New Findings About Vitamin D, An Often Overlooked Cause of Fatigue, Depression and Chronic Disease

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on May 13, 2009 – -

Vitamin D is being researched more and more and deficiencies have been found to be rampant in our Western World. Vitamin D is called the Sunshine Vitamin because your body can make it when exposed to sufficient sunshine.

Vitamin D3 is actually a steroid hormone formed when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. UVB converts a cholesterol derivative in your skin into vitamin D3.

Controversy abounds about just the right amount of sunshine needed to produce adequate Vitamin D, and most experts are now recommending testing and supplementation for those that are low.

If you live in the tropics and spend most of your time outdoors, chances are good you have plenty of vitamin D. If you live in Alaska, or Seattle, chances are that you don’t. For those of us in between, how do we know?

A simple blood test can test for vitamin D levels. I’ve been recommending that you can rely on mother nature if you are exposed to sun over 25% or more of your body 20 minutes or more each day. On the days when this is not true, take a supplement. Liquid D3 seems to be the most effective.

Today I ran across an article by Dr. Joe Mercola and I was shocked at the title, which said that exposure to sunshine could decrease your vitamin D levels.

Turns out that window glass  filters out the majority of UVB radiation, but it minimally filters out UVAs. Vitamin D3 is formed from exposure to UVB rays.   UVA radiation destroys vitamin D.

Whoa, hold on. Being indoors not only keeps you from making the Vitamin D you need but destroys the Vitamin D you already have! Wow.   This is actually a clever method that nature has to prevent Vitamin D overload. It helps destroy excess vitamin D when you’re outside a lot.

When you are outside, you get BOTH UVA and UVB, so there is a balance. When you’re exposed to sunlight through windows you get the UVA but almost no UVB. To make matters worse, UVA increases oxidative stress. So working indoors and driving in a car can lead to health challenges. All the more reason to retire to the beach.

UVA is a primary player in skin cancer. It also what causes you to tan and leads to photo aging of your skin.

Dr. Leonard Smith discovered that increasing his vitamin D levels resulted in the resolution of skin conditions such as moles and basal cell carcinoma.

Vitamin D and Showering

Another interesting tidbit about Vitamin D that Dr. Mercola wrote about was the association between Vitamin D levels and showering with soap.

It turns out that the Vitamin D3 formed on the surface of your skin does not immediately get absorbed into your bloodstream. It actually takes up to 48 hours to absorb the majority of the vitamin D you made as a result of sun exposure.

So, if you shower with soap, you’ll wash away a lot of the vitamin D3 your skin generated. Since you are not likely to want to go so long without a shower, Dr. Mercola recommends that you reserve the soap for your armpits and groin, and wash the rest of your body with plain water. I usually do that anyway, so I’m happy to hear that there’s a benefit beyond saving money on soap!

In summary, here’s how to ensure that you get adequate Vitamin D levels:

• Get safe outdoor sun exposure or use a tanning bed, 20 minutes a day. Just be careful to avoid getting sunburned.
• If you can’t or won’t get adequate sunlight, take a liquid Vitamin D3 supplement. Just be sure to get your vitamin D levels checked regularly, to be sure you are dosing porperly. You can get the testing done without a doctor’s prescription at www.directlabs.com.
• If you shower after sun exposure, avoid soaping exposed areas for for at least two days, to maximize the absorption of vitamin D in your skin.

Vitamin D needs to be taken seriously. Deficiencies can lead to many health challenges including heart disease, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, hypertension, arthritis, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, PMS, Crohns Disease, cancer, MS and other autoimmune diseases.

So go have some fun and get your vitamin D levels optimized.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

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Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Exhaustion, Fatigue Treatment, Gluten Free Diet, Vitamins and Minerals | 3 Comments »

“Announcing: 90 Days to Vibrant Energy — — Dr. Ritamarie’s Personalized Coaching Program for Optimizing Your Energy, Rebalancing Your Body and Giving You Back Your Life…”

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on February 19, 2009 – -

Have you ever thought about things you might be doing if you just had more time and energy to get to them?

Did you ever wish you were one of those people who could jump out of bed every morning, enthusiastic about starting a new day?

Perhaps you’ve been struggling with fatigue and exhaustion for as long as you can remember, or maybe you’re just feeling a little more tired than you used to and you’d like to have more energy for living your life with purpose and pleasure.

Either way,  I have some very important news for you.

Exciting News For Fatigue Sufferers

(And People Who’d Like to Have Maximum Energy)

I’m going to do my best to contain my excitement here, but quite frankly, that’s hard to do.   You see, to say that  I’m passionate about what I’m about to tell you would be an understatement.

Maybe you’ve been told that it’s “normal”  to be less than boundlessly energetic at “your age”.  Or perhaps you’ve been told that you have chronic fatigue, or fibromyalgia,  or hormone imbalances or low thyroid or depression or adrenal fatigue, and you’ll just have to learn to live with it, or take medication to keep it from getting worse.

The good news (or should I say GREAT news) is that you have within you the ability to make it better.  You see, it’s not your fault.  You just haven’t been given the tools and the guidance to uncover the underlying causes of your fatigue.  You haven’t been taught how to fix your broken energy producing systems and regain your vim, vigor and lust for living.

Vibrant Energy is Yours for The Asking When You Apply Dr. Ritamarie’s Simple, Proven Strategy

I’ve coached many people, possibly even some just like you, who are so grateful to be really living again, and accomplishing things they never thought possible.

Like the 33 year old woman who spent her days on the couch, unable to do even  the simplest of  tasks, like making lunch, without becoming exhausted.  Now she is a highly paid IT consultant, takes art classes and teaches communication seminars on weekends.  Talk about getting your life back.

Or the special education teacher with fatigue related to thyroid problems, who’s cysts have shrunk and thyroid tests begun to normalize.  Oh, yeah, she’s now teaching the power of fresh whole foods to her friends and colleagues.  Plus she’s taking classes so that she can become a health educator and counselor and help others just as she’s been helped.

HIPAA regulations (privacy in medicine)  prevent me from revealing their names in public, but their stories  and those of hundreds of others like them, fill the file cabinets in my office.

You’ll be amazed to hear that the answers are quite simple

1- Identify and Remove the underlying causes of your fatigue

2- Repair the damage that’s been caused by these causes

3- Add back in the diet and lifestyle factors that have been missing and balance what’s out of balance

4- Create a support structure to insure that your new habits stick with you for life

Chances Are You’ve Heard the Expression “You  ARE What You Eat!”

But have you ever really thought about it?

The foods that you eat make a huge difference in your quality of life. But what are the right foods?

Identifying the right foods for YOU is an important part of solving the puzzle, but there’s more. Just eating the right foods doesn’t guarantee that you’re digesting and absorbing the right foods.  And if you don’t get the nutrients INTO your cells, you can’t extract the energy from them, and you’ll still be tired.   To get the nutrients into your cells requires optimizing your digestion, immune system and hormonal systems, as well as enjoying low stress mealtimes.

And I’m not just preaching at you. About 25 years ago, I was like just like most of you.  I was fueling myself on caffeine and sugar, burning the candle at both ends, and was plagued by nagging symptoms like sinus congestion, heartburn,  headaches and fatigue.  My weight fluctuated weekly, as I yo-yo’ed between the latest fad diet and binging till it hurt.  Quite frankly I was a mess.

Until I discovered the connection between what I was eating and how I was living my life and how I was feeling.  I experimented for years, devouring every book, tape and article I could find on health and nutrition.  I was determined to fix my broken body, and after I did, I gave up my successful career in high tech and went back to school to earn the privilege of helping others to repair theirs too.

Using whole, fresh, plant based foods, mostly alive and raw, in proper proportion for my body’s unique needs, along with detoxification, stress transformation methods, exercise, attitude and a green environment, I completely transformed my health.  Now, in my fifties, I have boundless energy without any caffeine and I lead a joyous and fulfilling life, showing others to do the same.

The Cure is Right Under Your Nose

It’s in the kitchen, the bedroom and at the office.  It’s at your local grocers, in your garden and at the park.  It’s literally all around you, in the activities you do EVERY day.  And it’s not exactly rocket science, but because you’ve been so inundated by the wrong messages, that it’s hard to see it clearly.

The hardest part about overcoming your health and energy challenges is that almost everyone around you is stuck in “wrong thinking”.  They’re still believing that what you eat, drink, breathe and thing has no effect on how you feel, so they’re stuck in the old patterns.

When you decide to get unstuck, you need to get the right support guidance, not only to get you started, but to keep you on path, even when everyone else around you is doing it differently.

Once you experience my 7 step process, you’ll have learned the habits that will make you feel like you actually DID trade in your tired, used  body for an energetic new one.

Your friends will be asking you what you’re doing (and you’ll be excited to share).

Introducing Dr. Ritamarie’s 90 days to Vibrant Energy

For the next 48 hours I’ll be offering a limited number of spots in my newly developed 90 days to Vibrant Energy coaching and support program.

All of the spots in the gold membership program have already been filled. I have just a few remaining spots in the silver level program, but I have a feeling that they won’t last.

If this program feels right for you, you won’t hesitate.  You may have heard enough to make a decision that you’re ready to sign on board, regardless of the cost.  If so, click here to grab your spot before they are all snatched up.

I’m Ready.  Please Secure Me One of The LAST Remaining Spots

Sounds Good So Far, So tell Me More

If you’re thinking that this sounds great, but are wondering just what it entails, and whether you can afford it, then read on.

The purpose of this 90 day program is to show you how to uncover the underlying causes of your low energy or sub-optimal health.  Throughout our 90 days together you’ll be systematically guided through assessment of all your major organ and glandular systems.

You’ll be shown how to balance and optimize your hormones, rest/movement cycles, digestion, detoxification system, immune system, neurotransmitters and stress response and cellular energy metabolism.

You’ll be guided to make diet and lifestyle changes at your own pace.  You’ll be shown how to determine the correct foods for your body, including not only what to eat, but when to eat as well.

You’ll get in touch with just how much you’re missing out on because your health is not the best it can be,  and be gently guided to take action and create a life that brings you comfort, joy and fulfilling relationships.

At the end of our 90 days together you’ll feel a renewed sense of well being and experience a level of energy that far exceeds what you experience today…without the use of stimulants.

As a result you’ll see improvements in your relationships, your work performance and your participation in recreational activities.  You’ll be playing more often with your kids or grandkids, if you have them.

You’ll have the energy to socialize and have fun in the evenings instead of crashing in front of the TV, or into bed.

You’ll find yourself less snappy and irritable and thus enjoy your relationships more.

You’ll be leaner and more fit, and able to make decisions and focus more easily.

You’ll be celebrating reaching the 90 day bold goal that you’ll set at the outset of the program.

Exactly What Will Be Included In Your 90 Days to Vibrant Health Program with Dr. Ritamarie?

If you’ve read this far, you’re either ready to sign up NOW, or you still have some reservations.

If you’re ready to sign up now, here’s the link to click on to grab your spot before they are all snatched up.

I’m Ready.  Please Secure Me One of The LAST Remaining Spots

The most common concerns people have are about time and money.  So let’s address both of these head on.

“How Much Time Will This Take?”

You might be thinking, I just don’t have time for this right now.  I have this social obligation, and that family event and……..

Face it, the time will never be right.  If you wait for just the right time to take charge of your health and do what you need to do to overcome fatigue and exhaustion and become vibrantly energetic and fulfilled with your life, it’s just not going to happen.

And you’re likely to still be in the same place you’re in now…10 years , 20 years, even 30 years from now.  Or, scary thought, you’re likely to be feeling a lot worse as time goes on IF you keep doing what  got you here in the first place.

The actual time commitment for the calls and actions you’ll be asked to take averages out to about an hour a day.  Some days a little more, some days a little less.   If you don’t think you can rearrange a few things for the next 90 days to free up an hour or so a day, then please click on the little X in the upper right hand corner of this page to leave now, because this program is not for you.

Now, you might be totally convinced that Dr. Ritamarie’s information is the best out there. And you might be chomping at the bit to get personalized coaching from her.  You might have known it before you ever even read my letter. But you’re probably thinking,

“How Much Is This Going To Cost Me?”

To tell you the truth, I really struggled trying to figure out what to price this at.

I mean, it’s taken me many years of research and thousands of hours of experience to distill the vast information bank of information into a 90 day experience.   Plus, you’ll be getting personal time from me, and materials it’s taken me years to create.

To say nothing about how this program has the ability to completely transform your life.  If I were to ask CM,  the IT consultant I talked about earlier, what value she’d place on having her life back, she’s say “priceless”.

How many years would it , or has it taken you on your own to put together a plan for yourself ?  And  putting the plan together is only part of the solution.  The part that seems to be the hardest is following through.    How many times have you started but not finished a health restoration program or diet of some sort, only to throw in the towel because it was hard to do on your own, without support?

While I can’t guarantee that your life will be transformed just by signing up (after all you still must take action), I do guarantee to guide you in the right direction and offer resources and support to empower you to take charge of your life for the next 90 days, and beyond if you let me.

How much is it worth to you to wake up every day with a smile on your face, filled with energy and enthusiasm?

How much would you pay to be able to do all the hobbies, vacations, and activities that you love without the limits that being tired place on you?

So let’s recap everything you’re getting, including quick action bonuses (see the blue box above for details):

1.	6  teleclasses with Dr. Ritamarie, including action guides, recordings, and transcripts
2.	5 small group coaching sessions with personal coaching from Dr. Ritamarie
3.	3 private quick question calls with Dr. Ritamarie
4.	Private support forum for interaction with other students, Dr. Ritamarie and her team
5.	Menu plans, health assessments, assessments of all of your major body systems, and many more resources
6.	Cleansing and Detoxification Guidance
7.	Dr. Ritamarie’s Recipe e-book collection and Green Cleanse package
8.	Resonance Repatterning Session
9.	Transforming Stress and Pain Management Self Study Courses
10	Virtual Retreat Day with Dr. Ritamarie
11	Free membership in Stepping Stones Coaching Club
12	Dr.  Ritamarie’s care, support and loving Guidance and plenty of unannounced goodies

The value here is easily in the thousands of dollars.

But because I’m dedicated to helping others like you to experience the freedom and joy that having great health and energy has given me,   I won’t be charging $2000 like I could.

In fact  I won’t even charge $1000. I want to make this program affordable and accessible, so I’m charging

$897 ….
For EVERYTHING when you pay in full

And to make it even more accessible, there are 3 payment plans for you to choose from.

¨ PAYMENT PLAN 1 “4- pay Option”	¨ PAYMENT PLAN 2 “2-Pay Option”	¨ PAYMENT PLAN 3 “Full Pay Option”
4 Payments of $247 TOTAL  $998 First payment charged immediately.   Remaining payments begin one month later and continue for 3 months Click HERE to enroll  pay in 4 installments of $247	2 Payments of $477 TOTAL  $954 First payment  charged immediately. 2nd payment will be charged one month later. Click HERE to enroll and pay in 2 installment $477	1 Payment of $897 Charged  immediately Click HERE to enroll and pay 1 payment of $897

Ask yourself honestly if this is the right time for you.  Quite frankly, I only want to invest my time working with you if you are ready and willing to take action and create your own health,  No excuses, no blaming others.  Just you stepping up to the plate and allowing me to guide you, following through as best you can, asking for direction along the way and being willing to take small but calculated steps that add up to big results.

If you’re ready to play with me, pick your payment option and let’s get started.  I’m so looking forward to adding you to the amazing group that’s already stepped up and joined the team.

Click HERE to enroll  pay in 4 installments of $247

Click HERE to enroll and pay in 2 installment $477

Click HERE to enroll and pay 1 payment of $897

Love, Health and Joy ,

Ritamarie

Dr. Ritamarie

The Women’s Fatigue Expert and Vibrant Health Mentor

P.S. The quality of your life–relationships, career, recreation — is directly proportional to the quality of your health.  It is hard to be successful, happy and fulfilled in your relationships when you are feeling sluggish, uncomfortable and unfit. Your health is directly proportional to the quality of the nutrients, thoughts and environment that you frequent.   The longer you wait to bring your body into balance,  the more you put your health at risk.

If you’re ready to live to your highest potential, then sign up now:

Click HERE to enroll  pay in 4 installments of $247

Click HERE to enroll and pay in 2 installment $477

Click HERE to enroll and pay 1 payment of $897

www.FreshnFunLiving.com
Austin, Texas 78730

© 2008 Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo. MS, DC, CCN, DACBN All Rights Reserved.

“Creating Vibrant Health One Delicious Bite at a Time’

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Simple Ways To Eat Your Way Out Of Pain And Inflammation

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on October 6, 2008 – -

In  all the years I’ve been working with people with autoimmune and inflammatory health challenges, I’ve always been amazed at just how many people believe that what you eat has no effect on how much pain and inflammation you experience. Well, I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth.

It breaks my heart to see so many people needlessly suffering. The worst part of all is that it just doesn’t have to be this way. A few simple changes in the way you eat can result in dramatic improvements in how you feel, sometimes in a matter of days.

If you think of inflammation as the fire and your body’s defense against it as fire fighters, you can look at food in a whole new way.  Certain foods increase the fire and paralyze the firefighters. Other foods decrease the fire and strengthen the firefighters.  Wouldn’t if be nice to know the pain-free recipes from the pain-ful recipes?

Anti-inflammatory drugs work by decreasing your body’s production of inflammatory chemicals called prostaglandins. You can think of the inflammatory prostaglandins as the fire. The problem with taking the drugs is that they also disable the firefighters, also known as anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. What that means is that as soon as you stop taking the drugs, the inflammation comes back, sometimes worse than before because now your firefighters are sleeping on the job.

Choosing the right foods can either dramatically increase inflammation, pain and stiffness, or decrease it. There are many ways to manage inflammation without medication. I’d like to share three of them with you.

1) Give yourself an oil change. The fats you eat can dramatically affect the amount of inflammation your body produces. The most inflammatory fats are Trans fats, found in partially hydrogenated oils and all heated polyunsaturated vegetable oils. These are in all processed and packaged foods – cookies, crackers, desserts and prepackaged meals. Meat, poultry, milk and peanuts contain arachidonic acid, the precursor to inflammatory prostaglandins. Avoid these for a few weeks and notice how much better you feel. Deep ocean fish contain anti-inflammatory fats, but the FDA warns against consuming fish more than once a week, due to risk of heavy metal contamination. Flax, chia and hemp seeds, green leafy vegetables and sea vegetables also contain anti-inflammatory fats, and are safe to consume daily.

2) Eat anti-oxidant and mineral rich, alkalizing fresh fruits and vegetables. To make more firefighters, you need B- vitamins, Vitamin C and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. Processed foods are deficient in these key nutrients and they also deplete your stores of the B vitamins. Fresh vegetables and fruits alkalize your body and provide you with the vitamins and minerals you need to make more fire-fighters.

3) Use anti-inflammatory herbs and spices. There are several herbs that are extremely effective at putting out the fire. Among the most powerful are ginger, turmeric, onion and garlic. Other foods, such as berries, cherries and grapes contain bioflavonoids that decrease inflammation. Use generous amounts of herbs and spices in your food preparation.

Living with pain and inflammation is just not fun! While drugs can provide you temporary relief, they are not without side effects. Try these simple tips and as your body comes back into balances, inflammation will become a thing of the past.

I have a chart of anti-inflammatory foods (pain free) and herbs that you can download, print and keep handy in your kitchen. Pick up your FREE copy today by going to

http://www.EatYourWayOutOfPain.com

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Stop Hurting! Eat Anti-inflammatory foods!

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on April 21, 2008 – -

I am excited to be teaching a teleclass this Wednesday evening from 7:00 – 9:00 PM called Managing pain and Inflammation through Diet. For details go to http://www.drritamarie.com/classes/pain.htm

How wonderful to be able to be pain free without medication or surgery!

Until next time

Love and Health,
Dr. Ritamarie

www.drritamarie.com

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