Are YOU in Integrity?

by Glen Depke

Integrity...what an interesting word with multiple meanings and understandings. What is interesting to me is how vast this stretches throughout ALL aspects of our life. So what is my understanding of integrity, how does this fit into our lives and more importantly how do we maintain integrity? Another important understanding is once we are out of integrity, how do we shift back into integrity?

Last week I posted a question on Facebook asking everyone if they had their emergency integrity plan. Today you will learn what this plan is all about.

First of all, let's separate integrity from morality. Morality definitely has an individual perception based on what you were taught, who you are, your belief systems and more. Integrity is your drive to maintain the choices you make in your life with consistency. These are two completely different subjects.

Often when working with my clients, we will find the key factor that will keep their life, health and happiness in check with consistency. I will use myself as an example here. I have made the commitment in my life to "be" unstoppable. It is up to me to hold my integrity to the "being" of unstoppable 24/7 for the rest of my life. This means that regardless of the situation that I am in, I will "be" unstoppable within this. This will cover any aspect of my life; business, personal health, relationships, financial health and the list goes on. So yes, holding my integrity means that I have made the commitment to "being" unstoppable 24/7.

I understand that it may sound scary to make a commitment to integrity 24/7 for the rest of your life. The first thought that often comes to mind is; how can I ever commit to something 24/7 for the rest of my life. Before you freak out and shut down to this thought, let me explain what this means to you in your life.

Maintaining your integrity means that you make the commitment to the "being" of your choice in every moment. If you recognize that you are out of integrity, the moment you have this awareness, you will put yourself back into integrity. Do you really think that in every moment I am unstoppable? I have made this commitment in my life but at times I will realize that I am being stopped. I may even realize that I have been stopped for hours or days. This does not matter though, because once I am aware that I am out of integrity, it is my job to get back into integrity.

Understand that life is ALWAYS trying to push us out of integrity and when we find ourselves in this space, there is no room for judgement. This is simply time to get back into integrity, which for me is to "be" unstoppable.

So what pushes us out of integrity and keeps us out? Typically this is the old stories that are running through our minds. The old situations of the past and the old stale suppressed emotions that attach to these situations. We all have these and for most of us, these old stories derail new commitments and integrity all the time. Heck, I teach this and live by this, yet I still find myself "being" stopped in my life. Remember though, being in integrity does not mean I will never "be" stopped, it just means that when I aware to this, it is my commitment to get back into the "being" of unstoppable.

So what is one to do when you are out of integrity and what is the emergency integrity kit?

Well first of all, it is important to make the choice of what it is you will "be" in your life. Let me give you a little clue. If you want to change your life in any way, your "being" will have to be something you have never "been" before. You cannot take an old way of "being" and think you will get something new out of it. We all know the definition of insanity; doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a new result.

Once you have chosen your "being" it is a good idea to share this with those that you are close to in your life. Ask them to bring it to your attention when you are out of integrity. It is so funny, because my clients are all over the country, I have people holding me accountable to the "being" of unstoppable all the time. If it is obvious that I am "being" stopped, someone will chime in on Facebook or email with a comment such as, "it doesn't seem like you are unstoppable in this moment Glen." You see, this does not mean that they are judging you or telling you that you are wrong. It is simply that they are bringing you an awareness that your are out of the integrity of your commitment. From this awareness you simply put yourself back into integrity.

That's integrity!

So what to do when you are aware that you are out of integrity and you cannot seem to shift back into integrity. Here is my emergency list for you. Follow these steps and you will find yourself back in integrity.

•     Straighten posture
• Sit and/or stand up straight
• Shoulders back
• Chin tucked and head aligned
•     Deep belly breathe (3-5 times)
•     Jam to some fun music
•     Let out a growl/yell
•     Tap on the emotion and the situation
•     Watch Bob Newhart’s “Stop It!” or a “like” clip
•     Go for a walk with myself
•     Yoga, Tai Chi or meditate if available
•     Look at your thoughts objectively
•     Communicate your thoughts in a healthy manner (saying what’s real)
•     Email and/or call an accountability partner
•     If you are still stuck in your old story at this point, call 949.642.2094 for an appointment with me to discuss this. I offer a FREE 20 minute phone consult to describe my services.

Going through this list you will typically find yourself out of your old story and back into integrity rather quickly. The key is to have the emergency plan in place. Copy and past this for yourself and keep a copy in your purse or wallet and when life has you out of integrity, use these steps to assist in getting back in integrity.

Remember, to get something new in your life, you need to do something different and in regard to the old stories and emotions, my question is always the same. How's this working for you?

Feel free to post any comments or questions and I will address these 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.

Enough With Antibiotics Already!

by Glen Depke


Simply put, antibiotics are poisons that are used to kill. Only licensed physicians can prescribe them and they are used to kill bacteria. While many have benefited from antibiotics, it is important to understand that antibiotics kill organisms and you are an organism.


So what are the biggest challenges when taking antibiotics?


First of all, this will destroy the beneficial bacteria in the gut. You have more bacteria in your gut then you have cells in your body and this high amount of bacteria is essential for an optimally functioning GI tract. This bacteria also keeps yeast in check. Between yeast and beneficial bacteria, they compete for nutrients in the food we eat. Due to the high amount of beneficial bacteria, the yeast is kept in check and this causes them to assist in producing nutrients such as B vitamins.


The challenge when taking antibiotics is that every time you take these, you kill your beneficial bacteria and upset the balance of your GI. The yeast is then allowed to grow out of control and create one challenge after another.


The challenge with low beneficial bacteria and yeast overgrowth due to antibiotic treatment is that this can create damage to the interior lining of the small intestines and lead to leaky gut. To learn more about leaky gut visit this link from a previous post.


Often when the GI integrity is compromised, this will lead to binging on poor quality carbohydrates and this ends up with results of weight gain, food born allergies, immune disorders and neurological challenges such as brain fog and depression. Yikes!


The scary truth is that this often leads back to the same problem that you took the antibiotics for.


This is not only the antibiotics you take orally, this is also the antibiotics fed to animals in conventional feed lots today. This is why I always suggest consuming the highest quality meat available to you such, from companies such as Blackwing Meats and Vital Choice. Always look for organically fed meat sources when available. They may be a bit more from a cost factor but they will be higher in nutrient value and you often need less from a consumption standpoint.


Because more antibiotics per pound are used on livestock than in human medicine, it is difficult to determine our personal exposure, but the mere possibility of this kind of thing is certainly a worry.


Our goal is to educate you and to help you make informed decisions. Some simple tips follow:


1. An ounce of prevention goes a long way; exercise, eat intelligently and take a few supplements. Avoid alcohol, smoking, and recreational drugs. Get some rest once in a while. Breathe!


2. Ask Questions. If your doctor diagnoses you with an upper respiratory infection, sore throat (in which the strep test is negative), bronchitis, sinusitis, or ear infection, and you wonder if you really need an antibiotic, make a point of asking her about it. A lot of physicians would be pleasantly surprised that one of their patients would even consider trying to recuperate without antibiotics. Ask if you can treat your condition symptomatically and come back or call in a couple of days if you are not better.


3. Take an objective look at yourself and your life-style. If you keep coming down with the same thing, do some research and a little thinking. Do you drink a lot of soda? Do you smoke? Are you taking antibiotic after antibiotic and now have a secondary yeast or fungal infection? How is your spiritual life? Your stress level? The point is, many factors contribute to "health and wellness."


As far as chronic sinus infections go, Johns Hopkins researchers are now saying most such conditions are caused by a fungus. So, if you do have chronic sinusitis, stop taking antibiotics, get on an antifungal diet, and ask your doctor for antifungal medications. If your doctor refuses, visit a health food store for natural, off-the-shelf antifungals such as olive leaf extract, garlic, and Caprylic acid.


Once you improve, make sure you go back and let your doctor know how things worked out. Chances are she is neither experienced nor comfortable with prescribing antifungal medication. Your story may convince him/her to do his/her own research, the first step to changing her treatment philosophy.


If you’ve decided to go ahead and take an antibiotic:


1. Get the facts. Ask your doctor how many days you must take the antibiotic and if you, in fact, do need the latest, most powerful one on the market. Simple urinary tract infections are now treated with only three days of antibiotics. Sinus infections, bronchitis, and ear infections in children over two years of age can be treated with as few as five days of antibiotics, new or old, generic or name brand. This may not be possible, however, if you have other medical conditions or if you smoke.


2. Build trust. Commit to the full course of the antibiotic unless you experience significant side effects or an allergic reaction. You sought medical advice and agreed to the prescription. You will build trust with your doctor if you work as a team. This trust will be very important once you see number 3 below.


3. Take an antifungal with the antibiotic. For example, you could ask your doctor for a prescription of nystatin to take during the course of your antibiotic. Many dermatologists do this when prescribing long-term antibiotic courses for acne. Most cases of upset stomach or diarrhea that kick in a few days of beginning a round of antibiotics can be cured with a single dose of the drug. Diarrhea after a two-week round of antibiotics is likely caused by a different bug altogether -- be sure to bring that to your doctor’s attention.


4. Supplement your intake. Take an antioxidant supplement, one which includes vitamin E, zinc, selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin A, among others.


5. Keep your bowels moving…if antibiotics kill off your friendly, intestinal bacteria, once you cease taking antibiotics you’ll run a higher risk of infection by other, more hostile bacteria. These bacteria will be quick to find and exploit pockets of debris that could be collecting and putrefying in your intestines if you happen to become constipated. So, be sure to keep your digestive tract as clear as possible until you can repopulate it with friendly bacteria. Fiber from your local health food store would assist, as long as you don’t have a history of intestinal obstruction. Fiber may not only relieve constipation, it also slows diarrhea by absorbing excess water. Staying hydrated and moving your body will also assist in moving your colon.


6. Replace the good bacteria in your intestines. Supplement with a quality probiotic such as Ba-Co-Flor supplement for a few weeks following any course of antibiotics. Do not take these simultaneously with your antibiotic, or you will simply end up with a lot of very dead, albeit still friendly bacteria in your intestines. At the very most, take probiotic supplements either in between antibiotic doses or after you have completely finished your prescription. Overall, I feel that taking Ba-Co-Flor or a comparable probiotic is a part of a regular positive health practice. I personally take my Ba-Co-Flor every day.


7. Look back at why you became ill to begin with. If you suffered from strep throat after indulging in half a box of chocolates or several margaritas, that should have come as no surprise. Who wouldn’t be crippled by that amount of garbage? More than likely, you have your own experience regarding similar binges. My point is, diet plays at least as much a role as actual exposure to germs as to whether we get sick -- when we are healthy and eating correctly, our bodies are amazingly resistant to infection.


Another very important factor is to recognize some of the earlier signs of infection and health challenges. If you notice an inner ear discomfort you could place a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ear canal for about 5 minutes for each ear. This may take care of your infection right away before it moves to the inner ear and eventually the sinuses. You can also jump on a rebounder a couple of times per day in 5 minute intervals to assist in moving your lymph.


Talk to your Naturopath, that’s me, about using homeopathy or herbal tinctures to assist the body in moving through this naturally by assisting your own inherited ability to heal.


If this seems to have gone too far, have in place a quality muscle testing practitioner that can assess the cause of your possible infection and suggest the proper supplementation to address this right now. Often an infection can be dealt with by taking large quantities of probiotics at once. This has been shown to address infection much quicker and without the symptoms of antibiotics. The key though is to already have this person as a part of your team. Look for someone that has a long history of use of AK, ART, NET or another comparable form of muscle testing and have them ready to go prior to having challenges. If you wait until the problem is “in your face”, it will likely be too late. These quality practitioners are a gift and I always have at least one on my team for optimal health.


Knowing what you know after reading this article will empower you to understand antibiotics and natural alternatives so you can now make an informed decision. You do not have to succumb to the fear based tactics of conventional medicine. In all sincerity, they are only suggesting and teaching what they know and they can only know what they are taught. Now you have new found knowledge on antibiotics.


Remember, there is a time and a place for antibiotics. I have a client that has an extreme case of staph infection that is out of control. By all means, antibiotic use makes sense in this case. If you have a food borne infection, which is very common these days, or other simple yet seemingly challenging infections, these can often be dealt with in much less invasive ways. Educate yourself and make an informed decision based on the collaboration of your conventional doctor, natural health practitioner and your muscle testing practitioner.


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


I no longer require moderation for your posts, so you should be able to reply with ease.

Update on Barefoot Running

by Glen Depke

Well, it has been a couple of months now of experimenting with barefoot running and I feel confident in saying, this is no longer an experiment. This is a way of life for me now!

Let's define first that barefoot running for me is not ALWAYS barefoot. Most often I run with my Vibrams on. These are the interesting looking protectors of my feet that have the space for my five toes to move independently. If I am on the beach, I run barefoot. If I am in the neighborhood, I use my Vibrams.

Let me start by reminding you that I have not run pain and inflammation free for 29 years due to an old football injury. OK, how many time have you heard "the old football injury" story. Since introducing this new way of running, I do not experience pain or inflammation. Wooo...hooo, is the best way I can describe this.

I started by running 20 minutes, three times per week. At one point, I was feeling really comfortable, so I pushed a little harder running sprints with our dog at the park and oops. I over did it and set myself back a bit. I felt as is something was "pulled" in the heal area. Due to this, I cut my time down from 20 minutes to 10 minutes and it seemed to work out fine. Gradually, I began running more than three days per week and also increased my time. Funny but the heal problem ended up being a soft tissue issue in my upper calf. A good friend of mine Dr. Robert Janda was able to assess this very quickly with Applied Kinesiology. In a matter of minutes of this assessment and treatment the heal pain was gone because it was addressed at the core.

What I am recognizing as the biggest benefit for me is to get away from the old school thought of heal/toe running. When running barefoot or with the Vibrams, if you are hitting a hard surface with your heal, you won't be enjoying the pain. Running in this way, forces a front or mid foot landing. I have found that this landing is much easier on my knees. I even came to find out that this is actually easier on my whole body. I recognized this one day when I was on a Power Plate. For those that are not familiar, this is a plate that you stand on while the vibration runs throughout your body. What I recognized is that when I put my weight on the heal, I feel the vibration significantly through the whole of my body, head to toe. When I put my weight on the front of my foot, I only felt about 10% of the vibration. Recognize that the vibration did not change, only the placement of my body weight was shifted to a different area of the foot. This was amazing to me.

I would even share that if you are not READY to go barefoot or try the Vibrams, you can still move in another direction by shifting your running style. You know, the old heal toe that we have been taught forever, may or may not be for you. Try a running shoe with less support and give a front or mid foot run a try. Just be ready though, it may not be an experiment, it may be a way of life.

I am not pretending to be an expert on running or structural care of your foot. I simply want to share something that is working well for me, that is very exciting.

A special thanks to Manny Aragon whom I consider the structural expert, for introducing me to barefoot running.

What is the ONE thing that leads to Fibro Suffering?

by Glen Depke

So what is my recommendation if someone tells you that they have the ONE single thing for you to address if you are suffering with Fibromyalgia?

RUN!!!

I say this because it is NEVER one thing. You are typically looking at multiple imbalances functionally within the body that need to be addressed individually and as a whole.

I will share that from my years as in Dr. Mercola’s clinic, Fibromyalgia and CFS patients were unfortunately a regular occurrence for us. I say unfortunate due to the pain and suffering these patients would be in on a regular basis.

The positive that was pulled out of this though, is recognizing that time and time again, when you address these imbalances, the body has the ability to heal and walk away from this pain and suffering.

I know, if you are one of the many with Fibromyalgia, you may be thinking that you are already addressing this and do not find the relief you are looking for. The one very important factor to remember is to keep moving forward. As you eliminate one imbalance after another, you will eventually reach your goals. The only people that I have not seen reach this, is those that gave up before these goals were attained.

So what are some of the keys factors that I have seen as imbalances over the years? I will share this below and you can use this as a check list for your journey.

· Fundamentals of Health

· Emotional Suppression

· Adrenal Insufficiency

· Leaky Gut

· GI Pathogens

· Chemical Toxicity

· Gut/Brain Imbalance

· Heavy Metal Toxicity

· Gluten/Cross Reactive Sensitivity

· Autoimmune Reaction

Many of these areas listed will directly affect other factors within the body and often when you address the underlying factors the other imbalances take care of themselves. For instance, I typically recognize a poor functioning thyroid and an adrenal and liver imbalance. When these are addressed the thyroid function improves.

The main focus of this article is to bring awareness that it is NEVER just ONE thing. Look at yourself as a whole and you will find your health and balance!

Listed below is FREE eBook as well as another excellent read for anyone with chronic health challenges. Grab these today as a part of your healing journey.

If you are struggling with Fibromyalgia, CFS, autoimmune challenges or really, any chronic health condition, I would recommend grabbing Sue Ingebreston’s book FibroWHYalgia. This is an incredible guide to health and wellness written by someone that lived the journey personally. I have read this book cover to cover and can share that the information addressed is of necessity and there is a bonus. The bonus being is Sue’s writing style and her ability to make health information fun and enjoyable. Follow this link for FibroWHYalgia.

As always, if you have any comments or questions in regard to this article, please leave your post below.

If you would like to understand the protocols used in my clinic with my clients, I always provide a FREE 20 minute phone consultation to assist in this understanding. Feel free to register here.

"The Secret of Pain" Interview

I had and interesting experience in Dr. Janda's office recently. I was experiencing pain in my left heal and in simple conversation, Dr. Janda was discussing a patient that had similar pain relieved in one session. Once I heard this he assessed my heal pain and he found it to be a soft tissue issue in my calf just below my knee. He addressed this in about 3 minutes and I was able to get up from the table with zero pain in my heal. It is always amazing how symptoms can shift when we truly get to the core.

Please enjoy a short interview below with Dr. Janda on the subject of getting to the core of your pain and suffering.

Do you find pain to be a common symptom for your clients and what levels of pain do you see with consistency?

Most people come to me for pain. There are two main types. The first are the ones that you know you have. The second occur only when you push on something with a hidden inflammation. They are both common and mean something. The pains I see can be mild to extremely severe. I have had people carried into my office and others unable to stand straight.

I understand that you do not view the pain as the problem. What are the varying underlying challenges that you see tied into pain?

The most common reasons are underlying dysfunctions causing pain, such as liver congestion due to toxins, fat or infection. There are countless variations. Many infections produce referred pains, called viscera-somatic reflexes, but also produce toxins that can cause both focal pain or diffuse muscle pain. Another common source of pain is spinal degeneration, or its precursor spinal subluxation.

How do you assess the underlying components of pain?

Most commonly I use Applied Kinesiology Muscle Testing because it is so fast and cheap. However, we also use standard orthopedic testing, lab testing and x-ray when appropriate.

I know you cannot give a definite response to this question but when you understand the underlying challenges, how quickly can a person potentially find significant results in regard to the symptoms of pain?

Most people respond from within a minute or two, to a few days. If it is due to advanced spinal degeneration it can take much longer and involves a rehabilitation program.

What is your opinion of the conventional allopathic treatment of pain?

Everything has its place. I would recommend trying natural conservative care first as we do not do surgery or give you toxic drugs. Usually, we will either not help or we will fix it. But we will not hurt you in the process.

Can your techniques be used along with conventional care?

Of course, I often work with conventional doctors, and they also send me patients.

For those that do not live in Southern California what is the best way for the public to learn about your approach?

I have just written a book about my approach called “The Secret of Pain." For more information or to order your this book today, follow this link. There is a video on the site that offers more explanation about what is in the book. Please use the Microsoft Browser as Firefox will not work for the video.

About Dr. Robert Janda

Dr. Robert Janda graduated from UC Berkley with a BA in Experimental Psychology in 1968. The year following graduation he stayed in the San Francisco area to study Gestalt Psychotherapy under the tutelage of Robert K Hall, M.D. The following year he began studies in Clinical Psychology at California State University in Fresno. In 1972 he graduated with a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology with a special interest in hypnosis and Jungian Psychology.

After in interlude, he moved to Los Angeles in 1967 to study acupuncture from Korean and Chinese practitioners.

and their American students. During this time he also took courses in Swedish Massage, Shiatsu, Acupressure and Jin Shin Do. He also took a course in Iridology and Nutrition from Bernard Jensen, DC that started his lifelong interest in nutrition, which has continued to the present. In 1977, for 1 year, Dr. Janda worked at Harbor General Hospital Pain Clinic in San Pedro under Dr. Mok, M.D., as an acupuncturist.

In 1978 Dr. Janda began studies in Chiropractic at the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Starting the following year, and during his Chiropractic schooling, Dr. Janda began 2 years of seminars in Applied Kenisiology, which has become his special interest in the Chiropractic field. In 1980, also while still a student at the Chiropractic College, he began studies at the California College of Acupuncture in Los Angeles. Two years later he graduated from both institutions at the same time and received his Doctorate in Chiropractic.

Since that time he has been in private practice in Costa Mesa, California, practicing Chiropractic, Nutrition Therapy and Applied Kenisiology. For the past 17 years he has continued his education in Nutrition through numerous professional seminars. As a sidetrack, in 1988 he entered the Bruchion Art School in Los Angeles and studied Old Master Oil Painting for 6 years. He currently paints professionally on a part time basis.

In 1997 he began studies at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado and was certified in Rolfing Structural Integration the following year. This technique has been incorporated into his current practice. In 2002 Dr. Janda took the basic and advanced seminars in Dr. Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET) and was certified in that technique. In 2003 has continued his training through certification in the 3 areas of Active Release Technique (ART), the spine and upper and lower extremities. In November, 2003 he participated as an ART doctor treating athletes in the Ironman contest in Kona, Hawaii.

Dr. Janda now practices at Orange County Back Pain Clinic in Newport Beach and also in Temecula, CA. He has taken special interest in carpal tunnel and tendonitis symptomology and has developed effective procedures for diagnosing and resolving these problems. He also works on diverse musculoskelletal problems such as spinal injuries, whiplash, and athletic injuries. The Clinic has recently acquired a DRX 9000 C for spinal decompression to rehabilitate spinal discs that are degenerate, bulging or ruptured. This technology will eliminate the need for most disc surgeries. Through the use of nutrition he treats metabolic and female health problems such as PMS, digestive problems and toxicity. He is also interested in strengthening immunity and promoting longevity as well as the prevention of serious health problems such as heart disease and cancer. Dr. Janda believes that psychological, nutritional and BIO-mechanical factors are mutually interactive. His mode of practice is more akin to preventative Naturopathic Medicine but includes conventional Chiropractic.

Protect Yourself From Nuclear Fallout

by Glen Depke

The earthquake and tsunami are devastating events last week for the people of Japan and their friends and loved ones worldwide and our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

There is another potential devastating event that could be taking place sometime very soon based on the condition of many of the nuclear reactors in Japan. While it is difficult to get reliable information from the news and government agencies, it is suggested that 8 or 9 nuclear reactors is Japan are in dangerous territory. The chance that one of these reactors melts down may be higher than we are lead to believe. Since my wife and I live on the West coast, this is a concern of mine since the trade winds head right from Japan to the West coast of the United States.

So what are some of the toxic effects of radioactivity exposure?

On a cellular level excessive radioactivity causes damage to chromosomes and causes radiation sickness. This will also damage immune system function and increase the risk of many forms of cancer, due to radioactivity inducing mutations to cells that lead to cancer. This exposure also causes the production of hydroxyl free radicals with the body by “splitting” the body’s water content. Exposure to radioactivity on the skin can cause radiodermatitis and often causes radioepithelitis, which is a destruction of the epithelium especially of the skin.

So what proactive steps can we take based on this possibility?

I am going to focus on products and supplements that will provide the highest levels of protection for me and my family and I would recommend reviewing this list for your family.

· Glutathione is a key component of the antioxidant system which protects the body from free radicals at the cellular level. Reduced glutathione is involved in the synthesis and repair of DNA, and enhances the antioxidant activity of vitamin C, the transport of amino acids, and the detoxification of harmful compounds.

· Glutathione Recycler is a scientifically developed, first-of-its-kind formula supports the synthesis and recycling of glutathione, the primary antioxidant produced in our bodies. This formula provides key essential nutrients, cofactors, and substrates that are used to metabolize intracellular glutathione activity. It also supports the activation of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzymes, and positively supports the ratios of reduced and oxidized glutathione.

· Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) - The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys. The kidneys are usually the first organs to show chemical damage upon uranium exposure. It is my understanding that the United States Army recommends the use of bicarbonate to protect the kidneys from radiation damage. There is no better therapy for radiation sickness then intense sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and magnesium baths with the appropriate clay added in.

· Iodine is important to have in supply because this is the most obvious and important element in protecting against radiation damages. Radioactive iodine will plunge in to any and all iodine receptor cites that have no iodine in them due to iodine deficiencies. This is a serious problem because a high percentage of people in North America are iodine deficient. This leaves them susceptible to radioactive iodine, which is one of the principle forms of radiation given off in nuclear accidents. I would not recommend supplementing with more than 1000mcg of iodine per day and iodine could also be contraindicated with those on thyroid medications.

· Lipoic Acid reduces the toxic effects of exposure to radioactivity. It was recognized that persons exposed to Radioactivity after the Chernobyl incident (in Russia) who received Lipoic Acid supplements exhibit greatly lowered oxidative damage as a result of Radioactivity exposure.

· Vitamin C improves the ability of the body to resist the toxic effects of exposure to radioactivity. Guinea pigs that were supplemented with large dosages of Vitamin C combined with bioflavonoids were able to withstand twice the known lethal dosages of radioactivity. Vitamin C (10 grams per day) decreases the bleeding and cell degeneration that occurs as a result of exposure to plutonium radioactivity.

· Food and supplemental sources of chlorella and spirulina reduce the quantity of radioactive isotopes absorbed into the body and thereby helps to counteract the toxic effects of exposure to radioactivity.

· Lastly you could use a Young Living diffuser, coupled with the following oils, in the rooms of your home over the coming days and weeks. Diffuse a combination of Melrose, Sacred Frankincense, and Purification essential oils. Combine the oils in pairs when diffusing (for example, Melrose with Sacred Frankincense or Sacred Frankincense with Purification). Melrose is a particularly powerful blend because it contains two melaleuca oils that may protect cells from radiation damage. Another sensible precaution is to wear an inexpensive dust mask saturated with the above oils while you are outside or traveling.

Let's hope and pray that we do not have another devastating event to add to the stress to our world, but if we do, you can be prepared.

If you would like further information on the supplements mentioned in this article, feel free to call my office at 949.515.3538 or email me at Glen@DepkeWellness.com.

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