Who has a brain disorder?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Brain disorders are definitely on the rise. It is now recognized that 1 in 8 senior citizens will develop Alzheimer's but this is not just and aging issue because 1 in 8 children are also diagnosed with brain development disorders such as autism, ADD and ADHD. Estimates share that people living with incidents of dementia have been estimated to be as high as 24 million people with the number predicted to double every 20 years until at least 2040.

Add to this that anxiety disorders, obsessive/compulsive disorders, learning disabilities and depression are extremely common these days. On top of this, sleep disorders, poor mental clarity mild depression and moodiness are actually very common.

With all this said, it is no surprise the antidepressants are the most prescribed drugs in the United States. Brain disorders have now become what we would consider commonplace.

Since I witnessed both my mother and grandmother deteriorate with severe dementia before their deaths, I can share that you want to do everything you can to prevent this and other brain disorders.

Over the next few newsletters, we are going to discuss some of the common factors leading to brain disorders. Pay close attention to those areas where you think, "that sounds like me."

Did you know that the extreme mood swings associated with premenstrual syndrome, perimenopause and menopause are most often hormone driven brain imbalances and brain inflammation? Unfortunately in our culture most women are taught that this is actually normal, when it is anything but normal.

OK guys, before you start thinking "whew, I don't have to worry about that" your not out of the woods. This is the same for men as they drop into andropause, also referred to as male menopause. When a man's hormone function is in disarray this can lead a lack of motivation, weight gain, the typically "grumpy old man" syndrome or what has been come to be known as the "mid-life crisis."

Both menopause and andropause create and environment for early brain degeneration that is most often preceeded by a poor functioning brain. And round and round we go...

Another hormonal area to understand in regard to brain function is the thyroid. Did you know that an estimated 27 million Americans are living with thyroid dysfunction and that this can profoundly impact brain health? This combination can lead to brain fog, depression, anxiety and other brain based challenges. This can often accelerate brain degeneration and even coexist with brain autoimmunity.

With this understanding of hormone driven brain chemistry imbalances, it is always important to get to the bottom of the hormone imbalances. Most hormone imbalances originate as adrenal insufficiency.

Over my career we have reviewed approximately 4,500 adrenal test kits and have only seen 5 come back normal. Yes, ONLY 5!

In fairness, at Depke Wellness, we work with health challenged individuals but this tells us that if you have a health issue, there is only about 1/10 of one percent chance that you have healthy adrenal function. Based on what we have discussed earlier in this article in regard to brain function, menopause, andropause and thyroid dysfunction, take a guess at what affects all of these areas.

If you guessed adrenal function, you are right on!

While your adrenal function plays a role in so many areas of your body, this will directly affect thyroid function, ovary function, inflammatory states and neural connectivity. So when we are looking hormone drive brain based disorders, it is essential to understand your personal adrenal function.

Based on years of this focus here at Depke Wellness we always recommend adrenal saliva testing so you can understand adrenal function throughout the day. We would look at cortisol production at four times during the day, a total cortisol and a DHEA average but that's not all. We also look at estradiol, estriol, progesterone, testosterone and melatonin. This provides us the necessary information to make recommendations to assist your body in balancing adrenal function. With proper adrenal function, you can begin to enjoy further balance with the thyroid, ovaries, inflammatory states and brain function.

While adrenal function may not be the "end all" for your brain disorder, it is the most significant starting point for hormone related brain disorders. So call our office today at (949)954-6226 and request a #205 adrenal saliva test kit and move forward with your goals of health and happiness. 

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

Upcoming Tele-Lecture on PMS, Menopause & Infertility

Hope for PMS, Menopause & Infertility

* Are you a part of the 90% of women suffering with symptoms of PMS?
* Are you one of the 70% of women dealing with symptoms of menopause?
* Are you one of the 5 million plus women challenged with infertility?
* Did you know that you have the ability to walk away from these challenges?

With this short tele-lecture we will address these challenges at the core.

Thursday 12/9 at 6:00PM Pacific Time

Click on this link to register for this life altering information.

Menopause is NOT a Disease

by Glen Depke

Let me start with this question, “Do you really thing the women were created or evolved to suffer for 5 to 10 years during their mid-forties to mid-fifties? Of course this is not the case, yet this pain and suffering is truly to an epidemic proportion.

Menopause is typically defined in this way; menopause is the transition period in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing eggs, her body produces less estrogen and progesterone, and menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether.

In some women, menstrual flow comes to a sudden halt. More commonly, it slowly stops over time. During this time, the menstrual periods generally become either more closely or more widely spaced. This irregularity may last for 1 - 3 years before menstruation finally ends completely. Before this the cycle length may shorten to as little as every 3 weeks.

Common symptoms of menopause include:

• Heart pounding or racing
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Skin flushing
• Sleeping problems (insomnia)

Other symptoms of menopause may include:

• Decreased interest in sex, possibly decreased response to sexual stimulation
• Forgetfulness (in some women)
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Mood swings including irritability, depression, and anxiety
• Urine leakage
• Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse
• Vaginal infections
• Joint aches and pains
• Irregular heartbeat (palpitations)

I want to let you know right now that these symptoms listed above are NOT a normal part of menopause. The transition of menopause could be and should be symptom free!

In indigenous cultures around the world women did not and do not suffer from these symptoms and are actually honored and worshiped for this transition, while holding higher levels of stature within their community due to their recognized strength and wisdom. When is the last time you heard a women share that she cannot wait to make the transition into menopause, so she can be honored in her community?

There may be some women out there that are thinking at this point, “Why would I listen to a man about menopause?” I can share that I have never and will never experience menopause in the way that a woman will. With this said, I can also share that the higher percentage of my client base over the years is female and from the ages of 35 to 55, so I regularly work with women suffering the pain and discomfort of menopause or other hormonal challenges such as PMS and infertility. With this base of clients, I have been able to understand the core aspects that lead to this pain and suffering and will share that it does not have to be. Many of my clients are quickly able to enjoy a positive shift in their symptom challenges by addressing the core of the issue. They actually enjoy balancing their body and walking away from their symptoms.

The other positive aspect of being a male while looking at the challenges with menopausal symptoms; I have never “bought into” the horrific stories of menopause. I am able to look at menopausal symptoms for what they are; a basic fundamental imbalance that can be understood and addressed.

If you would like more information on the core issues that lead to menopausal symptoms visit this link provided.