Weight gain and sleep?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So what's the number one health issue for individuals in the United States? If you have guessed weight gain, you are right on.

So what do so many people do about this? Here is the typical list of weight loss strategies that most follow with consistency.

• Dietary changes
• Eating smaller meals
• Eliminating late night snacks
• Dealing with emotional eating
• Eating at home more often
• Exercise
• Normalize hormones
• Follow anti-inflammatory protocols

What I want to share is that all of these are awesome weight loss strategies, but how many of you have already addressed these yet still do not reach your weight loss goals? This number is likely staggering and here's one significant reason why?

Understand that based on the lives that most of us chose to live, there is truly very little free time. We often find the hours between 9:00PM and 11:00PM as our "catch up" time. You get it, so much to do all day, maybe the kids are finally in bed or one of the many other reasons for this. Regardless of the why, far too many people are getting to bed too late and creating significant deficiencies with their sleep patterns.

Here's the kicker though. If you are not reaching your bodies individual need for sleep, you will likely gain weight or minimally, this will significantly hinder weight loss for you. Did you know that if you do not get enough sleep your body will increase the production of your appetite hormone called ghrelin which is likely to lead to weight gain. Another factor in the lack of sleep in the longer term effect this has on your adrenal function and the production of another hormone cortisol, which is often the cause of that ever so beautiful weight gain around the midsection. I know, yikes!

Now a fascinating new study suggests that the link may be even more insidious than previously thought. Losing just a few hours of sleep a few nights in a row can lead to almost immediate weight gain. I would recommend that you follow this link to an insightful article that addresses this even further. 

One point that I found very interesting in the research is that individuals that are sleep deprived actually burn 111 more calories per day than those that are getting optimal sleep, so what sense does that make? It makes a lot of sense though when you remember that a lack of sleep increases the ghrelin which causes the sleep deprived individuals to eat far more food than those that achieve optimal sleep. Think about how quickly you can consume food to make up that 111 calories. Eating one banana, that most would think is great for weight loss, will make up 105 of those calories, yet the sleep deprived person is going to eat far more than just one extra banana per day. They are actually likely to feast daily. 

The end result? Weight gain!

Throw on top of this that a lack of sleep can age fat cells 20 years and yes I said  20 years. This has an effect on overall metabolism and your body's ability to regulate glucose and insulin properly thus leading to obesity and diabetes.

So if you find yourself as one of those people that is doing everything they can think of to lose weight and it's simply not happening for you, check in on your sleep habits. This could be the missing link for you. 


Regardless of what's causing your sleep problems, it is important to establish and maintain healthy sleep habits. Here are some tips that will help you sleep well:

At night:

• Use the bed and bedroom for sleep and sex only
• Establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep-wake schedule
• Do not eat or drink too much close to bedtime
• Create a sleep-promoting environment that is dark, cool and comfortable
• Avoid disturbing noises – consider a bedside fan or white-noise machine to block out disturbing sounds
• Shut down one hour before bed (no phone, TV or Internet)

During the day:

• Consume less or no caffeine, particularly late in the day
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime
• Exercise, but not within three hours before bedtime
• Avoid long naps, particularly in the late afternoon or evening while a short nap in the afternoon can be beneficial

Some medications can also lead to insomnia, including those taken for:

• Colds and allergies
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Thyroid disease
• Birth control
• Asthma
• Pain medications
• Depression (especially SSRI antidepressants)

So in the end, what's the moral of the story?

Get to sleep!!!

For additional information on sleep visit these past articles.

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2012/08/whos-not-sleeping-well.html

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2011/11/why-cant-i-sleep-part-1.html

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2011/12/why-cant-i-sleep-part-ii.html

Breat Cancer Awareness?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

I like to wait until later in Breast Cancer Awareness month to write about this. After all, we truly have quite a bit of awareness of breast cancer. Everywhere you turn you see pink nowadays and I am very supportive of this. Heck, when I watch the NFL football games during October I am aware of the pink shoes, socks and other parts of the uniform. Again, I support this and am thankful that this awareness has been created.

The challenge that I have is that most, if not all, of the money collected, is going to the development of drugs and not toward the single biggest impact we can actually have on breast cancer, which is prevention. Prevention is the key and we will look at this further later in the article.

Let's look at how conventional medicine defines "survival" of breast cancer, which is living 5 years or more after diagnosis. With this said, if a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 58 and lives to the age of 63, she is considered a survivor. Even if she dies of complications from breast cancer or chemotherapy at the age of 65, she is still a breast cancer survivor. Honestly, the chance of being a "survivor" then are very good, due to the fact that breast cancer is typically diagnosed much earlier these days.

So really, do you just want to "survive?"

I think not, and that is why the issue of  prevention is the key to "thrival" not "survival." Yes this is my made up word, but don't you truly want to thrive rather than survive? Of course...

The good news is that you can!

Here at Depke Wellness, we have seen many clients with breast cancer and continue to today. Our approach is very different though and this starts with the first comment made to these clients. That comment is "we do not assist women in fighting cancer, we assist women in living in harmony with cancer." After all, that's what the rest of us are doing. We are in a constant state of living in harmony with cancer. Even as I sit here writing this article, I have cancer cells in my body. Thankfully I trust that these cells are being dealt with properly via the immune system function and a process referred to as apoptosis.

So what are the keys then?

• Support immune function
• Support the system of apoptosis
• Reduce or eliminate inflammation
• Normalize estrogen levels
• Address the over production of aromatase
• Release emotional suppression
• Find "your" space

Let me pick a couple of these areas to discuss.

The first is the process of apoptosis. The way I explain this is to refer apoptosis as cellular suicide. You see when a cell becomes "broken" it is actually designed to die. Yes, "broken" cells in your body should commit suicide. The problem though is the for so many women, this process had been significantly reduced or shut off by chronic inflammation. Understand that when you are living with chronic inflammation, this creates an immune system dysregulation. This dysregulation can and does turn off apoptosis. 

So what happens when apoptosis is turned off? Simple. One broken cell becomes another broken cell and so on and so on. In the end, this ends up being diagnosed as cancer. So with this said, is the cancer the issue or is the inflammation the issue? Take this one step further, is the inflammation the issue or whatever causes inflammation the issue?

You should be getting the idea about now.

The other area to discuss is the elevated estrogen. While this can be caused by estrogen in our environment and/or food sources, the biggest issue is when overproducing and enzyme referred to as aromatase. Did you know that high levels of aromatase can and will convert testosterone to estrogen? Too high of estrogen is a risk factor for what...breast cancer. So is the high estrogen the cause or the overproduction of armomatase? Take this a step further, recognizing that a diet high in sugar and processed foods raises insulin and leads to an overproduction of aromatase, perhaps the high sugar and processed foods is the issue? You decide...

In our clinic we regularly use a collection of Chinese herbs from Chi Enterprise referred to as

Cherry Angiomas

Myomin. Referring to a study with 60 postmenopausal women with fibroids/cysts, after only 10 days there was almost a 50% reduction of estradiol. Every time a woman's hormonal panel comes back into our office showing elevated estrogen, the use of Myomin assist the body in lowering these dangerous levels very quickly. I would note that completing a comprehensive adrenal panel is always recommended prior to use unless of course high estrogen have already been confirmed by your personal practitioner. One clue you can use to recognize high estrogen is the recognition of cherry angiomas on the trunk of your body along with white spots on your nails. These two together show a strong likelihood of estrogen dominance. Also take a look at your tongue. If there are red dots in the back to middle of your tongue, this could also show a possible hormone

White Spot on Nails

imbalance. Recognizing these signs should lead you to complete a saliva hormone test. From there it is much easier to recommend what would assist your body in finding its hormonal balance.

Thankfully there are ways to address all of this. 

• Address what's causing your inflammation
• Reduce or eliminate the inflammation
• Turn the apoptosis back on
• Address your dietary intake
• Use an aromatase inhibitor 

Now if you find yourself already diagnosed with breast cancer, don't simply fall into the fear and doom. I know, easier said than done sometimes. We have seen many women walk away from breast cancer and living happy health lives based on finding their own personal balance and as mentioned earlier, learning to live in harmony with cancer as do most of us. This is a tough concept for many but very true. 

Finding your balance includes everything mentioned above and more but it is absolutely achievable. One addition that is made for women already diagnosed is Angiostop. Recognize that cancer requires a high energy intake and a significant blood flow. The Angiostop as a strong effect on inhibiting new blood vessel formation, thus cutting off nutrient and blood supply to a tumor. This also inhibits fibroblast, platelet-derived and epidermal for broad spectrum inhibitory effects. With the use of thermography, I have seen the results of angiogenesis that are remarkable with the Angiostop. The Angiostop does not directly cure cancer but it does help cut off its life support.

So in the end, let's remember that there truly is not a lack of awareness on breast cancer but there is a significant lack of awareness on prevention and also holisitic protocols that can be effectively utilized. Also understand that you can easily integrate your conventional care with holistic care when dealing with breast cancer. This is not an us and them scenario. 

After all, it's all about your personal health and happiness, isn't it?

*If you would like to learn more about the Depke Wellness approach to breast cancer, do not hesitate to call for a complimentary new client consultation at (949)954-6226.

 

 

What can we do for you?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Sometimes we feel like we can do so much more, so this is why we are reaching out to for your input on what we can do for you?

Obviously, since you are reading this article, you already understand the value of our weekly featured article here on the Depke Wellness newsletter and blog. Beyond this, we hope you are also enjoying the weekly special guest articles written by other experts in the field of health and wellness. We also include a weekly “take action” segment to bring forth an upcoming event that may spur your interest and attention. We are also adding a new segment for a featured supplement for each month to provide further information and special pricing.

Recognize though, that what you can receive goes much further than our newsletter. When visiting www.DepkeWellness.com, you can enjoy complimentary assessments for your Nutritional ID, gluten intolerance and adrenal fatigue. All you would have to do is visit the homepage and click on the icons to receive your complimentary assessments to understand your own needs a little deeper.

Also on the homepage, we have included and area to register for a complimentary four part video series on your fundamentals of health to address the simple, yet essential aspects for your own journey to health and happiness. We are in the final touches of cleaning up these videos and once complete, everyone that has already registered will receive this as well as all the register in the future. I have to share that these videos are packed with step by step processes that are invaluable to you.

Another area that you may or may not already be familiar with is our commitment to providing bi-monthly audio interviews or webinars with other health or lifestyle experts. There is really so much valuable information to share and I cannot share enough the value that our friends and affiliates can provide for all of us.

We are also redesigning our store that will offer a wide variety of supplement choices for you as well as the joy of Aroma Seize products at your disposal. We are also incorporating a “membership” store for our clients to easily order and receive those supplements that cannot normally be purchased online. Due to the login in and password protect process, these are now available to our clients with the ease of online shopping. Of course, let’s not forget that on the Depke Wellness store, there is never shipping and handling charges for the continental US. This way, what you see is what you pay. No charges added on at the end to surprise you in a not so empowering way.

So here’s the challenge though. We want to serve you further and give you more, so we need your help. Please click on and fill out the short survey. This will provide us the necessary information so we can serve you further.

After all, if we all did this individually, wouldn’t the world be a much healthier and happier place?

Here’s to wellness for yourself and wellness for the world!

Thank you in advance for filling out this short survey to assist in serving you.

Thank you from the Depke Wellness team!

Glen, Dawn, Lynda, Jill and Ali

Pills Made From Poop...Really?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath
 
Yes I am not kidding, there really are pills made from poop. Here is a small sample from the article that exposed me to this recent news.

"Hold your nose and don't spit out your coffee: Doctors have found a way to put healthy people's poop into pills that can cure serious gut infections - a less yucky way to do "fecal transplants." Canadian researchers tried this on 27 patients and cured them all after strong antibiotics failed to help."

"Recently, studies have shown that fecal transplants - giving infected people stool from a healthy donor - can restore that balance. But they're given through expensive, invasive procedures like colonoscopies or throat tubes. Doctors also have tried giving the stool through enemas but the treatment doesn't always take hold."

To read the full article, copy and past the link below into your browser. It is a very interesting article.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/03/pills-made-from-poop-could-cure-serious-gut-infections/?intcmp=features

I will share that I am not against "odd" therapies. Heck, what I do with my clients would often be considered "odd" by conventional medical terminology.  I've heard many different "odd" therapies such as the use of parasites to treat brain tumors, the use of raw meat to regain balance, the use of high meat or fermented foods and many more.

With that said, I would not take away the potential validity of the use of these "poop pills" but there is a deep belief that I have held for some time. When people have extreme challenges, it often takes more extreme measures to assist that person find their health and balance, but with that said, you do not need to take extreme measures for typical challenges.

We also have to separate different areas of treatment. The article shared the experience of one woman as stated here, "It lasted for two years. It was horrible. I thought I was dying. I couldn't eat. Every time I ate anything or drank water I was into the bathroom," she said. "I never went anywhere, I stayed home all the time." So this was a woman that apparently had run the conventional medical treatment for C - diff with no relief. So what would that treatment be you may ask and you likely already know? It is the use of powerful antibiotics with generally no focus on underlying causes.

A holistic intervention for C - diff based on Depke Wellness would be to establish a balance within the fundamentals of health, bring some balance to adrenal function, address intolerant foods that lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system and finally at that point, the use of herbal remedies to assist the body's immune system function in the healing crisis of removal of the infection which in this case is C - diff.

Obviously there are more steps in the holistic intervention but in the end, the body is healthy, immune system function is reestablished, adrenals are balanced and you have addressed the underlying factors that lead to this challenge in the first place.

Now of course the antibiotic treatment would not address this, even though this truly can eliminate the C - diff as well as the "poop pill" could also lead to the same results. The challenge still lies in the ability to address underlying factors and to strengthen the body so this does not occur again and again.

Another point to be made.

Do not wait until you contract something like C - diff or other pathogens to address this. While this may seem like common sense saying it, this level of common sense is anything but common. So before you need the antibiotic or the "poop pill" how about simple basic measures? Taking a good quality prebiotic/probiotic formula daily, digestive enzymes and addressing adrenal/immune imbalances. When you do this, you can personally drastically reduce your likelihood of allowing these infections to take a strong hold on you. Understand that I did not say that you will reduce your chance of being exposed. Heck, we're all exposed. What matters though is what does your body do when you are exposed to these infections. If your fundamentals of health, adrenal function and immune function are strong, the likelihood of continued infection is actually very low. 

On that note I can bring up a short conversation I had with some individuals in the gym the other day. A trainer was jokingly but with a serious side blaming his client for getting him sick. Of course I jumped in and also jokingly but with a serious side mentioned that nobody can get you sick, you can only be weak enough to allow sickness. As expected the client and not the trainer enjoyed my comment but it was truly all in fun. Fun but true.

So in the end, recognize that there are always "odd" and sometimes extreme ways of treatment, whether this be the "poop pill" or other methods mentioned earlier, doesn't it sound easier and more effective to address these challenges holistically?

You decide!!!

Past articles on antibiotic treatment:
http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2013/09/antibiotoic-resistant-bacteria.html

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2011/04/enough-with-antibiotics-already.html 

Past article on digestion:
http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2012/06/prime-digestive-support.html

Link to digestive aids:
http://www.depkewellness.com/GlenDepke/Store/DepkeWellness/index.cfm

What Supplements Do I Take?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So often I have individuals on social media or when I am presenting events ask me what I take personally from a supplement perspective. I write this type of article about once per year because while I do have some basics that remain the same, as I learn and grow for myself personally, some of my supplement choices shift within these new understandings.

Before I address the supplements specifically, I wanted to point out some recent research that shows not only health benefits of supplementation but also provides the hard facts on the significant savings in health care cost. To read this article and further information, visit this link.

OK, so what do I take?

I breakdown my supplementation needs based on the most significant factors for myself as an individual. These factors are:

• Optimal digestion
• Increased circulation
• Optimal brain health
• Immune system support
• Adrenal support

For optimal digestion, I take the Depke Wellness 1, 2, 3 of Digestion daily. This is a

combination of the Prebiotic/Probiotic Formula, Prime Digestive Support (enzyme) and the Prime Stomach Acid Support. I take 2 Prebiotic/Probiotic Formula before breakfast daily, one Prime Digestive Support during each meal, one Prime Stomach Acid Support after each meal and one scoop of RepairVite prior to bedtime. The Prebiotic/Probiotic Formula contains herbs to assist the gut environment to optimally utilize the 40 billion beneficial bacteria (the good guys) taken to assist in reaching that all important 9:1 ration of beneficial to detrimental bacteria needed for a healthy gut. The Prime Digestive Support is the full spectrum digestive enzyme that contains both animal and plant based enzymes to break down the wide array of proteins, fats and carbohydrates I'll consume with each meal. This enables me to utilize the first third of my stomach to predigest my food, which in turn will allow for and further ease of digestion as my food progresses through the digestive tract, ultimately making life easier for my pancreas also. Lastly the Prime Stomach Acid Support will assist my body in properly breaking down my proteins, absorb minerals as well as B vitamins. At night before I go to bed, I take one scoop of RepairVite in water knowing that this is a gut restorative supplement. I take this specifically due to gut damage caused by my past consumption of intolerant foods that I was not aware of.

If you want to confirm the use of the use of these with my meals, simply ask anyone that I have eaten out with. I am always reaching into my pocket during and after meals to address these important digestive aids.

To increase my circulation, I take two supplements. One is from Chi Enterprise called Vein Lite which I take 3 capsules of these twice per day after meals. Some days I do this only once but I do shoot for 2 times daily. I also take Nitric Balance which is a liquid that I take one tablespoon in the morning. The Vein Lite has a long term affect on increasing circulation and the Nitric Balance has a more immediate impact on circulation along with a beneficial cellular energy increase. I take these because proper circulation is a key to most everything. This is how you move nutrients, oxygen, hormones and so much more throughout your body. Without proper circulation, all else is hindered.

The brain support is important to me since I have a history of dementia and other neurological disorders in my family. Not withstanding the fact that I was considered epileptic from about 17 to 28 years old. Because of this, I take a liquid omega 3 fatty acid supplementation daily that is very high in DHA, which is the "brain food" component of the omega 3. I am also currently addressing some neurotransmitter issues by taking Serotone Active, Dopatone, Acetyl-CH Active and a Neurotrans spray three times per day. I am not doing this only because of the potential inherited issues but also the simple fact that my brain really needs to be "on" all day when I am working with clients. There is not much time off for my brain so it needs that support. Don't worry though, I also get my fare share of tennis, golf and fun on a regular basis.

As far as my immune system support is considered, most of this is addressed with my gut and brain supplements because as those systems go, so goes the immune system. The only addition I make here is the use of a liquid emulsified vitamin D supplement called Ultra D, which I take on tablespoon per day and about 2000 mgs of a powdered Buffered Ascorbic Acid mixed with a small amount of water before bed. Many people have issues with ascorbic acid, but this is due to the fact that most are derived from corn, which I am intolerant to. Of course the form that I use is manufactured from a healthy source. I also take either the Pure LiquidNutrients which is a yummy mango/orange flavored liquid vitamin/mineral supplement or a mix a Clearvite PSF in my morning smoothy to increase my nutrient uptake.

Lastly, we are looking at adrenal support. I do not take this at all times but due to some recent

adrenal challenges because of a gut infection that I picked up in the recent past I am currently engaging in needed adrenal balancing. To accomplish this I take sublingual liquid forms of pregnenolone and DHEA three times per day and I take two 500mg capsules of the Depke Wellness Prime Adrenal Support daily also.

I do cycle on and off two powerful liquid emulsified anti-inflammatory supplements called Resvero and Tumero, but currently I am in the cycle off period with these. I typically do three months on and three months off.

Overall from a generally perspective, I am always taking something to support my gut, brain and immune function. From there everything else I would take is either for a short duration determined on an acute challenge or other times I simply take something new as an experiment for myself and my clients. 

I want to be clear that what I take does not necessary equate into what you need. While general gut, brain and immune supplementation is an advantage to everyone, some areas are tied directly into personal needs for myself, such as the neurotransmitters and adrenal protocols. At least with this information, you can see first hand what your Traditional Naturopath is taking. 

You know what's funny though, I do not feel like I take that much until I write it all out. So with that said, here's to my adrenal protocol coming to an end soon. LOL!

Many of these supplements can be found in the Depke Wellness Store where you can either search through all the supplements or go to the headings on the left side of the page to click on specific brands such as Depke Wellness, Chi Enterprise or Pure Encapsulations. We are even building and area of the store that will be available to our current clients to purchase supplements that are not accessible to the general public due to company policies. The good news is that supplements purchased via the Depke Wellness always include free shipping and handling. Yay!

Antibiotoic Resistant Bacteria

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Well, we knew it was coming and we have been warned about this countless times and in my opinion, this has been a challenge for some time already. This something is antibiotic resistant bacteria. Now this may not sound substantial but look at some recently released statistics.

According to the CDC, each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections. Many more people die from other conditions that were complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection. Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and in my opinion the rate of death from these as posted above is very low.

The New York Times reported that the number of deaths is substantially lower than previous estimates, in part because researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stripped out cases in which a drug-resistant infection was present but not necessarily the cause of death. Infectious disease doctors have long warned that antibiotic resistance — in which bacteria develop defenses against antibiotics used to kill them — threatens to return society to a time when people died from ordinary infections.

Dr Robert Janda, whom I am interviewing Tuesday 9/24/13, had shared in a recent discussion with me that "the bugs are getting smarter." With this information, it is imperative for us to outsmart the bugs, rather than them outsmarting us.

I feel that as a culture we have made the bacterial infection/antibiotic treatment route the norm rather than the exception, which lead to this potentially tragic circumstance we are currently involved in. To be "real", we cannot go back and it truly makes no sense to dwell on the past. 

All we can do now is move forward.

The first point that I want to make is that I am not the holistic practitioner that bashes the conventional medical system. There is truly a time and a place where conventional interaction is necessary, but as mentioned earlier, this would be the exception rather than a norm. As an example, if someone has a serious staff infection, go to a doctor and get a powerful antibiotic to address this because that staff infection could kill you. Important right?

So what about low level bacterial infections?

Most bacterial infections start in the gut and are relatively easily addressed. Heck, just last weekend I picked up a bacterial infection while I was out eating. This made me a bit bloated, nauseous and I eventually vomited. I know, pretty picture.

So what did I do? Did I run out for an antibiotic to eradicate this bacteria? Absolutely not. I took approximately 100 billion count of beneficial bacteria to counter the detrimental bacteria that entered my body and between the bacteria and my own body's natural immune defense mechanisms, this was a non issue with relative speed and ease.

So a bacterial infection in your gut can be assisted by the use of a quality probiotic in high doses but what other natural products have antibiotic properties?

Here is a list that may help you out.

• Cloves (Clove Oil)
• Colloidal Silver
• Olive Leaf Extract
• Echinacea
• Garlic
• Oregon Grape Root
• Raw Honey
• Mullein
• Myrrh
• Sage
• Thyme

For clients in my office I would often recommend a homeopathic I get from Germany called ABB, echinacea homeopathic tablets or a combination of Chinese herbs supplied by Chi Enterprise.

I can also share another personal example of natural products with antibiotic properties. I had a minor surgery last May and the doctor recommended that I go on antibiotics post surgery. This doctor knew me well enough to know that it was unlikely that I would go on antibiotics but he really was insistent that I at least take an antibiotic for three days as a minimum. Rather that the antibiotic, I chose to take Chinese herbs, Kidney Chi and Bamboo extract for a few weeks as my natural antibiotic and this worked like a charm. Please note that I recommend that you follow your doctors advice or at least have a discussion with your doctor to share your thoughts and opinions.

So why didn't I want to take the antibiotic anyway?

While there was of course a risk of infection with my minor surgery, I recognize that the antibiotic would cause damage to my gut. If the gut is compromised, this would create challenges for my brain as well as weakened immune function.

Doesn't is make sense to have a strong immune system when dealing with an infection, rather than a weakened immune system?

Absolutely!

And this was not even taking into consideration the potential of an antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria.

So in the end, recognize that our past choices have created antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, so it is now up to you to take matters into your own hands, be in communication with your doctor with natural options and if you are met with resistance, search out a quality holistic health practitioner for advise. Regardless of where you live, Depke Wellness is always just a phone call away.

(949) 954-6226

 

 

Food Cravings...Uggg!

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So what types of cravings do you experience on a regular basis? Sugar, chips, ice cream, breads, salt, chocolate, alcohol and the list goes on...

While most of us crave foods with some regularity, very few understand all of the mechanisms behind these cravings. Understanding this may assist you in curbing your cravings, so here we go.

We'll start with one of the most obvious and that is cravings based on the consumption of high glycemic foods. You know, foods sugar as sugary treats, sodas, processed carbohydrates, alcohol, fruit juices and fruit especially without the skin. When we consume these high glycemic foods, especially without added fat, these drive up glucose which in turn leads to a spike in insulin levels. When insulin levels spike so quickly, this will often send your blood sugar plummeting. As a result you have what...cravings. Often this is for more high glycemic foods also and round and round we go.

So to get off the high glycemic/craving cycle, do what? 

How about stopping the consumption of high glycemic foods? OK, so that was too easy of an answer and a bit of a smart (you know what) comment. It is a good idea though to consume high glycemic foods sparingly or only prior to times of physical exertion. What do you do when you simply want to enjoy one of these foods but you are not going to have the opportunity to burn off this sugar with exercise? The answer to this is to eat these foods at the end of your meal and always with added fat. Examples are:

• Apple with nut butter
• Wine with cheese
• Bread with olive oil

 * I am necessarily condoning all of these choices as healthy but I wanted to give you some real life examples.

A significant reason for cravings would be emotions. When we get stressed out what to so many people reach for to sooth their feelings? As mentioned earlier sugar, chips, ice cream, breads, salt, chocolate, alcohol and the list goes on...

Another factor that deals with emotions as tied into sweets is when we feel as if we are missing our own personal "sweetness" of life. So often we get caught up in a life of "doing" rather than a life of "being" and this leads to self soothing again and so often with sweets. Based on our discussion earlier, you now understand what dynamics are occurring when you are self soothing with these sweets.

There is one more craving definitely built into the challenges with emotions. When we are too ramped up, frustrated, irritated and angry we often crave processed carbohydrates such as breads. These choices actually have a sedating or depressing effect on your body to calm you down. Think about, how do you feel after a meal high in processed carbohydrates? You likely feel like hitting the couch and completely chilling. Unfortunately this is not the best way to achieve this due to the effect that this has on further cravings.


If you really want to do something to satisfy your emotions, try some deep belly breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose for a count of 7 while expanding your stomach and breath all the way down to your belly button. Hold that breath for a count of 4 and then forcefully blow this out through your mouth while contracting your stomach muscles to push every ounce of that breath out of your lungs. Actually, try this right now and see how you feel.


So why do I recommend the deep belly breathing? Because you cannot be under stress and take a deep belly breath at the same time. This are two opposing aspects of your nervous system function that will not exist at the same time. Take 3-5 of these breaths once per hour during your waking hours would be so helpful for curtailing these cravings and absolutely use this during acute stress.


One more significant factor for cravings is a lack of proper digestion. You know, you are not what you eat, rather you are what you absorb and assimilate. So what does this have to do with cravings? 


First understand that you are not hungry to fill your stomach, you are hungry so your body can produce energy. When you make quality nutritional choices and digest these foods properly, your body will produce the energy needed and your trigger for hunger will be cut off. It truly is that simple.


So what happens if you digestive system is not working properly?


This leads to a lack of proper absorption and assimilation, thus leading to a desire for more food. Once the stomach if full though, your trigger for hunger will subside even if you did not reach the desired energy production. Here's the kicker though. If your hunger went away and your stomach is full, you WILL have a craving to follow this meal. The bigger challenge is that this craving will almost definitely be for something sweet because sugar is a definite "quick fix" for energy and we have all had sugar enough for our body to recognize this.


Think about it. How often does this happen? You go out and eat a big meal, fill your belly, yet you still cannot make a move until you get some type of sweet in on top of this. This happens more often that not and most often this is due to poor digestion.


So how do your improve your digestion?


First off, the recommendation of the deep breathing above is definitely a benefit just prior to eating a meal. When you deep belly breath and get your body in a relaxed state prior to eating, this will assist your digestive system.


There are also some basic supplements to use for proper digestion to assist in aleviating cravings.

• Probiotics
• Digestive enzymes
• Stomach acid

These are the basics that Dawn and I use personally and typical recommendations for my clients. As a matter of fact, I refer to this trio as the Depke Wellness 1, 2, 3 of Digestion. If you would like to learn more about the 1, 2, 3 of Digestion visit this link provided. 

So now you know three of the biggest factors for you cravings, so when you think of cravings now, "uggg" does not have to follow.