What does a gut/brain issue look like?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Most individuals that have a gut/brain connection issue would not recognize the symptoms that tie into this disruptive imbalance. Typical symptoms of a gut/brain connection imbalance are listed below.

• Difficulty digesting your food
• Constipation or irregular bowel movements
• Increased bloating or gas
• Distended stomach after eating
• Challenges breaking down protein, fat or starches
• Stomach discomfort after eating meals

To understand this connection, let's first look at a simple fact. 90% of your brain function is based on automatic function, while 10% is based on your motor system in which you have voluntary control. The 90% autonomic function does not involve any voluntary control. This 90% autonomic function travels from the brain, to the brainstem and eventually to the vagus nerve. This vagus nerve, which can be defined as the "wandering nerve" communicates with the enteric nervous system of your digestive system.

If the output through this pathway is insufficient this can lead to a host of digestive and other issues. This can include but not limited to:

• Poor motility or movement of your food through the digestive system
• Constipation
• Lose of bowel or bladder control
• Low stomach acid
• Poor pancreatic enzyme production
• Insufficient release of bile from the gall bladder to break down fat
• Leaky gut
• Chronic yeast issues
• Chronic pathogen infections
• Inflamed gut
• Food sensitivities
• Insufficient blood flow to the intestines, hindering function and regeneration

While all that is mentioned above is an issue in itself, leaky gut can lead to many other challenges. First let's define leaky gut as the development of intestinal permeability. When healthy, the lining of your small intestines form a barrier know as "tight junctions" which form an impermeable barrier to protect your blood stream from the contents of your gut. These tight junctions should allow low molecular weight particles into your blood, such as properly digested macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, enzymes, co-enzymes and such. When this barrier is "leaky" this will allow larger molecules into your blood stream such as poorly digested proteins, bacteria, fungus and other pathogens. This will eventually lead to malabsorption, inflammation, brain challenges and chronic disease states.

Poor brain health, brain trauma or brain degeneration often plays a role in the development in leaky gut. Leaky gut creates inflammation, which in turn leads to further progression and worsening of leaky gut. This is a viscous cycle that so many enter and seemingly cannot escape.

This is one of the reasons that I offer "The PAIN of Inflammation" program to my clients and followers of Depke Wellness.

Also understand that leaky gut can also lead to an autoimmune condition that attacks the brain. This is because the chronic inflammation excites the immune system into a constant state of high alert. This often leaves our immune system confused in recognizing actually intruders and our own bodies tissue. This can actually leave the brain and many other areas of the body open to this constant attack.

While we can see here that poor function of this pathway from the brain, brain stem, vagus nerve into the enteric system can have a major impact on your gut health, it is also essential to recognize that this is a two way street. Poor gut health has been shown to also lead to recognized brain issues such as depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, brain fog and memory loss, just to name a few.

Many that are reading this today, will likely recognize that a gut/brain connection issue is likely a problem. Let's take some simple steps to reestablish your vagus nerve activity to assist this connection. Just like you muscles, your neurons need constant stimulation for optimal health. Without activity they will simply lose function. Remember, we mentioned earlier that 90% of your brain's output goes through the brainstem, into the vagus nerve and eventually into the nervous system within the gut.

Here are some simple exercises that you can use to stimulate the function of your vagus nerve.

• Gargle with water several times per day. This will activate the muscles in the back of the throat, activating the vagus nerve and stimulate your gut. Three times per day, drink a glass of water, while gargling each sip long enough for this to seem to be a challenge. The longer you gargle, the better the stimulation.
• Singing loudly can also stimulate the vagus nerve, so when you are driving in your car or taking your shower, let it rip. Sing out your favorite songs and enjoy improved gut/brain health.
• You can also stimulate your gag reflex by using tongue blades. Simply place the tongue blade on the back of your tongue and push down to activate this reflex. The gag reflex is like push-ups for your vagus nerve. Just like push-ups to build your chest and triceps, you have to create some consistency here to make a difference, so do this several times per week.

To get deeper into the inflammatory response of the gut/brain connection challenges, I will be reviewing "The PAIN of Inflammation" program for you shortly. This will involve addressing the underlying causes of infection as well as the feedback loops that continue to cycle inflammation as shared with leaky gut in this article above.

In the end, recognize that your gut and brain functions as one system and not two different systems. Focusing your attention this gut/brain system can change your life!

If you have any questions or comments on this article, feel free to post below for us to respond personally.

The PAIN of Inflammation 2014 - Completion

Congratulations to everyone for reaching the conclusion of the 2014 "The PAIN of Inflammation" program! You've enjoyed the benefit of reducing inflammation, reducing pain, supporting immune function, reconnecting the gut/brain connection, anti-parasitic, fungal and yeast protocols, gut restorative and last but not least liver detoxification. That's more than a mouthful!

This is bittersweet because you have been such an awesome group and I have truly enjoyed interacting with all of you. Thank you for that!

With that said though, this is truly not the end but only the beginning. If you remember way back before you even signed up for the program, we discussed the 6 weeks as a long enough period for most to create new, healthier habits that you can move forward into the rest of your life.

As you are continuing these new habits, I will continue to monitor the completion blog to assist you on this level. So please, do not be afraid to reach out for direction.

Thank you all once again!

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Results, results, results...

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

It is hard to believe but the 2014 six week "More Than Just Weight Loss" program is now complete. While we wait for the results of the completion assessments to come back, I have some results to share with you.

Here are the results of one of the participants to share with you and when the overall results

Before

are in, I will of course share these with you.

The person I will share with you today lost 10.5 pounds in body weight and 5 inches in their stomach. Yes, this was in 6 weeks. Not only was this in 6 weeks but there was no restriction on calories or how much food you can eat. Not only was the weight loss and inches lost a positive but the symptom improvement of 80% for this person is also such a significant factor.

For those that are not familiar with the "More Than Just Weight Loss" program, this is a program that covers all of the areas listed below.

• Anti-inflammatory
• Establishing a healthy gut/brain connection

  

  After

• Anti-parasitic, yeast and fungal
• Gut rebuilding
• Immune boosting
• Liver detoxification

During this entire program you have a focus on reducing inflammation and boosting your immune system function. Added to this in the first week, you will assist in reestablishing the gut/brain connection. In weeks two and three you are also working on the anti-parasitic, anti-yeast and anti-fungal program while also reestablishing the gut lining. Finally in weeks three thru the end you are also focused on improving phase I and phase II liver detoxification. And remember as mentioned earlier in this paragraph, you are working on an anti-inflammatory and immune boosting protocol thru the entire program.

So what does this look like? Well, just take a look at the pictures and you can see for yourself. You may even wonder to yourself, was this person also working out like a fiend through the 6 weeks? Actually they shared that their exercise had actually dropped during this time, so these results are actually with less physical activity.

All of the protocols listed above are tied into supplemental programs but there is also a very important nutritional component to this program. As mentioned earlier, there are zero caloric and food quantity restrictions on the program but you are eliminated all of the highest potentially inflammatory foods during this time. You can not only eat as much as you want but you are instructed to not allow yourself to get overly hungry during this program.

The interesting factor for so many in the program is the experience of new food choices and recognizing how poorly you may react to food choices that you had made with consistency in the past. I actually talked to one of the program participants that shared that almonds are a very high reactive food, yet prior to the program, she ate them all the time and potentially in excess. So many of us are doing this on a regular basis and simply not understanding to inflammation, gut/brain issues, immune challenges and so much more that this is causing.

This program often creates some deep incites for its users that have the potential to last a lifetime. This is due to the fact that you create an awareness of what the food you eat is actually doing to you.

This years program was also a bonus because of the weekly blogs. If you want to review what was discussed during this time, feel free to type "2014 More Than Just Weight Loss" into the search box on this blog and you will have weeks 1 thru 6 come up as well as the completion blog. You'll see what we were eating through this time, some of our successes as well as some of the challenges that will also come up for some. I can also share that the blog for this is not only one of my favorite parts of this program but it is also invaluable to many of the program participants.

I also feel that it is important to share that results do vary from person to person. Many will have results greater than the subject today, but many will also have results that are not as high as today's example. But in the end, we always learn more about ourselves and we can move forward with this information in an empowering way. Just the other day I spoke with a program participant and we were discussing an actual lack of weight loss. This was relatively easy to pinpoint a heavy metal toxicity that was hindering the weight loss, which in turn provides this person with some very important next steps to be taken. Some people in the program found out that they have some very deep and chronic gut issues that will need further repair. Others realized that they likely have some serious adrenal challenges this need to be assessed, while others are now questioning their blood/brain barrier integrity. But you see, when we feel that we do not find success, yet you deepen your awareness of what is truly going on, this is still success and often success at the highest level.

These are all the reasons I am always so excited to offer this program every year. This year, I am going to leave the program open all year. The blogs will be ongoing for each week and the recorded webinars will always be available for new participants. This is simply too good to only let out only once per year. After all, it's almost swim suit weather!

Anyway, shouldn't we all have the opportunity for "More Than Just Weight Loss"?

Recognize that this is so much more than just weight loss though. If you are challenged with any of these health conditions below, this program is essential for you.

• Conditions tied into chronic inflammation
• acid reflux/heartburn
• acne
• allergies/sensitivities
• Alzheimer’s disease
• asthma
• atherosclerosis
• autoimmunity
• bronchitis
• cancer
• celiac disease
• chronic pain
• Crohn’s disease
• cirrhosis
• colitis
• dementia
• dermatitis
• diabetes
• dry eyes
• edema
• emphysema
• eczema
• fibromyalgia
• gastroenteritis
• gingivitis
• heart disease
• hepatitis
• high blood pressure
• insulin resistance
• interstitial cystitis
• obesity
• joint pain/ arthritis/ rheumatoid arthritis
• metabolic syndrome (syndrome X)
• myositis
• nephritis
• osteopenia
• osteoporosis
• pain
• Parkinson’s disease
• periodontal disease
• polychondritis
• psoriasis
• scleroderma
• sinusitis
• Sjögren’s syndrome
• spastic colon
• systemic candidiasis
• tendonitis
• UTI’s
• vaginitis

If you want to learn more about the "More Than Just Weight Loss" program and the benefits this program this may provide for you, follow this link.

Once all the final completion assessments come in, I will post the results in the 2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Completion blog. I cannot wait to share the average results as well as our most astounding results with you.

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Completion

Congratulations to everyone for reaching the conclusion of the 2014 More Than Just Weight Loss program! You've enjoyed the benefit of reducing inflammation, supporting immune function, reconnecting the gut/brain connection, anti-parasitic, fungal and yeast protocols, gut restorative and last but not least liver detoxification. That's more than a mouthful!

This is bittersweet because you have been such an awesome group and I have truly enjoyed interacting with all of you. Thank you for that!

With that said though, this is truly not the end but only the beginning. If you remember way back before you even signed up for the program, we discussed the 6 weeks as a long enough period for most to create new, healthier habits that you can move forward into the rest of your life.

As you are continuing these new habits, I will continue to monitor the completion blog to assist you on this level. So do not be afraid to reach out for direction.

Thank you all once again!

Wellness for the World,
Glen 

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week Six

Hello Everyone,

We are in the home stretch 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 teaspoon 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

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week Five

Hello Everyone,
 
We are heading into the home stretch and are really pushing the liver detox to a whole new level. This week your nutritional recommendations remain the same as last week and remember to consume as little flesh protein as possible while still maintaining your individual needs. 

Supplement wise the Turmero, Resvero, Ultra D and Hepato Synergy will stay the same but there are changes with the Clearvite.

Week five changes.

ClearVite

• Days 8 thru 14 
• 1 serving daily before breakfast, lunch and dinner

Please let me know if you have any questions.
 
Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath 

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week Four

Hello Everyone,

Congratulations for making it to the half way point of the 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.

Continue with:

• 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

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week Three

Welcome to week three of "More Than Just Weight Loss" week three. 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 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.

This week we will also discuss possible reactivity withing your allowable foods to assist you in fine tuning your diet and/or working through some trouble spots for yourself personally. With this said, be sure you watch this weeks webinar for directions on use of this updated food list.

Also be sure to incorporate the Nutritional ID percentages and preferred foods in your diet but remember, the allowable/avoidance food list trumps your Nutritional ID.

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

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week Two

Congrats on completing week one of "More Than Just Weight Loss."

Many are finding success already with 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, which is introducing your Nutritional ID. This will allow you to use your allowable/avoidance food list in an improved way to increase your energy, improve your mood and potentially even need less food through your day.

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 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.

Wellness for the World,
Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

2014 More Than Just Weight Loss - Week One

Get ready everyone! We are beginning a journey to experience improved health and happiness and perhaps shock you with results that may be unexpected. As you've heard me say before, this program has been running for four years now and I have have seen countless people lose weight, inches and most importantly, significantly reduce or eliminate their health symptoms. 

This is truly an amazing program and the reason why both myself and my wife participate every year.

Now to the nuts and bolts. This will be your blog through the program. This will allow you access to post questions and comments for me as well as interact with others in the program. There are many "More Than Just Weight Loss" veterans in the program as well as other health practitioners so the conversation on the blog will provide a high value. Also Lynda Buitrago, who is my partner in my office, will be sharing her expertise with you along this journey. She is also in the program with us and a veteran from last year.

As each new week begins, we will start a new blog. We have many in the program that are not starting on the same day so this will create ease of navigation for all, regardless of when they begin.

Each week I will post the supplement requirements for the week and sharing other news and tidbits to help you along the way. Please check in regularly for new posts and share from other participants. I will share that while the blog is not essential to your success, I do find that those participants that use the blog regularly consistently enjoy high levels of success.

Also remember the keys to this program. Allowable/avoidance foods, anti-inflammatory, liver detox, gut/brain connection and immune support. These will be your keys to health and happiness.

One last note. It does add an ease of navigation if you become a member of this blog. You can take care of this is the right header.

So here we go...

Wellness for the World,
Glen

Your Reset Button!

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Wouldn't it be nice if we could hit a reset button and most of the symptoms of our poor health choices could simply go away? Oh, and especially after all the stress, poor food choices, too much alcohol and too little sleep of the holidays. Heck, just over the Thanksgiving weekend I personally put on 10 pounds. Two Thanksgiving dinners, a birthday party and some alcohol at each was obviously a disaster. All with Christmas, traveling and New Years yet to arrive. 

Yikes!

Well thankfully, there is a reset button and I hit it every year after this holiday mess. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the holidays. I love to be with people, the engagement with others, the yummy food and even the occasional Christmas margarita. It's really not a different margarita, just a homemade margarita made around Christmas time. LOL!

As you can imagine, this leaves me a mess just as it does the rest of you reading this article. So what do we do?

Hit the reset button!

For me this is the 6 week "More Than Just Weight Loss" program. I have done this the last 3 years in a row and I am already craving this time again. You may ask, why do I crave this and what is it all about?

First of all, most of us gain weight at this time of the year and while a percentage of this is fat, there is often a significant weight gain accompanying an increase in inflammation. The weight gain isn't even the biggest issue with weight gain, but the aches and pains of inflammation are actually the more significant challenge. In addition to weight gain and inflammation most of us are also dealing with a gut/brain issue due to the holidays. Eating intolerant foods, alcohol affecting your brain function, stress and your lack of sleep are all feeding the gut/brain issue.

Along with this immune system function takes a hit. This is due to a couple of factors. Number one is the fact that about 70 to 80% of your immune function actually originates in your gut, so when there is a gut/brain connection issue, there is an immune issue. Secondly tied into the inflammation, this chronic inflammation actually creates an immune dysregulation that can be scary. Scary because this can lead to multiple chemical sensitivities and the shut down of apoptosis, which long term can lead to cancer. Another factor that is huge for the immune function is the lack of sleep that leads to a weakened immune function also.

Lastly, how about our livers' screaming out at us after the holidays. Heck, daily living is enough of a stress on our liver. Throw some alcohol, stress, poor food and the typical response to dealing with a hangover are all so taxing to the liver. Ouch!

So in the end, you know what to do? Hit the reset button!


The 6 week "More Than Just Weight Loss" program really isn't even a weight loss program. Don't get me wrong, if you have inflammatory or fat weight to lose, this will happen, but the program is actually quite different. It is actually a  gut/brain supportive, immune building, liver detoxifying, anti-inflammatory program.

The first year I did this I lost 16.9 pounds, last year I lost about 12.4 (don't remember exactly) and this year I hope to lose about 9 or 10. But more important than the weight loss and the fact that my pants will be a bit more comfy and I will get back into the "skinny" pants again, I will feel amazing! 

That's what feeds my drive for this 6 week program every year. I LOVE feeling amazing! Don't you?


Find out more about the 6 week "More Than Just Weight Loss" program.

Glad You Finally Jumped on Board!

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

 

Jump on board for what you may ask?

What I am referring to is something we have been talking about at Depke Wellness for some time not...

The gut/brain connection!  

Here is an excerpt from a past article on the gut/brain connection from Depke Wellness.

"So you think your brain is all in your head? Well, think again. Obviously it starts in your head but your brain extends into the brain stem, from there this leads to the Vagus nerve which then extends throughout the gastrointestinal system. Yes that same nerve tissue that is within your brain extends into the gut and oh, what a connection!"

If you would like to read the entire article on the Gut/Brain Connection, click here.

Finally conventional thought is catching up and that is so exciting for all of us. For decades natural health pioneers have been sharing information on the need for beneficial bacteria in the gut, recognizing that this is not just a gut issue but also a brain issue.

The "groundbreaking" news from the UCLA Health website has recently shared:

"UCLA researchers now have the first evidence that bacteria ingested in food can affect brain function in humans. In an early proof-of-concept study of healthy women, they found that women who regularly consumed beneficial bacteria known as probiotics through yogurt showed altered brain function, both while in a resting state and in response to an emotion-recognition task."

If you would like to read the article in its entirety, visit this link. I would truly recommend this article for all our readers.

They mentioned:

"The discovery that changing the bacterial environment, or microbiota, in the gut can affect the brain carries significant implications for future research that could point the way toward dietary or drug interventions to improve brain function, the researchers said."

While I am happy to see that conventional medicine is on board with this information, it would make sense that instead of discussing this as a desire to create further drug interventions, how about taking probiotics or naturally fermented foods? 

I can share that personally, I take 2 capsules of the Depke Wellness Prebiotic/Probiotic Formula every morning when I wake up. Thanks to some work my wife does for our home we also enjoy naturally fermented drinks such as coconut water kefir and kombucha on a regular basis to also kick up our healthy bacteria. There are so many health options to maintain a healthy gut/brain connection that are often not put into use. 

Here is a list of naturally fermented products for your personal use.

*As a special note, when these foods below are "rushed" and put through a chemical fermentation process they do not enjoy the same beneficial bacteria gift. Many of these are now chemically fermented but finding these in their true naturally fermented state is invaluable. Many of these can still be found in these healthy states of fermentation.

• Sourdough Bread - Sourdough bread is fermented with the help of wild yeasts that are unique to a region, climate, or even kitchen. Mixing wild yeast culture into flour and water to make bread will create bubbles that cause the bread to rise, and give the bread a characteristic sour taste.
• Cheese - Cheese is really milk gone bad (in a controlled way) All cheese consists of milk, culture, and sometimes coagulant. Different cheeses began with different cheese cultures, some of which have been handed down for generations.
• Cultured Butter - Cultured butter is butter made from soured (again in a controlled way) cream that is then whipped or churned to separate the whey from the butterfat. This extra step is what makes cultured butter more expensive than regular butter.
• Crème fraîche - One of the most versatile dairy products around, crème fraîche is soured cream, the precursor of cultured butter, and one of the easiest and most foolproof cultured dairy products to make at home.
• Yogurt - Yogurt is milk that has been cultured with two very specific strains of bacteria: streptoccus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus. Most yogurts in the grocery store are filled with artificial additives, colors, and sweeteners. When shopping, look for plain yogurt containing nothing but cultures and milk. Or make your own.
• Kefir - Also known as drinkable yogurt, kefir is a cultured dairy product similar to yogurt, but it contains more strains of friendly bacteria than yogurt.
• Salami - Salami and other cured meats made the traditional (slow) way are actually fermented. The meat is mixed with salt and spices, inoculated with a special culture, and then allowed to cure naturally, without additives. That’s why, when you bite into a really fine artisanal salami, you can usually detect a slight tang. That’s the fermentation.
• Wine -To make wine, the grapes are mixed with yeast and allowed to ferment before aging.
• Beer - Beer is made from fermented mashed grains like hops and wheat. Differences in flavor and body come from manipulating the ratio of ingredients and adding other flavors.
• Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut is another very simple home fermenting project. You can ferment cabbage easily with just salt, or you can use a lacto-fermentation method by adding a little yogurt whey. Try it here.
• Pickles - Traditionally, dill pickles were made through fermentation. Now they are most often made with vinegar. The traditional types are making a resurgence, however, and can be found in specialty stores carrying local products. Or you can make them yourself.
• Kimchi - There are more varieties of kimchi than cars, but all have a delicious funk in common, and that funk comes from fermentation. Kimchi is made like sauerkraut but may contain different types of vegetables and seasonings, sugar, and often some type of dried or fermented fish product.
• Kombucha - This popular drink, like yogurt, and unlike wild fermented items like sauerkraut, is the product of a very specific culture. The culture is a spongy, slightly slimy disc that is sometimes called mother and sometimes called a skoby. The culture ferments a mixture of black tea and sugar into a tart, slighty fizzy drink that some people insist is a cure-all for many ailments. Making Kombucha video.
• Fish Sauce - Where does the dipping sauce in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants get its pungency? From the fish sauce, which is made of mashed up whole fish, packed in salt and fermented. But beware. Not all fish sauce is created equally. Some brands are produced through a chemical process, not a natural fermentation process.
• Vinegar - Vinegar is made by fermenting wine with a “mother,” which is a stringy mass of bacteria found in unpasteurized vinegar. It’s easy to make vinegar at home from leftover wine and culture, either purchased or obtained from another vinegar.
• Miso - The salty paste used in Japanese cooking is made with a special koji culture, rice or barley, and soybeans. Many people think it’s the key to Japanese longevity.
• Tempeh - This meaty tasting soybean cake, popular in Indonesian cuisine is a product of fermenting cooked soybeans with a special mold. If the tempeh sometimes appears moldy, that’s because it is. But rest assured, it’s like the mold in blue cheese and ok to eat. Here’s a great recipe for pan-fried tempeh

Enjoying these naturally fermented foods when available while taking your daily probiotic goes a long way in not only helping your gut but also your brain. Now it's not just us health geeks talking about it, conventional medicine in now on board. For that, we are thankful!

Cranky and Bloated...

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

The title tells you exactly what my day was like yesterday...yikes!

Those that are clients of DepkeWellness would find it hard to believe that I could be cranky. Now while most would not have recognized this, I felt like I was living yesterday with a little demon inside of me. Not only was that little demon wreaking havoc over my mood, emotions and non-physical energy, I would have sworn it was living in my stomach due to the extra girth I put on over night. Even using all my tools to address my emotional state, I could not get out of it.

So how many times has this happened to you?

I am sure more than once. 

So what the heck was this? 

Thankfully I figured this out and you may or may not be surprised.

I purchased some food out on the evening before and ordered a chili. While the chili was actually very tasty, this was the fuel for cranky and bloated. I really put all the responsibility on myself because I am usually very good at confirming what is in my food, especially when I eat out. Well, it turns out that gluten was in my chili. It was likely used as a thickening agent, but little did they know that it was actually a cranky and bloated agent instead. 

Thankfully I was able to take a powerful natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and some liquid emulsified vitamin D in a high dose and I woke up this morning myself again. Yay!!!

For those that do not know this, I am a definite proponent of living a gluten free lifestyle, if gluten is an issue for you. Just and FYI, this is most of you reading this article. I have been gluten free for some time and every once in a while some mistakenly finds its way into my diet and obviously I can recognize this exposure. Interesting enough, my body did not want to hold onto the gluten and I vomited this up later in my evening. Sadly, the damage was already done. This led to some immediate inflammation in my gut and due to the direct link between the gut and the brain, this lead to the little cranky demon mentioned above. Thankfully I was able to recognize my state and simply keep my mouth shut whenever I could. I did not want the little cranky demon escape to create any damage to those around me.

I wanted to bring this up because so many people have this type of an issue with gluten and they never connect the dots. Gluten is not only a gut issue, this can be a brain issue (mood) as well as an inflammatory, immune and adrenal issue.

Scary right? Well, it should be!

Here's another example.

I have a client that went off gluten for more than 30 days. Lost a bunch of weight (20 lbs.), lived into more energy and enjoyed and improved mood. Now this client is back on gluten, only occasionally, but his significant other has noticed that moodiness and cranky has should up big time. Now is my client thinking that gluten is the issue? Of course not. Likely the mood is being blamed on others or the moodiness or crankiness is not even recognized. That is until I was able to be a part of this communication.

So how many of you are eating gluten and feel regular states of anxiety, crankiness or depression? 

And out of those the regularly struggle with this, do you even think gluten is a possible factor in your mood? 

Recognize some simple stats. There are approximately 330 million Americans. Out of this,

approximately 90 million are undiagnosed gluten intolerant. Now that does not count those that are either living with Celiac disease or those that already know gluten is an issue for themselves, myself included in that group. Approximately 30% of the US population have the genetic marker to makes them predisposed to Celiac and there's more. There are many that do not have the genetic marker, such as myself, but are completely intolerant to "Americanized" wheat. This is the hybridized and hydrolyzed wheat that we get in the US and Canada. Somebody like myself can go to Italy and eat all the bread and pasta we want but watch out when you get home. Our "Americanized" wheat will come out and bite you in the "you know what."

One more not to make is the fact that most people will not respond in the way I did. It is thought that approximately 86% of those challenged are actually asymptomatic when they consume gluten. This means, you are damaging your body without any knowledge of this. Or you may have symptoms that you simply do not tie into the food you eat, such as my crankiness expressed earlier.

So let this article be an eye opener for you. Click on this link and take the complimentary gluten assessment for not only yourself but for those around you. While I know you don't want to visit your cranky, nobody else does either.

If you find that you are somewhat likely to likely gluten intolerant due to the complimentary assessment, the next step is to eliminate gluten from you diet for at least 60 days. To assist with this you can also print out another complimentary form from the link above for your gluten foods in categories. This will help separate gluten and non-gluten choices for you. Also understand that being gluten lite does not work. It does take a full elimination of gluten to get the benefits of living gluten free. This is due the fact that all you need is gluten once per month to continue the inflammation, immune disruption and adrenal dysfunction for yourself.

As someone that has been gluten free for almost 7 years, except for a few mishaps such as this, living gluten free is much easier that most would think. I will also share that the benefits are also much higher than you may think.

Once you have eliminated gluten completely for 60 days, you have two choices. Choice number one is that due to the health benefits you have received, make the choice to stay away from gluten with the confidence of knowing that this is creating a happier and healthier you. The second choice is to add gluten back in to see how you respond after being off gluten for 60 days. 

There is a very specific way to add this back in though. 

To add gluten back in, eat a small amount of gluten with each meal for up to 3 days. This may look like a half an English muffin with breakfast, an open face sandwich on one piece of bread for lunch and a very small bowl of pasta with dinner. During the 3 days and for 2 days after, look for a response. This could be:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Belching
• Noticeable states of anxiety, depression of overall moodiness

If you happen to notice any of these or any other brain or gut distress over the 5 day period, gluten is an issue for you and needs to be eliminated. The reason for the 3 days on and the following 2 days off is due to the fact that it can take up to 5 days after reintroducing gluten to actually feel the symptoms. So yes, gluten you ate on Monday can affect you on Friday.

All my best to your gluten free lifestyle choices!


  

Child Brain and Developmental Disorders

by Glen Depke

Gut/Brain Connection

It is estimated that 1 of 8 children in the United States has a brain development disorder. While many think of this as Autism or severe ADD, this can often be recognized as fidgeting, poor social skills, tics or lesser know symptoms. Thankfully, this can often be prevented and even reversed with proper natural health practices.

The current medical model for addressing this is to medicate to reduce symptoms through the use of amphetamines, sedatives, anti psychotics, beta blockers and/or behavioral therapy. A special not that most of the drugs listed are also addictive. The next step to conventional therapy is to hope the child grows out of it. Sounds like a less than optimal approach to me.

So what natural methods can be used to address these disorders. First of all, have toys everywhere. Specific toys that engage your child and their imagination and thought. Engaging the brain plays a significant role in developing the brain. Introduce physical activity that requires the use of balance. Get your child involved in a musical instrument or in learning a new language. These are all ways of engaging brain function.

Absolutely address the function of the gastrointestinal tract. Remember that when the gut is suffering, so is the brain. Understand that approximately 90% of the brain output goes right down the vagus nerve and into the nervous system tissue in the gut. With this in mind, when there is a brain issue, this very well could be a gut issue and likewise. To address the gut:

• Eliminate gluten 
• Address any potential cross reactive intolerance
• Use a high quality gut restorative supplement (We use Repairvite with our clients)
• Daily and regular use of a probiotic (We use the DW Prebiotic/Probiotic Formula)
• Enzyme use with cooked foods (We use the DW Prime Digestive Support)
• Check for pathogens in the gut such as parasistes, protozoa, amoeba, H-pylori and the list goes on (We use a 4 day stool collection at our office)
• Test the blood/brain barrier function (We use a GABA challenge in my practice)

With a healthy gut you can increase the absorption and assimilation of healthy nutrition. Eating a balanced diet with carbohydrates, adequate protein and lots of good fats such as avocado, olives, olive oil, fish oils. Even a step further is to understand the need for the DHA component of your omega 3's. While everyone typically gets the need for omega 3's for brain health, very few understand that the DHA component of the omega 3 fatty acid is the actual brain food. For children, and adults for that matter, I will suggest a supplement called Brain-E that is a 14:1 ratio of DHA to EPA. Now that's food for you brain! 

It is also important to improve blood flow to the brain. Increasing gut function and improving the diet is only so helpful without proper blood flow to the brain. Remember, your blood moves oxygen and nutrition to your brain for proper function. Generally speaking, those with brain and developmental disorders are also stuck in poor peripheral circulation. This means less blood flow to the brain and in the end, less oxygen and proper nutrition. We often use a liquid supplement called Nitric Balance to assist with blood flow with great success.

Remember as mentioned above, brain and developmental delay does not always mean full blown Autism or ADD. Some times you'll recognize early symptoms such as poor digestion, poor bladder tone, poor stool control and/or floating stool. There may also be challenges with sleeping and constant sugar cravings due to hypoglycemia. Also look for signs such as poor coordination. I remember the "clumsy" kids when I was younger. Poor coordination equals poor brain development.

If we want to take this a step further for our kids, it starts with preconception the parents. A pregnant mom that abuses alcohol, living with hypothyroid and undiagnosed autoimmunity as an example, is asking for poor brain development in their child. Parents, yes both Moms and Dads, need to get control of their own health and wellness prior to conception. As a parent, do you have adrenal issues, gut challenges, gluten intolerance, cross reactive intolerance and/or a poor diet. Well if you do, address this now and give your children a fighting chance.

Of course if you are past this and already have a child with brain or developmental disorders, the first step is to not only follow the directions earlier in the article for your child, but for yourself also. Don't think you can teach your child to not eat gluten, while you "pig out" on a plate of pasta and a loaf of garlic bread. Understand that children learn much more from watching than they do from listening to what is told to them. Be the example for your child and allow them to emulate you. That's what they are doing anyway.

Also understand the the brain is in constant development from the time of conception to the age of approximately 18 to 20 years old. Don't think that since you child is 10 years old there is nothing you can do. There absolutely is! Please though, address this as early as possible, which is the whole reason for this article. In essence the older the child becomes the more difficult it is to see progress and the more permanent the disabilities may become.

Also recognize what is important to eliminate due to the fact that these actions actually stimulate the lymbic brain, which is detrimental for these children. The activities that stimulate the lymbic system are passive activities such as watching television or computer games. Move into the frontal cortex of the brain by stimulating via movement as mention earlier in the article.

Also recognize stress levels for your children. Often I hear adults say, what do kids have to be stressed about. Easy for us to say, when we were kids the world was a different place. There is so much more stress and expectations for children in these days that is completely overwhelming. Recognize that too much video game engagement by kids may actually counteract the stress-induced activation of the HPA axis. This axis allows the body to fall into a deeper state of relaxation after a stressful event. There are also some helpful vascular creams to assist in reducing the stress/adrenal response.

Many times assistance with neurotransmitter supplementation would also be helpful but you would really want to work with a natural health practitioner trained in this area, so I do not make these recommendations via the Internet.

For those adults that find themselves living with brain disorders, the same recommendations above apply to you also. Regardless of age, it is never too late to work on your brain.

If you have any comments or questions, please leave these below for me to address personally.

Your Thyroid Needs Your Gut

by Glen Depke

You've all heard me once if not a thousand times, your gut plays such a significant role in your overall health and wellness but most do not understand the impact the gut has on your overall thyroid function. 

So here we go...

Gut challenges are one of the most overlooked symptoms in our culture today. We think it is normal to walk around bloated, gassy, constipated, and uncomfortable. It seems normal because everyone else we know is living with this on some level.

Trust me, it is not normal.

So how does this tie into your thyroid function?

Understand first that the lining of your gut is a very important immune barrier. If this barrier is not healthy, this is one of the most significant factors in autoimmunity and autoimmunity is one of the biggest core factors in thyroid challenges. We discussed this a few weeks ago in the article "Gluten and Autoimmunity."

Also remember from another recent article on the thyroid "Thyroid Treatment...Ridiculous!" we discussed the fact that 20% of your T4 is converted to T3 in your gut due to healthy gut flora.

You guessed it, this does not occur with poor gut function.

Another common symptom of poor gut function is constipation. Let me first define constipation. This is anyone that does not have at least two healthy bowel movements per day. Yes, I said two. If you are one of those that feels that your colon is working well at one bowel movement per day, you've got another thing coming.

Among other challenges if you are constipated, it makes life much more difficult hormonally speaking. Slow colon release hinders the release of unused hormones and leads to an accumulation of estrogen, which decreases thyroid function.

So what do you do to improve the intimate connection between your gut and thyroid?

First off, it is a good idea to always take a quality Prebiotic/Probiotic formula, Digestive Enzyme (Prime Digestive Support) and for many adding a Betaine HCL/Pepsin supplement. All three of these can be found at the Depke Wellness Store. This would assist with healthy bacteria, predigestion early in your stomach and proper breakdown later in your stomach prior to being released into the small intestines.

From here you want to focus on your nutritional choices. The typical favorite foods of many in our culture are also the leading causes of poor gut integrity such as sugar, ice cream, pasta, bread, corn products, alcohol and pasteurized dairy products. Below is a list of all potentially inflammatory foods to review. Basically anything that leads to inflammation in your gut leads to hormonal imbalance. 

This of course effect your thyroid function. 

Sugars: including agave, candy, chocolate, corn syrup, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, sucrose. 

High Glycemic Fruits: including bananas, canned fruits, dried fruits, mango, pineapple, raisins, watermelon.

Grains: including amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, couscous, kamut, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, spelt, wheat, wheat germ.

Nuts and Seeds: including almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds.

Gluten-Containing Compounds: including barbecue sauce, binders, bouillon, brewer’s yeast, cold cuts, condiments, emulsifiers, fillers, chewing gum, hot dogs, hydrolyzed plant and vegetable protein, ketchup, soy sauce, lunch meats, malt and malt flavoring, malt vinegar, matzo, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate, nondairy creamer, processed salad dressings, seitan, some spice mixtures, stabilizers, teriyaki sauce, textured vegetable protein.

Dairy Products and Eggs: including butter, cheeses, cow milk, creams, frozen desserts, goat milk, margarine, mayonnaise, sheep milk, whey, yogurt (except coconut). 

Soy: including edamame, miso, soymilk, soy protein, soy sauce, tempeh, tofu.

Fungi: edible fungi and mushroom.

Alcohol: all alcohol.

Beans and Legumes: including black beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, pinto beans, soybeans.

Nightshade Foods: including eggplant, paprika, peppers, potatoes, Tabasco sauce, tomatillos, tomatoes.

Other: canned foods, coffee, processed foods. 

Remember, your thyroid needs your gut and in more ways than one.

If you have any comments or questions in regard to today's article, please leave this below for me to address personally.


 

Who Doesn't Have Allergies?

by Glen Depke

Allergies are a very common challenge these days. I often have clients visit me for an initial consultation providing me with an allergy testing result, only to tell me in anguish that they are allergic to EVERYTHING. I cannot even begin to explain the look of hopelessness on the faces of those that share this news with me. 

If you are one of those...there is hope! 

Even if your allergy issues are not to that degree, there is a very good chance this is effecting your life on multiple levels. After all, allergies are implicated in any of these challenges listed below. 

Allergies are Implicated in these Ailments

The release of excessive amounts of Histamine from the Mast Cells due to the body's defense against Antigens is responsible for most of the symptoms of Allergies.

Digestive System 
(Food) Allergies to Gliadin is the direct cause of Celiac Disease.    

Allergies (especially Food Allergies) can be an underlying cause of Colic.    

Allergies (especially Food Allergies) are the underlying cause of some cases of Duodenal Ulcers.    

There is some evidence that Allergies (particularly Food Allergies) may be an underlying cause of some cases of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Excretory System
Allergies can be the underlying cause of some cases of Bed Wetting (nocturnal enuresis).

Eyes/Vision 
Allergies can be the underlying cause of Eye Inflammation - Allergy based Eye Inflammations cause watery Eyes due to the release of excessive Histamine by the body's Mast Cells.

Immune System 
Allergies may increase the risk of some type of Cancer.    

Allergies that are caused by the entry of Antigens into the body result in the production of excessive amounts of several Antibodies (Immunoglobulins) - including IgA, IgG and IgM.    

Allergies increase the burden on the Immune System and cause the body to become more prone to Infection by:  
- Detrimental Bacteria

- Detrimental Fungi (including Detrimental Yeasts and Detrimental Moulds).

- Viruses

Metabolism 
Milld Fatigue can occur as a result of Allergies.

Musculoskeletal System 
Lumbago can occur as a result of the release of Histamine by Mast Cells that occurs within the body as a response to Allergies.

Food Allergies exacerbate the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Nervous System
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) patients are commonly found to have Allergies (Food Allergies) - many researchers have therefore speculated that (Food) Allergies may be an underlying cause of ADD.    

Allergies (Food Allergies) are a common trigger for Migraines.    

Allergies (especially Food Allergies) increase the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (people afflicted with MS have a higher-than-average incidence of Food Allergies).    

Polyradiculitis normally occurs as a result of Allergies. 

Tinnitus can occur as a result of Allergies.

Respiratory System  
Allergies (including Food Allergies) are a common underlying cause of Asthma.    

Allergies are the underlying cause of some cases of (chronic) Bronchitis.    

Allergies are the underlying cause of some cases of Emphysema.    

Hay Fever is caused by Allergies to wind-borne Pollens.    

Congestion of the Nasal Passages of the Nose is often attributable to Allergies.    

Sinusitis can occur as a result of Allergies (especially Food Allergies) (i.e. as a result of continued exposure to Allergy-causing Antigens).

Skin   
Allergies are often the underlying cause of Dermatitis.    

Allergies are often the underlying cause of Eczema.    

Allergies are often the underlying cause of Hives.    

Itching is a side effect of many Allergies.  

Psoriasis can occur as a result of Allergies.  

Rashes, reddening, Inflammation and flushing of the Skin often occurs as a result of Allergies - either Food Allergies or Skin Allergies- (due to release of excessive amounts of Histamine from the body's Mast Cells)

I know, now it may even seem even more hopeless.

The good news is there are multiple ways to address this and potentially completely alleviate your allergy challenges and symptoms associated with this.

First of all don't look at the allergies as the problem. I am typically not addressing the allergies with my clients, but when we address the underlying components, the allergies generally take care of themselves.

So why do you have allergies?

Typically this is tied into a poor functioning immune system.

So why is the immune system functioning poorly?

Immune system function is generally poor due to gastrointestinal issues. If you have not heard this enough from me already, approximately 80% of you immune function originates in the gut. If you have any gut challenge at all, know that this is affecting your immune function on a significant level. Your gastrointestinal challenges may be as simple as bloating, distention, flatulence or gas or this may be more challenging such as leaky gut, pathogen infections or other significant symptomatic challenges.

Often times, some of the less challenging issues can be addressed by the use of a quality probiotic and digestive enzyme.

The more significant challenges are best addressed by your qualified natural health provider.

What if allergies are an issue and you do not have gastrointestinal symptoms?

Often when this is the case, there is a deeper issue with brain function. If you do know already, the brain and your gut are truly one system. If you have a brain problem, this will often manifest as a gut symptom. Likewise, if you have a gut problem, this can manifest as a brain symptom. With this said, recognize if there is a problem with your brain on any level, this is also a problem with your gut. With this said, this leaves you with a less than optimal functioning immune system and allergy challenges are likely to be a challenge for you.

With this said, you can see that your allergies are really not the issue. These are only symptoms of deeper challenges that are in dire need of being addressed. Also recognizing the wide array of challenges that can be tied into your allergies and you can see the need to take care of your gut/brain/immune connection.

If you have any comments or questions in regard to this article, leave a post below and I will address this personally.

More Than Just Weight Loss

by Glen Depke

First of all, I'd like to share that I am a human being like everyone else. I go through cycles in my own life and no, I am not "perfect". I laugh when others meet me and are surprised when I am not being "perfect" with my nutrition or other aspects of my health. My own weight can go up and down as well as my state of health. Maybe one thing that makes me different, is that I am going to recognize a down turn and I will do something to shift this in a very positive way.

Well, that time is now!

It is that time of the year for me and I want you to know that you can join me.

Last year about this time I followed the 30 day leaky gut protocol and I lost 20 pounds of body fat but enjoyed so many other benefits. My energy increased, my mental clarity was amazing, I required less sleep every night, I was never hungry and to be honest with you, I felt as if I was eating more food more often. Go figure?

This year I am doing a 6 week program to enjoy the same benefits and more...

This program is designed to enhance the function of the gut, improve brain function, assist with any inflammation, improve immunity, improve sleep, enhance detoxification, increase energy and yes, lose weight (if needed.) 

Hopefully you can see that this is so much more than just a weight loss program?

Before

Here are some before and after pictures from last year's 30 day protocol. This too can be you.


Yes, believe it or not, these are before and after pictures of me. What you cannot see in the after picture is how awesome my mental clarity was, how incredible I felt and how much my energy had increased. It was actually euphoric!

Getting back to this year, I can share that I am currently in a bit of a challenging pattern myself and it is time to get out!

After

It seems that some of the choices I made during the holidays at the end of last year do not want to go away. I can't seem to create the shift for myself and I am craving that euphoric feeling from last years 30 day protocol. So with this said, I am going to start a 6 week program for myself in March of this year. Six weeks from then I will feel euphoric and I will be ready for the beach weather, feeling confident when I put on that bathing suit, and you can too.

But here is the big difference this year.

This year, I am inviting you to do this with me. Why should I be the only one losing weight while never feeling hungry? Why should I be the only one enjoying high energy, improved sleep and amazing mental clarity? Why should I be the only one feeling euphoric?

Well, I shouldn't...

I am offering this 6 week personally guided program for only the cost of the supplements needed. We are starting with an initial complimentary webinar to explain the details of the 6 week program and if you find this is for you, you are welcome to join me in the fun. During the 6 week program, we are going to get together once per week on a webinar for guidance, Q&A as well as further weekly instruction. As I mentioned, all the weekly webinars and expert guidance are complimentary to you. It is basically working with me for free! How can you beat that?

If you would like to learn more about this program, click here to register for our complimentary introduction webinar. See you soon...