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

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.

My Personal Health Consultation With Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

Health, huh?

How does a multitasking mother find enough hours in a day to balance her “health” into the neverending pile of laundry to fold, dishes to wash, floors to clean, etc.? I’d love to fit in more fitness, casual conversations with friends and more time to float in a spa or go for pedicures. I’d love to, but there’s a certain amount of discipline required if we’re to get the things we want in life. There’s a certain amount of commitment necessary if we’re going to achieve our goals and dreams and visions. We’ve been talking about the 21-Day Challenge. We’ve been talking about taking a few days to put new habits in place and create the vision of what we want for ourselves this year. We’ve looked at fitness, spirituality (though only telepathically ) and we’re taking a look at “Health”. It’s time for you to create the ideal. Let’s make the little pimples and zits of our health equation VANISH by putting in place the discipline and dietary choices we need to thrive.

Easier said than done, right? Well, its all starts with a decision to make it happen. Recently, I had to make a decision when I was confronted with yet another unexpected “gift” from my body. The kind of gift that isn’t necessarily wanted, but appreciated none the less. As I sat here the other morning on the throne of the Diva empire, I was busily singing the song of health and high energy living when all of a sudden…

…I found another cyst.

*gulp*

Read more »

Toilet Talk and Other Pertinent Poop Issues

Today is Monday and it feels like things are getting back into full speed ahead mode after the holidays. I’m certainly glad I’ve given myself these 21 days to put things in place. I know today is supposed to be the day that we buckle down and address fitness, but I need to interrupt your regularly scheduled 21-Day Challenge programming with an announcement about toilet talk and other pertinent poop issues.

Okay, so I need to get right down to the juicy stuff here because I’m just aching to share with you my big news. Brace yourselves, if you’re the sensitive type.

Around here it is to be expected that if you’re talking about food, you’re talking about poop. I have yet to meet a woman with whom I couldn’t have a great conversation about the pleasure of a satisfying bowel movement. Either we’re consitpated, gassy, bloated or just irregular, but without exception we all know that the pleasure of a productive bowel movement has been daringly, but not unjustly, compared to the pleasure of a sexual orgasm.

In the last few hours I’ve had four intensely pleasurable experiences of the non-sexual variety and I feel like a new woman!

The secret?

I’ll tell you in a moment.

As you know, I’m prepping for the 6-Week Deep Tissue Detox. It’s starting in just a week and today is the first day I’ve really been able to consider getting myself on track for food and prepping myself for the detox that’s coming. The timing is PERFECT for a detox. After the travel, irregular sleep, mashed potato indulgences and other chocolate-coated conditions that come with the holidays, I am so ready to clean out and clear up. But more than that, I’m ready to learn.

I’ve been at this now for seven years and am astonished still to realize to what degree I am the byproduct of the information I’ve been fed by other health enthusiasts. I can remember when I first jumped on board the raw food bandwagon, I was rubbing noses with a lot of friendly fruit-eaters and running about 30km on an average Sunday afternoon. I was doing my best to learn the ropes and ask questions and get the results I was hearing about.  Unlike many raw foodists, I didn’t come to this lifestyle seeking health improvement. I was simply curious.

I was following a pure path at first. Avoiding salt was a spiritual arm-wrestling match unlike any other I’ve ever had. The white-knuckling didn’t last long for me. The recommendations I followed at the time were probably better than what I’d been doing before, and so I got results. I still felt bloated and constipated and remember asking about enemas and colonics at the time and got a big ol’ resounding “NO!” That’s “BAD”. The ideas put out were that some people have had enemas and colonics and then never had a natural bowel movement again in their lives.

Last year after encountering a few health professionals that do recommend and use enemas and colonics themselves, I decided to call upon Michael Perrine and ask him to give me the “Scoop on Poop”.  Looking back at 2009, I can honestly say that one of the best things I did for myself was invest $20 in a rubber enema bag from my local drugstore! SUCH a good move. The reason I’m telling you all this is because I don’t think you should believe anything I say. I think you should find out for yourself.

With the 6-Week Detox coming up, this is the perfect opportunity to learn for yourself what happens when you really clean out your body and understand more about what’s going on inside it. We are so indoctrinated to avoid things, fear certain practices, etc. Inform yourself honestly and objectively, then try stuff. Listen to the teleseminar that I recorded with Michael and read some of the comments left by other people and have the courage to walk your own path. The reason I started all this toilet talk in the first place, actually has nothing to do with enemas, but is related to bacterial balance in the gut and my extremely productive morning on the throne.

Here’s the secret to my high productivity:

The last time we did the 6-Week Detox, I learned SO much about the gut and healthy bacterial balance, but I didn’t really apply it all. Over the last few days I’ve been drinking LOADS of fermented Kombucha and may I just tell you that stuff works!! I could never be convinced that enemas are a bad thing because they have just done way too much good for me. And now I am most thoroughly convinced that drinking and eating fermented foods is a health-building habit to have and one I intend to keep for a long time.

Through Crudessence we’ll be offering a fermentation workshop very soon. You can access the Crudessence calendar for more details if you’re in the area.

As for you, my dear, and our 21-Day Challenge, please spend some time tonight dreaming of your fit, hot body and how you feel when you’re fitness is at its ideal. What do you want to do and how often? Set your ideal scene and tomorrow we’ll do some action steps and target setting to put things in place. I know today and tomorrow are devoted to dreaming of and putting in place our fitness goals for the year, but with my glorious gut adventures this morning, I simply had to tell you how excited I am about learning more, about deconstructing the myths that I didn’t even realize I was operating with.

I mean, I’ve heard all this bacteria stuff and people say it works, but holy smokin’ toilet seats, now I’m a believer. If you’re joining us for the 6-Week Detox we’ll make a believer out of you, too. Otherwise, start googling about fermentation, Sister!

Okay, back tomorrow with the fitness focus!

Love and laughter,

Tera

It’s Time For Our Annual Attitude Adjustment

Gooooood morning, Sparkle Puff. (Okay, well, it was morning when I started this. But then the doorbell rang, and one of our kids needed help with her entrpreneurial plan and another had a fashion question and the drier finished and lunch needed to be prepared and…

…7 hours later I have finally managed to free myself enough to finish this blog post. I don’t know about the kids, but I can’t wait for school to start on Monday. )

I admit I was feeling just kinda ordinary this morning (a bit of indigestion after this week’s festivities) until I sat down to do my own reflections of 2009. I looked back through the calendar and went through, month by month, taking mental note of all that had happened. It didn’t take long, but WHAT A TRIP! If you haven’t done it yet, DO IT! At first all I noticed were the dramatic things–January was a bit rough. With the hope that it might inspire you to fit in the time to do your own reflections in detail before settling into the goal setting exercises we’ll be doing throughout the weeks to come, here are a few of my observations about the successes of 2009:

Personally:

I fell in love and worked through the bumpy parts of a new relationship where you look for every exit door you can find before deciding to make love work with a person.

I became a better mom and actually went through some A M A Z I N G marriage counseling with my ex-husband. After 6 years of having been divorced!!, we actually ironed out the wrinkles in our relationship and became amazing co-parents and good friends to each other! Then we put the kids on a much better schedule and just got them feeling and behaving SO confident and SO darn cool. Yes, we are still divorced.

I started getting a lot more sleep and had a whole hot yoga binge in March that I looooved. I swam, skated and cross-country skied. I strapped on my shoes and adventured over the big bridge near my house a few times. I did a juice fast and started green juicing for the first time after almost 7 years of being a raw foodist.

Professionally:

I created WISH: Women’s International Summit for Health and in preparation for it interviewed some of the most incredible people I have ever known. In 2010 I’ll be bringing it to life on March 8 (International Women’s Day) and I cannot begin to express how escited I am about it. I did the Raw Mom Summit with Shannon and we had such a powerful and positive impact on the Raw Food Community, that we decided to spread the circle of influence a bit wider.

I developed the 6 Week Deep Tissue Detox with Ritamarie and spent huge amounts of time revising, improving and finally launching it. 2010 will be the year I actually do it myself!

I became partners with Crudessence and was assigned as the “Director” of their workshops and community programming.

The other thing that stands out in 2009 are a few moments I took to make some smart decisions about how to manage my business–a moment of clarity and confidence. I was simply deciding NOT to do something, but knowing that I would put my energy in the right place felt fantastic. I got excited about  the fact that something as simple as a decision could get me feeling so enthusiastic and hopeful so quickly. It propelled me to pick up my e-pen and start writing to you. Not about productivity, performance or promises that were kept. I wanted to write to you about the power of decision making. When I look back the things that excited and inspired me the most about 2009, it was the DECISIONS that I made to take charge of my life or business in a positive way and improve things.

That’s why it is SO important that you take the time NOW to chart your course for the year ahead. NOW you are setting your goals and making objectives and DECISIONS about how you want your life to be this year.

Today (January 2nd) we’re supposed to be looking at Attitude. (I wanted to wait a bit before hitting the obvious food, fitness, etc. Many people are still on vacation and getting back into gear with things, too.)

How do you look at your life? When you consider the things that happen in a day, a week, a year, how do you view your role in it all?
Do you view yourself as the passive participant in the soap opera of life, or are you the clever creator of all that happens to you?
When you wake up in the morning, are you ready and rarin’ to take on the day, or dreading the never-ending to do list?

When you walk in the street and look out at other people, what kind of thoughts are you thinking?
What about when you look at yourself in the mirror? Are you critical and judgmental, or compassionate and kind? What about in your relationships and professional life? When things aren’t going well, do you point the finger, or ask yourself what more you can take responsibility for?
Do you hear yourself making a lot of excuses or apologies?
Do you validate the things that go right or feel focused on where things are troubled and difficult?

We talk a lot about food, diet and exercise. We talk a lot about enemas and superfoods and drinking enough water. We talk a lot about the things we have to get done in a day, but criticism is bad for your liver and anger makes your armpits stink! Grumpiness puts ugly wrinkles all over your forehead and face, too! There is nothing beautiful, attractive or remotely empowering about being a GRUMP or a complainer. So let’s make this the year of good vibrations, baby!! Out with the crust, lift up your bust and show the world how beautiful life is!!

Understand that crabby people don’t feel good about themselves or they wouldn’t be crabby in the first place. Rather than bitch and complain about what other people do wrong, do it right. Rather than tell other people they’ve pissed you off, tell them how much you appreciate something they did.

When you feel like everything is wrong, find the one thing that is right about it all, and things will all turn around. Life is as positive and as pleasurable as you are able to wrap your attitude around your experiences. I could talk about this one for hours, and in fact, if at least 10 people ask for it, I’ll give you a special spiritual butt-kicking teleseminar all about it.

At the end of your days, it won’t be the car, the house, or the clutter in your cupboards that fills your soul and lets you leave this world in peace. It will be the choices you made to love in the face of opposition, to persist in the face of adversity and to believe when everyone else has given up. It will be the moments you lived and loved at your very best that will stand out and lift your soul to a higher place, or (if you’re not a soul-subscrber) it will simply give you the satisfaction of having lived a meaningful, empowered life.

Reach out, stretch your heart wide open and make enough room to love one more person. Then make enough room to love them all and watch how doing so makes loving yourself a whole lot easier. You can do it, Sunshine. You can make this your best year EVER. I know you can and I’m rooting for you until my pom-poms fall apart!

Go, Girl, Go!

2010: May it Be Your Best Year Yet

I’ve settled myself into coziest chair in the house and it’s about one hour until the clock strikes midnight.

I wanted to connect here–with you and with myself in preparation for the new year. I’m going to find a quiet place in the house and within myself to focus on a few things as the clock strikes midnight.

I mentioned yesterday the importance of reviewing your successes for 2009. Hopefully you managed to find the time to do that. If not, do that now. It’s important to validate the good stuff before you move forward with the new. Celebrate your success.

In the same way that I had you scan the months of the year in our last exercise, I’d like to ask you now to scan the different areas of your life and aspects of who you are as a person and as a woman. The never ending to do lists and multitasking miracles we pull off still somehow don’t manage to leave us time to address our own personal details. When was the last time you had a pedicure? Never had one? What needs to happen in your life to reach closer to your ideal?

Have you ever set yourself some New Year’s Resolutions only to break them on Day 3, then give up on yourself?

Remember from yesterday’s message, this program is our slow and steady path to success. Put your discipline in place. Get serious and straight up with yourself.

How committed are you when other people ask you to help them, show up for something, or be there in some way? Make a commitment to yourself over the next 21 days. I don’t know where you’re at, how you’ve been or what you want to achieve for yourself, but you can do whatever you want, you can achieve all kinds of amazing things if you’re willing to take the time to paint the picture first.

This is YOUR day.

This is YOUR chance to start fresh and make something happen.

It’s a new moon, a new year, a new beginning.

For the next 21 days, treat every day as if it was the first day of the New Year. Be committed consistently throughout this program. This isn’t going to be a quick fix. Let’s get serious, roll up our sleeves and make this the best year ever! If you slip up on Day 3, keep going!

Tonight’s New Year’s Eve. Take some time to visualize and paint the picture of your year to come. Just images, colors, textures, spaces and sounds. Make this easy, natural and playful for yourself. If you find you are forcing yourself, step back. Think of something you love and just hold that space. Recall a moment you felt proud of what you had achieved and hold that space for a while.

Here are the 10 different areas of our lives we’re going to be addressing throughout the 21-Day Challenge:

1. Attitude
2. Fitness/Activity
3. Spirituality/Creative Expression
4. Sensuality
5. Health
6. Family
7. Relationships
8. Beauty
9. Home
10. Money/Abundance.

I don’t want you rushing ahead of yourself, so I won’t put too many details about each category, but at least you have them and can start putting your attention on the different areas.

January 1st is your day to dream, play, imagine, hope and COMMIT to the next 21 days.

Then starting on January 2, we’ll spend 2 days on each section. The first day, you’ll brainstorm your ideal scenario for each of these topics. Just let yourself go, pull out colored pens and dream, play, explore the possibilities of what you can create for yourself in each of these areas. Write your notes on a paper or in a notebook. You’re going to need to sleep with them under your pillow.

Why?

Because my mom always told me to do that with my study notes before my exams. It all works by osmosis. On the second day, after you’ve slept on your ideal scene, dreamed about it, and let the pictures paint themselves, then it’s time to circle the ones that stand out most and feel the best when you read them. Then you identify which ones are achievable in the short term and which ones should be considered more long term.

Then you need to create some action steps that you can take over the coming weeks.

We’re going to repeat that little pattern for each of the 21 days of the challenge. For now, my Sweetcake, it’s time to PARTY and countdown to the New Year. But before I let you go and sip champagne or hug your loved ones, I want to tell you how grateful I am for your support and kind words. If I counted my wealth by adding up success stories, letters of appreciation, celebration and good news, I would be one of the wealthiest women on the planet.

And since I do, so I am.

Thank you for the gift of your courage, support and kindness as part of this community. May 2010 bring more green to your plate, more awe in your raw and all the love and abundance you can possibly create for yourself.

My very best wishes for your new beginnings,

Tera

p.s.

If you’re just coming across this for the first time, all you need to do is be signed up to our 7-day detox or Health in High Heels newsletter and you’ll receive daily notification about our 21-Day Challenge! Happy to have you join us for this adventure.