Raw Foods Diet for Raising Healthy Children

Karen Ranzi, author of the groundbreaking new book, Raising Healthy Children through Attachment Parenting and Living Foods, will be joining us on A teleclass Raising Healthy Children to share insights and answer your questions about raising Healthy Children.

Watch Karen on Paul Nison’s Health Show.

Join us on for raising Healthy Children, a FREE teleclass.

www.drritamarie.com/signup/karenranzi

True Confessions and an Invitation to March Daily Health Commitment Challenge

I’ve come to a realization and I feel the need to be really honest and open about it.

I spend my days connecting with thousands of people all over the globe, sharing the message of health–vibrant health–through focused actions and nourishing choices.

And for the most part, I totally live all that I teach.

Because I overcame debilitating fatigue in my 20′s through whole fresh plant foods, exercise and focused self care, I’ve dedicated my life to teaching others to do the same.

Lately, I have been falling short on my commitment to self care and I feel I need to own up to it and reaffirm my dedication to my own self care in order to best guide you as you work on your own.

I’ve always been a night owl, but over the past 3 months it has become worse. While I recognize the need for sleep for rejuvenation and detoxification, I just can’t seem to get myself to follow through.

I have several projects that are near an dear to my heart and I’ve been staying up into the wee hours more than I should.

The universe has been giving me subtle signals (and some not so subtle signals).  I wrote a blog post about it a few weeks ago, right after I took a nasty fall and hurt my elbow.  The message I was getting loud and clear was to slow down.  And I did–for a couple of days.

When you’re really healthy and get a couple of extended sleep nights it’s enough to make you feel like you can conquer the world again…so I started back on the late nights a few days after the injury.  I know better than anyone the importance of sleep for recovering from injury, yet I continued to push myself.

The universe has been talking to me again and the message is the same.  Only this time it wasn’t so subtle.  Twice in the past 2 weeks, I got a wave of exhaustion at 3PM on Friday afternoon.  It was so powerful that I did something completely out of character…I took a nap.  I haven’t felt exhausted like that in many years.

This morning during my exercise session, I re-injured my arm.  In fact I completely dislocated it.  Fortunately, I was able to re-locate it myself, but it’s talking to me now.  It’s saying “slow down”.

I’ve had some administrative challenges over the past few weeks, which I believe may be on the way to resolution, and as a result, I got behind on answering emails, creating some bonus materials for my Balance My Body Blueprint program, and completing a few e-books.  In spite of all of that, however, I am committed to lights out before midnight for the rest of the week.

That may not seem like much for some, but for me, it’s big.  Once I get the hang of it, maybe I will push it back to 11pm.

The world is on the verge of a whole new paradigm in health care, and we are the leaders.  We need to teach by example and that’s just what I intend to improve at doing.

I believe that it’s important to keep commitments, and I also feel it’s important to make realistic commitments.  I believe some of my commitments have been realistic only if I am willing to work 16 hour days, so my new commitment is to be realistic and keep in mind the importance of balance whenever I make commitments.

One other commitment I am re-affirming—having fun everyday.  When I was leading my Jumpstart Your Energy class back in October, we did daily goals on the forum, and each of us told what we planned to do for fun.  By publicly declaring it, I made time for fun everyday.

I decided to re-awaken that ritual.  The plan is a blog post every day, in which I declare my bedtime from the night before, and my health goals for the day, including the fun activity I choose each day.

Would you like to join me?  All you need to do is subscribe to the blog so you get notified when I post a new entry, and comment each day with your commitments.  I commit to doing this for 30 days.  Who’s in?  It’s absolutely FREE.
I’ll probably come up with some sort of contest as we go along, so don’t miss a single day…register and make your comment for Day 1 here.  I’m calling it the 30 Day Sleep and Fun Challenge.

Dr. Ritamarie’s  commitments for Tuesday, March 2:

1. Lights out by midnight
2. Exercise 30 minutes or longer
3. Drink at least 2 quarts of green smoothie

What are you committing to?  Comment below.

Wishing you Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

P. S. And speaking of FUN, there’s still time to sign up for the teleseminar I’m doing with Nomi Shannon, author of the Raw Gourmet.  It’s going to be so much fun.  But don’t take my word for it.  Read all about it here:

http://drritamarie.com/DeliciouslyQuickRawFood-SignUp.php

Join Nomi Shannon, the Raw Gourmet and I for Deliciously Quick Raw Food ~ Tips from the Raw Gourmet ~ on Tuesday March 2 at 7:30 PM Central time as we demystify raw foods meal planning and preparation, tell you how to make a couple of quick and delicious snacks to satisfy even the most discerning taste buds, answer your most pressing questions and offer you a rawking good time as well.

Here’s the link to sign up.

http://drritamarie.com/DeliciouslyQuickRawFood-SignUp.php

We’ll record the call, so if you can’t make it live, sign up anyway and we’ll send you the recording.

Healthy for the Holidays: Nourishing Foods for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years Celebrations

By

Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

I can’t believe that it’s almost Christmas? I’m really not ready at all!  I haven’t started shopping, writing cards or even finished putting up my tree.   My family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, bringing together the best of my husband’s family traditions and mine.  And  Hanukkah is just a few days away.

I used to bake a lot for the holidays, but since I no longer eat sugar, flour, butter and all the ingredients of my old favorite recipes, and I prefer to eat raw and living foods,  I had to develop new recipes.  My favorites were for cookies, especially gingerbread, cranberry bread and pecan pie.  My new recipes taste as good or even  BETTER than my old favorites.

The foods that used to fill my  holiday plate did nothing to enhance my health and did everything to clog my arteries, raise my blood sugar, expand my waistline and left me feeling sluggish, bloated, and foggy headed.

When I eat the foods I make using my new recipes,  I feel great! I no longer feel bloated or exhausted after eating my favorite Christmas cookies and pies.

Even if you’ve been dedicated to vibrant health for a long time, staying strong and true to your health commitment is a challenge when you’re surrounded by the smells and tastes that remind you of past holidays and connect you with family and friends. You may have even learned to equate these foods with love.

The pressure from friends and family to eat the old favorites can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve only recently adopted healthy eating habits. Add to that the magnitude of the long holiday to-do list (shopping for, wrapping, and exchanging gifts; sending cards; decorating; and making food) and it’s only natural for you to become overly stressed or anxious.

You may have grown up using food to comfort and soothe you.

Certain aromas may remind you of the comfort of grandma’s house on a special holiday, or a special person or feeling that you became connected to early on in your life.

Rather than giving in to temptation, or depriving yourself of tasty foods and feeling angry and resentful about it, you can learn to recreate your favorite holiday meals in ways that are delicious, nutritious and fun and easy to make.

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

Since I’ve been married to Scott, I’ve learned to make Hanukkah foods, too, like latkes with homemade applesauce and dairy free sour cream.

I’ve been working on putting all of these recipes together and finally have them ready in the form of a book. By the time I finished putting in all the recipes and tips for creating low stress holiday celebrations, the book ended up being over 160 pages!  And the recipes are all gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, and made with whole, fresh, plant-based, raw and living foods.

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

I’ve put together a couple of very special packages that include my new book, “Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations”and I’m ready to share them with you!

So go on over to

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

and reserve your copy. The book is in e-book format, so you can download it instantly. I’m working on getting a printed version available too, and those who purchase the e-book during the next couple of weeks will be offered the print book at for a nominal upgrade fee.

I’m so excited about this.

I’ve added some juicy new bonuses, for a limited time only, and a very special “Deluxe Holiday Toolkit”. When you order the e-book, one of the bonuses you’ll receive is access to an online video of me making some of the recipes.

Here’s a comment from someone who watched the Holiday Video when I offered it with the Thanksgiving Feast book:

I just watched the Holiday recipe video…OMG, it was WONDERFUL!!!! And so helpful! I bought the e-book, but it makes such a difference to actually see you putting the elements together!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CREATING THIS VIDEO!!!!

I look forward to hearing from you.  The message I’d like to hear is how you stayed healthy throughout the holidays, had lots of energy and enjoyed the connection with your loved ones while eating delicious foods and having a blast.

Please comment below and let me know what your favorite holiday foods are.  If health enhancing versions of them  are not already in the book, rest assured they’ll be in version 2.  And if you contribute a recipe or idea that makes it into the second edition next year, I’ll be sure to send you a free copy.

Go ahead and let me know what foods you really love  and have a healthy and happy holiday season.

Love, Health and Gratitude,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays

Gluten-Free, Holiday Treats – Organic, raw and whole Fresh foods

Tis the Season to Be Jolly

Holidays are about connection and love, not fretting about food and worrying about feeling deprived while everyone else is stuffing themselves with sugar and fat.   If you are dedicated to staying healthy and vibrant throughout the holiday season, yet still have a desire to fit in, and enjoy the holiday cheer, there are lots of resources for you.  Here are a couple:

1- If you live in or near Austin, you’re in for a treat.  There’s no reason to feel deprived this holiday season.   You can enjoy delicious Holiday Cookies – Raw, Vegan, naturally sweetened and gluten Free- festively boxed and ready
to give as a gift or as a treat for yourself.  Karen Osborne, my dear friend and the Fresh’n Fun Living Co-op Manager, talented chef and recent graduate of Living Light Culinary Institute in California has created these beautiful and delicious gift boxes for you.

The boxes include a dozen holiday cookies, and will be ready for pick-up in the
Austin area beginning in mid December.  The boxes contain 2 each of the
following:

German Chocolate Brownies, Pecan Pie Squares, Not Oatmeal Raisin Cookies,
Lemon Cookies, Rocky Road Brownies and Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.

Carob can be substituted for Chocolate in these cookies…please specify
your preference when you check out.

Supplies are limited so order early.  Orders will be processed on a first
come, first served basis.

Schedule:
2 dozen boxes will be ready for delivery on Dec. 13 or any day of that week
2 dozen boxes will be  ready for delivery on Dec. 20.

Each box is $30.   Please specify Chocolate or Carob when you order.

To place an order, click on a link below and specify the number of boxes you
desire in our secure shopping cart.

An e-mail will be sent out when the boxes are ready with dates and locations for pick-up in the Austin area.

1 Cookie Box for the week of Dec. 13  $30.00

1 Cookie Box for the week of Dec. 20  $30.00

2) You can learn to make cookies and close to 100 other delicious holiday foods.  It’s easy to do when you ahve the right recipes.

My new book, “Healthy Holiday Traditions:  Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations” will be announced very soon.  We’re putting the last minute tweaks on the bonus and graphics pages on the web page.    We’re even offering it as a part of a Deluxe Holiday Toolkit.  Those who ordered the toolkit have already received the book.

If you already know you want it, you can get it right away by going to www.IndulgeWithoutBulge.com There are over $100 in bonus gifts being offered.  When you get the deluxe toolkit, one of the bonuses is an instantly accessible online video of demonstrations of 9 of the recipes.

There are also some blog posts from last year and this, and some tips in my newsletter, www.drritamarie.com/newsletter

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

Quick and Easy Healthy Lunch Suggestions: Raw Food on the Run

It’s tough to get quick meals on the run when your goal is to eat healthfully.. in ways that improve your energy and keep your brain clear. If you live in or around Austin Texas, you’re in for a treat. On Friday, November 13, 2009, I’ll be hosting a class called “Lunch & Learn” . Join Dr. Ritamarie Losclazo and visiting certified raw foods chef and instructor Tonya Cole Lightfoot for a fun and delicious lunchtime.

We’ll teach you to make a delicious gourmet lunch using only fresh organic, gluten free, dairy free un-cooked plant foods. Then we’ll serve you the full course meal.

Register early and receive $10 off the already discounted tuition. Pay only $37 for a full course meal, a recipe guide, instruction and demonstration, and lots of tips and tricks for making meals in a hurry.

Register by Wednesday November 11 and you’ll also receive a free copy of Dr. Ritamarie’s e-book “Quick and easy Lunch and Dinner ideas for Healthy Meals on the Run”

I sure hope you cna join us for “Lunch & Learn”.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.DrRitamarie.com