Most people don’t consider treating their chronic fatigue and exhaustion from their kitchen, yet there is magic and medicine in 2 very powerful foods that can be grown and made at home.  Two of the healthiest foods on earth…sprouts and cultured vegetables…have rekindled a place on my dinner table.

During our Get Your Green On Class, Chef Alicia got me motivated to try my hand again at sprouting.  She made it look so easy, and the sprouts were delicious and energizing.  The video recordings of the class are available at http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass.

In addition to demystifying the sprouting process, Alicia shared her  amazing recipe for Sprouts Salad with Tex Mex Dressing.  I could eat it all day.  In addition to 5 hours of recordings, all divided into 15 minute segments for your convenience, you’ll get a 50 page green recipe and resource guide, filled with instructions for greenifying your diet.  Become a greenitarian and get instant access to this life changing class.  fatigue and exhaustion will become distant memories when you learn to eat this way.

I really enjoyed the fermented foods class I attended earlier this week, taught by Lila Wilds, Healthy Living Practitioner, and Judith Henderson, Master Chef.

I brought home a jar each of

• Coconut Kefir
• Cultured Vegetables
• Kim chi.

These live foods,  rich in friendly bacteria, vitamins and enzymes are valuable additions to your daily diet.  It’s easy for your gut to get out of balance.  Things like birth control pills, antibiotics, steroid medications, antibiotics in commercially raised meat and dairy, sugar, processed foods and environmental toxins contribute to the loss of normal gut flora (microorganisms) and to overall decline in digestive function.  This can result in health challenges ranging from bloating and gas to arthritis, fibromyalgia and even cancer.

Incorporating fermented foods daily will help restore your healthy intestinal flora.  healthy flora is important for synthesis of B-vitamins, digestion of food and protection from unwanted critters down there.

Cultured vegetables are so easy to make.  Simply cut up a bunch of your favorite vegetables (I like to include kale or other dark green, sea vegetables, cabbage,  and carrots, along with herbs like ginger, garlic, and cayenne.  The possibilities are endless.  Grate the vegetables or cut them into small chunks then bruise them by smashing with a potato masher or even a clean wooden baseball bat.  Massaging with your hands works too,  and it’s a good workout.

Add some kefir starter, cultured vegetable starter or probiotics and let sit for 3-4 days.  i love the taste, and could eat them all day.

The combination pf sprouts and cultured vegetables can’t help but get your energy strong and your mind clear.  Try it and let me know how it goes.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Greens from the sea are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.  They provide the iodine that’s necessary for  proper thyroid function,  zinc for adrenals suffering from exhaustion, calcium and magnesium for osteoporosis, protein, essential fatty acids for your immune system and iron for anemia prevention. As if that’s not enough, they provide trace minerals and can pull heavy metals and toxins out of your body.

So why don’t you eat them on a regular basis?

1- You just don’t know how powerful sea vegetables are

2- You have no idea how to prepare them in delicious ways

3- Slimy green stuff from the ocean is not your idea of a meal

Sea Vegetables are just not appreciated in our Western World. If you frequent Japanese restaurants, sushi and seaweed salad may be familiar menu items, but, unless you’ve been following a macrobiotic or raw foods diet, it’s unlikely that you serve these foods with any regularity at home.

Sea vegetables are easy to prepare and serve and can add fun and diversity to your daily culinary repertoire. With a bit of creativity and experimentation, wonderfully delicious dishes can be prepared from them!

Food manufacturers often use processed sea vegetables as thickeners or stabilizers in a variety of common products, from instant pudding to toothpaste. As “hidden” ingredients, sea vegetables are not be of significant nutritional value. Served as part of main meals and in salads, soups and wraps, sea vegetables offer an abundance of otherwise hard to get nutrients.

Sea vegetables are very rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. They’re loaded with chlorophyll, fiber, and minerals, including significant amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and many other trace minerals naturally found in the ocean. When reconstituted, sea vegetables expand three to seven times their original volume, so small amounts go a long way.

Available in dried form year-round, most sea vegetables are re-hydrated before adding to dishes. Some, like kelp, dulse, nori and sea palm are delicate enough to eat dry. Others, like arame, wakame and hijiki become more tender and appealing when they’re soaked in water to soften. Irish moss can be soaked and used as a thickener in puddings, pies and gravies. Still others like Kombu are usually not eaten by themselves, because they are tougher, but are either ground and used as a seasoning or used whole as a flavoring in soups and stews.

To make a basic sea vegetable salad, simply soak the sea vegetables in water to soften. Drain, reserving the soak water for future use. I usually do equal amounts of sea and land vegetation, like carrots or cucumbers. Kale, collard greens and cabbage make great additions as well. Combine the sea vegetable with the land vegetable and pour a sauce or marinade over them. Let it stand at least 15 minutes to absorb flavor. One of my favorite marinades contains ginger, garlic, sesame oil, lime juice, cayenne and salt. In cooking, dried sea vegetables can be added directly to soups or stews and to the cooking liquid of beans or rice.

For details about how to learn to make the most delicious creations form greens from both the land and sea, sign up for Get Your Green On You can attend the class in person and get to experience the incredible tastes or attend the web class.  Either way, you’ll get a recipe booklet, access to the digital recordings after the class and a follow-up live teleseminar with Dr. Ritamarie and Chef Alicia.

Get GREEN for Vibrant Health

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.DrRitamarie.com

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “You are what you eat”, haven’t you?  But have you really thought about what that means? Each and every bit of food that enters your body will either be eliminated or become part of your cellular structure!  Since it takes about 7 years to replace every cell in your body, the twinkie you ate 5 years ago is likely to still be lurking somewhere in your cell walls, zapping your energy, challenging your immune system and altering your brain chemistry. SCARY thought, isn’t it? Boosting Your Immune System, Your Energy and Your Health There are actions you can take to profoundly change your body, boost your immune system, jumpstart your energy and protect you from the ravages of degenerative disease and cancer. It’s easier that you think to rearrange your body on a cellular level and restore you to pristine health. There’s no rocket science involved…just some simple choices that you can make in the most important room in the house…your KITCHEN. Are you interested in skyrocketing your energy so you can ENJOY your life to the fullest?  I can’t imagine abundant energy and joy not appealing to you! What you eat turns into who you  are.  If you eat hydrogenated fat laden processed foods, your cell walls become brittle and unable to effectively transfer nutrients in and waste out. If you eat foods that contain man made chemicals and toxic waste products, your liver will package them in fat to protect your vital organs and glands and you’ll gain weight. If you eat chlorophyll, enzyme and oxygen rich green plant foods, you’ll become energetic, strong and well nourished. Which outcome would you prefer? There are two main reasons most people fail to eat enough green food. 1- They are not aware of the benefits of eating an abundance of green foods. 2- they have no idea how to make the greens taste delicious. The 3 MOST  nutritious foods you can eat are: 1- fresh green sprouts, like sunflower greens, broccoli sprouts, daikon sprouts and dozens of others 2- blue green algae and microalgae (ie chlorella) 3- sea vegetables like kelp, dulse, nori, arame and dozens of others Learn to make these foods, and include them in dishes you already eat.  Once you do, you’ll be able to experience culinary delight and nutritional abundance, all in one package. I’ve included these foods in soups, smoothies, crackers, brownies, shakes, dressings, dips, salads, sandwiches, spreads and many more dishes.  My 25 years of experimentation with these foods has produced hundreds of delicious recipes. How to Learn to Incorporate GREENS into your diet: 1- buy a recipe book and experiment 2- go online and look for ideas on forums and blogs 3- take a class from someone who has had lots of experience and knows how to make great tasting, nutrient dense meals. Greens can change your life, save your life and make your life worth living.  Learn as much as you can about these valuable foods and make them a major part of your diet EVERY day.

A delicious example of powerful green food: Creamy Garlic Dill Kelp Noodles with Cucumber Ingredients 1 16 ounce package of Kelp Noodles 3 cucumbers 1/4 cup fresh dill 1/2 cup cashews, macadamia nuts or pine nuts Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon kelp powder 1/4 teaspoon pink salt 1 clove garlic Directions -Rinse and drain the kelp noodles and place in large glass bowl. -Peel and dice the cucumbers and add to bowl -Mince the dill and add to bowl -Place nuts, lemon juice, water, kelp, garlic and salt in blender and blend until smooth. -Add extra water if needed for a yogurt like consistency -Pour sauce over noodles and cucumbers. -Stir until well mixed.  Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Great NEWS! I’m teaming up with Chef Alicia Ojeda to teach an all day class on greens.  We’ll not only share, demonstrate and allow you to taste delicious foods and feel the energy jolting effects of eating this way, we’ll also share our expertise in the area of green nutrition.  We’ll empower you to choose green foods at every meal and LOVE it. AVAILABLE OVER THE WEB The Live class will be held in Austin Texas AND we’ll be live broadcasting it across the Internet.  Our new technology will make this our best web class yet. If you can’t make the live class or even the live broadcast because of schedule conflicts, you’ll be able to get access to the recordings in an easy to use format. http://www.DrRitamarie.com/GreenClass Here are the details: The live class will be held in Austin, Texas on Sunday June 14 from 12:30 until 6:30 PM The class will be broadcast, in streaming video quality, live as it happens.  This means that you can ask questions and interact with us via an instant messenger type panel. The webcast will be recorded and be available by the day after the class, as a recorded streaming video.  You will be provided with instructions for accessing the recording, so if you miss the class or parts of it, you can watch it right away.  You can also watch it in segments.  In fact we recommend watching in segments and making the recipes right after you watch them. In addition we will be videotaping the class and the digital, unedited recordings will be made available shortly afterwards at no additional charge to both live attendees AND web participants. You can’t go wrong. You can attend, taste, enjoy, participate in the hands on sprouting segment AND have recordings to refer back to over and over. So — bottom line.  Even if you can’t make the class times and dates, you can get access to the recording right away if you sign up for the web class. For more details on the recipes we’ll be teaching and the results you can expect from the attending the class, go to http://www.DrRitamarie.com/GreenClass We’re looking forward to a life-changing event and would love you to be part of it. Love, Health and Joy, Dr. Ritamarie P.S.  Registration closes for the live, in person class at midnight  Friday, June 12. http://www.DrRitamarie.com/GreenClass .

As I write these words, I’m sitting in “food court” area at Raw Spirit Fest getting ready to make my departure.  The “food court” is a dream come true.  My vision is for each and every mall in America to have such a food court, filled with delicious foods that enhance health rather than detract from it as typical food court fare does.

It’s been an inspiring and fun weekend.

I’ve met some amazing souls…united with a common mission.

Everyone who came together here is dedicated to improving their own health, the health and the planet an the health of all with whom they come in contact.

We hear of health practitioners referred to as healers.  When you
refer to another as a healer, you are giving over your power to that person, when, in fact, the true healer is inside you.

There are all sorts of opinions, opinions stated as fact and myths related to healing and wellness.   The truth is that health comes from healthy living.  What does healthy living consist of?  There in often lies the confusion.  I contest that it is easier than you think.

At the festival, practitioners and teachers from many disciplines came together with “ordinary people” to discuss their approach, beliefs and practices.

It would be easy to become confused.  Some touted the amazing health benefits of raw chocolate.  Others proclaimed it a health hazard.  Fruit is good for you. Fruit promotes cancer. Fermented foods are full of health benefits.  Fermented foods are rotting decay.  Who do you believe?  What do you believe?

As I said above, true health follows as a result of healthful living.

I’ll be starting a series of articles on my blog to discuss the controversy about what constitutes healthy living.  I’ll lend not yet another opinion (mine) but a way for you to sort through it all and make the decisions that are best for you in each and every moment.

Subscribe to the blog, Okay?  That way you won’t miss the a single life changing post.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

P.S. Please comment below .  Tell me one thing you do EVERY day to promote your health.  Thanks

Did you know that 80% of American women will suffer from Adrenal Fatigue at some point in their lives?  That number is staggering.   Are you one of the 20% of Americans  have fatigue symptoms so intense that they interfere with your  ability to lead a normal life?  A mind boggling 50% of adults who seek medical treatment complain of feeling tired all the time. Most of them are women.

Whether you’re one of the 3.7 million Americans suffering from the fatigue associated with fibromyalgia, or have hypothyroidism,or have been  told you have chronic fatigue or just plain feel tired all the time and don’t know why,  you need to do something about it and you need to do it right away.  Your life is slipping away, and you’re missing out on all the joy and fulfillment that is your birthright to step into and live.

If  you’ve been told that there’s nothing to be done and offered drugs to ease your suffering, it’s time for you to take charge of your health and get this problem resolved.

On Monday evening June 1 I’ll be leading a FREE teleseminar called “The 3 myths about fatigue That Every Woman Should Know”   and I’d like you to join me.   The call will be taped, so if you can’t make it live, you can listen in on the recording.

I did a LIVE version of the workshop on  Friday evening in Austin and everyone took away a few techniques guaranteed to increase their energy.

How would your life be improved if you had more energy? Find out how.

Join me this evening Monday June 1 for “3 Myths About Fatigue That Every Woman Should Know“. Sign up here:

Sign Up for 3 Myths about Fatigue Teleclass

Talk to you later

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

P.S. if you haven’t signed up yet for the “Get Your Green on Class“, please do so right away. The early bird discount rate is going away right after the teleseminar Monday evening June 1.

www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass

P.P.S Join us and our special guests Gideon and Jackie Graff for a 6 course Country Barbecue Raw Vegan meal on Tuesday June 2

I made this yummy raw vegan gluten-free living foods treat  as a sample treat food for my 3 Myths about fatigue Class.  I suggested it as a replacement for candy, coffee and soda to combat mid afternoon energy slump.  They loved it. This recipe combines the goodness of raw foods and dark greens with the decadence of dessert.  Yum.

Quick and Easy Green Energy  Marzipan

Ingredients

• 1 cup macadamia nuts (or almonds, cashews, pecans or brazil nuts)
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 ½  cups shredded dried coconut
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon almond extract (pure, organic )
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon chlorella powder (to taste)
• 1-2 drops pure mint essential oil

Directions

• Put ½ of the coconut and everything else in the food processor and blend until smooth.
• Stir in the remaining ½ of the coconut.
• Spread out 1/4 inch thick on a wax paper lined baking dish or form into 1 inch balls.
• Freeze until firm
• Score and cut into snack sized pieces.
• Store in zip locked bags or airtight container in freezer for a quick pick me up.

Please comment and let me know what you think!

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com

I made up this recipe this evening and had to share.  My 10 year old son Kevin loved it.

Choco Coco Pudding Bliss

• 1 young thai coconut
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 4-5 dates, pitted
• 2 vanilla beans or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
• 1 tespoon spirulina (optional)
• cacao nibs and shredded coconut for decoration

Put the coconut flesh, cacao powder, vanilla and dates in blender.  Add 1/2 cup coconut water. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Stir in the spirulina if desired.

Top with a few cacao nibs and shredded coconut.

Oooh and Ahh with pleasure.

Please comment below and let me know what you think.  Kevin’s only comment when he tasted it was “WOW”.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com

You have a right to be healthy. Unfortunately, it seems that on every corner there is something to detour you away from that goal. The constant barrage of advertisements for nutrient depleted empty calorie foods, electromagnetic pollution, toxins in the environment, fear based news reporting, chronic stress. When will it all end.

These things are ever present and are not likely to change soon. What can and will change is your ability to make good choices in spite of it all. This can change as soon as you decide that you desire it to change and you get the support you need to make it happen.

No successful person achieves their success alone.  Every competent athlete has a coach.  Every prosperous business owner has mentors to advise and guide them.  Just like me, you need coaches and mentors to empower you in each of the areas of your life in which  you’d like to achieve success.

When you attempt to do it alone, you get bogged down by questioning the correct path, testing and retesting and ultimately settling for less that your full potential and and less than you deserve.

When I first embarked on my health journey, I felt very much alone.  I had my books and tapes and a few professionals I could consult from time to time, but most of the time, I was on my own.  I researched and read, tried new things and ultimately found a path that works well for me.   It wasn’t easy. And it took a lot of time and money.

Now, I dedicate my life to helping others like you to unlock their inner healers and achieve vibrant health and energy with joy and loving guidance.  I want for you what I wish I had back in the early years…a partner on the journey.

I am very fortunate in the life I lead today.  My energy seems boundless, my health is radiant, and I’m stronger than I was when I was in my twenties.  I am dedicated to sharing that with you.

How much is your lack of energy  costing you in regards to your relationships, your career and your enjoyment?  It’s hard to put a price on it.  Satisfying relationships, a fulfilling career and joy are indeed priceless.

I’ll soon be announcing a groundbreaking program to powerfully propel you towards your seemingly elusive health and energy goals, with personal assistance form me. It will be affordable, empowering and effective because of the structure and accountability.

Stay tuned. In the meantime, take a look at the events we have coming up in the next couple of weeks.

We also have a number of products that we’ll be launching and some other people products that we endorse. These will be announced soon.

Events

For full calendar of events visit http://www.drritamarie.com/ClassesandWorkshops.php

May 29: 3 Myths about Fatigue that Every Woman Should Know is an interactive workshop to empower you as a powerful woman to experience life to your full potential. You may be experiencing full blown fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, fibromyalgia or CFS or maybe you’re just more tired than you’d like to be. The truth is you have a right to live your life to its fullest, and that means experiencing vibrant energy and joy. If you’re not, join me for this life changing workshop on Friday, May 29 from 7-9PM at Casa de Luz in Austin, Texas. Not near Austin? Sign up for the teleseminar version of 3 Myths about Fatigue on Monday June 1 at 7:30 PM Central time. Go to http://www.TheWomensFatigueExpert.com for details and registration.

May 30: Raw and Living Food Meetup and Pool Party Austin, Texas.

June 1: 3 Myths about Fatigue that Every Woman Should Know Teleseminar

June 2: Raw and Living Foods Country Barbecue Class and Full Course Meal 7:00 - 9:00 PM Austin Texas Live and all over the world on Webcast

In this 2 hour talk, Jackie and Gideon Graff will demonstrate how to prepare a Country Barbeque Meal using all fresh, whole living foods. County Line Watch out…you’re going to have some competition! You’ll be served a complete 6 course meal.

The menu will include: BBQ Nibs, BBQ Sauce, Brunswick Stew, Spicy Marinated Collard Greens, Deviled Tomatoes, Apple Pie and Nut and Dates Pie Crust.

This class is an amazing offer at only $39. Where else can you get a full 6 course living foods meal AND 2 hours of instruction.

Webcast version is only $25.

To Register CLICK HERE

June 7 - June 14 : Dr. Ritamarie’s Amazing, Life Changing Green Cleanse

In just 7 Days you can jumpstart your dragging body and start feeling more vibrant and energetic than you even realized was possible. Just in time for summer, get your body in shape and your energy fired up to enjoy vacations and outdoor fun.

June 14 Get Your Green On Class - Live in Austin, Texas and All Over the World on the webcast
12:30 - 6:30 PM

Green vegetables have many life giving properties. They strengthen the blood and immune systems, prevent cancer and fight depression naturally by supplying a plethora of nutrients needed to make neurotransmitters. The good news is that greens, when eaten in sufficient quantity on a daily basis, can give you all these and more.

I want you to have more energy, glowing skin, a strong lean body and vibrant health.

So come Get Your Green On!

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com

Being tired is one of those emotional triggers that can lead you down a path of poor food choices,  emotional alienation and lack of joy.

Turning to diet as part of the solution is definitely worth consideration, especially since the most common foods in America and the Western World are energy depleting and contribute to chronic fatigue and degenerative disease.

If you’re like most people, you desire the outcome that a healthy lifestyle offers, yet you crave the comfort foods of your past.

My most successful patients, students and clients are the ones who learn to recreate their favorite comfort foods in new ways…ways that support their health rather than deplete it.

As part of the Fatigue Freedom Formula that I teach, I recommend creating your healthy living toolkit.  One of the “tools” in the kit is a collection of delicious and satisfying recipes.  My  e-books contain  such recipes and many of my patients and students report that using these gluten free raw and living foods recipes has helped them to make healthier choices on a more consistent basis, and as a result overcome the fatigue issues that prevent them from fully living their lives.

Even more powerful than reading and following recipes is attending a live workshop.  During my classes, participants not only watch and taste the delicious foods created right before their eyes, but they also get to participate and make foods of their own.

One of the most important food groups is greens.  Including them as a large part of your daily diet not only enhances your energy and can help reverse adrenal fatigue, but protects you from cancer as well.  Greens can be incorporated into a variety of comfort foods, from chips to desserts.  Have you ever tried Kale Spirulina Brownies?

I am excited to be hosting a class on Tuesday June 2, 2009 with Jackie and Gideon Graff of Georgia.  They’ll be preparing a 6 course meal of Country Barbecue style fare.  The class will be live in Austin, Texas and will be also webcast, so you can participate from around the globe!

If you come to the live class, you’ll be rewarded with a 6 course meal!  I’m excited to be hosting the Graffs.  The were the owners of the Sprout Cafe in Atlanta, until they decided to take their show on the road and teach their delicious cuisine while travelling in their RV.

You can find out more about the class and the Graffs at my website on the Classes page. I’m looking forward to the experience of the Country Barbecue Living Foods Class with Gideon and Jackie Graff
.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com