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If you are still receiving multiple emails after a couple of days, please click here. Fill out your full name and email address that you’d like to have removed from our mailing list. Then, select ‘I am receiving duplicate emails from Dr. Ritamarie’. Click the OK button. We’ll make sure that only one email from us arrives in your inbox.

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We often use a zipped folder to combine 2 or more recipe books at a time. To open the zipped folder, follow the directions for your type of computer (MAC or PC).  On most modern computers, simply double-click the zip folder to extract the files. If that doesn’t work for you. Please try the following links:

For Windows XP & Vista: https://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-xp-vista/how-to-use-zipped-files-in-windows/

For a Macintosh (Apple): http://www.ehow.com/how_5546950_unzip-folders-mac-os.html

If none of the above resources are helping you, and you are on a PC, we suggest you follow this link and download the free trial version of WinZip. You will easily be walked through the procedure. Download the free trial version of WinZip here. http://www.winzip.com/downwz.htm

There are several reasons why there might not be any sound. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Try reloading the page.
• Re-start your browser, or try a different browser.
• Try a fresh re-start of your computer.
• Make sure you have the most up-to-date Flash player downloaded on your computer. Click here to check  or download Adobe Flash Player now.
• Try adjusting the volume on your computer by clicking on the small sound icon, which is most likely located at the bottom right hand corner of your screen (on a PC). Make sure the ‘mute’ box is unchecked and that the sound volume slider is mid-way or higher.
• Try adjusting the volume on the video player in your browser. Roll your mouse over the speaker icon and move the slider up accordingly.
• If you have external speakers, make sure they are connected properly.
• There could be an issue with corrupt or missing sound drivers, compatibility issues with the operating system and/or other hardware, or bad or missing sound cards. If conflicts exists with your sound card and/or other devices installed in your computer, it is likely that either the drivers are not properly installed for that device and/or the sound card and/or other devices are conflicting. If you open the properties of the device that is conflicting and view the properties, additional details about the conflict can be found. For more specific instructions on how to solve any of these possible issues, please perform an internet search, using terms like ‘no sound on computer’.

Click here to get Dr. Ritamarie’s free packet of gluten free recipes and resource lists.

Thanks for trusting Dr. Ritamarie as a resource for health information. While we do not answer health questions on a one-on-one basis, we will do our best to answer your questions on our blog or submit to one of our health experts –during a teleconference or interview. To ask your question, please click here.

Please note that if you have an existing health challenge, we recommend that you schedule a private consult. To learn more about private consults and determine if we’re a good match for inclusion in your health care team, please click here.

Most modern diets are far too acidic to allow for OPTIMAL health, and making dietary choices to help bring the body’s pH into acid/alkaline balance is a great objective. Just as the physical body requires that internal temperatures be kept within a certain range in order to function properly, so too do cells need a proper pH range (7.35 – 7.45) to maintain normal physiological homeostasis.

Because it is so imperative that blood and extracellular fluid be kept within the proper pH range, our bodies have built-in “buffering” systems to assure that happens. For instance, calcium may be leached from bones and teeth to neutralize the blood, which then increases the risk osteoporosis, dental problems, etc. But the GOOD news is that diet has a direct impact on our acid/alkaline balance – we have the control to improve our physiological environment!

To bring your body into a more balanced state, consume a diet high in the alkaline minerals sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These would include most fruits; vegetables (especially leafy green vegetables); nuts such as almonds, pine nuts and coconut; and grains such as quinoa, teff, buckwheat, amaranth and millet. You may also want to avoid overconsumption of foods high in the acidic minerals nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and chloride (salt). Food with this acid-forming influence include meats; pasteurized dairy products; grains and nuts not mentioned above; coffee and soda; vinegar and spices.

Adding lemon or leafy green juice to your water can help normalize your system. Other helpful actions: deep breathing exercises for its buffering affect, dealing with negative emotions, avoiding stress, etc.

Our Alkaline/Acid Food Chart is available at http://www.drritamarie.com/AlkalineChart.php.

Food combining, of course, is based on the observation that different combinations of food groups (fruits, starches, vegetables, etc) may have the potential to optimize digestion and nutrient absorption, while others might exacerbate issues such as leaky gut. This is due to their different rates of digestion. Though some people find it essential to follow food combining guidelines to some degree or another, others do not notice benefit from doing so. We tend to find ourselves naturally inclined to good food combinations on a raw food diet, but do not adhere strictly to any food combining principles, ourselves.

A few basic, standard rules to combining foods:

• Vegetables and sea vegetables work well with most foods. Leafy greens can be eaten with starches or protein, but not both. Veggies and fruits combined in a smoothie are generally fine.
• Starchy vegetables (including sprouted grains and legumes) should not be mixed with proteins such as nuts or seeds.
• Sweet fruits (bananas, persimmons, dried fruits) and acid fruits (pineapple, berries, citrus, sour apple) should not be eaten together. But sub-acid fruits (apples, plums, pear, mango) can be combined with either sweet or acid fruits. Melons are best eaten alone.
• Fats combine well with protein, starches or vegetables.

There is considerable variance to the rules of food combining, depending on the source. They can be very strict and complex to follow, i.e. different times of day to eat different types of food. But there are also simplified versions. Because ALL foods contain some protein, fat and carbohydrates it is difficult for there to be hard & fast rules. Some foods, such as nuts, are high in both fat and protein, for instance.

We encourage you to experiment and do what works best for your own bio-individuality, especially if you have digestive problems.

General US government protein recommendations are 45-56 grams/day for adults (based on approximately 8% of daily calories from protein). There is some controversy about that percentage, however. For instance, the World Health Organization and the National Academy of Sciences suggest 4.5 to 6% of total calories from protein. Therefore, a person taking in about 2000 kcals/day should be getting closer to 25 grams of protein/day (one gram protein = 4 kcal). It depends on which daily requirements you adhere to and also your daily caloric intake. It gets even trickier if you throw the issue of digestion/absorption into the mix…

One bunch of kale provides about 226 kcals and 15 grams of protein. In addition, all eight amino acids are present in kale, in rivaling amounts to that of lean ground beef.

Of course, some might find it easier to derive 55 grams of protein from the beef than from the kale, since they would be consuming ½ to 1 pound of lean ground beef, rather than approximately 3.5 bunches of kale! But it is not necessary to consume that much kale — ALL foods contain varying amounts of the macronutrients protein, carbohydrates and fats. In fact, even athletes can obtain a sufficient amount of protein on a plant-based diet rich in a variety of wholesome foods.

You are wise to be concerned about Splenda. Though it is marketed as a “natural” product derived from sugar, the sweet taste of Splenda is actually a synthetic compound. Sucralose (Splenda’s key ingredient) originates in sugar cane, but then undergoes a complex chemical process. Splenda is an artificial sweetener with potential dangers such as there are for aspartame and other artificial sugar substitutes.

Truvia and PureVia were developed in part by the Coca-Cola and PepsiCo companies, respectively. To manufacture these products, they use/combine different components of the stevia plant, rather than the whole plant itself. For instance, Truvia is made up of erythritol, rebiana and natural flavors – rebiana is derived from the plant’s leaf and is the sweetest part of the plant; erythritol is a naturally fermented sugar alcohol that is added to ‘bulk up’ the rebiana, giving it the look and feel of table sugar while masking the bitter aftertaste some people experience when using stevia alone.

A better choice over Splenda would be to use Truvia or PureVia in moderation — it is pretty well accepted that ANY stevia sweetener is safer than an artificial sweetener. The next step better would be to use stevia itself, as its safety may be dependent on the synergy of the entire plant.

Of course, the best choice for many people (particularly diabetics) would be to limit the intake of sweets altogether, as they can decrease a person’s sensitivity to insulin. Same goes for folks dealing with other health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obesity. Frankly, that may be too difficult a step for some who are not yet willing to give up the sweet habit. It really just depends on where the person is located along that continuum of health and dietary improvements.

Typically, you can expect to receive your order within 7-10 business days. If you’ve ordered an e-product, you will receive a link to it as soon as your credit card has been approved.

We’re sorry there is a problem with your order. We stand behind each and every one of our products and services and we always offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with your purchase. To request a refund on a physical product, please return the product in salable condition and include a copy of your invoice, along with a note as to why you are returning the product. Your refund will be processed within 2 business days of receiving the product back in salable condition. Please allow up to 30 days to see the refund reflected on your billing statement. Click here to fill out a refund request form. Please include your full name and email address, your order number and your reason for returning.

If you would like a refund for a product that you have downloaded, such as an ebook or mp3, please click here. Please include your full name and email address, your order number and your reason for returning. Someone on The Fresh ‘n Fun Living Team will issue a refund to your credit card within 2 business days. Please allow up to 30 days to see the refund reflected on your billing statement.