Have a Healthy Halloween

Halloween is a fun holiday, especially for kids. My teenage son, Eric has been to several haunted houses with his friends and spent hours at a costume store, picking out just the right mask.

My preteen son, Kevin, loves trick or treating and eagerly anticipates what's going to be in his goodie bag...the one I'll trade him for the candy he collects.

Even though we don't eat candy, and we end up throwing away all the candy collected at Halloween, the kids still have a blast!

We have our own rituals and festivities after the trick or treating is over. Trick or treating is a social event. They used to just collect money for UNICEF, but after a while they got tired of telling the well-meaning adults "No thanks" on the candy and started coming home with bags full. At first they thought they could just give it to their friends. Then they realized that they liked their friends too much to add to the already too large a strain on their immune systems and decided it best to throw it away. Wasteful??? Not hardly. Every piece we throw away is one less that some one eats and that saves them hours of a depressed immune system.

You see, sugar depresses the immune system. It's been measured to decrease the activity of the T-cells, the "protector cells" by as much as 50% for 4 hours after just 2 teaspoons of sugar. Your typical soft drink contains 8 teaspoons.

With all the fear of the flu going around these days, isn't it nice to know that there is an easy way to support your immune system and protect yourself and your kids from the flu? Supporting their immune system naturally is far more effective than any flu vaccine....and much safer. I held a special "emergency" immune system support and flu prevention teleclass at the beginning of the month. The recordings are available at http://drritamarie.com/FluProtection-TeleClass-SignUp.php

A Nobel prize winning researcher named Otto Warberger showed the connection between sugar and cancer back in the 1930's! Sugar's adverse effects can be seen throughout your body. Here's a passage abut sugar from my new book, Healthy Halloween Treats

"Sugar can also impair the structure of DNA, cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children, weaken eyesight, contribute to eczema, interfere with the absorption of protein, decrease the activity of your T cells, which contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection, contribute to Candida (yeast) infections and contribute to osteoporosis. "

There are more little known facts about sugar in Healthy Halloween Treats, as well as healthier alternatives to the candy and cupcakes and other harmful foods that are usually associated with Halloween.

Junk food doesn't just promote tooth decay and hyperactivity. It is life-threatening!! Here are some statistics from Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a "radical" medical doctor who treats his patients with broccoli and other fresh fruits and vegetables.

"The CDC estimates that 1/3 of children born in 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, and that children born in 2000 may not outlive their parents. Overweight/obesity rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents in the past 20 years. Obesity in children increases their risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, joint problems, sleep apnea, early puberty, and several cancers. Signs of atherosclerosis can be seen in early childhood. Most adult cancers are linked to poor childhood nutrition. Sugar contributes to violence. 69% of the 10 year olds who were violent at the age of 34 had eaten sweets and chocolate nearly every day during childhood, compared to 42% who were non-violent."

As a parent or an adult responsible for the nutrition of a child, you have the responsibility to educate yourself. Allowing your children to indulge in junk food sets them up for childhood illnesses, cancers, and poor quality life. As parents, you must take control of your children's health! You must set a good example and protect them from the dangers of indulging in the Halloween sweets and treats that are harming them.

For more information on the health risks the modern western diet imposes on kids, read Dr. Fuhrman's book Disease Proof Your Child

It's sad how much misinformation abounds. The American Academy of Family Physicians is clueless about counseling parents about healthy diet for kids. They just announced a corporate sponsorship with Coca-Cola to develop their consumer education content on to beverages and sweeteners for their health and wellness web site, FamilyDoctor.org. Coca-Cola is certainly not going to include the information about how dangerous soft drinks are, will they? How can you trust your family physician if their association is getting its nutrition education from CocaCola? According to Dr. Fuhrman, on his blog , Disease Proof, the American Dietetic Association also accepts money from Coca-Cola, as well as from PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Mars and the National Dairy Council.

I know it's hard to say no to your favorite holiday goodies. Yet you owe it to yourself and your family to learn the cold hard facts and act on them. In Healthy Halloween Treats I give you all you need to maintain the joy and playfulness of the holiday and keep it nutritious and safe at the same time. Try some banana ghosts, chocolate covered apples, chocolate spiders or swampsicles. Your kids will love it and they'll thank you when they realize later how much pain and suffering you saved them by making healthy choices for them.

Happy Halloween.

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie

http://www.drritamarie.com

Flu Protection naturally: 5 Tips for a Healthy and Strong Immune System for Life

Swine flu makes the news every day. We're being advised to get the flu shot to prevent this deadly disease.

Before you jump in line with your sleeves rolled up, ready to get the flu shot , I urge you to do some research of your own so you can 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. If your immune system is weak to begin with, the vaccine could make you sick.

Another 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 supposedly in the swine flu vaccine.

Dr. Mercola's says:

"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. "

You may be wondering how to protect yourself from the flu if you don't get 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

To learn about the power of greens to improve your immune system, watch the replays of a 3 hour talk with Victoria and Sergei Boutenko. In addition to the latest research on greens, nutritional deficiencies and green smoothies, we learned about identifying the weeds in our lawns that are more nutritious than the greens in the supermarket...and they're free.

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