Green Smoothie Cleanse Recipes – Low Glycemic
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 27, 2010 – -Our Summer 2010 Green Smoothie Cleanse is officially over, and we’re transitioning into the Post Cleanse Week. Chronic fatigue symptoms are abating, allergies are improving and the consensus is there is an overall increased sense of well-being the cleanse promotes. This week is as important as the cleanse week itself. This is wher new habits are formed and the imporvemetns made dueing the cleanse are either re-inforced or left behind. Continuing on a high raw food diet plan helps people sustain the benefits long term.
Here are a couple of delicious recipes shared by one of our Green Smoothie Cleanse Participants. They use in-season, fresh, raw and ripe produce and just the right amount of seasonings.
“Spring Garden Soup”
4 tomatoes
4 celery stalks
2 cups spring mix
2 cups romaine heart
2 limes juiced
1 garlic clove
“Spicy Garden Soup”
1 Tomato
1 English Cucumber
1/2 Zucchini
2 handfuls string beans
8 cups Spring Mix
1 garlic clove
1 ginger nub
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups water
Blend and enjoy!
Love, Health and Joy to You,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, DrRitamarie, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, green smoothie. detoxification programs, Living Foods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods classes, vegan foods, whole foods
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Cleansing Programs, Detox Program, Fatigue Treatment, Gluten Free recipes, Raw and Living Foods | No Comments »
Green Smoothie Cleansing for Combatting Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 26, 2010 – -Green Smoothie Cleansing is easy, affordable and very effective if you suffer from low energy, chronic fatigue, aches and pains and even fibromyalgia.
Here are just a few of the results we’ve seen this week:
- My fibro pain has lessened.
- I feel better physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- I have more energy
- I have lost some weight and hope to continue losing
- I feel better and hope to continue with this.
- I feel like I am not stuck anymore and am finally changing!
- The blockage is gone.
- My food cravings are gone.
- I do feel a sense of accomplishment and that I can keep learning and growing and healing.
- I still have trouble falling asleep- but do wake up ready for the day and with a feeling of gratiitude.
- My stress level is less
- no drippy nose; the chronic mucus is gone.
- I feel comfortable in my body now.
- My senses are more acute (except for my eyes; they seem to be a bit blurry still).
- My allergies are clearing up. I don’t have as much mucus/ sneezing.
- Lost about 4 lbs
- Less aches in my body.
- My energy level is improving.
- The fat around my middle has decreased.
- My congestion is gone.
- The ache in my shoulder that has been nagging me since January is gone.
- I am peaceful, calm and joyful.
- My energy is through the roof.
- My mind is clear and focused.
- I am sleeping like a baby and waking up with ease.
These are taken form the participants journals. I’ve enjoyed watching their progress.
We repeat the Green Smoothie Cleanse as a group every 3 months. The materials and support are avaialble to do the program on your own as often as possible. The newest feature we added recently is onlien pre and post cleanse assessments and daily online journals. It helps me offer more personalized support.
Here are a few delicious recipes submitted by one of our participants.
“Orange Sunrise”
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen mixed fruit
4 medium oranges
4 cups spinach
1 tsp whole vanilla bean powder
“Swiss Garden Soup”
3 tomatoes
1 english cucumber
4 cups red swiss chard
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp spirulina
“Garden of Eden Smoothie”
1 cup papaya
1 cup frz mango
1 cup frz mixed fruit
4 cups spinach
3 celery stalks
2 medium oranges
1 tsp dried mint or handful fresh
1 lemon juiced
1 Granny Smith Apple w/ Skin (Organic)
1 ginger nub
Enjoy these recipes. For more information about Green Smotohie Cleansing, visit
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, Green Cleanse, Living Foods, Raw Foods
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Adrenal Fatigue: Tips to Restoring Your Energy and Your Health
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 5, 2010 – -
Do you ever wake in in the morning, even after a long night of sleep, only to feel sluggish and wishing you had another few hours to rest?
This is one of many signs of adrenal fatigue.
Adrenal fatigue is a common condition in our fast paced, stressed out society.
Your adrenal glands are your body’s mechanism for responding to stressful situations. In the olden days, this meant getting chased by a tiger or dealing with severe cold without shelter or proper clothing.
Fortunately for us, tigers and lack of clothing are not problems we deal with on a regular basis.
Unfortunately we have our own modern day tigers, and they chase some of us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Modern Day Tigers that Stress Your Adrenals
- Deadlines at work?
- Juggling kids schedules with your own?
- Worry about the economy?
- A sick parent or child?
- An unreasonable boss?
Whatever it is, the response is similar to a real tiger chasing you. Your adrenal glands step into action and do what they do best…shift you into what is often called “fight/flight mode”, and in scientific terms, “sympathetic nervous system dominance”.
In hyper vigilant adrenal state, your heart rate increases, your respiration quickens and the blood supply to your brain and vital organs decreases and is sent to your extremities…so you can run away or fight.
In addition, your digestive track activity decreases and the sphincters– the valves between sections of the digestive tract– tighten. This is to protect you from needing to use the bathroom in the middle of running away from or fighting a tiger.
Translate this into modern life. If you find yourself stressed out and worried quite a bit of the time, you increase your risk of indigestion, constipation, gas and bloating as well as heart and circulation problems due to prolonged increased heart rate.
Oh, and I forgot to mention. In fight flight mode, your sex drive goes away, too.
Doesn’t help to be having lustful thoughts when you’re trying to get away from that tiger. On a biochemical level, the same chemical molecules that make the adrenal hormone cortisol, which gets elevated under stress, are also needed to make estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, all needed for libido and reproductive function.
Another problem with cortisol is that in excess it can cause damage to your mitochondria, the energy producing mechanisms in each of your cells. Cortisol also damages your hippocampus, the part of your brain that helps with short term memory. Ever walk into a room, only to forget what you went there for? That’s likely because your hippocampus has been impeded by the cortisol you produced when you were stressed out.
Yikes! SO if this is you, what can you do to fix things?
In my over two decades of clinical practice, I’ve seem many cases of adrenal burnout and the damages caused by chronic stress.
Fortunately there are actions you can take reverse the damage and repair your adrenal glands. But if you keep getting stressed out, you’ll be a lot like a hamster on a wheel….working hard but never getting anywhere. Repairing your adrenals and transforming your response to stress take some time and retraining, and the transformations you experience when you do can be miraculous.
3 Tips for Combating Adrenal Fatigue
1- Learn stress management and stress transformation techniques. One of my favorites is called Heart Math, and uses a combination of deep breathing, focusing on your heart and feeling appreciation. It completely changed my life. I did a 90 minute stress transformation teleseminar a couple of years ago that guided the participants through the process and the response was dramatic.
2- Nourish your adrenals. Did you know that 80% of the vitamin C used in your body is used by your adrenal glands? Excessive stress depletes your vitamin C stores and can lead to allergies, poor wound healing, easy bruising and increased susceptibility for colds, flu and other infectious disease? Your adrenals also use lots of B vitamins, especially pantothenic acid and B6. That’s why a lot of B complex formulas are called Stress formulas. Eating a whole foods, high raw, high green diet will ensure you have adequate intake of nutrients to maintain your adrenals when they are brought back to normal;however, when you’re in the mode of recovery, supplementation is often needed.
3- Support your body’s detoxification systems by periodic cleansing. Face it, eating on the run, making even occasional poor food choices and being stressed out impair your liver’s ability to do it’s job of cleansing. One of my favorite ways to cleanse my body is with green smoothies. Even though I eat really healthfully, exercise on a regular basis, and do my Heart Math exercises daily, I’m not perfect. I still get stressed out sometimes, I’m exposed to toxins and I eat on the run more often than I’d like.
I personally do a Green Cleanse at least quarterly by taking a week off eating and just drinking green smoothies or juices for 7 days. I am always amazed at how much more energy I have when I do this. That’s why every 3 months, I lead a group green smoothie cleanse. I have hundreds of success stories from people who feel they got their life back after a green cleanse. This time around I’ve added a new component – daily interactive journals. The details about the cleanse, go to my Green Smoothie Cleanse Website.
If you’ve already done a green cleanse or a short cleanse and are ready to take it to the next level, I suggest you do a deep tissue detox like my Six Week Deep Tissue Detox or something similar.
Bedtime and Wake-up Rituals for Adrenal Fatigue Support
One last tip for rebuilding your adrenals – create supportive bedtime and morning rituals that re-establishes
your circadian rhythm. Here’s a starting set that I recommend to my adrenal fatigue patients:
- Shut off all electronics within an hour of bedtime.
- Eat your last meal within 3 hours of bedtime.
- Fill a 16 ounce glass with pure water and the juice of 1 lemon and put it by your bedside.
- Find 3 things to appreciate before you fall asleep.
- Find 3 things to appreciate before you get out of bed.
- Drink the water as soon as you get up.
- As soon as you get up, go outside and get 5 – 15 minutes of sun, even if the sun is not out. Face in the direction of the sun and sip your water.
Get going on these habits, cleanse regularly and master the Heart Math techniques and you’ll soon be bouncing out of
bed in the morning with vim, vigor and enthusiasm for life.
I hope to meet you soon on a green smoothie cleanse.
Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, chronic fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, green smoothie, green smoothie. detoxification programs, Living Foods, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, Vibrant Health
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Green Smoothies vs Green Juice, Fruit Friend or Foe, and Other Controversial Topics
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 1, 2010 – -
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.
- Macronutrients: nutrients consumed in large amounts , ie protein, carbohydrates and fats.
- 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
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, green smoothie, Living Foods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, raw foods diet, vegan foods, Vibrant Health
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Kelp – Magic from the Sea to Combat Adrenal and Thyroid Fatigue and Create Vibrant Health
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 1, 2010 – -
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
Directions : |
- 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
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, chronic fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, fatigue symptoms, green smoothie, Living Foods
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Raw Foods Summer Recipes and Raw Vegan Wedding Food
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on June 28, 2010 – -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
Tags: Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, DrRitamarie, Gluten Free Diet, Living Foods, livingfoods, Raw Foods, raw foods desserts, raw foods diet, raw foods pies, raw foods potluck, raw foods recipes, raw foods wedding, vegan foods, whole foods
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Detoxification and Health: Overcoming Chronic Disease by Unburdening your Body
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 15, 2010 – -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 .
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
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
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cancer, chronic fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, DrRitamarie, fatigue, Hormone Imbalance, immune system, thyroid problems
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The Miracle of Aloe Vera for Digestion, Wound Healing,Your Immune System and So Much More
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on March 26, 2010 – -Aloe has always been one of my favorite plants. We keep them in the kitchen and the bathroom, ever ready for action – on burns, cuts and all sorts of wounds. It can be used topically or inside your body. It even combines well into raw and living foods recipes and can be used as part of a cleansing program. One of my readers contributed this very informative article about aloe, that provides us with an understanding of how Aloe works it’s magic and all the ways we can be helped by this powerful plant! Did you know that aloe can even help destroy tumors?
The Ancient Aloe Vera
The ancient Aloe vera (A. barbadensis) plant with its spear-like, succulent leaves has made its way from native Africa, to your favorite health food store, and even your own home. There are more than 300 types of aloe, but it is Aloe vera that is used most commonly. The Liliaceae family in which Aloe belongs is also home to garlic, asparagus, and onion. What a powerful Family! Aloe has been traditionally used to help treat burns and other wounds, and as a purgative (constipation aid). Yet, over the years, more and more uses for aloe have been discovered. With more active research taking place, the list of incredible healing powers of this herb is sure to lengthen.
Aloe vera contains 75 potentially active constituents who all work synergistically. These include anthraquinones, saccharides, vitamins, non-essential amino acids, essential amino acids, inorganic compounds, and enzymes. It is this powerful combination of molecules that allows the plant to repair itself if the skin becomes damaged. This is visible when you break off a piece of the leaf to use, the next day there is a seal and the plant is protected again.
The anthraquinones are part of the aloe latex, the bundle of sheath cells from its skin. These cells stimulate the walls of the digestive system to contract, essentially aiding in the relief of constipation. This practice should be guided by a health practitioner as it may cause severe cramping. Other plants (cascara and senna) from the same family as aloe are considered to be gentler laxatives. Some of the enzymes found in Aloe vera include carboxypeptidase and bradykininase. These enzymes, along with the amino acids tryptophane and phenylalanine, are involved in relief of pain and reduction of inflammation and swelling. The mineral zinc in the aloe gel also aids in the anti-inflammatory properties of this plant. The polysaccharides, especially glucomannan, in the gel are thought to greatly increase the health of the skin.
Aloe vera has been proclaimed as a strong preventative agent for ulcers and other digestive problems. A research article on the International Aloe Science Council’s website noted an interesting study whereby an individual was given aloe gel before an ulcer-inducing stressor. This group resulted in a 80% reduction in the number of ulcers compared to a control group that was given saline. If the aloe was given after the ulcer had formed, the participant healed three times faster than the control group.
The health benefits of Aloe extend to heart related diseases as well. A study on Albino rats that were fed a high cholesterol diet along with aloe polysaccharides had decreased total cholesterol levels, decreased phospholipids levels, and increased HDL (the “good”cholesterol) compared to the control group. According to a Natural News article, aloe can reverse blood that is clumpy and sludge-like in appearance. This would allow the blood to carry greater amounts of oxygen, reducing the chances of a heart attack or stroke.
Cancer is a terrible disease that will affect 40% or more of us in our lifetime. There are many herbs and plants that contain anti-cancer compounds, including Aloe vera. Aloe’s effects are twofold; it builds up the immune system and destroys tumors. An experiment using mice with Sarcoma-180 tumors that were fed aloe exhibited reduced tumor growth. Another study using a molecule from aloe called Aloctin-A showed anti-tumor capabilities via increased immunity.
Burns, cuts, and wounds are commonly treated with aloe. Its antifungal and antibacterial capabilities make it Mother Nature’s band aid. The gel actually creates a physical barrier to prevent bacteria from entering the wound while simultaneously drawing blood to the needed area. This allows for faster healing.
These are just a few examples of the amazing capabilities of Aloe vera. New research is exploring aloe’s immune boosting abilities and how it can be used to treat HIV/AIDS, its anti-cancer molecules, and its ability to save soldiers who have lost extreme amounts of blood. I hope that you go pick up an aloe plant (or two) and start using it right away! Your body will thank you.
I add aloe to my smoothies, use it to keep my summer tan, and apply the gel directly to my face for firm, smooth skin. It really is an awesome herb to have available in your home. If you can’t find a plant, then head to your local health food store as they have 100% aloe vera gel to purchase.
About the Author:
Melissa Giesbrecht is a health fanatic from Vancouver, BC. She loves all aspects of health and tries to implement them into her life. She wants to take her knowledge to the next step and become an ND. She is a vegetarian who incorporates as much raw food into her diet as possible. She really wants to spread the word that being healthy can be fun, affordable, and truly rewarding. She writes about all these topics on her blog http://contagioushealth.blogspot.com.
References
Foster, Steven & Johnson, Rebecca L .(2006). Desk Reference to Nature’s Medicine. Washington,D.C. : The National Geographic Society.
Hutchens, Alma R.(1973). Indian Herbology of North America. Boston, MA: Shambhala Publications , Inc.
Duke, James A, ph.D. (1997). The Green Pharmacy. Emmaus, PA:Rodale Press
Tags: aloe vera, cholesterol, cleansing, Cleansing Programs, digestion, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, immune system, Living Foods, livingfoods, Raw Foods, tumors
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Fatigue and Burnout: Strategies for Adrenal Exhaustion and Just Plain Tiredness
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on March 23, 2010 – -Are you suffering from adrenal burnout and fatigue? Low thyroid function? Chronic fatigue or Fibromyalgia?
Do you have as much energy as you’d like to have?
What would you do if you had more energy? Think about what it would be like to pop out of bed in the morning, bright, cheery and ready for the day.
As you go through your day, you feel energized by your food, your conversations, your work and your activities. When asked by a friend or family member to participate in a fun evening activity , you always say yes,
without fear of losing steam at the end of the day, and being too tired to to do much more than flop on the couch.
You participate in activities you love, eat healthy meals, exercise and are fully present for your relationships. You never hear yourself utter the words, “I’m too tired.” Instead you say, “I feel so energized.”
Sound like a romantic fiction novel? This life is possible for you.
Fatigue, exhaustion, tiredness, weariness, low energy…whatever you choose to call it, it’s a real problem and it 
happens to real people like you. There are many causes. Some are obvious, others not so obvious. When I asked at one of my workshops for a show of hands of people who felt that were fatigued, or had low energy, all but 1 or 2 people raised their hands.
Then I proceeded to give one of my favorite definitions of fatigue. The definition goes something like this:
The decreased capacity or complete inability of an organism, an organ, or a part to function normally because of excessive stimulation or prolonged exertion.
I talked about how you may feel like you have plenty of energy (caffeine and other stimulants can give you that illusion), yes parts of you are operating sub par. Maybe your neurotransmitters are sluggish and you have difficulties with focus, or your digestion and you’re constipated, or your hormones, and you have menstrual irregularities.
It takes all of your parts working in harmony to achieve vibrant energy.
At the end of the presentation, one of the women who’d not considered herself fatigued, thanked me and said that she didn’t associate the sluggishness in her digestive tract with fatigue. She just figured it was “normal” for her. My talk inspired her to look at ways she could energize her digestion and thus improve her overall experience of vibrant health and high energy.
There are many causes of fatigue. Here are five:
- Underfed and toxic mitochondria
- Hormone imbalances – especially thyroid, adrenal, insulin and leptin
- Digestive Inefficiencies
- Autoimmune Processes
- Serious diseases, like cancer, heart disease and diabetes
I’ll be exploring the topic of fatigue and its underlying causes and strategies for identifying and removing them on my Creating a Vibrant Life Blog Talk Radio Show on Wednesday, March 24 at 12:30 PM central time.
We’ll demystify adrenal fatigue, and distinguish it from thyroid fatigue. We’ll share strategies, stories and inspiration, to help move you from exhausted to energized.
Submit your questions for me pertaining to fatigue and regaining energy in the comment box below so we can address your concerns on the show.
The shows are all recorded and you can access the recording and download to iTunes by going back to the show link afterward. There are archives of past shows there as well.
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/RadioShow
And watch for my article called Running on Empty in the spring edition of Purely Delicious Magazine, due out in April.
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/PurelyDelicious
I look forward to connecting with you soon.
Love, Health and Joy to You,
Dr. Ritamarie
P.S. Comment below: What are you committing to for your health? Today is day 22 of the 30 Day Sleep and Fun Challenge. I am happy to report that I have gotten more than 6 hours of sleep for 3 days straight. Over the weekend, I actually managed to get 9 hours! And my exercise is consistent again – almost everyday!
How about you? Commit below and make it happen.
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, BlogTalkRadio, Cancer, chronic fatigue, Cleansing Programs, energy, Exhaustion, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalance, Hormone Imbalance, sleep, thyroid fatigue
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Holistic Nutrition, Vibrant Health | 3 Comments »
WISH: Detoxification to Support Adrenal Exhaustion, Low Sex Drive and Digestive Issues: Sleep and Fun are Important Components
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on March 18, 2010 – -
Detoxification and cleansing programs are in the news, on the health food store shelves and talked about now in casual conversation. They are said to cure everything — adrenal exhaustion and chronic fatigue, sluggish thyroid, depression, decreased sex drive and even cancer. Seriously, you’ve probably heard about detoxification over and over…yet do you have a clear understanding of what the process is all about? There are powders and potions, and olive oil liver flushes and lemonade diets that have become popular, yet what really is detox and why is it important?
On my interview for the Women’s International Summit for Health (W.I.S.H.) I discuss the process of detoxification, it’s importance in hormone balance, digestive health, energy, sex drive and every other function your body does for you. Learn how to support your body’s natural detoxification mechanisms daily and when to engage in a special program. If you haven’t already listened in, you can sign up at Women’s International Summit for Health (W.I.S.H.).
If you’ve already listened to the call, you know that we decided to do a Women’s 3 day mini green detox program. It’s short, easy and
powerful. And you don’t need any special equipment or potions to make it happen. All you need is a blender, some fresh, raw leafy greens and some fresh or frozen fruit. Are you ready to begin?
To start, download my FREE e-book “Blended Greens for Health and Longevity”. If you’ve already participated in my powerful 7 day Green Smoothie Cleanse, you can use your Green Cleanse Recipe Guide, with over 50 delicious smoothie and soup recipes.
Here’s what to do:
Preparation for 3 Day Green Cleanse and Detoxification Program
Download “Blended Greens for Health and Longevity” or search the web for green smoothie recipes.
Join in on the Raw Divas 3 day green smoothie mini course for day to day email support.
The essence of the program is to do the following for 3 days
- Drink Green smoothies and green soup all day long, as much as you’d like and as much as you need to keep you satisfied.
- In addition to the green smoothies, you may eat one or two large salads, loaded with greens and rainbow vegetables and fresh whole fruit.
- For Dressing, you can keep it simple by blending cucumber, apple and fresh herbs, or blend tomato,celery and lemon juice, or tomato, mango and lime juice, or red bell pepper, tomato, lemon or lime and herbs. Or, make up your own simple blend – it’s easy. You can also get the e-book 70 Healthy Salad Dressings Recipe Book, a collection of easy, low fat and tasty salad dressings you can make in less than 2 minutes. For the 3 day cleanse, choose dressings that contain little or no added fat for best results.
You’ll soon be feeling lighter, cleaner and clear-headed.
If you like how you feel, who knows, you may decide to keep it going a little longer, or may even decide to join on my next green cleanse.
Comment below if you’re joining in. Make a commitment to yourself and to thousands of women across the globe.
And also join in the ongoing 30 Day Sleep and Fun Challenge. Every day, we’re posting our commitments to health supporting activities that we’ll do that day. It helps keep you on track. Take a look through previous days posts to see the kinds of things people are accomplishing.
So what do fun and sleep have to do with detoxification? Lots! Fun changes your chemistry, decreases internally produced stress toxins and frees your liver to more effectively detox. The WISH call talks more about this. And sleep is master at helping you to cleanse. While you sleep, your detox mechanisms are going full steam ahead and cleaning you up from the days debris. Between the hours of 11 and 1, your liver is especially active at detox, unless you’re still awake. Then you get hungry because of the increased metabolic fire that’s intended for detox. So sleep, especially before midnight is very important for cleansing
My challenges lately have been not taking enough time for fun and sleep. That’s why I started this challenge. I’m making progress, but as you’ll see below. I’m not perfect yet.
My report card from yesterday:
1- bed by midnight - I had so much to do with the WISH summit, Balance My Body Program and private client follow-up that I missed my deadline and made it to bed by 1:30am. Still, a lot earlier that I’d been doing before this challenge started. Progress, not perfection is my motto. The important thing is my awareness is there and I am not unconsciously staying up too late. Plus I feel so energetic at midnight.
2- running in the sun - it rained here so running up and down stairs was the best I could do
3- 15 minute fun break - my fun was creating a kelp noodle lunch!
4- 2 quarts green smoothie - this is easy for me by now. I love my green smoothies
My commitments for today
1- get out for a run in the sun (its sunny again)
2- finish writing a chapter in my new book
3- bed by 12:30 – I am being realistic here…knowing what needs to be completed
4- Green smoothies only ’til dinner
Are you joining the 3 day green detox challenge? What are your goals? What are you committed to today? Comment below and be sure to sign up here to be notified whenever I post a new article here so you don’t miss anything.
Subscribe to Dr. Ritamarie’s Creating Vibrant Health Blog
Love, health, joy and happy green detox to you.
(how appropriate that we begin on Saint Patrick’s Day, the day of the green.)
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, chronic fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, Exhaustion, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, fun, green smoothie, Raw Foods, sleep
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