30 Day Fun and Sleep Challenge: A Big Day of Fun Goes a Long Way Towards Happy Adrenals.

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on March 7, 2010 – 12:05 pm -

What a day! I had intended to get this posted this morning, but time escaped me. Between making breakfast for the kids and preparing for my Balance My Body webinar, I ran out of cycles.

After messing up on several of my comittments yesterday, I made up for it today! Seems FUN was taking the brunt of my unfulfilled commitments all week, but last night and today really made up for it.

After the Balance My Body webinar, I drove my son (or rather he drove me!!! He has his learner’s permit) to a friend’s house then went downtown to our beautiful hike and bike trail and did a 4 mile run around the lake.

Afterwards, I went to whole foods and bought some lovely vegetables. I was on my way to pick up my son and his friend frm the movies, when my husband called and let me knw that he could do it. So I stopped by Borboletta’s, one of Austin’s raw foods cafes, which recently changed management, to check out the changes. Low and behold, I ran into one of my students who’s become a dear friend. We sat and chatted, while eating drinking green smoothies and eating delicious raw and living foods, like kale salad, for hours.

I put in a couple of hours of work and now I’m off to hottub with the family and then go to bed.

A successful self care day on all fronts!

Here’s my report card for Friday:

Exercise 30 minutes - FLOP – all I did was a few minutes of weights
Fun: Quality time with my husband – a date for dinner at Beets Cafe! Yipee. It was great. We had a lovely dinner and good conversation.
Water – 8 cups Success
Get myself signed up to take the Vibrant Health Mindset Course and recommit to my own goals. Didn’t quite makt it and will move this to tomorrow.
Bed by midnight – Superflop. The evening out and a 2 hour excursion with my almost 16 year old son took time from a commitment I had to make. I taught a webinar class thsi morning for my Balance My Body group, and needed to prepare the case studies, and get everything set up, plus I needed to finish the maintenence Plan for the 6 week detox, as promised. Thus I got to bed at 2. I did sleep until 8 so this is still a better night’s sleep than I was getting last week. Progress not perfection.

Saturday’s Commitments…made this morning but posted in the evening:

Fun – 30 minutes
Exercise – longer run – 4 miles
bed by midnight
Hot-tub or Sauna before bed

How did you do yesterday? What are your commitments for today? Comment below.

Enjoy!

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, exercise, green smoothie, livingfoods, raw foods
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles | 1 Comment »

Share and Enjoy:

Leaky Gut and Candida: Get Your Tract Back on Track!

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on January 13, 2010 – 8:49 pm -

Abdominal pain, bloating,constipation, eczema, allergies…all these and more are symptoms of leaky gut and candida. It sounds kind of scary, doesn’t it? Can I leave the house with a leaky gut? Is it messy? What’s actually leaking and where does it leak to?

Leaky gut is a very common condition of the small intestine. A leaky gut has been damaged and thus allows larger food molecules and toxins to readily enter the blood stream.

Rest assured, while leaky gut can have some very serious health complications, it’s generally not life threatening….at least not in the short term. And nothing is leaking out of you, so no one can tell that you have it unless you tell them. What’s leaking is the some of the contents of the small intestine, and where it’s leaking into is the blood stream.

These symptoms are, not surprisingly, very similar to the symptoms of candida overgrowth. And, the symptoms are not confined to the gut!

Treatment for leaky gut and candida are very similar since both are caused by an overload of toxins that your body just doesn’t have the resources to get rid of.

Tune in today, Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 12:30pm CST to my radio show, Creating a Vibrant Life as I discuss leaky gut and candida. There will be a Q&A session so come prepared with questions!

www.blogtalkradio.com/dr-ritamarie

Tags: cleansing programs, detoxification programs, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, immune system, Leaky Gut, living foods, livingfoods, raw foods, raw foods detox, raw foods diet
Posted in Leaky Gut | No Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

Holiday Health Gifts

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on December 24, 2009 – 7:09 am -

Christmas is just 2 days away and that’s the day I’m drawing the winners names for my big raffle. Will your name be amongst the winners?

Here’s the scoop. I’ll be giving away the following prizes:

1- An e-book of your choice (value up to $29.95)

2- Eat Your Way Out of Pain Home Study Course (Value $67)

3- Lifetime Membership in Dr. Ritamarie’s Green Cleanse Program (Value $97)

4- A 20 minute private consultation (Value $150)

5- A complimentary membership in my new “Balancing Nutrition Self Assessment Program” (Value $397)

As you can see, these are valuable prizes! And I’ll post the winners names(and website if you’d like) on the Monday after Christmas.

SO how do you enter the raffle?

There are 2 ways

1- Make any purchase between now and December 24th at midnight and you’ll be automatically entered into the raffle. Each separate purchase counts as a separate entry.

Use Coupon Code 15ebook and receive 15% off any item on this page:

http://drritamarie.com/EBookOrderForm.htm

2- Purchase a raffle ticket for only $7.
http://www.drritamarie.com/go/raffle

***I’ll donate 25% of all raffle ticket purchases to Safe Space, a local charity that protects battered women and children.

http://www.drritamarie.com/go/raffle

I wish you a peaceful, joyful and very healthy Holiday Season.

If you’re ready to create the best possible health in 2010, check this out

http://www.drritamarie.com/go/Health

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah,Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yule or whatever you celebrate this time of year!

Love, Health and Gratitude,

Dr. Ritamarie

Tags: cleansing programs, detoxification programs, gluten free holiday, green smoothie, living foods, livingfoods
Posted in Articles, Gluten Free Diet, Gluten Free recipes, Raw and Living Foods Recipes, living foods, raw foods | No Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

Conquering Food Cravings: Stop Sugar Cravings and Overcome Adrenal Exhaustion

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on November 3, 2009 – 12:18 pm -

What causes food cravings…you don’t really need the sugar and bread, do you? The cravings for food you you can’t seem to control are a cry from your body for help. What really causes food cravings is a deficiency of one of your basic needs. When nutrients are out of balance, your body craves food to rebuild its stores. When you respond to the cravings with sugar, starches and nutritionally depleted and harmful foods, you add stress to your body, which burdens your adrenal glands. So giving in to food cravings can contribute to adrenal exhaustion.

Learn why and and how breaking free from emotional eating and providing the nutrition you really need will stop cravings in their tracks. By supplying your body with the building blocks of a healthy mind and body, you allow your adrenals to rebuild, your fatigue and exhaustion improve and the cravings lessen.

Question of the Day: What do you crave and how do you handle it when the craving gets really strong? Post your answer in the comments box below.

Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, emotional eating, fatigue symptoms, food cravings, green smoothie, living foods, raw foods diet, stop cravings, sugar, sugar cravings
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, green smoothies | 4 Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

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

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on October 20, 2009 – 2:00 pm -

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

Tags: Add new tag, children's health, cleansing programs, detoxification programs, flu protection, gluten free, green smoothie, Halloween, Halloween treats, holiday diet, living foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, raw foods, swine flu protection, swine flu vaccine
Posted in Healthy Smoothies, Raw and Living Foods Recipes, green smoothies, healthy holiday | No Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

Quick and Easy Heathy Meals: Raw and Living Foods, Gluten Free Daiy Free Power Breakfast Ideas

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on September 16, 2009 – 5:39 am -

One of the bigget myths I encounter related to eating healthfully is that it takes a lot of time. In reality, it’s actually pretty quick to put together a satisfying and delicious meal made of fresh, whole living food . You can do it in a matter of minutes.

If you’re looking for quick and easy breakfast ideas, my new book “Power Breakfast Ideas: Start Your Day with the Energizing Magic of Fresh, Whole Living Foods” is loaded with ideas. From Green beginnings to quick and energizing chia pudding the recipes are all gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and filled with whole raw living food goodness. And the photos are gorgeous. It feels good to eat foods that not only taste great, but look beautiful as well.

Here’s a video of my friends Kevin and Ann Marie Gianni of Renegadehealth.com making my favorite recipe of all, Apple Ginger Medley:

Apple Ginger Medley from Dr. Ritamarie’s Power Breakfast Ideas Book

Here’s the recipe

Apple Ginger Breakfast Medley

This recipe is very satiating. I feel full for many hours after eating it.

Ingredients

1 – 2 apples, finely diced
¼ cup almonds, soaked and chopped
¼ inch piece of ginger, minced
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Toppings: (Your choice) cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut flakes, raisins, hemp seeds, etc.

Optional Sauce:

1 tablespoon coconut cream
½ tablespoon flax oil
1-2 pitted medjool dates, soaked for a few minutes in 1/4 cup water to soften
1 teaspoon raw cacao powder (optional – for chocolate sauce)

Directions:

Make the topping by blending coconut cream concentrate, flax oil, dates and chocolate (if desired) until smooth and creamy. Add a small amount of date soaking water if needed to make it pourable.
Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

Preparation tips

Apples, ginger and almonds can be chopped in a food processor or using a food chopper tool. I use one from Pampered Chef.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.PowerBreakfastIdeas.com

Tags: gluten free, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, Kevin Gianni, living foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, raw foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, whole foods
Posted in Gluten Free Diet, Gluten Free recipes, Raw Foods classes, living foods, raw foods | 2 Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

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

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 29, 2009 – 3:03 pm -

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

Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, cleansing programs, detoxification programs, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, living foods, livingfoods, raw foods, raw foods recipes, vegan foods, whole foods
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Gluten Free Diet, Healthy Smoothies, Raw and Living Foods Recipes, cleansing programs, exhaustion, fatigue treatment, green smoothies, living foods, raw foods | 1 Comment »

Share and Enjoy:

Comfort Foods Raw Vegan Style: Foods that Nourish and Energize

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 28, 2009 – 9:02 pm -

Being tired is one of those emotional triggers that can lead you down a path of poor food choices, emotional alienation and lack of joy.

Turning to diet as part of the solution is definitely worth consideration, especially since the most common foods in America and the Western World are energy depleting and contribute to chronic fatigue and degenerative disease.

If you’re like most people, you desire the outcome that a healthy lifestyle offers, yet you crave the comfort foods of your past.

My most successful patients, students and clients are the ones who learn to recreate their favorite comfort foods in new ways…ways that support their health rather than deplete it.

As part of the Fatigue Freedom Formula that I teach, I recommend creating your healthy living toolkit. One of the “tools” in the kit is a collection of delicious and satisfying recipes. My e-books contain such recipes and many of my patients and students report that using these gluten free raw and living foods recipes has helped them to make healthier choices on a more consistent basis, and as a result overcome the fatigue issues that prevent them from fully living their lives.

Even more powerful than reading and following recipes is attending a live workshop. During my classes, participants not only watch and taste the delicious foods created right before their eyes, but they also get to participate and make foods of their own.

One of the most important food groups is greens. Including them as a large part of your daily diet not only enhances your energy and can help reverse adrenal fatigue, but protects you from cancer as well. Greens can be incorporated into a variety of comfort foods, from chips to desserts. Have you ever tried Kale Spirulina Brownies?

I am excited to be hosting a class on Tuesday June 2, 2009 with Jackie and Gideon Graff of Georgia. They’ll be preparing a 6 course meal of Country Barbecue style fare. The class will be live in Austin, Texas and will be also webcast, so you can participate from around the globe!

If you come to the live class, you’ll be rewarded with a 6 course meal! I’m excited to be hosting the Graffs. The were the owners of the Sprout Cafe in Atlanta, until they decided to take their show on the road and teach their delicious cuisine while travelling in their RV.

You can find out more about the class and the Graffs at my website on the Classes page. I’m looking forward to the experience of the Country Barbecue Living Foods Class with Gideon and Jackie Graff
.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com

Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, cancer, chronic fatigue, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, living foods, livingfoods, raw foods, raw foods recipes
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Chronic Stress, Gluten Free Diet, Raw and Living Foods Recipes, cancer, exhaustion, fatigue treatment, raw foods | No Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

How Do YOU Protect Yourself From Cancer?

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 27, 2009 – 12:52 pm -

Cancer effects an alarming 42% of Americans, and that number is on the rise. That’s a scary statistic, isn’t it?

Would you like to be another statistic, or would you rather shift your odds in favor of cancer prevention rather than cancer promotion?

Diets high in red meat and low in green vegetables are associated with increased colon cancer risk. This according to the Journal of Carcinogenesis.

Green vegetables have been shown to have cancer protective effects when eaten regularly and in significant amounts.

In particular, broccoli sprouts have been linked to protection from just about every kind of cancer known to modern science. There are studies showing a protective effect in regards to stomach cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. Apparently they contain a compound called sulforaphane, which protects cells from injury.

Other greens in the brassica family are also cancer protective. Cabbage has been shown to protect against breast cancer as a result of compounds called glucosinolates and an enzyme called myrosinase.

So what other benefits do greens have? Well, they are packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, zinc, folate, lutein, beta carotene, chlorophyll and protein. Yes, protein. Greens contain a large percentage of calories as protein. For example, broccoli is over 50% protein.

Green vegetables are the food most missing from modern diets, even those considered among the healthiest. The standard American diet is approximately 5% greens. A healthy percentage is considered to be close to 50%, which is about what chimpanzees eat.

Green vegetables have many life giving properties. In addition to cancer protection, greens strengthen the blood and immune systems, and fight depression naturally by supplying a plethora of nutrients needed to make neurotransmitters.

The fiber in raw greens help to keep the digestive tract moving, and many people report that greens are energy-giving foods, increasing mental clarity and sustaining energy. Foods in the brassica family…broccoli, kale, mustard greens, cauliflower, and cabbage, have been shown to speed the liver’s ability to detoxify ingested toxins.

Do YOU eat enough greens?

Studies show that those who eat greens daily are overall healthier than those who don’t.

Would you like to learn creative and fun ways to include more greens in your daily diet? I’ve teamed up with Chef Alicia Ojeda to bring you the most comprehensive class on greens available.

In this class we’ll teach you you many ways to include the greens in your diet, including salads, soups, dips, dressings, marinades, slaws, roll-ups, smoothies and desserts. YES DESSERTS! You CAN make delicious deserts that include greens! We’ll give you he scoop on sea vegetables, the richest mineral source of all, and show you delicious and easy ways to prepare them.

http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass

(One of my favorite ways to eat greens is kale chips, which we’ll teach you in this class. ) The kale brownies are amazing, too!!!.

Here’s the details.

http://www.drritamarie.com/GreenClass

This class will be presented live and in person, with a hands on sprouting segment, and broadcast over the web as well.

I hope you can join us in person on June 14, but if you can’t, sign up for the webcast and recordings.

Special pricing applies until June 1, and you’ll get access to the recordings of the webcast if you attend the live class.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Tags: Add new tag, cancer, fatigue, green leafy vegetables, green smoothie, green vegetables, greens, living foods, raw foods, whole foods
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Raw and Living Foods Recipes, cancer, fatigue treatment, living foods, raw foods | No Comments »

Share and Enjoy:

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

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 2, 2009 – 1:08 pm -

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.