Sleep as a Vehicle for Success: My 30 day Sleep Commitment: Day 1
I have a confession to make. I am an addict.
My drug of choice is adrenaline, and the rush of “getting things done”. And to get my fix, I stay up later than I should. I forgo sleep far too often — and that’s not good.
I have really good habits other wise
- My diet is pristine – no sugar, no processed foods, only fresh whole foods.
- I am committed to exercise. In fact I’ll admit it publicly – I love to sweat. I love to feel my muscles burn.
- I have a really simple stress transformation process and I rarely lose my cool any more. I’ve given up worry about the uncertainty the future holds.
But sleep? No matter how much I research and learn about the benefits of sleep and the dangers of lack of sleep, I persist in believing that it’s okay, because I “do everything else right”.
I kid myself into thinking it’s not hurting me.
I am fit; I am energetic; I am focused and strong.
Yet in spite of the fact that externally everything seems to be fine with me, I know there are things inside that are not.
My Bad Sleep Habits Put Me at Risk
I discovered an imbalance last fall, in the process of running my B4 Be Gone program, which is all about consistently making the diet and lifestyle choices that balance blood sugar and hormones, and result in increased energy, less fat around the middle and crystal clear mental functioning. I bought a brand new glucose meter so I could make a video and teach my class how to test their own blood sugar.
I tested myself and discovered that after eating fruit, my blood sugar readings rise into the diabetic range.
You can only imagine my shock, my horror and my dismay!
How could that be? I eat a pristine diet, I exercise and I manage stress. So what if I don’t sleep much?
“3 out of 4 ain’t bad.”
So I started to research sleep, and what I discovered was shocking!
Even one night of poor sleep can contribute to insulin resistance in a HEALTHY person!
Yikes. No wonder my sugars shot up to 167 after eating a bowl of fresh pineapple.
So I decided to sleep.
My goal was to go to bed by midnight most nights. That may not seem early to you, but for me it was at least 4 hours earlier than I was used to going to bed.
But I couldn’t start it the next day or the next because “I had too much to do.”
About a week later I tried the going to bed early thing.
And the next day I felt awful.
Tried it again the next day and same thing.
Next night I stayed up until 4AM and felt great the next day.
And then it hit me.
Adrenal Fatigue and Sleep
My adrenals are on the brink of disaster.
I had to do something.
Finally, I started going to bed by midnight regularly and was really enjoying it. That lasted a few weeks. Until I got so behind on a project that I “had to” stay up late and the addiction started all over again.
Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience with food?
My bad habits have returned, and I’ve been consistently going to bed between 4 and 6 and getting up between 8 and 9 every day for a couple of weeks now.
And although I feel great most of the day, I know it’s wearing me out.
I was called on it on a phone call today and in front of 50 people, I recommitted to myself.
I will put myself and my health first and get the sleep I need, even if it means falling behind on projects.
I also committed to keeping a sleep blog for 30 days. It takes about 21 days ot create a habit, so I figure 30 days gives me 9 for good measure.
If you too have a bad sleep habit to break, or any other habit to break for that matter, join me for a 30 day adventure.
I’ll post my bedtime daily along with a juicy nouget or two for good measure.
It’s 11:03 and as soon as I hit send I am off to bed.
Will you join me for a 30 Day Sleep Commitment?
What are you willing to commit to? Comment Below.
Love,Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, adrenaline, b4bgone, balance blood sugar, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, habit, hormones, insulin, insulin resistance, ritamarie, sleep
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue, Exhaustion, Insulin Resistance, Sleep for Vibrant Health
5 Cutting Edge Strategies to Balance Your Blood Sugar So You Can Melt Your Midline, Sharpen Your Focus, and Recharge Your Energy!
Do you find yourself wishing you could hit the snooze button instead of jumping out of bed feeling refreshed each morning?
Do you crave sugar, caffeine, or a NAP around 3 – 4 pm?
Have you been carrying around excess fat around your middle that won’t budge in spite of starving yourself and slaving away at the gym?
Whether you’re a busy professional or a professional mom, you need to stay focused and organized all day long and still have enough energy to say yes to enticing social events rather than falling into a heap because you can hardly keep your eyes open after working all day.
Watch this video to get the secret to more energy!
Register here!
Tags: 5 Cutting Edge Strategies, B4 Be Gone, B4 Be Gone System, Balance Your Blood Sugar, belly fat, blood sugar, blood sugar friendly, blood sugar imbalance, brain fog, Brain Fog and Burnout, burnout, Bye Bye Video Series, Bye-Bye B4, Bye-Bye Belly Fat, Bye-Bye Belly Fat Brain Fog and Burnout, Diabetes, diabetes raw food recipes, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, energy recharge, fatigue, insulin, insulin resistance, lose weight, low sugar raw food recipes, low-glycemic raw food recipes, meal timing, Melt Your Midline, mental clarity, prediabetes, raw food recipe sampler, Recharge Your Energy, ritamarie loscalzo, Sharpen Your Focus, weight loss
Posted in Brain Fog, Chronic Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, Exhaustion, Fatigue Treatment, Hormone Imbalance, Immune System Support, Reduce Belly Fat
“Going Steady” Blood Sugar Friendly Valentine’s Day Candy Raw Food Recipe
It’s Valentine’s Day today, and I have a lovely little surprise for you.
I’m sharing a recipe for low-glycemic chocolates for the special day!
They are yummy and contain no sweeteners, not even dates. They are sweetened with a hint of stevia and are perfect for diabetics (and for you if you have difficulty with candida overgrowth or other gut ailments, hypoglycemia, or insulin resistance).
Actually they’re good for everyone as too much sugar is not a good idea.
Try them!
“Going Steady” Blood Sugar Friendly Valentine’s Day Candies
Recipe adapted courtesy of Chef Karen Osborne from B4 Be Gone Recipe collection
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons almond butter, smooth
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/32 teaspoon sea salt, (a smidgen)
- 6 drops Sweet Leaf Whole Leaf Stevia Concentrate, plain or chocolate flavored
- 1 tablespoon raw carob powder or 1 tablespoons raw cacao, or 1/2 tablespoon each
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil, food grade
- 1/4 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Directions:
- Whisk or stir all ingredients in a bowl.
- Spoon into heart shaped candy molds.
- Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Tags: blood sugar, candy, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, raw chocolate, raw food candy, raw food chocolate, raw food dessert, Valentines day
Posted in Holiday Recipes, Raw Food Recipes, Raw Foods
The Great Meal Timing Debate!
Your body is designed to be able to go long periods of time without external sources of food. Elaborate mechanisms are in place to keep your blood sugar steady, involving your brain, your hormones, your stomach and your liver.
If you find yourself cranky and irritable if you miss a meal and have been told to eat more frequent, smaller meals to avoid this, you may have been steered in the wrong direction.
Getting cranky and irritable between meals is a sign that something’s out of balance.
Simply eating more frequently takes care of the symptoms, but not the underlying imbalance.
You never retrain your body to do what it’s supposed to do when you simply avoid the behavior that highlights the imbalance.
Eating Frequent, Small Meals May be Damaging to Your Health
The idea that eating every couple of hours keeps your blood sugar levels steady without the dips (and severe hunger that accompanies those dips) has become popular. In theory, you’ll eat less if you never let yourself get hungry enough to overeat.
Recent hormone research tells us that this is actually the worst way to eat for blood sugar balance and weight loss and can actually be damaging to your health.
Join me and find out how eating small meals could actually be causing insulin resistance…and leading you to more belly fat.
Click here to listen in to the radio show recording.
The Myths That Keep You From Feeling Miraculous
Registration for my hot new very controversial teleseminar, and video series was unfortunately delayed due to technology gremlins, The videos have been recorded but woefully need to be re-edited so we’ve delayed the launch until February 9, 2012. This series will address the myths and surprising misconceptions around the metabolic and blood sugar issues that have people confused and chronically ill. Even if you participated in last year’s series, you’ll find something new!
I’ve been intently studying blood sugar imbalances and all the hormones and lifestyle factors involved in creating and preventing them so I can bring you the most cutting edge information.
Once the series begins on February 9, the first video will come to you immediately. Then every day or two, another video will be released until right before my myth-busting teleseminar.
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
Another Easy Instant Action Step To Bring You into Balance
How did you do with the action step I sent you last week?
Remember, the one from my “Timing is Everything” strategy?
It was about having your last meal no later than three hours before bedtime.
If you found it hard, join the club. It’s difficult for everyone, yet yields phenomenal results when combined with the other strategies.
My new teleseminar and one of the videos will explain why this is so effective.
So this week, try another super effective step for balancing blood sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon liberally on your food. You heard me right. This common, every day spice is incredibly effective at restoring sensitivity of your cells to insulin, so you no longer have rapidly fluctuating blood sugars and the between meal irritability says bye-bye.
The registration page will be here:
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
The first 500 to register on February 9 can take advantage of another helpful resource.
The Recipes That Will Bring Your Inner Miracle Worker Back to Life
I’m going to make available a Bonus Recipe Sampler from my B4 Be Gone System for the first 500 people who register for the Bye-Bye B4 Video Series.
If you’re among the first to sign up for the free series on February 9th you can enjoy a taste of my delicious low-glycemic recipes designed to help heal your insulin receptors and restore your blood sugar balance.
You can ensure you receive your notice as soon as possible by registering for the early notification list here:
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
Have an awesome week.
I look forward to connecting on the teleseminar.
Tags: B4 Be Gone, B4 Be Gone System, belly fat, blood sugar, blood sugar friendly, blood sugar imbalance, brain fog, Brain Fog and Burnout, burnout, Bye-Bye Belly Fat, Diabetes, diabetes raw food recipes, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, eating frequent meals, eating small meals, fatigue, insulin, insulin resistance, low sugar raw food recipes, low-glycemic raw food recipes, meal timing, prediabetes, raw food radio show, raw food recipe sampler, ritamarie loscalzo
Posted in Hormone Imbalance, Reduce Belly Fat, Vibrant Health
Digestion and Diabetes: The Relationship That May be Damaging Your Inner Miracle Worker
Have you ever wondered what really happens inside your body after you eat?
It’s a complicated process that involves muscles, organs, hormones, enzymes, acids and a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
I am really glad that my conscious mind doesn’t need to get involved to make it happen… it just happens.
Imagine if half way through digesting my food I got distracted by a phone call? The food would likely just sit there until my next meal as I’d be apt to forget I was digesting and move on to other more exciting tasks.
There’s an Inner Miracle Worker Inside You
Your body is a miracle, and it handles all those things behind the scenes so you don’t have to be involved on a conscious level. It’s like having the world’s best personal assistant doing everything you need before you even know you need it.
It all runs smoothly and like clockwork… if you take care of yourself.
When you feed yourself the right fuel, move, sail through the day with joy and ease, and sleep well at night your “personal assistant” inside keeps things running well, so you feel energetic, clear, focused and full of life.
Ideas pop up and you’re able to run with them and create the life of your dreams. You look great. Your tummy is flat, your muscles are toned and strong, and YOU are unstoppable. You are unlimited.
But What If Your Inner Miracle Worker is Run-Down and Ragged?
If what I just described is not your life, then listen up.
It’s not your fault.
It’s not that you’re lazy or unmotivated.
It’s because you learned habits early on that caused you to make choices that basically poison your “feel good” mechanisms.
You were fed processed foods from early in childhood, even just out of the womb in some cases. The processed foods cannot come close to providing the nutrition offered by their fresh counterparts. “Made by nature” is always better than “made by machine”.
The processed foods early on interfered with your body’s ability to choose the foods that nourish your cells rather than excite your taste buds and drain your energy.
By the time you were six, chances are good that you had been on multiple courses of antibiotics and maybe had even begun to put on some excess weight. Like me, you were most likely addicted to foods like M&Ms, Cheetos, cookies, and soft drinks.
If so, you no longer were accessing the inner wisdom that guides you to eat, drink, and move in ways that bring balance.
Fast forward to today.
Perhaps the extra weight is your biggest concern. Maybe it’s your fear of life altering illnesses like heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. Or it might be your lack of energy and your inability to really enjoy things the way you used to.
Whatever it is you are striving for in your life, without your health the path will be obscure.
Are You Eating Yourself Sick?
So getting back to digestion…
When you’re out of balance, missing key nutrients, have eaten foods or engaged in activities that disrupt normal intestinal and hormone function, it’s as if you’re in charge and get distracted by a phone call.
Digestive enzymes become deficient or ineffective, your gut lining gets damaged and can no longer absorb all the nutrients in your food. Worse, it also allows foreign proteins to penetrate the disrupted intestinal membrane.
And you start to feel unwell.
Your energy drops.
Your mind gets foggy.
All the sugar and processed starch causes a spike in insulin. Over time, your cells become resistant to the insulin, and almost all the food you eat gets stored as fat.
The high sugar levels make your blood cells more sticky. The high insulin levels thicken the walls of your blood vessel and make them stiffer.
You are now a prime candidate for a heart attack or stroke.
You are on your way towards diabetes.
You May Not Know If You Have Diabetes Until There’s Damage
Diabetes is on the rise and prediabetes is almost an epidemic. Normal blood sugar balance is one of the prime casualties of an out of balance lifestyle.
The sad part is, you won’t be warned by your medical doctor until much of the damage has been done.
The reason?
The methods used to assess blood sugar imbalances, prediabetes (often called “insulin resistance“), and diabetes are based on standards that are too lenient.
There’s an ideal range for you blood sugar and the conventional standards give too much leeway.
The Myths That Keep You From Feeling Miraculous
On January 31st, 2012, I’ll be opening up registration for an all new and very controversial webinar that will address the myths and surprising misconceptions around the metabolic and blood sugar issues that have people confused and chronically ill. The webinar will be part of my updated free video series called Bye-Bye Belly Fat, Brain Fog and Burnout!
We’ll be sharing fresh, newly recorded videos, so even if you participated in last year’s series, you’ll find something new!
I am soooo excited about this.
The truth is so many of my family members have suffered and even died because they were not given the information I am about to share with you. It’s not that I didn’t offer. It’s just that they were afraid to go against the status quo.
I know you’re really open to the latest and greatest health information or you wouldn’t be reading my newsletter.
Registration opens on January 31st at around noon, pacific time. I will send you an e-mail message when registration opens, but if you’d like to get your notice and access a little early, be sure to register for early notification:
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
Once the series begins on January 31st, the first video will come to you immediately. Then every day or two, another video will be released until right before my myth-busting teleseminar on Feb 9th, 2012.
I’ve been intently studying blood sugar imbalances and all the hormones and lifestyle factors involved in creating and preventing them so I can bring you the most cutting edge information.
In the videos and on the teleseminar, I’ll share 5 simple strategies you can start to incorporate right away.
An Easy Step To Help Heal Your Inner Miracle Worker
For now, I would like to close with a small piece of one of the strategies you can get started on right away.
It’s from my “Timing is Everything” strategy.
It’s going to sound really simple, and I know you’ve heard it before.
During the Bye-Bye B4 Video Series, I will share the details about how and why this strategy works. Its effectiveness has to do with hormone balance and your body’s detoxification mechanisms.
Stop eating at least 3 hours before you go to bed.
There should be 12 hours between dinner/supper and breakfast.
Go ahead and try it.
Once we open up registration, we’ll have a blog area where you can post your experiences. Start slowly if this is hard. Increase the time between dinner and bed time by 15 minutes each day until you’ve reached your goal.
Then when you come to the training call and watch the videos, you’ll learn how this affects your hormones, blood sugar, brain chemistry and detoxification. You’ll understand how proper meal timing protects you from life threatening diseases like diabetes, heart attack and stroke.
The registration page will be here:
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
The Recipes That Will Bring Your Inner Miracle Worker Back to Life
If you act quickly, you can take advantage of another helpful resource.
I’m going to make available a Bonus Recipe Sampler from my B4 Be Gone System for the first 500 people who register for the Bye-Bye B4 Video Series. If you’re among the first to sign up on January 31st for the free series, you can enjoy a taste of my delicious low-glycemic recipes designed to help heal your insulin receptors and restore your blood sugar balance.
You can ensure you receive your notice as soon as possible by registering for the early notification list here:
http://www.ByeByeBloodSugarImbalance.com
Tags: belly fat, blood sugar, brain fog, burnout, Diabetes, digestion, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, fatigue, insulin, insulin resistance, low-glycemic raw food recipes, prediabetes, raw food recipe sampler, reduce belly fat, weightloss
Posted in Brain Fog, Chronic Fatigue, Fatigue Treatment, Reduce Belly Fat
