Protecting Yourself From the Flu: 5 Tips for a Strong and Healthy Immune System

It’s that time of year again.  As the autumn ushers out the warm and balmy sun filled days and the days grow shorter and shorter, we enter into the season that many associate with colds and flu.  This year we’re particularly aware of the flu season as reports fill the airways of the dangers of the swine flu and the miracle of the new vaccine.

Before you jump in and get in line with your sleeves rolled up, ready to have the flu shot, I suggest you do some research and make an informed decision.  The main ingredient in any vaccine is either killed viruses or live ones that have been weakened and made less harmful.

A hidden danger of flu vaccines is the chemicals they may contain, such as ethylene glycol (antifreeze), formaldehyde, phenol and thimerasol(mercury containing preservative) .  There has been legislation passed to remove thimerasol from all vaccines because it has been correlated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.  That ban was lifted so as to get the swine flu vaccine to market faster.

While there is a lot of reliable information on the web about the swine flu vaccine, there is also a lot of garbage.  I have quotes below form what I believe are reliable sources.

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny one of the country’s most knowledgeable and outspoken physicians regarding the impact of vaccines on health, has a lot of good information about the swine flu vaccine as well as other vaccines.  I suggest studying her information before making a decision.  .

I found her article The Truth About the Flu Shot to be particularly enlightening.

An article was  published in Natural Health News last Monday called Vaccine Revolt.

In it, Mike Adams explores the hype and the dangers of the vaccine.  Here are a few highlights, interspersed with my comments:

1- more than fifty percent of moms are refusing to expose their children to the swine flu vaccine, and nurses and health practitioners across the US and UK are going vocal with their opposition to the vaccine.

2- Swine flu is actually no more deadly than a normal seasonal flu

3- While there is evidence showing that the vaccine produces antibodies,  the mere existence of vaccine-induced antibodies doesn’t directly translate into functional, real-world immunity!

4- The vaccine has not been properly safety tested by the FDA or the drug companies. They were approved by the FDA with a waiver,  bypassing the normal process of long-term safety testing that the public expects the FDA to enforce.

Dr. Mercola published several good articles on the swine flu vaccine.  One  called Squalene-The-Swine-Flu-Vaccines-Dirty-Little-Secret-Exposed discusses the dangers of the adjuvants put in vaccines, and this one in particular, squalene, that’s in the swine flu vaccine.

Here are a few highlights from Dr. Mercola’s article:

“The purpose of an adjuvant added to a vaccine is to enhance your immune response to the vaccination. Adjuvants cause your immune system to overreact to the introduction of the organism you’re being vaccinated against.

A study published in the American Journal of Pathology demonstrated that a single injection of squalene into rats triggered “chronic, immune-mediated joint-specific inflammation,” also known as rheumatoid arthritis.

Your immune system recognizes squalene as an oil molecule native to your body. It is found throughout your nervous system and brain. In fact, you can consume squalene in olive oil and not only will your immune system recognize it, you will also reap the benefits of its antioxidant properties.

The difference between “good” and “bad” squalene is the route by which it enters your body. Injection is an abnormal route of entry which incites your immune system to attack all the squalene in your body, not just the vaccine adjuvant.

Your immune system will attempt to destroy the molecule wherever it finds it, including in places where it occurs naturally, and where it is vital to the health of your nervous system. ”

I highly recommend that you read and research before deciding about immunizations for flu. There are lots of possible adverse effects.

You may be wondering how to protect yourself from the flu without the risks of the vaccine?  The secret is to build a strong immune system.

I’ve shared 5 ways below.    For more you can sign up to receive the recording of a teleclass I held a couple of weeks ago on this Immune Boosting, Flu Protection Strategies

1- Give you immune system the nutrients it needs to fight infection. These include Vitamin C, beta carotene, bioflavinoids, magnesium, zinc, B-vitamins and omega 3 fats.  And how do you get these nutrients?  My favorite sources are fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, root vegetables and raw seeds like flax, hemp, chia and pumpkin.  The best way to insure that what you eat has the highest nutrient content is to eat these foods in their fresh, raw, organic and natural state.  Fresh pressed green juices are extremely nutrient dense, as are green smoothies.

2- Get lots of fresh air and sunshine. Vitamin D is one of the key nutrients in immune health.  Studies show that you can knock out the flu within a few days by taking very high doses of oral vitamin D.  The best source of Vitamin D is the one made by your body when you’re exposed to natural sunlight during the peak UV times of the day, approximately 11AM -4PM.  If you’re unable to do this then you need a Vitamin D supplement

3- Cleansing your body from the inside out. Giving your system a rest from heavy foods, stress and constant activity allows it to get rid of the waste products that accumulate as a result of your busy lifestyle and exposure to toxins in food, air and water.  The simplest way I’ve found to cleanse is using Green Smoothies.  I conduct a guided green smoothie cleanse about 5 times a year and I never cease to be amazed at the results people get.  What better way to prepare yourself for the flu season that to do a Green Smoothie Cleanse. For details, refer to http://www.GreenSMoothieCleanse.com

4- Get plenty of rest and sleep. Studies show that the less sleep you get the more likely you are to get sick.  Your body repairs and cleanses from the day while you sleep.  If you sleep less than 4 hours a day, this ability is severely impaired, leaving you susceptible to illness.  Don’t chance it.  Get at least 6 hours of sleep each night, and 8 is closer to ideal.

5- Avoid sugar and processed food like the plague…because it is like the plague!  At this time of year it’s particularly pervasive.  Sugar abounds.  Halloween is coming in a couple of weeks, and with it the onslaught of candy and processed junk food.  Did you know that there is a 50% decrease in the effectiveness of your white blood cells to fight infection for up to 4 hours after eating just 2 teaspoon of sugar?  Imagine your poor immune system after Halloween, if you continue to eat the traditional treats.  There is an alternative. My book Healthy Halloween Treats is filled with delicious recipes and information to keep you healthy this year.  It’s available at http://www.drritamarie.com/Halloween

And speaking of Green Smoothies, we are proud and excited to be hosting a presentation on Friday October 23, featuring Victoria Boutenko, author of Green for Life and many other books, and her son, Sergei, author of Fresh and founder of Harmony Hikes, which specializes in leading wild edible walks and multi day adventures.

The seats are going fast, and we’re almost sold out.  If you’re interested in attending, you can register if you hurry over to  http://www.drritamarie.com/boutenko

The talk is in Austin Texas, but will be broadcast live over the internet to all over the world.  Replays are also available. To signup, go to

http://www.drritamarie.com/boutenko.

I wish for you the joy and freedom that a strong and healthy immune system brings.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

The Top 3 Mistakes Busy People Make When Doing Cleanses

Periodic deep cleansing is a desirable thing.  You probably do it to your home, your car, even your pets.  But chances are, you don’t even think about doing a periodic cleansing of your internal organs.

Throughout the ages, various forms of cleansing have been used to rest, heal and restore mental clarity.  Water and juice fasting are among the most rigorous methods.  A variety of potions and powders have been developed to cleanse the colon and the liver.  The Master Cleanse is one of the more popular cleansing programs of our modern time.  Many of these cleansing methods work well.  All have advantages and disadvantages.  None works perfectly for everyone.

Benefits of cleansing:

• Give your digestive track a rest.
• Decrease the burden on your liver and gallbladder.
• Improve detoxification.
• Release extra weight, if necessary.
• Increase your energy, as less energy is spent on digestion.
• Reduce your cravings.
• Get you in control of your eating habits.
• Increase the nutrients that are readily available to your body.
• Get you back on track with eating habits if they have gotten out of control.

There are so many cleansing programs to choose from, that it can be overwhelming to even get started.  Once you get started, it can be even harder to complete.

Here are the 3 most common mistakes that prevent even the most well-intentioned cleanser from completing the program.

Mistake #1: Doing the cleanse all alone.

If your friends are all drinking beer and eating pizza, it’s hard to be the odd one out who’s drinking weird potions and talking about their bowel movements.

It’s easy to feel discouraged and frustrated when no one else really understands what you’re doing or why you’re doing it.

All too often when you set out to do a cleanse on your own, you get overwhelmed part of the way through and just don’t finish.  Or you’re invited to dinner or a birthday party, and you postpone it for a “more convenient time”.

The ideal way to do a cleanse is to get out of your own environment and go away to a spa or cleansing retreat, and just dedicate yourself to nothing but self care for a set period of time.   But that’s not always practical or affordable.

SOLUTION:  Find a mentor or join a cleansing support group, and do the cleanse with others who understand you and can support you through the process.

Mistake #2:  Making it too complex

There are lots of different cleansing programs available.  Just do a Google search and you’ll see just how many there are.  The problem is, most of them are just too complicated and time consuming to do when you lead a busy life.

There are all sorts of unusual powders, potions and supplements to take at all different times of the day.  Then there are the enemas, mud packs, and all the extra procedures you need to do too.

Don’t get me wrong, these procedures are highly effective, and the cleanses that include them do give great results.   It’s just that your life is already too busy and complicated.

And when the process is too complex, you’re more likely to give up part of the way through, before you’ve fully reaped the benefits.

SOLUTION:  Choose a  cleansing program that’s quick and easy to do –one that saves you time rather that requiring more of it and that fits your schedule rather than you having to totally adjust yours.

Mistake #3:  Feeling like you have to starve yourself to really be cleansing

It’s hard to focus at work when you’re blood sugar is low and you have no energy.  Some cleanses are so restrictive, that you feel hungry all the time.

Water fasting is a great way to cleanse, but it’s hard to lead a busy life and focus on complicated work tasks when you haven’t eaten in days.  Water fasting is best left for the “go away and cleanse” programs we talked about earlier, and really should be supervised because it can lead to electrolyte imbalances.

Juice cleanses can also leave you feeling hungry and light headed

all the time, and are hard for most people to do for more than a few days.  Besides, the quantity of juice required takes a lot of time to make and clean up after.

It’s easy to give up when the cleansing process leaves you exhausted and hungry.

SOLUTION:  If you need to work and maintain your busy life while cleansing, it’s important that you do a program that’s loaded with nutritionally dense, easy to digest, whole fresh foods, so that you feel energetic rather than hungry all the time.

The end of summer is a great time to do a cleanse.  You’ve probably been indulging more than is best for you, especially during vacation and at all the picnics and parties you’ve been enjoying.

As a result of over 20 years of experimentation and trying just about every type of cleanse out there, from water fasting to potions, powders and enemas, I’ve made my choice about my favorite cleanse.  It’s short (7 days), simple (requires only ingredients you can get at the grocery store), effective, and provides community support.  But don’t take my word for it.  Check it out for yourself at www.GreenSmoothieCleanse.com I do it every couple f months and I so look forward to it.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.FreshnFunLiving.com

Creating Vibrant Health and Energy: Overcoming Chronic Fatigue and Adrenal Exhaustion with The Help of a Mentor

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

Finding Good Greens Is like a Needle in a Haystack in the City that Never Sleeps

Last week I attended a seminar in Las Vegas.  I’m really enjoyed the seminar, but my feelings about Las Vegas are…let’s just say not so favorable.   Las Vegas lifestyle is the antithesis of my own and that  in which I  teach and coach about.  I was surrounded by gambling, smoking and drinking.  Food choices were very limited.  I didn’t rent a car, so I was limited to whatever was in walking distance.  Fortunately I brought a raw foods green powder and chlorella tablets, along with living foods fillers –  nuts, seeds, raisins and leftover pizza crusts from last weeks’ dehydration class.

Unfortunately, those foods were meant as fillers…snacks in class, and I’ve had to eat more than usual from my “stash” and I ran out out.

I wish I had followed my own advice about creating a travel food kit.  Then I would have been munching on delicious dehydrated crackers, dulse,  and nori sheets and getting my greens throughout the day.  Usually when I travel,  bring a blender, request a refrigerator,  and stock up on greens and fruit at the grocery store upon arrival.

This time, I knew I’d be in the city without a car, and on a tight enough schedule that getting to the grocery store was not going to happen.  So I left the blender behind and decided that the green powders would fill in for my daily smoothies and I’d be able to get plenty of salad and fruit at the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets.

What I wasn’t counting on was the Vegas mentality.  Not to knock anyone’s lifestyle, but I should have realized that the average visitor to Vegas is not the eco-conscious, health conscious, fitness conscious person that I’m used to encountering when I travel.

They actually allow smoking in the hotel lobbies here!   I’m just not used to seeing people openly smoking in a public building any more…thanks goodness!  It was an eye opener (and a nose stuffer!).

The buffet food at my hotel, the Golden Nugget, brought me back in time.  I was expecting something along the lines of the Alaskan Cruise I was on a few years back…lots of fresh salads and veggies, fruits along with the expected assortment of cooked meat dishes.  The Golden Nougat Buffet was filled with creamy casseroles and very heavy, energy zapping dishes.  The salad area had iceberg lettuce, Caesar salad and a few bananas and oranges.

I looked at the line, the price tag and the food and decided that I’d prefer to spend a few dollars and no wait and go to the store and buy some fruit instead. The cashier at the souvenir shop where I became a regular,  buying water, oranges and bananas, recommended a nearby hotel restaurant with a “good” salad bar.  (for the record, I’ve eaten more bananas in the last 3 days than I usually eat in 3 months.)

After waiting in line for 15 minutes to get access to the salad bar (my mouth was watering by now, as I envisioned a huge salad with lots of crunchy veggies,perhaps topped with some guacamole), I was disappointed to find lots of potato salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad, deviled eggs and a huge assortment of good old American picnic food, and a small bowl of mixed greens.  The mixed greens were iceberg lettuce tossed with a bit of romaine and some shredded carrots.  There was also a bowl of cherry tomatoes, some celery sticks and carrot sticks.

Ok…better than nothing..and it was only $5.95!  Seeing nothing but creamy dressings, I asked for some olive oil and lemon slices to top my salad, and was met with a very friendly young waiter who called my honey and sweetie and told me the lemon slices were doable, but he wasn’t sure they had any olive oil.  He  returned to my table a few minutes later, excited that he had “found” some, and I ate as much as I could of the salad and made my way back to my hotel.

As I walked towards my room, I noticed that there was a sushi restaurant in my hotel lobby, and my mind played a word association game as I saw the sign.  Sea weed salad was the word that popped into my mind.  I checked the menu and sure enough there it was, almost at the top of the menu, right below mixed greens with ginger dressing.

After asking a few questions about ingredients, I decided that they were both “safe” to eat and ordered the two salads.  Dinner number 2 was much more satisfying than dinner number 1.

Why do I tell you all of this?  Well, I have managed to find enough food without resorting to eating things that are not good for me.  I’ve even managed to eat completely raw while here.  While my taste buds could use a little excitement, my nutrition has been pretty good.  And I looked forward all day to the sea weed salad and ginger greens again for dinner on my last night.

On Sunday, I had a wonderful end to my culinary fiasco.     There was a raw food restaurant about 3 miles from the airport, and I had plenty of free time between the end of the class and my flight home.  As I entered the cafe, I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store!   My banana orange diet came to a close and I feasted on green smoothie, kale salad, and calzones made with a flax crust, macadamia ricotta and lots of greens.  I was in heaven!  Not only was the food delicious, but I felt so nourished and energetic afterward, in spite of having a short sleep the night before.

Moral of the story:  While it is possible to survive on a raw food diet, even in a Las Vegas casino,  it’s better to be prepared so that you’re not tempted to abandon your healthy habits while traveling and risk starting down the slippery slope.

While it wasn’t a culinary success, my trip was a pleasant and very rewarding investment of time.  I managed to eat healthfully while away and didn’t ruin my trip with excuses.  Had I resorted to eating whatever was available, using the excuse “But there’s nothing healthy around”, I could be struggling right now with food cravings and frustraton with my weight gain.

For details about maintaining a healthy diet while travelling, read my article, Travelling on a Raw Foods Diet published in a 2008 edition of Purely Delicious Magazine.

Gluten Free Raw Foods Recipes: Dr. Ritamarie’s Latest Kelp Noodle Creation

The other day I posted about how excited I was about  Kelp Noodles . Not only are they highly nutritious, because they are  made from kelp, a power packed green that grows in the sea,  but they are delicious as well.

If you’ve ever been  on a gluten free diet, or a raw and living foods diet, you know that the noodle choices are a bit limited.  You can spiralize zucchini and make a yummy angel hair pasta, but you can’t beat these kelp noodles, not only for flavor and texture, but for convenience as well.

I’ve been having a blast creating new recipes using the kelp noodles.  I made one this past weekend that just might be the most nutritionally dense dish I’ve made to date.  I’ll attempt to recreate the exact quantities of ingredients I used, but quite frankly, I don’t think it much matters i you get it exact.  I bet there’s more calcium in this recipe than in a quart of milk.  The photo is above.

Kelp noodles are available by the case of 12 ounce bags from Seatangle , 16 ounce bags form the Fresh ‘n Fun Co-op in Austin, Texas or individual 12 ounce bags  from Raw Food World.

Here’s a fabulous, quick, easy recipe for sesame noodles,kelp style.

Wilted Greens with Kelp Noodles

• 1 bag kelp noodles
• 1 10 ounce jar of raw garlic sauerkraut
• 1 bunch kale
• 1 handful dandelion greens
• 1 inch slice ginger
• 2 tablespoons raw sesame tahini
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup water (depends on desired consistency)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 tomato

Put kelp noodles in a bowl and rinse well.  Cover with water until sauce is ready.  In blender,  combine tahini, ginger and water.  Adjust water to achieve a thick smooth consistency.

Put greens in a food processor and pulse chop until minced.  Put salt over greens and massage until wilted.  Finely dice tomato and red bell pepper.  Drain kelp noodles and combine wiht sauerkraut, chopped  vegetables and sauce. Stir until well combined or massage gently with your hands to help the noodles soften.  Add salt to taste.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds or pine nuts  (optional).  Eat immediately or save for later.  The noodles soften more the longer they sit in the sauce.

Kelp noodles are available by the case of 12 ounce bags from Seatangle , 16 ounce bags form the Fresh ‘n Fun Co-op in Austin, Texas or individual 12 ounce bags  from Raw Food World.

Please comment below to share your own kelp noodle experiences and recipes

Thanks

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie