Green Smoothies vs Green Juice, Fruit Friend or Foe, and Other Controversial Topics

Green Smoothies have been my friend for close to 25 years now.  My daily smoothie habit is a part of my life, just like brushing my teeth.  When Dr. Brian Clement spoke here in Austin earlier this month, he brought up a very controversial issue…Green Smoothies vs Green Juices.  He flat out said that green smoothies were “a step above soft drinks” because 90% or nutrients are lost through oxidation  when the fruits and vegetables are blended.

I personally have a hard time with this.   Nutrient destruction can occur as a result of damage by heat, light and air.   The amount of damage is a function of severity and  It is generally accepted that nutrients begin to be damages when heated above 118 degrees F.   I have not found any studies that confirm this.  In fact there is quite a bit of evidence that refutes this.

First of all we need to define what we mean by nutrients.

1. Macronutrients: nutrients consumed in large amounts , ie protein, carbohydrates and fats.
2. Micronutrients: nutrients consumed in small mounts , ie vitamins, minerals, enzymes

Not all are similarly sensitive to oxidation.  Take minerals for example.  You can leach them out with prolonged heat, but its hard to destroy calcium by blending.  In fact, calcium becomes more available after blending because ti’s released form the cell walls, a feat ordinarily accomplished by stomach acid – which becomes deficient as we age and abuse our bodies.

The smoothie vs juice debate is a hot topic these days.  Her’s an excerpt from an excellent article written by Kevin Gianni of Renegade Health.  Kevin gave me permission to reprint it .  Thanks Kevin.  You saved me some precious time.

There are 5 important issues to address when discussing the Green Smoothie vs Green Juice debate, according to Kevin.

1. Oxidation
2. Fiber
3. Sugar Content
4. Available Nutrients
5. Ease of Making them.

Number 1: Oxidation

It’s said that high speed blenders can oxidize your nutrients so that when you drink a smoothie you won’t get the health benefit of it.

This is why you should drink juices instead.

This is false.

Victoria Boutenko did a study using potatoes in a blender and in a juicer and found that the potatoes in a blender oxidized much more SLOWLY than the potato juice.

• Fiber actually protects the smoothie from oxidizing quickly.
• Juices should be consumed right after you make them for the highest nutrient profile.
• Twin gear juicers like the Tribest are best for slowing the oxidizing process when you juice.  (Sold  in the Renegade Health store)

So the bottom line is this…

Smoothies oxidize slower, which means you will be able to preserve more nutrients for longer.

For oxidation, we like smoothies best.

Number 2: Fiber

Don’t we need fiber to prevent heart disease?

Why would we take the fiber out when we make a juice?

These are good questions.

First off, we do need fiber… but if we’re eating a high raw diet we’re getting plenty of fiber.  Your body won’t miss the fiber from the juice.

Why take the fiber out of the juice?

For fast absorption (and maximum) of the nutrients.

A juice to me is like a power-packed supplement to your regular healthy diet.

For fiber, the smoothie has more, but the juice has a different purpose.

Number 3: Sugar Content

For sugar content, if you’re using fruits and sweet vegetables for your juices and smoothies you’re going to get sugar.  Most people can deal with moderate amounts of sugar in their diet for an extended period of
time.  (Higher sugar for shorter periods)

Because there is fiber in your smoothie, your body will absorb the sugar slower.  This is good for your pancreas. When you juice fruit, you take away the fiber and this can cause your pancreas to struggle to regulate your blood sugar.

For this reason, I recommend smoothies with sweet fruits and veggies and juices with greens and low  glycemic fruits like lemons and limes.  This way you can enjoy your fruits without blood sugar spikes and enjoy a nice, clean green juice!

Just to recap, smoothies contain more fiber, don’t oxidize as fast, and allow for slower nutrient absorption.

Juices have less fiber, oxidize quicker and allow for quick absorption.

Now again, this doesn’t mean that juices are bad, they just have  their place.  We use them as we would a supplement.  Drinking an organic vegetable juice is an opportunity to get great nutrients and minerals straight into your system.

4. Available Nutrients

When you juice a veggie, you strip away all the fiber.  This makes  the nutrients extremely available for your system to absorb. When you blend a veggie, you break down the fiber making the nutrients easier to absorb, but you still have a bunch of fiber that will slow absorption in your intestines.

For sugary foods this is ideal.  For greens it’s good too, but not as good as a green juice.  When it comes to readily available nutrients, juices take the lead.

5. Ease of Making Them

Smoothies hands down on this.  Put your ingredients into a blender  and turn it on.  Cleaning with a blender is simple too. Rinse it out a bit, add some water and soap, then put it back on the base.  Turn it on for a few seconds, then use a sponge to clean out what’s left.

Juicers are harder to clean because they have more moving parts.

To get the best of both worlds, you can use your blender to make juices.

Add your juice ingredients to the blender, add some water, and blend.  When you’re done, strain everything through a nut milk bag and you have your juice ready to go.

http://www.renegadehealth.com/smoothieweek

Check out Kevin’s Smoothie Wee Specials…1/2 off Kevin’s  “Smoothies for Optimal Health” book, and discounts on Kev’s Super Smoothie Powder.

For the second topic, Fruit friend or foe,  we’ll continue tomorrow.

Bottom line:  enjoy your smoothies and have juice too, for a powerful nutritional boost.

For a super powerful nutrition and energy boost, check out our Green Smoothie Cleanse as part of our  “Drink Green Stay Lean”  Coaching Program.

Love, Health and Joy to You,

Dr. Ritamarie

Kelp – Magic from the Sea to Combat Adrenal and Thyroid Fatigue and Create Vibrant Health

Kelp is a great food for adrenal fatigue, thyroid balance and detoxification. Who’d of thought—back in the days when I was first learning to scuba dive in the thick kelp forests in northern California—that someday I’d be eating the slimy stuff?

Now that I know that kelp is one of the most nutritious foods around, I eat it on a regular basis. Only I don’t eat it in it’s slimy state. Usually it’s ground up as a powder or dried into long crunchy chip-like pieces.

My favorite kelp of all is called bullwhip kelp. It grows in the moving cold waters of the Pacific Northwest. When sun dried and carefully packed, it is crispy and light, salty and delicious. Kids love it.

Another form of kelp is called Laminaria Digitata. Say that 10 times fast! The claim to fame of Laminaria Digitata is its effect on thyroid function. 10% of the iodine in Laminaria digitata Kelp is T3 and T4, the nickname for your thyroid hormones. I’ve seen people reverse abnormal thyroid lab tests in 6-8 weeks by taking laminaria digitata.

Bullwhip kelp can be eaten and enjoyed as is, like chips. It can also be added to salads, soups, steamed vegetables, smoothies, soups and salad dressings. My favorite source of bullwhip kelp is Dr. Ryan Drum , noted herbalist and sea vegetable gatherer. His articles about kelp and other sea vegetables are as outstanding as his kelp.

I store my kelp in airtight containers because this kelp is very sensitive to moisture. If it does get left open and softens, I crisp it up in the dehydrator, set at 110 – 120 degrees for 30 – 60 minutes.

According to Ryan Drum. , “most kelp it made up of a body or thallus that are actually leaf-like structure called blades. Blades come from stipes which are long stem-like structures. The holdfast is a type of root that anchors the plant to the ocean floor. The American variety contains gas-filled bladders at the base of the blades that keep the leaves close to the surface.”

Kelp and the entire family of sea vegetables are incredibly nutritious, yet unfortunately are underutilized and under appreciated in our Western Culinary regime. For those who frequent Japanese restaurants, sushi and seaweed salad may be familiar menu items, but few, save for those on a macrobiotic diet, a raw foods diet or of Asian origin, serve these gems from the sea at home. They are simple to prepare and serve and can add fun and diversity to your daily culinary repertoire. Served as part of main meals and in salads, soups and wraps, sea vegetables offer an abundance of otherwise hard to get nutrients.

Nutrition Benefits of Kelp

Kelp is very rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. It’s loaded with chlorophyll, fiber, and minerals, including significant amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, lithium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, sulfur, and iodine calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, B-vitamins and many other trace minerals naturally found in the ocean. According to Dr. Drum,3-5 pounds of sea vegetables will fully mineralize an adult human for one year! That’s approximately 1-2 ounces per week. A 1/3 cup (1/4 oz.) serving of Kelp provides up to 30% of the RDA for iron, which is 4 times the amount of iron in a serving of spinach. Magnesium is twice as abundant in Kelp as in collard greens.

When purchasing kelp, care must be taken to be sure it was grown in unpolluted waters. Kelp can act like a sponge and will absorb toxins and contaminants from the water.

Just a Few of the Health Benefits of kelp

Anti Cancer Effects – The lignans in kelp can inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which cancer cells metastasize. The lignans also inhibit estrogen synthesis in fat cells and reduce the 4OH and 16OH metabolites that are considered a significant risk factor for breast cancer. Kelp is also rich in folate, a B vitamin that can significantly reduce risk of colon cancer.

Thyroid health – The high level of iodine, especially in the form of T3 and T4 as in laminaria digitata kelp, supports thyroid health and protects the thyroid from radiation exposure.

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease – The folate in kelp helps breakdown homocysteine, a dangerous metabolic by-product. . Homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls, and high levels are associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Kelp is also a very good source of magnesium, which has also been shown to reduce high blood pressure and prevent heart attack.

Anti-Inflammatory Action – Kelp is a source of fucans, carbohydrates that can reduce inflammation.

Relief for Menopausal Symptoms – Kelp’s abundance of magnesium helps restore normal sleep patterns, especially in women who are experiencing symptoms of menopause.

Cashing in on the Health Benefits of Kelp

There are many ways to enjoy kelp. I put a teaspoon of the powder in my smoothies just about every day. I add it to salad dressings, soups and sauces. I’ve even added it to brownies.

Kelp noodles are one of my favorite dishes. Search the blog for several delicious kelp noodle recipes.

Here’s one of my favorite kelp recipes , taken from my e- book “Greens from the Sea”

Land and Sea Slaw

• Cut kelp into thin strips using a kitchen scissor.
• Soak kelp for at least 10 minutes in enough water to cover, until softened. Drain.
• Grate land vegetables
• Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make dressing.
• Combine land and sea ingredients into a large bowl and toss with dressing.

Adjust seasonings to taste.

Enjoy kelp and other sea vegetables on a regular basis, at least 1-2 ounces per week. It will go along way to protecting your health, improving your hormones and making you strong and lean.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Raw Foods Summer Recipes and Raw Vegan Wedding Food

This weekend was a raw foods eating extravaganza.   It started on Saturday with a raw foods vegan wedding and ended with my monthly raw foods potluck on Sunday.

Have you ever attended a raw foods wedding?  I hadn’t before yesterday.  It was wonderful.

Not only was the ceremony a beautiful expression of love and commitment in a breath-taking setting overlooking the lake, the food was an amazing spread of delicious and beautiful delicacies.

We started with light appetizers before the ceremony.  The center attraction was the “jalapeño poppers”, tiny jalapeno peppers stuffed with a cashed cream and “breading” of crushed nuts.  Our beverage was delicious cucumber-lime water. They were delicious.

Along with the stuffed peppers was an array of veggies with delicious southwest dip.

The bouquets included lacinato kale and rosemary along with the flowers.

For dinner we enjoyed spring rolls, stuffed with romaine lettuce, carrots, jicama sprouts and a delicious sauce, along with stuffed pesto mushrooms and zucchini pasta.

The desserts were over the top.  2 multi layered chocolate cakes, with raspberry filling, fudge balls stuffed with cherries, key lime pie, chocolate covered strawberries and brownies.  I decided to go for it and try a piece of each.  I haven’t felt that stuffed in a long time.

The potluck this evening was a blend of swimming and relaxing, delicious light summer food and an inspiring and informational health talk.

Those that arrived early soaked and swam, or sat around the pool chatting.

The food was extraordinarily elaborate and delicious.  We had a variety of cole-slaw like creations, sauerkraut, spring rolls, and all sorts of salads.  Dessert was over the top.  I made peach pie, and banana coconut cream pie.  I can’t believe I forgot to take pictures of them.

The talented Karen Osborne, raw foods chef and instructor,  who made the raw desserts for yesterday’s wedding brought one of the chocolate layer cakes minus one piece.  Someone made brownies that were the talk of the evening and another made 2 beautifully decorated date nut torte.  3 OR 4 fruit bowls rounded out the dessert counter.

After dinner, we gathered in my living room and I lead a health talk.  Our topics ranged from traveling, eating in restaurants, setting goals, and strategies for sticking to the diet and lifestyle habits that support health.  We also talked about thyroid issues, gluten free diets, smoothies, fasting and detoxification.

We were honored to host a group of deaf raw food enthusiasts, who brought their own interpreter.  The interpreter said she loves coming to out potlucks because she learns so much!

Here are my pie recipes.

Crust:

• 2 cups almonds, soaked for 6 hours or overnight
• 1 cup pecans soaked for 4 hours
• ½ cup pitted dates
• 1 cup dried coconut

Process all in food processor until it holds together.

Press crust mixture into glass pie dishes.  This made one 7 inch and 1 9 inch pie.

Peach Mango Pie

• 6 large peaches
• 3 mangoes
• 4 dates
• 1 tablespoon psyllium powder (optional)

Directions

• Cut peaches into bite sized pieces and place in a bowl.
• Peel and pit mangoes and put flesh in blender with dates and psyllium.  Blend well until creamy.  Add a little water if needed.
• Add blended mango mixture to peaches and stir well.
• Pour mango mixture over peaches and stir well to combine.
• Place peach mango mixture in crust.  Sprinkle top with finely ground dried coconut. And decorate with sliced peaches.

Banana Coconut Cream Pie

• 4 bananas
• ½ cup coconut butter (Artisana)
• ½ cup water
• 4 pitted dates
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• Slice 3 bananas and place in a bowl.
• Put 1 banana, coconut butter, dates, water and vanilla in blender and blend until creamy smooth.  Add extra water if needed.
• Pour mixture over bananas and stir well.
• Place banana coconut filling in 7 inch pie crust.
• Sprinkle top with coconut and vanilla, and decorate as desired.

Do you have a favorite summer recipe to share?  Please post it below in the comments box.

Love, Health and Joy to You,

Dr. Ritamarie

Cancer, Heart Disease and Chronic Fatigue: It’s Not Worth The Risk

My 16 year old son just got his driver’s license about 2 weeks ago.  It’s a right of passage I guess, and I cried, just as I did when I dropped him off at kindergarten for the first time.

Call me a sentimental fool, and I will proudly wear the title.

He and I went out for dinner the other night.  It’s our best opportunity to spend time together. At home, it’s sometimes too busy for us to just sit down together and chat.

As he was driving home – and I was gripping the passenger side strap, working on my Heart Math breathing and appreciation – (I’m not the most relaxed passenger) he said words that are music to any parents ears.  He said “It’s not worth the risk”.

Out of context that statement doesn’t mean very much.  Yet in context, it set my mind at ease about the degree of  “recklessness” I could expect from my newly on the road teenager.

The reason I loved hearing those words is because what he felt was not worth the risk was a road rule that my husband  and I disagreed on and  Eric was doing it the way I suggested was correct…because it wasn’t worth the risk of getting in trouble for getting into the turn lane too soon.

What that told me is that he is ultra aware of the rules of the road and does not want to break any lest he get in trouble with the police.

What excited me about his comment was that this is such a minor thing…one we experienced drivers don’t even think about.  It helped me to feel confident that he was not going to risk the more dangerous driving behaviors that teen drivers often engage in.

Is it worth the risk ? is a great question to ask yourself when making lifestyle choices that affect your health.

What risks do you take on a regular basis?

Driving or being passenger without a seat belt? Riding a bicycle without a helmet? Going to bed without flossing your teeth?

Life is filled with risk / reward choices.  Are you clear  enough about your core values and goals that the choices are easy to make?

Here are 5 risks that most people take on a daily basis:

1.Eating heated oils.  The threshold temperature is slightly different for each oil, yet the result is similar.  Above the threshold, the heat causes oxidation of the fat , making it damaging to your immune system and antioxidant status.  This puts you at risk for cancer, heart disease and a host of degenerative ailments.  Poly-unsaturated oils like safflower, corn, sunflower and soybean are the most risky, and are generally oxidized in the bottle, before you even open them, due to exposure to light, heat and air.

2.Eating sugar.  Sugar not only contributes to poor dental health, it also feeds cancer cells, and its consumption dramatically increases your cancer risk.  Sugar also creates hormonal disruption, contributes to a condition called insulin resistance and its characteristic fat around the waist, and results in impaired energy metabolism and decreased immunity.  As if that’s not enough, sugar contributes to focus and concentration, heart disease, and dozens of other health maladies.

3.Exposure to pesticides, herbicides and chemicals in the air and water.  These tax your inborn detoxification systems, leading to toxic buildup, mental health issues and digestive disturbances.

4.Worrying.  Getting yourself in a tizzy about things that may happen, could happen and would be horrible if did happen is a sure fire way of putting yourself at risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic fatigue.  It puts your body into ‘fight/flight’ mode, creating a cascade of chemical reactions that impairs digestion and absorption of nutrients and can contribute to cancer.

5.Eating processed and refined cooked foods.   These are deficient in nutrients and usually contain harmful preservatives, additives and flavorings, which disrupt hormone pathways, drain your body of B-vitamins and other nutrients needed for energy metabolism and leave you exhausted, toxic and undernourished

Go through the list and determine how much you’re putting yourself at risk.  Then ask yourself when confronted with a food or lifestyle choice, “Is this worth the risk?  Is the momentary pleasure worth long-term disconnection from what really matters?

Making choices consistent with your higher good takes some effort on your part.  You’ll need to educate yourself,  learn  to make different foods and risk being “different” .

As one of my potluck participants said when asked about his food choices and whether he felt deprived, “Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.”

For more in-depth coverage of the food choice and health connection, particularly when it comes to cancer and other serious illnesses, join me and my very special guest speaker, Dr. Brian Clement, director of the world renowned  Hippocrates Institute.  He’ll be speaking in Austin and we’ll broadcast it over the internet.

www.drritamarie.com/cancertalk

Dr. Clement has been working with people with cancer and other serious illnesses for over 30 years, and he’s seen more than his share of miracles.

I hope you can join us.  Every time I hear Dr. Clement speak, I learn something new.  He’s charismatic, informative and  very inspiring.   And he walks his talk.  He’s a living example of the power of food to heal.

We are very fortunate that he’s taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to us.  He travels and speaks world-wide.

Those that show up live will receive a complementary copy of the Hippocrates Institute’s beautiful, full color glossy magazine “Healing Our World’.

Www.drritamarie.com/cancertalk
If you live in or near Austin, come on by to my house Saturday evening to share a meal and connect with some amazing health minded souls.

For information about the events, go to www.drritamarie.com/potluck and see for yourself by watching our video.  To sign-up for the meet-up and get all the details you need to participate, go to  www.drritamarie.com/meetup

Love, health and Joy to You!

Dr. Ritamarie

Creating Vibrant Health…One Bite at a Time.’

Detoxification and Health: Overcoming Chronic Disease by Unburdening your Body

What would the world be like if we all felt good… all the time?

Its a wonderful fantasy.

War…gone

theft…gone

poverty…gone

We’d be left with joy, generosity, love, caring, beauty…..

If everyone felt good, there would be no need to hurt others, feel less than or engage in activities that are self destructive, other destructive or planet destructive. Everyone would be too busy enjoying life to bother with hurtful activities.

When was the last time you felt really good? I mean REALLY good…as in jumping for joy, full of energy, bursting with love?

It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of the moment and lose track of whats really important.

The Cancer Toxicity Connection

A recent guest on my Blog Talk Radio Show was Dr. Brian Clement of Hippocrates Health Institute. We talked about cancer, and the primary cause of cancer, namely a breakdown of the immune system as a result of exposure to toxic elements in food, water, environment and emotions. If you missed the show, you can listen in here: http://www.drritamarie.com/go/ClementInterview

Less than half an hour later, I was interviewed by Tera Warner of the Raw Divas on the subject of detoxification. The calls tied in so well together.

All effective cancer management needs to include detoxification. According to oncologist Thomas Lodi in Arizona, the first step in cancer management needs to be “Stop Making Cancer” by stopping the activities, foods, exposures and thoughts that cause cancer to get out of control. The next step is “killing” the cancer cells.

Western medicine has a distorted approach. The therapies that are aimed at killing the cancer with no attention to building up your body’s natural defenses are doomed to failure. It’s like a race to see if they can destroy the cancer before the treatment destroys you.

Regular detoxification is a great way to cleanse and restore immune function and thus can help prevent cancer. In addition, regular cleansing programs lead to more energy and overall health improvement.

Most health complaints that I come across in clinical practice result from a body out of balance. Your inborn detoxification systems are designed to handle the “normal” toxic exposure – from your metabolic processes and a few environmental things that sneak in. Our modern world has become so overwhelmed with toxic exposure. The food supply is poisened with pesticides and fungicides and other toxins that are damaging to your immune and nervous systems. Drinking water is treated with chlorine. The air is filled with car exhaust, factory fumes, and outgassing from the myriad of plastics and chemicals used in paints, cleaning products and a long list of other “modern conveniences”

With all the exposures, your natural detoxification mecahnisms become overloaded, and the chemicals that should be neutralized and eliminated get caught in the backlog and are recycled and stored in your precious cells. The result? You don’t feel so good!

Symptoms of Toxicity

Symptoms of body toxicity include skin rashes, depression, difficulty focusing, digestive problems, sinus congestion, headaches, “brain fog”, hormone imbalances, autoimmune disease and persistant weight gain that doesn’t seem to respond to calorie restriction.

When I was in my 20′s I suffered from many of these symptoms. You can read my full story at www.sixweekdetox.com

After my first cleanse, I was on cloud nine. Symptoms I’d experienced for decades began to melt away and I became more clear headed and energetic than I’d ever dreamed possible.

To learn more about the benefits of detox, listen in on my interview with Tera Warner .

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If you’d like to experience the profound changes that detox can bring, join us for the next 6 week detox program. You’ll be guided step by step through the process of reduciing toxic exposure, restoringn and rebuilding digestive function, and enhancing your liver’s ability to neutralize and eliminate stored toxins. The result? You’ll feel lighter, more energetic and emotionally balanced than you ever thought possible. We’re startign the preparatory phase of our 6-Week Deep Tissue Detox on Monday!

http://www.sixweekdetox.com

As a special bonus for new members

4 audio recordings and e-book transcripts

1- Candida and Leaky Gut

2- Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection Behind Brain Fog, ADHD, Autism, Depression and more

3- Hormones, Thyroid Imbalances, Weight Gain & Water Retention

4- Understanding Environmental Sensitivities & Allergies

The special bonuses we’re offering on this call are for new registrations only. After May 17th, they will no longer be offered again for fr.ee.

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Join the Six Week Detox Program:  www.sixweekdetox.com

Love, health and Joy to you,

Dr. Ritamarie