

With this information, you can potentially understand your own health issues a bit deeper and provide areas to investigate. As an example in my practice, if I see cherry angiomas on the torso, I will test adrenal function along with estradiol and estriol. This will help me understand if this is a liver or an estrogen dominance issue. These tools are invaluable if used properly.

Look for other tools of assessment over the next couple of weeks. This can assist you in moving forward in your journey to health and happiness.

 

The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Week Three

Welcome to week three of "The PAIN of Inflammation." Week two is typically one of the most challenging weeks on the program and this showed for a few participants. This is most often due to those fighting some type of pathogen in their gut that typically have been there creating havoc for some time. Unfortunately, these pathogens often go undiagnosed and lead to a host of physical and mental/emotional health issues. Thankfully this is being addressed for you right now.

Week three is a continuation of the gut support phase with of course the continued anti-inflammatory and immune support.

Be sure to incorporate the Nutritional ID percentages but remember, the allowable/avoidance food list trumps your Nutritional ID and be sure to eat often enough and enough food so you do not experience hunger. Also be sure to work in your fundamentals of health. Collectively everything you are focusing on will play a role in you reaching your desired state of health and happiness.

Lastly, remember to cut back on the GI Synergy if needed as directed in this week's webinar.

Week three supplements are the same as week two. 

• Tumero - 1 teaspoon twice per day
• Resvero - 1 teaspoon twice per day
• Ultra D - 2 teaspoon twice per day
• GI Synergy - 1 packet twice per day
• Strengthia - 2 capsules twice per day
• Repairvite - 1 scoop twice per day

I am excited for you to move through the gut support phase this week and continued success for all.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Are you chemically sensitive?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Chemical sensitivity used to be for the select few chronically ill but these days, I am seeing chemical sensitivity on significant levels for so many of my clients both young and old.

• Why is it that some people cannot be near someone wearing cologne without suffering with a headache?
• Why is this becoming such a huge issue in our culture?
• Why are so many children seemingly starting off life with these sensitivities?
• Is there one cause or many causes?
• Is there hope for those with chemical sensitivities?

Today I will answer these questions and more but to shed a little light at the beginning, there is hope for those that are chemically sensitive! 

Let's start by defining this simply by looking at life's events. Imagine that you walk into an office the was freshly painted and newly carpeted. For most people, walking into this office would bring nothing more than a simple recognition of the odor telling you that the carpet is new as well as the paint. For the individual that is chemically sensitive though, this chemical expression can be maddening, almost to the point that they have to run out of the office.

So why is it that one person simply responds with recognition while another is running out of the office?

I would like to say there is one easy answer for all but one answer for all does not exist. The good news is that there is a combination of areas to look at  that can be addressed to assist the body in responding to these chemicals in a less dramatic fashion, with the eventually goal of a release of chemical sensitivity.

Here is the list of what typically has to be addressed with those suffering with chemical sensitivities.

• Adrenal function - While your adrenals basically play a role in the whole of your being, they also play a direct role in chemical sensitivity due to the impact they have on the mucosal tissue lining (immune systems first line of defense), every level of detoxification, immune system regulation, the pro/anti inflammatory response and your overall neural connectivity. Since I have never seen someone with chemical sensitivity that does not have an adrenal issue, this is a great place to start.
• Inflammation - Chronic inflammation also known as an NF-kB state, is typically one of the significant factors behind chemical sensitivity. Understand that the NF-kB state will likely cause immune system dysregulation which in turn will often lead to chemical sensitivity. Addressing both the triggers for inflammation plus the inflammation itself is a key.
• Gluten or cross reactive sensitivity- If you are consuming foods that your body is sensitive to, this is an issue in regard to chemical sensitivity. This is due to the fact that sensitive foods that are not addressed lead to digestive disorders, neurological imbalance, immune system disorders, inflammatory states, adrenal imbalance and poor blood/brain barrier function. ALL of these play a role in chemical sensitivity. At Depke Wellness we test for cross reactivity and/or use the ImmunoLabs Bloodprint154. If the testing does not work into your budget, I would recommend Lyn-Genet's book "The Plan" and following her protocols in this book. Click here to order your copy of The New York Times bestseller The Plan on Amazon!
• Gut/brain/immune connection - If your gut/brain connection is suffering on any level due to pathogens, intolerant foods, stress, brain trauma and/or poor diet this will generally lead to immune system issues and chronic inflammation which is turn will contribute to chemical sensitivity.
• Poor blood/brain barrier function - Barrier function occurs in your gut, lungs and brain. The barrier that pertains with chemical sensitivity is the blood/brain barrier. This barrier keeps toxins from entering the brain via blood flow. If this barrier is not healthy, toxins will cross into the brain and leave you with a host of potential symptoms and chemical sensitivity. To assess this function, I use a GABA challenge in my clinic. If you take 500mgs of GABA on an empty stomach, if your blood/brain barrier is healthy, you should feel nothing. If this barrier is out of integrity, you will likely feel sedated or excitable to some level. This is a simply and effective self test.
• Poor liver/colon function - The liver takes on the detoxification of approximately 80% of the toxins in your body. This will take place via a phase I and phase II liver detoxification. To simplify, phase I converts fat soluble toxins into water soluble toxins for eventual release via the colon. Once this phase I occurs it is essential that these are released via the colon because this phase I conversion actually makes the toxins more toxic. Yes, you heard that correct, your body's conversion of these toxins actually does create a higher level of toxicity. With that said, if you do not have healthy bowel movements (2 per day or more) you are actually releasing this toxic load back into your body and round and round you go. All this creates a significant toxic load and can be a big part of chemical sensitivity.
• Poor drainage - Often when we talk about detoxification, we forget the most important part. That part is drainage. To detoxify without drainage can lead to a toxic overload in your body and chemical sensitivity. See above while understanding that drainage is so much more than just your colon. Lymph, kidneys, skin and lungs also play a role. Positive steps to take here is daily dry skin brushing, rebound 5 minutes daily, infrared saunas, Epsom salt baths and staying properly hydrated.

While there may be some fringe areas to address beyond these listed above, most will find a significant release of chemical sensitivity symptoms or even a complete elimination of these symptoms by addressing these areas.

I also wanted to talk about one other area of chemical sensitivity that is so important and that is with children. With younger children, this is typically tied into food sensitivity, the gut/brain connection and/or poor blood/brain barrier function. Addressing these first will often result in quick relief for you children.

To take this a step further, let's look at the main reasons so many kids seem to be born with these chemical sensitivities. The fact is that this starts with the health of the parents upon conception and the health of the mother throughout pregnancy. Please understand the importance of a healthy gut/brain/immune system in the mother which will coincide with a healthier gut/brain/immune function with your child. Often women are living with an undiagnosed autoimmune reaction or potentially a full blown autoimmune disease. These challenges are easily transferred into the developing child and unfortunately this occurs far too often. With this said, make sure that a part of your family planning includes optimal health for both parents and have confidence in the gut/brain/immune health for the future mother. Doing this can release years of frustration down the road for both parents and children.

One other factor to consider is the high amount of chemicals that are in our environment via the air we breathe, water we drink, foods we eat as well as chemicals on cloths or products we put on your skin. These areas can be improved on every level also to take away some of the chemical load thrown at us on a daily basis.

• Air we breathe - Take a look at this article on air purifying plants for your home and office.
• Water we drink - My general recommendation is a Reverse Osmosis filtration system that includes a minimum of 4 filters. You can also purchase a portable aquagear system that will filter tap water at any time. Great for traveling or regular use. Learn more about AquaGear.
• Foods we eat - Consume whole natural and organic food whenever possible and recognize and eliminate sensitive foods. Processed foods and a sugar are a part of a toxic lifestyle.
• Chemicals on your body - Use natural cleaning products and do not put anything on your skin that has a chemical base. There are many natural products that you can use on your skin available today. Here is a link to some of these natural products. Remember that your skin will easily soak up your toxic exposure.

In the end, recognize that once you are chemically sensitive this does not have to be a life long struggle for you. Take the necessary steps to live a life free of these sensitivities. It will be more than worth it!

The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Week Two

Congrats on completing week one of "The PAIN of Inflammation."

Many are finding success already with reduction in pain, weight loss among other positive shifts while some are finding themselves challenged with cravings, healing crisis and even discomfort. As your body is shifting and changing there is always the chance that you may go through some type of a healing crisis. This happens every year to some participants and I can assure you that continuing to move forward with the program will lead you through this. If this is occurring for you, please update me with your progress on this blog.

During week two you will obviously continue with the allowable/avoidance food list but we will add another benefit to you this week as we discuss your fundamentals of health. This will assist you in your desire to increase your energy, reduce your pain, improve your mood and potentially many other benefits.

Moving into week two, here is your updated supplement recommendations.

• Tumero - 1 teaspoon twice per day
• Resvero - 1 teaspoon twice per day
• Ultra D - 2 teaspoon twice per day
• GI Synergy - 1 packet twice per day
• Strengthia - 2 capsules twice per day
• Repairvite - 1 scoop twice per day

If you have any "die off" symptoms during this phase, stop the GI Synergy for one day and then start up at half the recommended dose. After a few days you may be able to go back to the full dose.

*If you have any Nitric Balance or Glutathione Recycler left, please continue with this as directed until empty.

Welcome to week two which is the gut healing segment of your program. Feel free to post your comments and questions below.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Escaping Hashimoto's

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

For those that have Hashimoto's disease, you know what I am talking about but I also want to define this for those that are not familiar with Hashimoto's. Hashimoto's disease is an autoimmune condition that is recognized by a high level of thyroid peroxidase as measured in your blood that will manifest as your immune system actually attacks your thyroid tissue. This attack on the tissue will often lead to thyroid hormone imbalances that will most often be treated by taking thyroid hormones. The problem with this though is that the real problem is not being addressed and this real problem is the autoimmune condition itself.

The Mayo clinic defines Hahimoto's disease as "a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid, a small gland at the base of your neck below your Adam's apple. The thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system, which produces hormones that coordinate many of your body's activities. The resulting inflammation from Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Hashimoto's disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It primarily affects middle-aged women but also can occur in men and women of any age and in children."

Now in fairness to conventional doctors, there is no drug that you can take to overcome Hashimoto's disease. The typical drug of choice is to recommend a synthetic form of thyroid hormone. As mentioned above though, this does not treat the problem, it only treats the symptom. To take this one step further, the use of the synthetic thyroid hormone typically only provides very short term results if any at all. This is sad but true.

When we look at Hashimoto's from a holistic perspective there are actually very viable options. I have personally seen clients with thyroid peroxidase levels near 100, above 300 and even above 500 actually find themselves in normal ranges and even falling below 10. Recognize that normal is typically viewed as less than 35.

So if you find yourself diagnosed with Hashimoto's, what can you do?

First off, get to the core.

Recognize this for what it is, an autoimmune condition. So the core is autoimmunity right?

Not so fast, we still have to get to the core of the autoimmunity of course.

Let's lay out the steps to address Hashimoto's, to allow your body to find its balance while understanding that there are many steps to take. Note, you do not want to miss any of these.

1. Address your fundamentals of health. Yes, the simple things, so simple that most ignore these on a regular basis. Deep breathing, proper hydration, proper nutrition, healthy sleep cycles, movement, healthy bowel movements (2 or more per day), vertebrae integrity, proper exposure to the sun and reducing stress and learning healthy ways to deal with stress and release suppressed emotions. If you would like to receive a complimentary 4 part video series on the fundamentals of health, please visit our home page at www.DepkeWellness.com.
2. Assess your food intolerance and eliminate these foods. If you are eating a food that is inflaming your gut, you will not escape autoimmunity. It is that simple. It is essential to test for these foods and I recommend both a Cyrex Labs Array #4 and the ImmunoLabs Bloodprint154. The two of these combined will provide you with the information you need. If the testing does not work into your budget, I would recommend Lyn-Genet's book "The Plan" and following her protocols in this book. Click here to order your copy of The New York Times bestseller The Plan on Amazon!
3. Assess adrenal function and assist the body in resetting the HPA axis. This is such a significant key and honestly, the one area that is so often overlooked or not addressed properly. While many practitioners test for adrenal function, many do not understand what is necessary to reset the HPA axis. Most often individuals are provided adrenal support supplements, which are helpful but do not reset this axis. This is a key factor.
4. Test for gut pathogens. So often those with autoimmunity are living with unrecognized gut pathogens. You know, parasites, protozoa, amoebas, infections, detrimental bacteria and many more. If this is the case and these are not recognized and dealt with properly, this is another area that will withhold your progress.
5. Support your immune function. Often we are told that autoimmunity is an overactive immune system when truly this is a very week immune system that is simply stuck in either to high of a B cell or T cell response. By supporting immune function, you provide one of the underlying keys to your success. I typically assist my clients with this by using a liquid emulsified form of vitamin D with other essential co-factors.  
6. Significantly reduce or preferably eliminate your chronic inflammation. Many with autoimmunity do not even recognize they are chronically inflamed and I can share that I have never seen a client with and autoimmune condition that is not also dealing with chronic inflammation. They go hand in hand. When addressing this though, it is a essential to first address the steps above, be aggressive with the anti-inflammatory protocols while also addressing the feedback loops that continue your inflammatory response.
7. Assess the blood/brain barrier, support if needed and then look at toxicity in your body. I want you to notice that this is at the end of the recommendations, because so many practitioners like to "detox, detox, detox" at the beginning. I find that individuals with Hashimoto's or any other autoimmune condition for that matter are actually far to weak to detoxify or they are dealing with a blood/brain barrier that is out of integrity, so when they are actually detoxifying the body, their symptoms are actually worsening. That's not what we're looking for. Placing detoxification in the proper order is also essential and putting your focus heavier on the drainage aspect rather than the detoxification aspect will be very helpful

While it would be impossible to guarantee that following these steps will leave you free of Hashimoto's, I can easily refer to what I mentioned at the onset of this article. I have personally seen clients with thyroid peroxidase levels near 100, above 300 and even above 500 actually find themselves in normal ranges and even falling below 10. 

This to can be you!

When I posted on Facebook last week that I was going to write this article one of my clients quickly responded with this, "When I first started working with Glen Depke I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's. With Glen's assistance, lifestyle changes, and supplements I was able to get my thyroid back into balance!" Thank you to who shared this, I always appreciate support from my clients!

If you are wondering if Depke Wellness is the fit you are looking for, we always offer a complimentary 20 minute in office, phone or Skype session for perspective new clients. This way your initial investment is ONLY 20 minutes of your day. I'll share that this 20 minutes may actually change the rest of your life.

Call (949)954-6226 or email jill@depkewellness.com to set up your complimentary consult today.