Tera Warner

The Color of Transparency: My Health Consultation with Dr. Ritamarie

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I’m sitting here nibbling on dried mission figs and sun-dried tomatoes. Strange combination, I admit. Technically, both of these food items are “breaking the rules” of my new suggested foods list. As I prepare for the 6-Week Detox, the list of foods I’ll be weaning myself off of is long, but since today is the first real day of getting started, I don’t care what anyone says.

Figs are on definitely on the menu.

The 6-Week Detox has 3 different protocols based upon your schedule, work load and experience with raw foods. I’m too lazy to take supplements, and way too lazy to order them, so I need to do Option 3, which is based more on whole foods, enemas, colonics, etc. It’s a bit paradoxical, really, because this is a far more time-consuming path, but I can spend an hour juicing foods, I just can’t be bothered popping pills. Maybe it’s just a question of doing what is most familiar and comfortable for me. I’ll try a bit of both and keep you posted. The thing I love about this whole program is that it is so customized.

Tonight is my consultation with Dr. Ritamarie. Before I spout off too long, I thought I’d include the second part of the preparatory exercises that I’m supposed to do before the consultation. You’re welcome to listen in and comment in the background if you can catch it live. If you get to this and the call has already happened, you’re welcome to listen in to the recording and pass it along to anyone you think may be able to benefit from it.

I know it’s not every day someone puts the intimate details of their bowel movements and cardiac history up on a blog to share with the world, but I think it’s really important that transparency be one of the primary Raw Diva colors. The pink and green are pretty catchy, but at the end of the day what matters to me most is that I’m living what I’m preaching and committed to helping other women find the solutions they’re looking for. I have some health issues to sort out, so I’m going to the person I trust the most to help me make it happen.

I thought you might enjoy coming along for the ride, so I’m inviting you to listen in to my private health consultation with Dr. Ritmarie tonight.

I gotta prepare for my big night. I hope you find this useful and would love to hear your comments and feedback about the process.

Love and support,

Tera

p.s.

For those with a weak stomach, do not proceed. What follows is the metabolic, bowel-blasting assessment Dr. Ritamarie asked me to fill out before my consultation. Hope you’ll be joining us this evening and benefitting from the experience along with me.

p.p.s.

If you’d like to be notified about updates and challenges on the blog, just make sure you’re signed up to receive our Health in High Heels newsletter, or have taken the free 7-Day Diva Detox.

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Metabolic Assessment Form

Please list the 5 major health concerns in your order of importance.
1. The cyst on the back of my leg.
2. Scanty menstrual cycles. Is this a problem? I don’t mind it. 🙂
3. Salt cravings and late night eating.
4. can’t think of any others…
5.

Please select the appropriate number, from ‘0-3’ on all questions. 0 as least/never and 3 as most/always.

Category I (Colon)
Feeling that bowels do not empty completely – 2
Lower abdominal pain relief by passing stool or gas – 1 (if I eat something I know I “shouldn’t”)
Alternating constipation and diarrhea – 0
Diarrhea – 0
Constipation -0
Hard, dry, or small stool -0
Coated tongue or “fuzzy” debris on tongue -0
Pass large amount of foul smelling gas -0
More than 3 bowel movements daily -0 (I WISH!!!)
Use laxatives frequently – 0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 3

Category II (Gastric Enzymes)
Excessive belching, burping, or bloating -0
Gas immediately following a meal – 0
Offensive breath -0
Difficult bowel movements -0
Sense of fullness during and after meals -0
Difficulty digesting fruits and vegetables; undigested foods found in stools -0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 0
Category III (Gastric Irritation)
Stomach pain, burning or aching 1-4 hours after eating -0
Do you frequently use antacids? -0
Feeling hungry an hour to two after eating -0
Heartburn due to spicy foods, chocolate, citrus, peppers, alcohol, and caffeine -0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 0
Category IV (Pancreatic Enzymes)
Roughage and fiber cause constipation -0
Indigestion and fullness lasts 2-4 hours after eating –0
Pain, tenderness, soreness on left side under rib cage -0
Excessive passage of gas -0
Nausea and/or vomiting -0

Stool undigested, foul smelling, mucous-like, greasy, or poorly formed – ?? 1
Frequent urination – 0 (not too frequent. Just normal)
Increased thirst and appetite – Sometimes. ? When I’m hungry and thirsty. 2
Difficulty losing weight – 0 – not if I stop eating. 🙂
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 3
Category V (Biliary)
Greasy or high fat foods cause distress – 0 What do you mean by distress?
Lower bowel gas and/or bloating several hours after eating – 0
Bitter metallic taste in mouth, especially in morning – 0
Unexplained itchy skin – 0
Yellowish cast to eyes -0
Stool color alternates from clay-colored to normal brown – 0

Reddened skin, especially palms – 2 maybe this is me a bit.
Dry or flaky skin and/or hair – 4 I have this right now.
History of gallbladder attacks or stones – 0
Have you had your gallbladder removed? No.

Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 4
Category VI (Blood Glucose Fluctuation)
Crave sweets during the day – 0
Irritable if meals are missed – 0
Depend on coffee to keep yourself going or to get started – 0
Get lightheaded if meals are missed – 0
Eating relieves fatigue – 0
Feel shaky, jittery, tremors – 0
Agitated, easily upset, nervous – 0
Poor memory, forgetful – 0

Blurred vision – 0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 0
Category VIII (Adrenal Fatigue)
Cannot stay asleep – 0
Crave salt – 5 🙂
Stow starter in the morning – 0
Afternoon fatigue – 0 (only if I eat cooked foods or haven’t slept the night before)
Dizziness when standing up quickly – 2 (only happens when I’m trying to get off salts)
Afternoon headaches – 0 (Only happened after the lice treatment)
Headaches with exertion or stress – 0
Weak nails – 0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 7
Category IX (Cortisol Elevation)
Cannot fall asleep –
Perspire easily – 2 (when I’m nervous or physical. But not in an uncomfortable or unnatural way)
Under high amounts of stress – 2 well, for me stress isn’t that stressful.
Weight gain when under stress – 1
Wake up tired even after 6 or more hours of sleep – 0
Excessive perspiration or perspiration with little or no activity – 0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 5
Category X (Thyroid – Decreased Metabolic Activity)
Tired, sluggish – 0
Feel cold-hands, feet, all over – 2 (eating bananas in winter doesn’t help me)
Require excessive amounts of sleep to function properly – 0
Increase in weight gain even with low-calorie diet – 0
Gain weight easily – 2 (if I eat poorly)
Difficult, infrequent bowel movements – 2
Depression, lack of motivation – 0
Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses – 0
Outer third of eyebrow thins – STRANGE idea! 0
Thinning of hair on scalp, face or genitals or excessive falling hair – 0
Dryness of skin and/or scalp – 4 YES! Seriously.
Mental sluggishness – 0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE:10
Category XI (Thyroid – Increased Metabolic Activity)
Heart palpitations – 0
Inward trembling  – 0
Increased pulse, even at rest -0
Nervous and emotional -0
Insomnia -0
Night sweats -0
Difficulty gaining weight -0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 0
Category XII (Pituitary – Decreased Metabolic Activity)
Diminished sex drive – 0
Menstrual disorders or lack of menstruation – 1 (it’s very low flow and one day of cramps, but not unmanageable)
Increased ability to eat sugars without symptoms – ? Maybe. 2 Not sure what this means.
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 3

Category XIII (Pituitary – Increased Metabolic Activity)
Increased sex drive -0
Tolerance to sugars reduced -0
“Splitting” type headaches -0
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 0

Category XVI (Menstruating Females Only) – Female Hormones
Are you perimenopausal – Nope.
Alternating menstrual cycle lengths – actually, I seem to be right on target these days. Used to be VERY irregular.
Extended menstrual cycle, greater than 32 days – nope.
Shortened menses, less than every 24 days – nope
Pain and cramping during periods –2 yes. Just for one day. Minor compared to what I experienced before childbirth.
Scanty blood flow – yup. 4
Heavy blood flow – nope.
Breast pain and swelling during menses -nope.
Pelvic pain during menses – nope.
Irritable and depressed during menses -nope
Acne breaks out – nope
Facial hair growth – nope.
Hair loss/thinning – nope.
Please add the scores and put the TOTAL HERE: 6

How many alcoholic beverages do you consume per week? none. Maybe 3 in the last 10 years.
How many times do you eat out per week? maybe average of one, but we work with the raw food restaurant.
How many times a week do you eat fish? 0
How many caffeinated beverages do you consume per week? 0
How many times do you eat raw nuts or seeds? uh… if I eat at the raw food restaurant, a lot more. Usually 2-3.
How many times a week do you workout? 🙁 Well, not as many as I’d like. *sniff* 0 but I am just very active with the kids, walking here and there, etc.
List the 3 worst foods you eat during the average week. uh… if I have a bad week I’ll get some refined sugars from something the kids left kicking around (chocolate, or something), hummous, glutenous bread.
List the 3 healthiest foods you eat during the week. greens, fruits and greens.
Do you smoke? no.
Rate your stress levels on a scale of 1-10 during the average week. 2
Please list any medications you currently take and for what conditions: none
Please list any natural supplements you currently take and for what conditions? none.