Raw Foods Potluck and Eating for Energy Talk by Dr. Ritamarie in Austin, Texas

One of the issues I hear a lot is that it's hard to make diet changes while living in the world of glittery processed foods and social pressures. Temptations abound and sometimes you may feel all alone.

Having a support system in place is an important part of adopting a diet and life style program that goes against the grain. My monthly raw foods potlucks were started to provide such support. If you live in or near Austin Texas, please join us this Saturday evening, January 31 for our next event. It's a great way to make new friends, learn new recipes and connect with people who are supportive of your diet and lifestyle choices.

For more details about the potluck, go to http://www.drritamarie.com/meetup and sign up.

After dinner, I'll be sharing some ideas about eating to combat fatigue and exhaustion, or to simply increase your energy level so that you can enjoy your life more fully.

If there is time and interest after the talk, we'll choose a health empowering DVD to watch together.

Not sure what to bring? There are details at http://www.drritamarie.com/potluck.htm

Need some raw foods recipe ideas? Get your Greens recipes at

http://www.drritamarie.com/green .

Dessert recipes can be found in the FREE ebook you can download from

http://www.drritamarie.com/blog

I hope to see you soon.

Love, Health and Joy

Dr. Ritamarie

Gluten Free Diets: Fad or the Answer to your Prayers?

What do the following seemingly unrelated symptoms have in common: joint pain, skin rashes, poor balance, depression, ADD, diarrhea, thyroid problems? Give up? The answer is something that you likely encounter every day, if you’re anything like the average American.

Gluten is a protein found the seeds of the grass family of plants, including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats. Do you enjoy eating bread, pasta crackers or muffins? They all contain gluten, a protein that’s getting lots of press these days.

The effects of gluten are widespread, and include intestinal upset—gas, bloating, diarrhea, irritable bowel etc and a wide range of mental and emotional problems, including depression, ADD, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, balance problems, epilepsy, numbness and tingling, Oh yeah, I forgot to mention dermatitis.Gluten free diets have been found to help people with autoimmune diseases and thyroid problems as well. Perhaps Oprah should consider 6 months of strict gluten avoidance and see how her thyroid acts then.

This is the first of a 5 part series exploring the myths, fears and truths around a gluten free diet. Oh, yeah. Recipes will follow too. I’ve been on a gluten free diet now for many years, and it’s not as hard as you’d think, once you get a few good tools and tricks under your belt.

A groundbreaking new book, called “The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health--And What You Can Do to Take Control” by Shari Lieberman is a must read if you’re dealing with fatigue, digestive disturbances, depression, focus problems, and any vague neurologic symptoms.

To be continued....

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.FreshnFunLiving.com

Follow me on twitter: http://drritamarie.com/twitter
Be my friend on facebook: http://drritamarie.com/facebook

"Creating Vibrant Health, One Bite at a Time"
www.FreshnFunLiving.com

Achieve maximum energy, ideal weight and mental clarity . FR*EE e-book at http://www.GreenFoodMagic.com

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

Kelp Noodles: An awesome raw foods recipe alternative to Gluten-Free noodles

I'm so excited about these , Kelp Noodles available from Raw Food World . They're made from highly nutritious kelp and a pinch of extra sodium alginate to hold them together.

I'll be posting some recipes and an article about how they can be helpful for thyroid disorders. Given Oprah's recent discussions, thyroid problems are on a lot of minds these days.

The article and recipes will be at within a day or two at http://www.drritamarie.com/blog

The Green Smoothie Cleanse I'm doing is going great. I think cleansing is one of the most powerful ways to start off the new year. The stress and excessive eating of the holidays is a leading cause of post holiday weight gain, Adrenal fatigue and exhaustion and digestive problems. Cleansing can maximize your energy and clear your system of accumulated toxins.

By doing a week of green smoothies in place of your meals without any added fats helps rest and rejuvenate your liver. One of my past cleanse participants told me last week that during the last cleanse she did with me, her autoimmune symptoms disappeared and she had so much energy she was bouncing through her day. That's big. A few of the many success stories from the cleanses of this past year are posted on the Green Smoothie Cleanse web page. There are so many exciting stories, that I may just create a separate page so I can share all of them.

To get started with green smoothies, you need a blender, some greens and some fruit. You can follow recipes or make up your own. The Green Cleanse Recipe Guide and Menu Planner has over 50 recipes, plus instructions on making up your own. I have a new book I'll be releasing this year that has over 150 green smoothie variations. I also have a mini recipe guide and menu planner

Here's a delicious one I has yesterday. This makes almost a whole Vitamix full (64 ounces), so if you have a smaller blender, cut it in half.

Tropical Cherry Paradise

• 1/2 a pineapple, skin removed
• 1 mango
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 cup frozen peaches
• 4 handfuls pre-washed baby spinach (about 1/2 of a 1 pound tub)
  
• a few dandelion leaves

Blend and serve. I didn't add any water to keep it thick. Thin with water to your preferred consistency.

For a FREE collection of green smoothie recipes visit www.GreenSmoothieCleanse.com and put your name and email address into the box to the right.

How to Make a Non-Sweet Green Smoothie

I'm often asked by people who have blood sugar problems and candida overgrowth how to make a green smoothie without fruit. I usually call them green soups, and I make them very often. Take a look at this you-tube video of me demonstrating how to make one of my favorites, Italian Green Soup. A have a book of Soup Recipes that's packed with highly nutritious, hearty recipes that are great for winter nights.


If you're not already a Green Smoothie addict, go ahead and try one. They are delicious, energizing and an amazing way to provide your body with a powerhouse of nutrients.

What's your experience with green smoothies? Do you have a favorite green smoothie recipe? Go ahead and share in the comments field.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.FreshnFunLiving.com

I realized I left this blog hanging as I moved to using a new one at http://www.drritamarie.com/blog. Please check there for updates. I'll post here occasionally, but not as regularly as to my main blog http://www.drritamarie.com/blog

Love, Health and Joy

Dr. Ritamarie

Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie

Follow me on twitter: http://drritamarie.com/twitter
Be my friend on facebook: http://drritamarie.com/facebook

"Creating Vibrant Health, One Bite at a Time"
www.FreshnFunLiving.com

email: DrRitamarie@DrRitamarie.com
achieve maximum energy, ideal weight and mental clarity . FR*EE e-book at http://www.GreenFoodMagic.com

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