Dr. Ritamarie's Fresh'n Fun Living Blog

Sugar, Freedom of Choice and Whole Foods

A recent comment to my blog post “Whole Foods is Promoting Junk Halloween Treats” http://drritamarie.com/blog/2008/10/31/whole-foods-is-promoting-junkhalloween-treats/#comment-27 prompted me to clarify my stand on the Whole Foods  and sugar issue.  I shop at WF all the time, and they do carry lots of quality foods, especially at the raw bar downtown.  It’s the most convenient place to get organic produce,  and while I’d prefer to go to the Farmer’s market for all my food, it is not an option.  However, to clarify, the sugar they use is not necessarily organic, and certainly no better than any other sugar.  The sugar in the cookies today was not organic.  Neither was the flour.  It was unbleached, but still refined, meaning NO NUTRITION.

What I object to is that they sell these products to unsuspecting consumers who believe that they are healthy BECAUSE they are at Whole Foods.  They may be new to the health front, and have no experience reading labels.  They TRUST Whole Foods to bring them only health supporting foods.

I’ve known for years that these products were there.  The bakery at whole foods is almost all refined flour products.  I think there may be one bread that is 100% whole grain.  I’m not sure what prompted me to speak up today, but a voice inside said “enough already.”

Someone commented that if Whole Foods took a stand and stopped carrying products with sugar in them that they’d lose customers.  While I find this hard to believe, it could very well be true.  I’m not asking that they stop carrying them.  If they want to satisfy a small segment of the population that expects to be able to buy sugar and refined flour at whole foods, it’s fine for them to carry these products, as long as they are labeled as such.  Perhaps a “transitional foods” aisle, with a disclaimer “These foods contain ingredients that have been shown to have health risks associated with them.   Please read the labels and make an informed choice”

I’m tired of watching people be deceived at the expense of their health.  The Halloween products were not just sitting on a shelf, they were being actively promoted to people who may not have even noticed them had the display not been there.

Maybe I’m naive, but I believe that if enough of us take a stand and let our voices be heard, we can facilitate change.  Thanks for listening to my rants.

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Love and health,

Dr. Ritamarie

Learn to make healthier Halloween choices:  http://www.FreshnFunLiving.com/Halloween

Transform your health with the magic of green foods.  Get my FREE ebook at http://www.GreenFoodMagic.com

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Whole Foods is Promoting Junk Halloween Treats

Whole Foods Halloween Madness

I just got back from Whole Foods and I’m fired up.  There was a lady at a display right at the front of the store with plates of pretty Halloween cookies on display.  She was offering samples.  As I walked past, she offered me one.  Normally I just say no thanks and walk on, but I was compelled to stop and read the ingredients.  After all, I’ve spent the better part of this week writing and talking to people to educate them about the dangers of the Halloween treats that are being pushed on us this week.

White flour, sugar, butter, eggs and other colors and flavorings were being pushed by a health food store called Whole Foods.  Whole foods …let’s see.  Last time I read the definition of whole foods there was something about nutrients intact, as nature created the food.  These treats are total junk.  Yet, the unsuspecting consumer, shopping at whole foods and paying the higher prices, is expecting to get value and health PROMOTING food.  Most of them don’t read the labels.  They just assume that the product is healthy because Whole Foods is selling it.  WRONG!

I explained to the pleasant looking woman offering the samples that I was disappointed that Whole Foods would be promoting such food.  I read the ingredients to her and explained that this was not good for people and that Whole Foods should not promote foods that contribute to the demise of the immune systems of all who consume it.  She just stood there and nodded her head and smiled at me.  It was infuriating.  She didn’t even engage me in the least.  No…”Wow, I didn’t realize”, or even “Well, at least there’s no hydrogenated oil in them”.  She just stood there patronizingly smiling and nodding her head.  She didn’t want to hear a word I said.

I checked out and paid for my groceries, and a little voice in my head told me to go to customer service and let my opinion be known.  The pleasant customer service representative paged a manager to speak with me.

The manager was a youngish, long haired, very nice looking gentleman, and I thought that I’d have a sympathetic ear.  He listened and told me that all the ingredients met the store’s standards.  We got into a discussion about those standards, and I explained my concern for the health of our kids.  I explained to him that a Nobel Prize was awarded to Otto Warburg linking sugar to cancer. http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/sugar.htm .  I talked to him about the immune system, and how sugar and white flour contribute to heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, colds, ear infections, ADD and autism.  I explained to him that I could probably talk about the dangers of eating those cookies for 3 hours and not be complete.

He explained that there was nothing he could do, and besides, there are no clear cut nutrition guidelines that all agree on.  He explained that they want to give people choices.  I managed to get him to give me the name of someone higher up in the organization to speak with about my concern.

Let’s do a grass roots effort and let Whole Foods know how we feel.  Call Margaret Wittenberg at 512 477-5566 and tell her how you feel about white flour sugary cookies being sold as healthy Halloween alternatives.  You can also mention the gummy drops they sell, in which the first ingredient is corn syrup.   Stop by your local store and ask them why they are selling immune system enemies masquerading as pretty, healthy Halloween treats.

Inform yourself.  Come up with alternatives for yourself and your families.  In my book, Healthy Halloween Treats I have lots of recipes that are quick and easy to make and taste great.  I also have a list of sources of packaged treats that support health rather than destroy it.

Make your voices known.  I don’t know about you, but to me the incidence of childhood cancer, immune system diseases and brain dysfunction amongst kids these days is alarming.  It’s all preventable.  Let’s do something today.  Offer your kids and yourself healthy Halloween treats and learn Halloween recipes that support vibrant health.

Please let me know your thoughts.  Let’s get a discussion going around this issue.

Love and Health,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.FreshnFunLiving.com/Halloween

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Halloween Treats: 3 Simple Strategies For Avoiding The Tricky Health Attack From Halloween Treats

It’s only 2 days away.  The media is hyping it.  The stores have several aisles devoted to displaying the colorfully disguised immune system bullets masquerading as Halloween treats.

Do you have any idea what happens to your immune system when you eat candy?

Sugar suppresses the immune system.  A suppressed immune system is ineffective at killing bacteria and viruses that can potentially harm you.  A suppressed immune system can’t stop the growth of cancer cells.  The equivalent of one 12-ounce can of soda can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by forty percent and the effect lasts for five hours.

Here’s what’s about to happen in just a couple of days.  Kids across America will don scary costumes and walk the neighborhood begging for candy.  It doesn’t sound so cute when stated that way, does it?  They walk door to door and threaten a trick if the nice person inside doesn’t give them candy.  Have you ever wondered where this odd custom derives from?

By the time they make it home, most kids have eaten more candy than in the 12 ounce coke I mentioned above.  Then they come home, go through their loot and eat some more, along with some hot chocolate or soft drinks.

No wonder why Halloween heralds in the “cold and flu” season.  Illness rises, doctor visits soar and focus plummets during the weeks after Halloween.

There are some awesome visuals that go into more detail about the immune system at www.leavesoflife.org/media/ImmuneSystem.ppt

Here are 3 simple strategies for avoiding the health destroying effects of Halloween treats

1) Don’t give out candy.  Instead, go to the dollar store or the party supply store and buy small toys, cute pencils or scary erasers.  One of my patients said she loves to give away books.

2) Create new fun rituals that don’t revolve around candy.  Learn about the meaning behind Halloween, and take time to honor and celebrate your departed ancestors.  Play games, tell scary stories and take some of the focus off the candy.  Have your kids trade in their candy for prizes.

3) Learn to make or find sources of ready made healthy, whole food treats. There are many such recipes in my new book  “Healthy Halloween Treats: Quick, Healthy and Delicious Recipes and Rituals to Delight Kids of All Ages” .  There is also a list of online sources of a variety of nourishing and delicious treats.

Why not have fun this Halloween, without destroying your immune system?  How much is it worth to you to protect your health and the health of your loved ones?  Is the pleasure of a few seconds on the tongue worth having your immune system paralyzed for hours and days afterward?

Happy Halloween.

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Strategies For Effectively Changing Your Health Habits: Goal Setting

If you’re the type of person who has no problem sticking to new behaviors, like diet changes, exercise and meditation when you set your mind to it, despite temptations, then congratulations.  You are certainly not in the majority.  If this describes you, then skip reading this post.  Or, better yet, forward a link to those people in your life who struggle with sustaining healthy changes, despite the pain and suffering it may be causing them.

The fact of the matter is, most people struggle when they make a decision to get healthier, and begin to make changes in that direction.  Emotional eating patterns, favorite food temptations, and social and family pressures are amongst the biggest issues that cause you to deviate from your chosen path, despite your desire to stay on track.

A big part of creating vibrant health is really getting to know who you are and what you want. All too often you start a rigorous health revitalization program, only to fall on your face when temptations take over. A successful health regime needs to start with being and connecting, not doing.

I’m hosting a teleseminar to allow us to explore together what you really want for yourself and what you value the most. This teleseminar “Setting Your Goals, Connecting to your Vision” is a powerful, interactive session intended to supercharge your health and immunity by reconnecting you to the powerful healer within who knows what to do to be healthy.

To sign-up for the teleseminar, download your handout and receive a copy of the recording, please go to

http://www.drritamarie.com/SettingGoalsTeleconference.htm

Turn your have-to’s into love-to’s and consistently make the choices that joyfully create vibrant health.

Love and Health,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.FreshnFunLiving.com
http://www.EatYourWayOutofPain.com
http:// www.HolidayThrival.com
http:// www.GreenSmoothieCleanse.com
http://www.GreenFoodMagic.com

E-Mail:  DrRitamarie@DrRitamarie.com

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Indulge Without the Bulge

With the holidays just around the corner, seems like those tough choices will be in front of you too. Do you indulge and enjoy the pleasures of holiday eating, and pay the price with the expanding waistline, energy drop and “unwell” feelings, or do you deprive yourself of the pleasure, and enjoy the long term health benefits? Well, what if you indulge and enjoy the pleasures of holiday eating AND long term health benefits?

Watch the video and find out how you can learn to do both!

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The New Health Insurance: Eating Like Chimps

I read an article today about a man in Medford, Oregon who lost almost 200 pounds, overcame type-2 diabetes, and climbed California’s Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 U.S. states.  He now claims to enjoy the best health of his life.  How did he do it?   He changed his diet to a raw-food diet that includes copious quantities of green smoothies. Click here to read the entire article.

About a month ago, a new DVD was released called Raw for 30 Days.  It’s a documentary following a group of type 2 diabetics on a raw foods program, including an abundance of greens,  with Dr. Gabriel Cousins at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona.  The people who finished the program had amazing results.  One of the men, a long time diabetic, completely reversed his condition and went on to enroll in naturopathic school so he could help others on their road to health.

A few days ago, I went back to eating solid foods after a week of drinking only green smoothies.  I was joined by at least 50 others who spent last week drinking their greens and experiencing a wide range of health benefits including weight loss, allergy relief, reduction in joint pain, normalization of blood sugar, elimination of depression, mental clarity and abundant energy.

Sounds like snake oil, doesn’t it.  It’s not magic, or placebo or even secret properties of rare and exotic herbs that produce  these amazing results so quickly.  It is the power of green foods, many of them wild and free, often classified as weeds, that produce these miraculous changes.

When you blend the green foods that are too often left as garnish, and mix them with delicious fruits, herbs, and spices, you create a tasty and powerful beverage that can transform your life.  When you remove the foods that drain your health and replace them with foods that fully nourish every cell in your body, miracles can start to happen.

I’ve seen it over and over.  Every two months I lead a group of 50 or so busy people through a 7 day green smoothie cleanse.   During our week together, we each follow our own path and choose the plan that works for us as individuals.  Some of us choose the most rigorous option and replace all of our meals with green smoothies.  Others replace one or two meals a day with green smoothies and eat a high quality diet composed of raw fruits and vegetables.  Still others choose to get their feet wet and replace one or two meals with green smoothies and focus on eating a mostly a whole foods, green vegetable rich diet.

One of the participants last week lost 12 pounds, her allergies cleared and aches and pains that had been plaguing her for months were dramatically reduced.  A participant on one of the previous cleanses reduced his blood sugars by 100 points in just 3 days.  A fibromyalgia sufferer experienced the joy of pain free movement for the first time in years.

I personally know people who have gone off antidepressants and antihistamines after a month of raw foods and greens.  I  know others who have recovered from cancer.

If I were talking about a prescription drug that claimed all the results I’ve seen with whole, fresh foods and green smoothies,  people would be knocking down doors for it.

If this diet is so powerful, why aren’t more people doing it? It’s a question worth exploring and I’ll be doing just that over the next few blog posts, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, learn more about the miracles of green food at www.GreenFoodMagic.com

In this time of political unrest and economic stress, the best gift you can give yourself is health insurance of the most effective and economical sort…taking charge of your health through conscious diet and lifestyle choices and periodic cleansing to counteract the toxic effects of your stressful lifestyle.  Mental clarity, energy and focus will help see you through even the most difficult of times.

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Giving Meaning to Halloween: Beyond Candy

I’m finishing up my book about Healthful Halloween rituals and treats and it will be available in a day or so…just in time for Halloween.

How did we end up associating Halloween with gorging ourselves with candy and other goodies?  Do you know the background of the holiday and what trick or treat really means?

Would you like to celebrate Halloween without creating hyperactive, immune compromised kids as a result?

Do you know that absentee rates climb and doctor visits increase the week after Halloween?

I’m working on an article to empower you to take charge and enjoy without compromising the health of you and your loved ones.  Check back later for details.

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3 Simple Strategies to Keep Your Waistline from Expanding this Holiday Season

Can you believe it’s already a week into October? Halloween is just a few weeks away. Shortly after that, Thanksgiving rolls around and Christmas is right around the corner. Slip in Hanukah, Kwanza and New Years and the year is over.

If you’re like most people, your eating goes down the drain right around October 31, and doesn’t seem to get back on track until January 1 when you make the same old New Year’s Resolutions to get in shape…you know, the ones you made last year and the year before that for as far back as you remember.

Starting with the Halloween candy and ending with the New Year’s Eve champagne, with lots of Turkey, cookies, and pumpkin pie in between, there’s no end to the opportunity for expanding your waistline and depleting your energy.

How would it feel to wake up on New Year’s Day feeling energetic, alert and fit? If that’s what you’re aiming for, then here’s a few strategies to keep you on target.

Start out by forgoing the bags and bags of halloween candy to give the trick-or-treaters. They will collect way more candy than they need without your contribution. Instead, go to the dollar store or the party supply store and buy more long lasting things to give the kids—pencils, superballs, whistles, and cool shaped erasers are just a few ideas. Put them all in a big cauldron and let the kids choose. I find that the kids love it. Besides, you’ll be able to save the leftovers for next year, rather than having to eat them.

Learn some yummy, health supporting substitutions for favorite holiday foods. Recipes can be easily found for healthy and delicious holiday treats like chocolate spiders, pumpkin pie, thanksgiving stuffing, gingerbread cookies and latkes.

Exercise at least 4 times a week. Yes, I know you get busy with preparing for holidays, shopping, and going to parties, but this is not the time to let your exercise go. Think about it this way. Every mile you walk burns about 100 calories. The more you exercise, the more you can indulge without guilt.

I’m looking forward to sharing more of my strategies through a series of healthy holiday tools, beginning with a live webcast teleclass on October 22 called Indulge Without The Bulge.

Keep your sight on how you want to feel on January 1, and refer to your goals whenever the temptations are about to carry you down the slippery slope to post holiday blues. Make more productive New Year’s Resolutions, and start the year fit, trim and joyful.

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Simple Ways To Eat Your Way Out Of Pain And Inflammation

In  all the years I’ve been working with people with autoimmune and inflammatory health challenges, I’ve always been amazed at just how many people believe that what you eat has no effect on how much pain and inflammation you experience. Well, I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.

It breaks my heart to see so many people needlessly suffering. The worst part of all is that it just doesn’t have to be this way. A few simple changes in the way you eat can result in dramatic improvements in how you feel, sometimes in a matter of days.

If you think of inflammation as the fire and your body’s defense against it as fire fighters, you can look at food in a whole new way.  Certain foods increase the fire and paralyze the firefighters. Other foods decrease the fire and strengthen the firefighters.  Wouldn’t if be nice to know the pain-free recipes from the pain-ful recipes?

Anti-inflammatory drugs work by decreasing your body’s production of inflammatory chemicals called prostaglandins. You can think of the inflammatory prostaglandins as the fire. The problem with taking the drugs is that they also disable the firefighters, also known as anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. What that means is that as soon as you stop taking the drugs, the inflammation comes back, sometimes worse than before because now your firefighters are sleeping on the job.

Choosing the right foods can either dramatically increase inflammation, pain and stiffness, or decrease it. There are many ways to manage inflammation without medication. I’d like to share three of them with you.

1) Give yourself an oil change. The fats you eat can dramatically affect the amount of inflammation your body produces. The most inflammatory fats are Trans fats, found in partially hydrogenated oils and all heated polyunsaturated vegetable oils. These are in all processed and packaged foods – cookies, crackers, desserts and prepackaged meals. Meat, poultry, milk and peanuts contain arachidonic acid, the precursor to inflammatory prostaglandins. Avoid these for a few weeks and notice how much better you feel. Deep ocean fish contain anti-inflammatory fats, but the FDA warns against consuming fish more than once a week, due to risk of heavy metal contamination. Flax, chia and hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables and sea vegetables also contain anti-inflammatory fats, and are safe to consume daily.

2) Eat anti-oxidant and mineral rich, alkalizing fresh fruits and vegetables. To make more firefighters, you need B- vitamins, Vitamin C and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. Processed foods are deficient in these key nutrients and they also deplete your stores of the B vitamins. Fresh vegetables and fruits alkalize your body and provide you with the vitamins and minerals you need to make more fire-fighters.

3) Use anti-inflammatory herbs and spices. There are several herbs that are extremely effective at putting out the fire. Among the most powerful are ginger, turmeric, onion and garlic. Other foods, such as berries, cherries and grapes contain bioflavonoids that decrease inflammation. Use generous amounts of herbs and spices in your food preparation.

Living with pain and inflammation is just not fun! While drugs can provide you temporary relief, they are not without side effects. Try these simple tips and as your body comes back into balances, inflammation will become a thing of the past.

I have a chart of anti-inflammatory foods (pain free) and herbs that you can download, print and keep handy in your kitchen. Pick up your FREE copy today by going to

http://www.EatYourWayOutOfPain.com

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Lemon & Ginger Beverage: Natural Remedies

I just made the most delicious beverage and set it up so I can drink it whenever I want to. It may sound simple, but it was powerfully energizing and cleansing. I bought a small container of fresh squeezed lemon juice so I could quickly have lemon water when I’m in a hurry without having to squeeze lemons.

Then I had a brainstorm.

What if I pressed ginger and had a jar of ginger juice on hand too? I put about a teaspoon of each juice into 12 ounces of water and drank it. It was delicious. I stored the rest of the ginger juice in the refrigerator. Now anytime I want to, I can make a delicious beverage.

Ginger has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and is also good for helping nausea. It is often prescribed for women with morning sickness. I use it freely in my anti-inflammatory recipes, some of which I published as part of my Eat Your Way Out of Pain Homestudy class.

In addition to being a great source of Vitamin C, lemon juice is also a great antiseptic. For a sore throat, dilute lemon juice 1/2 and 1/2 with water and gargle frequently. Nature makes the best remedies, doesn’t she? Here’s a list of some ideas for using lemon medicinally, according to Jethro Kloss in the book Back to Eden.

• A slice of lemon wrapped overnight around a toe that has a corn greatly relieves the pain.
• A slice of lemon wrapped over a swollen, abscessed finger joint brings the pus to the surface and promotes healing
• A tablespoon of lemon juice one hour before each meal can be used to reduce asthma.
• The juice of the lemon in a glass of hot water one hour before breakfast every morning can be helpful for liver complaints .
• Drinking a large glass of hot water with the juice of a lemon added, while soaking the feet and calves in a deep bucket of water with mustard added can has been shown to relieve the flu.
• A teaspoon of lemon juice in half a glass of water relieves heartburn.
• 1-2 ounces of lemon juice diluted in water, taken three times a day, one hour before meals and at bedtime has been shown to help rheumatism.
• Lemon juice diluted in water and taken as cold as possible can stop hemorrhage .
• The juice of 3-4 lemons a day will help decrease excessive menstruation.

During the 1 week Group Green Cleanse I lead, I plan to start each day with lemon-ginger water and possibly add a pinch of cayenne for a super cleansing effect.

Other ways to drink the lemon and ginger juice:

• spirulina ginger lemon water for a quick pick me up
• ginger-lemonade: sweeten with a teaspoon of agave or a pinch of stevia
• lemon gingerale: use sparkling water instead of plain water. Sweeten if desired.
• lemon-ginger green smoothie: put a handful of grapes and a few handfuls of greens in the blender and add 1 teaspoon ginger juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Blend and enjoy. Yum.

Do you have any other ideas? Please share them in the comment section.

If you haven’t signed up for Dr. Ritamarie’s Green Cleanse yet, it’s not too late. The early enrollment discount has been extended until midnight tonight

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