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.

Inflammation and Immunity...Good or Bad?

by Glen Depke

Overall most of my clients will come in thinking that inflammation is bad and immune function is good. Based on what mainstream information tells us, this makes sense right?

Maybe, maybe not.

If you have inflammation, most have been taught to take an anti-inflammatory and/or use ice to reduce this. Even though this is the norm, get this...inflammation is a necessary component of a healing crisis and it is definitely a positive response. I would also add that inflammation is a sign that the immune system is doing its job.

As mentioned above, most will look at an immune system response as a very positive response, but that is not always the case. Understand that the immune system response as tied into inflammation occurs when the cells of the immune system are activated in response to antigens released during either acute of chronic inflammation. This is beneficial when antigens are neutralized but this can be severely detrimental if the underlying cause of the inflammation is not resolved.

So you can see that  an immune response is typically positive for you, but it can actually lead to further damage and inflammation. Often I see this poor response lead to autoimmune reactions and eventually full blown autoimmune disease. Understanding that autoimmune disease basically means tissue destruction.

When discussing the biochemistry of inflammation and immunity, these areas are at the top of my list.

During inflammation, these particular events are very common:

• IgG enters the tissues and stimulates phagocytes to destroy detrimental bacteria
• Eosinophils act to control allergies
• Neutrophils release lysozyme to destroy detrimental bacteria
• Mast cells "burst" and release histamine and serotonin as a defense mechanism against antigens bound to IgE that are attracted to mast cells
• The end product of the inflammation process is often pus, which is comprised of dead tissue

I would also like to add that an excessive production of particular immune system chemicals can cause inflammation. These are:

• Interleukin 1
• Interleukin 6
• Tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Let's take some time to address specific questions that I have received by followers of Depke Wellness in regard to immune function and inflammation.

Do anti-inflammatory drugs suppress immune function?

I would not say that this is a direct suppression but the immune function does suffer when taking anti-inflammatory drugs. This mechanism is tied into anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) inhibit an enzyme which is involved in the production of other chemicals in your body. These chemicals allow the blood vessels around an infection to have an ease of permeability for the movement of immune system components such as white blood cells. This allows the ease of immune function to the active site of the infection. With this understanding, the inflammatory response is significantly reduced this suppressing the immune response at this infection location.

Is the immune system like a battery or an engine?

Great question. I always say the immune response is a mechanism but to be honest with you, it is also the battery and the engine. The immune system is such a complex system that involves an immense quantity of components. Here are some of the most significant components of the immune system.

• Thymus
• Spleen
• Lymph system
• Bone marrow
• White blood cells
• Antibodies
• Complement systems
• Hormones

Collectively this shows the synergy of the mechanism, battery and engine, per your question. 

Do you store up immunity or use it as needed?

The answer here is both. Even if we just looked the the different types of white blood cells, you would recognize the some may last only a few hours, some a few days or some months or even years. Thankfully the immune system is in a constant state of regeneration but I will expand on this deeper with the question below.



Is immune function always available in varying amounts based on your overall health?

Your question here actually answers this perfectly. As long as you are alive immune function is available, but this is going to vary based on each persons focus on health and wellness as well as genetic capabilities. Recognize that two people can be exposed to the same pathogen, in the same amounts, yet respond so differently. The healthier individual will likely have a very strong immune response, move through the challenge rather quickly and likely eliminate the pathogen with ease. The less healthy individual may take a considerably longer duration of time to overcome or if their vitality is too low, they may not even have a strong enough immune response to overcome the pathogen. This would stall the healing crisis and lead to a chronic disorder.

If you have any questions or comments to this article, feel free to leave these below for me to answer personally.

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Now or Later...It's Up to You!

by Glen Depke

How many times have you heard, "you can work hard now or you can work hard later?" This old saying can very easily be used in conjunction with your health. Look at our society, there are so many individuals that do not want to put any effort into their health now, only to suffer the consequences later. One of the problems is that so many have been fed the lies that you can simply damage your body without any worry because you will be able to use drugs or surgery to fix this later. Easy now and easy later mentality. 

Good luck with that one!

We have actually been a 100 year experiment and let me share a secret with you.  

The experiment failed!

I want to share that it really is not that difficult to find and maintain optimal health when you start looking for it, before you are sick. That makes life so much easier. 

Many of the clients that come into my office start this journey after years of health challenges and I often think to myself, "I wish he/she would have come in years ago." I understand that we have not been taught to be proactive with our health but it is time to do something different. Different is the key, since we are a culture of trying to find a different result by doing the same thing. 

You know the story...

I want you to understand, that if you have already waited to make some changes until after you have found your health challenged, it is not too late. I have had the pleasure of witnessing thousands of complete health turnarounds in my career and often with individuals that have been told by conventional doctors that they would not be able to overcome their health issues.

I am not one of those holistic practitioners that bashes the conventional medical system. Everything has a time and a place. I just find that for those with chronic illness, living a life of medications is not the answer. The answer lies in our own choice of taking charge of your health. Focusing on your fundamentals of health, addressing your mental/emotional stress, balancing your exhausted adrenal glands, dealing with your gut, immune and brain issues and ridding your body of the metabolic waste and toxins that poison you every day.

The current paradigm of drugs and surgery first, holistic health second and self care last is completely inverted. We should focus on self care first. If we stumble and find ourselves with challenges, seek out the assistance of someone in holistic care, such as a Naturopath (that would be me), Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Homeopath or Body Work Therapist. Now if this still does not work, you may need the assistance of conventional medicine.

Do you see how this fits though?

While this may sound like a lot of work, I can share that it is quite simple when taken in steps. This is a focus for me with all of my clients. Take it one step at a time, create success and take the next step. You simply continue to move forward until you have reached the level of health and happiness that you desire. You did not get sick in month and your are not going to completely turn your health around in a month either. Take your time, create success and always move forward.

I am never the one to tell you what level this may be (you're desired health that is). This is your decision, it's your life and you are the one that has to live in it.

Some of my clients never stop learning and growing and a in a constant state of flux to be the best they can be in every moment. Others are simply happy to have significant improvement and live out their lives on this level without putting forth any deeper understandings. Remember, it is all up to you.

What I am really trying to get through to you today is the understanding that if you put forth some effort now, it will actually be much easier later.

I believe the natural aging process is about living a healthy, vibrant life, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually until very close to the end of life. At this point, there is a very steep and dramatic decline and we die. 

Lots of fun and excitement, living our greatness and leaving the world a better place when we left than when we came.

Sounds much more inviting than the "natural" aging process. You know, we vibrant in our twenties, gain weight in our thirties, begin to develop chronic challenges in our forties, diagnosed with significant challenges in our fifties and succumb to the knife and pill organizers for our meds in our sixties. There's nothing "natural" about this.

It is simply watching "sick" people get old.

Now or later, it is truly up to you!

If you are new to Depke Wellness, click here for an opportunity to discuss the protocols used by Glen Depke and Depke Wellness at no cost to you.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about today's article, leave a post below for us to answer personally.

What is the Brain/Immune Connection?

by Glen Depke

We often hear about the Gut/Brain connection but nobody is talking about the Brain/Immune connection. So what is the Brain/Immune connection all about?

Let’s look at some simple facts first.

If you have poor brain function you will have poor immune function and if you have poor immune function you will have poor brain function. They go hand in hand. Your brain mass is composed of approximately 50% glia cells and recognize that glia cells are immune system cells. It is also important to understand that here are 10 glia cells for every neuron in the brain. Most are not familiar with this significant immune connection with the brain.

So what are the most common challenges that lead to this Brain/Immune imbalance?

When we are challenged with any level of systemic inflammation, which is most health challenged individuals, this will substantially affect your glia cells. Poor sleep patterns is also a big one for us. Poor sleep patterns lead to brain fatigue and when you do not achieve proper rest and recovery, inflammation goes nuts. Actually, only one night of sleep loss can trigger an immune response which also includes the stimulation of proinflammatory proteins. How many of you are missing more than one night of proper sleep per week? Chronic stress has also been shown to influence these inflammatory markers and most of us understand that chronic stress is a current issue.

So what can we do to stimulate this Brain/Immune connection?

First, let’s all understand that by stimulating the brain you will stimulate the immune system’s ability to produce your natural killer cells. There is also a significant tie directly with one part of your brain which is the cerebellum. Movement will stimulate the cerebellum and unfortunately most of us do not move enough. For those that have a poor functioning cerebellum will often recognize challenges with car or sea sickness, poor balance, trivial nausea, and/or scoliosis. Overall you cerebellum will influence your immune system’s T-cells, modulate natural killer cells, improve secretion of cytokines from the bone marrow and thymus, coordinate balance and motor planning and excite the vagus nerve for proper digestion.

Three common areas that challenge proper cerebellum function would be a past head trauma, alcohol consumption and/or poor cerebellum development as a child. If you want your child’s cerebellum to develop properly you will make sure they get out and play regularly, learn a second language and play an instrument. These will all lead to optimal cerebellum development. If you have had a past head trauma, you will want to pay attention to brain symptoms that you may be living with. Alcohol is also a significant cerebellum suppressor and many of us use alcohol to suppress physical and emotional pain, far too often.

Brain symptoms to be aware of that may be creating this Brain/Immune connection are as listed.

• Brain fog

• Progressive degeneration

• Poor brain function

• Cold hands and feet

• Inability to experience joy or to motivate

• Easily upset or feeling worthless

• Poor memory or difficulty learning

• Anxiety or nervousness

Addressing these symptoms as well as balancing circadian rhythms, the adrenals and leaky gut all play a role in finding the health and balance you desire.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post these below. I have adjusted the comment moderation, so your post should show up immediately.

If you would like to learn more about the protocols with Glen Depke and Depke Wellness, feel free to register for a COMPLIMENTARY 20 minute phone consultation by following this link.

How do I Stay Healthy While Traveling?

by Glen Depke

So what is one of the most unhealthy environments you can spend many hours in? How about an airplane? Most of us already know this but this is a regular part of travel whether business or personal. Since this unhealthy environment is such a regular part of our life, how do we stay healthy while we travel?

Well, it starts before you leave. The first challenge that we typically create for ourselves is the chaos before the trip. Often it is trying to get ahead at work or at home to make up for the time away. This often leads to many last minute needs such as packing, taking care of lose ends at the office or home, which of course leads to added stress and often a lack of proper sleep before you leave. Come on be honest, have you ever pulled an all nighter prior to vacation because you were not finished with all your necessary pre-trip chores. Maybe the only packing you did was to take out your suit case. This is very real for so many.

To shift this, the next time you are going on a trip, take out a notepad and create a list for everything you have to do and everything you need to pack. Once you have this list go into your computer and create a check list for your pre-travel needs and your packing needs. When you know you are traveling soon, take this list out a week early and begin going through your check list. This will allow you to move through the pre-trip routine without stress and hopefully allow you to enjoy quality sleep throughout this process.

If traveling itself stresses you out make deep belly breathing a regular part of this time to assist in releasing stress overall. Remember, you cannot take a deep belly breath and be stressed out at the same time.

When it comes to travel day there are also some simple tips that can assist in supporting your health and vitality.

· Be sure to stay hydrated by drinking one quart of purified water per 50 pounds of body weight throughout the day

· Stay away from sugary foods as they suppress immune function

· Bring your own healthier snacks such as

o Organic nuts and seeds

o Flaked coconut

o Dehydrated fruit

o Raw carrots or celery

o Organic Jerky

· Prior to getting on the plane I would recommend taking the following supplements

o 1000mgs of vitamin C and take that same amount every 4 hours on your travel day

o 2 droppers full of Pure Liquid Zinc with the meal prior to your trip

o 100mgs of CoQ10 with the meal prior to your trip and another 100mgs with a later meal

o Take your multivitamin not only with your pre-trip meal but also with all your meals on the travel day for extra nutrient support

· Be sure to bring your regular probiotic and digestive enzymes with on your trip to maintain a healthy GI tract understanding that approximately 80% of your immune function originates in your GI

· Get up often on the plane and move as a stimulant for your neurological system

· Wash your hands often on travel day

· Do not touch your eyes, ears and nose without a tissue to keep any invaders far from easy access to your body

· Don’t forget your deep breathing on your travel day

Follow these simple tips and enjoy your travels. If you are a business traveler, you will be at your best when your health is at its best and for the leisure traveler, this will allow you to get the most out of your free time. We take vacations to unwind and have fun, not to spend the time suffering with health challenges.

If you have any tips that you use yourself that differ from mine, please share these below with our viewers.

Let’s hear it for healthy travels!

It's Cold and Flu Season

by Glen Depke

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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