Sleep as a Vehicle for Success: My 30 day Sleep Commitment: Day 1

I have a confession to make. I am an addict.

My drug of choice is adrenaline, and the rush of “getting things done”. And to get my fix, I stay up later than I should. I forgo sleep far too often — and that’s not good.

I have really good habits other wise

• My diet is pristine – no sugar, no processed foods, only fresh whole foods.
• I am committed to exercise. In fact I’ll admit it publicly – I love to sweat. I love to feel my muscles burn.
• I have a really simple stress transformation process and I rarely lose my cool any more. I’ve given up worry about the uncertainty the future holds.

But sleep? No matter how much I research and learn about the benefits of sleep and the dangers of lack of sleep, I persist in believing that it’s okay, because I “do everything else right”.

I kid myself into thinking it’s not hurting me.

I am fit; I am energetic; I am focused and strong.

Yet in spite of the fact that externally everything seems to be fine with me, I know there are things inside that are not.

 My Bad Sleep Habits Put Me at Risk

I discovered an imbalance last fall, in the process of running my B4 Be Gone program, which is all about consistently making the diet and lifestyle choices that balance blood sugar and hormones, and result in increased energy, less fat around the middle and crystal clear mental functioning. I bought a brand new glucose meter so I could make a video and teach my class how to test their own blood sugar.

I tested myself and discovered that after eating fruit, my blood sugar readings rise into the diabetic range.

You can only imagine my shock, my horror and my dismay!

How could that be? I eat a pristine diet, I exercise and I manage stress. So what if I don’t sleep much?

“3 out of 4 ain’t bad.”

So I started to research sleep, and what I discovered was shocking!

Even one night of poor sleep can contribute to insulin resistance in a HEALTHY person!

Yikes. No wonder my sugars shot up to 167 after eating a bowl of fresh pineapple.

So I decided to sleep.

My goal was to go to bed by midnight most nights. That may not seem early to you, but for me it was at least 4 hours earlier than I was used to going to bed.

But I couldn’t start it the next day or the next because “I had too much to do.”

About a week later I tried the going to bed early thing.

And the next day I felt awful.

Tried it again the next day and same thing.

Next night I stayed up until 4AM and felt great the next day.

And then it hit me.

Adrenal Fatigue and Sleep

My adrenals are on the brink of disaster.

I had to do something.

Finally, I started going to bed by midnight regularly and was really enjoying it. That lasted a few weeks. Until I got so behind on a project that I “had to” stay up late and the addiction started all over again.

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience with food?

My bad habits have returned, and I’ve been consistently going to bed between 4 and 6 and getting up between 8 and 9 every day for a couple of weeks now.

And although I feel great most of the day, I know it’s wearing me out.

I was called on it on a phone call today and in front of 50 people, I recommitted to myself.

I will put myself and my health first and get the sleep I need, even if it means falling behind on projects.

I also committed to keeping a sleep blog for 30 days. It takes about 21 days ot create a habit, so I figure 30 days gives me 9 for good measure.

If you too have a bad sleep habit to break, or any other habit to break for that matter, join me for a 30 day adventure.

I’ll post my bedtime daily along with a juicy nouget or two for good measure.

It’s 11:03 and as soon as I hit send I am off to bed.

Will you join me for a 30 Day Sleep Commitment?

What are you willing to commit to?  Comment Below.

Love,Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Dr. Ritamarie’s Food Allergy Spy Training: FAST Relief From Leaky Gut, Fibromyalgia, and More

If you have any of these problems, you should find out if underlying food allergies are the cause:

If you have persistent weight issues that won’t go away
If there are dark circles under eyes
If you ever experience upset stomach and poor digestion
If you’re embarrassed by skin eruptions
If you suffer from fibromyalgia (long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and soft tissues)
If you have autoimmune disease (an overactive immune response where the body mistakenly attacks its own cells)
If you’re struggling with hormone imbalance
If you have concerns about your thyroid health
If you’re experiencing fatigue and adrenal burnout
If you struggle with depression
If you need to correct blood sugar imbalances
If you suffer from headaches

These unwanted health symptoms may actually be a “good” thing if they are the early warning signs that your body is trying to get you to hear. The sooner you listen to what your body is telling you, the sooner you can heal the inflammation that’s causing the problems and avoid more serious health risks.

For a limited time, Dr. Ritamarie’s Food Allergy Spy Training program (FAST) is being offered for $100 off the regular price.  You’ll receive 30 days of step-by-step guidance to help you detect your hidden food allergies through a proven Food Elimination-Provocation Process (FEPP) and get a handle on your symptoms.  After, you can participate for two months in the new VITAL Community (Vibrant Ideas and Tools for Awesome Living).

The first live group run of the FAST program begins on January 17th, 2012.

Click HERE to learn more:

http://www.FoodAllergySpy.com

Food Allergies: Taming the Health Stealing Holiday Grinch

As the mashed potatoes and gravy call to you and the apple pie and pretty cookies lure you, I ask you to stop and consider the dangers in those foods and explore healthy alternatives like the delicious and festive cookie recipes I’m sharing with you today.

In addition to the blood destabilizing effects of the sugar and flour, these typical holiday foods cause havoc in your immune system.

When your immune system reacts to food as if it were a dangerous bacteria or virus, you experience discomfort and inflammation. We generally refer to these types of reactions as food allergies or hyper-sensitivities.

Hidden food allergies cause many serious health challenges that often puzzle doctors and patients alike. That’s why I am offering a FREE teleseminar:

Turning Food Allergies Inside Out:
The Causes, Culprits, and Cures
Tuesday, January 3rd, 7:30 p.m. Central

Register HERE:
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/TurnFoodAllergiesInsideOut

Are the Foods You Eat Naughty or Nice?

At the top of the list of common food allergens are gluten and dairy.  All your favorite holiday goodies are high in both.

It’s easy to identify and avoid food allergens when they cause obvious signs like hives, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing.

It becomes a bit more tricky when the reactions are not immediate or dramatic. Reactions that are delayed and subtle are less likely to be attributed to the offending food because there doesn’t seem to be a direct cause/effect relationship.

I have worked with thousands of patients over the years. Many say to me that they have no food allergies — wheat doesn’t bother them, dairy is not an issue — only to find out that eliminating these foods and eating more fresh, whole green foods clears up long-standing, chronic problems related to inflammation.

Inflammation: The Grinch that Steals Health

Unfortunately, most doctors don’t recognize the relationship between food and conditions like irritable bowel, celiac, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, eczema, psoriases, fibromyalgia, lupus, and even MS and heart disease.

Hidden food allergens trigger inflammation. Food allergens in your body overwork, confuse and weaken your immune system. In many cases, the ultimate consequence of not addressing hidden food allergies is autoimmune and heart diseases.

Heart disease, the number-one killer in America, is caused by inflammation. What most people don’t realize is that cholesterol is an anti-inflammatory substance that’s triggered by inflammation in your blood vessels. Inflammation is frequently triggered by toxins, allergens, and improperly digested food.

Inflammation triggers a stress response in your body, leading to overworked adrenal glands and subsequent fatigue and serious health challenges. Many people suffering from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and joint pain can be helped by identifying and eliminating foods that trigger an immune response.

So ask yourself as you reach for the cookies and mashed potatoes with gravy – is it worth the risk?

“I Will Honour Christmas in my Heart, and Try to Keep it All the Year.”

While many of our holidays are centered around food, when we look closely at these gathering times, it’s more about our relationships and celebrations of LIFE.

The gluten and dairy in many foods may leave you bloated, tired, and irritable. Long-term, these foods or other hidden food allergies may lead to debilitating pain and inflammation. They also greatly increase your risk for heart attack and diabetes. They take away from the very thing you wish to celebrate!

So this holiday season, try something different.

I’ve posted a yummy Christmas cookie recipe that is free of gluten, dairy, and sugar. The sweetener is dates, a whole food. If you prefer to avoid all sweets, even fruits, there’s also a low-glycemic version of the recipe there too.

When you choose to make healthy alternatives for your favorite holiday recipes like these cookies on my blog and those in my e-book, Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Celebrations, you’ll not only feel more energetic and lighter, enjoy a smaller waistline and clearer thinking, you’ll reduce overall inflammation in your body and set the stage for healing or avoiding chronic pain, auto-immune disease, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Because inflammation of your intestinal lining impairs the production of serotonin, you’ll also reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, insomnia, PMS, cravings, and attention disorders as well.

A Free New Year’s Resolution You Can Start Today!

So think twice. Prepare in advance and make healthy alternatives this holiday season. Then join me on January 3rd, 2012 for our free teleseminar to find out the full scoop on food allergies and learn:

•     What causes your immune system to attack your food
•     The step-by-step events that occur during a food allergy reaction
•     The most common food culprits that trigger reactions
•     How to clear and cure your food allergies
•     Positive ideas for enjoying your food and loving life

Register HERE:
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/TurnFoodAllergiesInsideOut

I wish you happy, healthy and love filled holidays,

Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

P.S. I have seen many people think they could get away with “just one cookie” then set foot on a slippery slope into eating too much and compromising both their physical and emotional well being.
Food allergies cause food addiction.

SO do yourself a favor. Make my 6-minute cookies and earn more about how to determine if hidden food allergies are getting between you and your slim, vibrant and energetic self.

Register HERE:
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/TurnFoodAllergiesInsideOut

Sleep: Waking Up the Power of Your Inner Healer

As a result of my own healing experience this past week, I am once again in awe of the nature’s incredible healing wisdom.

The healing ability of your body is nothing short of miraculous and at this time of year, when our attention here in the U.S. is turning towards our Thanksgiving holiday, one of the top things of your “things to be thankful for” list is your body’s innate healing capabilities.

I truly believe that your body can overcome almost any health challenge when you remove the obstacles from its path and provide the things its missing.  And I don’t mean symptom removal.  Every symptom is a message from your body saying “something is out of balance.”  Yet, we so want to turn off the symptoms and return to comfort that we sometimes forget to ask what the message is.

Sometimes the thing that’s out of balance is not tangible.  You don’t need to remove a toxin, or take an herb or homeopathic remedy, or try a new therapy when what your body is asking for is a shift in an attitude or a belief.

No matter how good your diet is or how impeccable your exercise program is, if you’re angry, judgmental, or fearful; not taking periodic de-stress breaks; and not sleeping enough; your body’s innate healing capabilities cannot perform at peak potential.

And guess what?

You’ll experience uncomfortable or downright painful symptoms, your excess weight will stay locked in place, your brain will operate at less than par, and you, my friend, will find yourself living a life devoid of passion, purpose, and prosperity.

My Personal Lesson about the Importance of Balance

I’ve been eating a pristine diet, especially lately during my B4 Be Gone program, during which I have been following a low-glycemic diet, similar to Dr. Gabriel Cousen’s Phase 1 diet he uses in his reversing diabetes and “turn off the composting” programs.

I’ve been exercising regularly, including aerobics, bursts, and strength and conditioning training.

I’ve been practicing my HeartMath™ activities regularly and feel like very little gets me upset anymore.  So I felt “entitled” to have one little vice.  “One place where I bend the rules won’t hurt,” I told myself, as my bedtime continued to creep forward from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. and quite a number of times over the past several months to as late/early as 5, 6, or 7 a.m.  I had the energy to stay up and get lots done in the quiet hours, so why not?

My first wake-up call came when I tested my glucose as part of my B4 Be Gone class and found that a bowl of pineapple shot my glucose up by 100 points into diabetic range!  That’s scary, since there’s a family history of diabetes and heart disease, and I know the damage that high levels of insulin cause to blood vessels.

So, being a good student, I tested other fruits, determined all the foods that caused high glucose readings and eliminated them, keeping my blood sugars in the healthy range of 75 – 110.  This will go a long way to healing my blood vessels, but what about the root cause of the fruit spike?

The Risks of Rationalizing Your Choices

Several studies report that even one night of poor sleep can induce insulin resistance in healthy subjects.

Wow.  I’ve accumulated hundreds of nights of sleep deprivation.  So in spite of not having the “outward” signs, I actually do have insulin resistance.  The reason for the lack of outward signs is my diet and exercise.

My own story is a clear example of how diet, exercise, and stress management may not be enough.

Sleep is vital.

Did I learn my lesson and immediately start sleeping 8 hours a night to heal?

NO.

Why not?

Addiction.

Addiction is behind many poor choices when it comes to health. My addiction used to be to food, caffeine, and alcohol.  Now it’s to achievement.  I have so many goals, dreams, and messages to share, I get caught up in the joy of creating and I forget to take time to sleep.

My initial answer to my sleep issue was to get even better about my diet (which was already pretty darn good to begin with).  It was easier to give up fruit than give up awake time.  But recently, the powers that be deep in the abyss of my inner workings stood up and revolted.

Shut Down or Break Down

“NO!” cried my body.  “No More.  You must rest.  We can’t continue to keep you healthy, vibrant, and strong unless you REST.”

Last Sunday, a strange sensation took over.  It started as a disturbance in my tummy.  Then it moved to overall mental exhaustion.  Next chills took me over, and I felt physically exhausted.  I needed to lie down (it was late afternoon/early evening by then).

I felt feverish and achy all over, the most prominent pain manifesting as a headache.

I had no choice but to retreat to bed.

I woke up the next morning feeling worse.  My fever had climbed to 102.  I spent the next 3 days in bed, alternating between sleeping, talking on the phone, and returning a few e-mails on my iPad, but mostly just sleeping.

Sometime Wednesday night the fever broke and I awoke on Thursday feeling almost back to my normal self.

I resisted the temptation to scurry back to my desk and start working at my normal pace.  I had a day full of calls and a presentation to write, and I did it all from my bed.  Which meant I could take periodic “lie down”  breaks, especially on calls.

I was on, focused and articulate, and I was taking care of myself.

New brain imprints were made.

Lesson learned.

As I write to you today, I am still in bed, my computer perched on a portable computer stand, my smoothie and other beverages at hand, ready to rest whenever I need to.

So, I ask you, what can you do to please your inner healer?

What attitude can you shift, belief can you let go of, or food or beverage can you stop consuming?

What movement, self-care practice, or fun activity can you do to activate your healer?

And I request, respectfully, that you avoid saying, “But I can’t.  I have a special situation,” then start talking about the kids, the dogs, your work, the trash, the dishes, or any of the hundreds of excuses I hear all the time for lack of self-care.

I have kids.

I have a dog.

I have a kitchen and dishes just like you.

And my garden is feeling neglected.

And there’s a big pile of stuff on my counter that could use a going through.

Plus I have hundreds of people actively in programs that I’m providing inspiration and materials to regularly.

And a business that relies on ME.

And if I get sick, then what?

Your Health is Your Most Precious Commodity

It’s time to learn to drop the limiting beliefs and learn the habits and self-care rituals that will make you more available to the kids, the dog, the aging parents, the demanding spouse…

You.

Here.

Now.

Tune in.

Decide.

Take action!

What’s stopping you?

Think about it and post below.

I love you.

I want you happy, healthy, and whole.

I want you on fire with living your life with passion, purpose, and prosperity.

Go ahead.  Think about what you believe are the biggest obstacles and post below:

Dr. Ritamarie’s Appreciation Journal Day 8 – Boost for Adrenal Fatigue

Going into week 2 of appreciation is exciting.  Especially since today is 11/11/11!

Use the day of ones as a new beginning.  It’s also Veteran’s day here in the US, which is a day to acknowledge and appeciate those who’ve given their lives or risked their lives for our freedom.

So let’s focus on the positive effects of appreciation on your adrenals and those things effected by adrenal fatigue and  excess adrenal activity when you’re stressed.  Appreciation shifts you out of fight flight mod and into positive emotion that has the following benefits:

1. Decreases your cortisol production and prevents your blood sugars from getting too high and exposing you to the negative effects of excess insulin
2. Improves your digestion by relaxing the valves between the components of your GI tract and improving enzyme production.
3. Improves your short term memory by supporting DHEA production and preventing the destruction of hippocampus cells by cortisol.

Try it.

Join Me for 30 Days of Gratitude!

Simply go down below to the comments box and post your appreciations for the day.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the changes in your “energy, vim, and vigor.”

Evoke appreciation before each meal, and you’ll soon find your digestion is humming and your energy is rising.

Dr. Ritamarie’s Appreciations for Today – Day 8

1. All the lovely comments I have had and the outpouring of love I have felt since starting this appreciation journal.
2. That it’s November and the temperatures are back into the 80s!
3. The ability to buy and eat all the whole, organic food I need to keep me healthy, strong and vibrant.

I tried to focus on all the bad things that happened this week, to write down for contrast.  It was hard.  My mind just keeps focusing on what I have to be grateful for.

Go ahead, give it a try and discover the magic for yourself. Write your appreciations below.