October 10, 2010

Hi {!firstname_fix}

I am back from Euroranch. It was a wonderful experience. I got home, did laundry, changed sheets, unpacked, got the dogs washed and went to the grocery store. My brain was so foggy, I was late with everything, I couldn't remember my name, and forgot my routines. Now my brain is back in its rhythm.

I love this time of year. Balloon fiesta starts Fall. Now the mornings are cold. We actually had frost on the car windows. The dog's coats are growing thicker. The trees are thinking about it, the tomato plants are pretty much done. I am excited to use the crock pot and the new cast iron cooker I got. I want to try Diane's roasted pork recipe.

I have done a new schedule for classes and that feels good.

Today's article will surprise you. I think it will be a fun conversation.

These classes will begin Wednesday, October 13, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Napping Your Way to Radiance (2 weeks) Given all the discussion in chats and on the conversations list, it seems like a good time to reschedule this class. I will go into the brain chemistry, talk about why naps are soooo good for us, and then offer practical suggestions for healthy nap skills. This is a really, really important class and is especially relevant before the holidays.

Radiant Step 3 (2 weeks) is one of our core classes. This is a skill-based class. If you want to learn the baby steps of a successful step 3, come join us. This class is ALWAYS fun.

This class will begin Wednesday, October 20, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Using Radiant Resources (2 weeks) is a free orientation for those of you who are brand new and would like to find your way around town. Come sit on the top of our double-decker bus for a guided tour. And even if you are not brand new, this is a really fun class to reconnect with all the treats of the community.

The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned.

Please wait to sign up for classes until a week or two before, and do not sign up for classes that are not yet scheduled.

A number of you have asked me how the classes work. Check the class list page for more information on this. And please go read the questions and answers before you write to me. If you have trouble getting through the process, write the tech forum.

Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

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** Quote From Kathleen **


Step 7 is not an end, but a portal to a different kind of life.

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** Testimonial of the Week **


OK, I would be laughing....but .... this morning I should have heard from a friend but I did not ... so mid morning I texted to find out what was going on. (I usually text this friend rather than call). No response. Then I became most fretful...how come I had no response, what had happened, illness? disaster? Had we fallen out LOLOL? And I noticed my thinking was a bit circular....so I checked my journal and what do I find...some very very sloppy lunch timings. Lunch was late for the last 3 days.

Sigh....its always the food.......

And of course my friend is just fine but having a busy day. And I had a jacket potato, chili and a dollop of sour cream for lunch. Yum.

Karen

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** Radiant Ambassadors **


Well, Euro Ranch was amazing!! The sense of connection with people who understand is always a highlight of my year. I think I’ll be processing it for weeks to come. It also gave me the opportunity to talk to more people about spreading the word about Radiant Recovery. Three more people expressed an interest in helping out. The very same day that Teresa came on over to the list she had a remarkable coincidence which I thought would be fun to share:

Well just earlier after I finished writing my post here. I got a knock on my front door. It was a man collecting for an organisation which provides care for people with drug and alcohol addictions amongst other things. So I did agree to donate but asked him if in return he would pass on a Radiant Recovery card to the people in charge of the services.

Then a spark of inspiration told me just give him the book. He was really impressed and we had a good chat. He asked if he could read it himself before passing it on. I said of course. So he left with the book and a stack of sunflower Radiant Recovery cards.

I am just amazed about the times that opportunities arise. Also when we share our stories its surprising how many people admit they have been affected by depression in their lives.

Teresa
How cool is that?

Selena
selenas@blueyonder.co.uk

Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news.

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** How I Found Radiant Recovery **


Hi, I'm Claire and I am living in Ireland. I am on step one and found Potatoes not Prozac through looking up the links between depression and sugar.

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** Radiant Kitchen **


Here is a fun discussion that illustrates how recipes evolve in the community.

The cheese cake is Vicki's so I've just added my modifications in below:

This is a recipe that I got from Sheila. It is from the Low Blood Sugar Cookbook by Patricia and Edward Krimmel.

Combine and blend until finely chopped:
  • 1 Cup rolled oats
  • 3/4 Cups Brazil nuts. (I have used hazel nuts and a combination of other nuts.)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
*Milly : I used more oats, and pecans instead of brazils, and added about 1/2C toasted coconut. I think it needed more cos my base was too thin with just 1C oats.*

Pour mixture into a bowl and add:
  • 1/4 Cup melted butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt (I omit this myself)
*Milly: I didn't use salt either.*

Press the above mixture onto sides and bottom of a pie plate. It works best with a spring-form pan. (I just press onto the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch spring form pan). Chill while you make the cheesecake.

Cheesecake:

Place in a large bowl:

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (*Milly: for our UK users this is 7g of gelatin, I used 3 sheets of 2g each on my 2nd try but in future would use less, maybe 4-5g? I liked it softer, it seemed to have more flavour even if it was running off the plate the first time I made it (with just 1 sheet!)*)

Add:
  • 1 Cup scalding hot unsweetened pineapple juice.
  • Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
  • Beat in with an electric mixer until smooth
  • 16 oz softened cream cheese *(Milly: I used 3 x 150g tubs)*
  • 1 tsp vanilla
*Milly: I got an organic cream cheese from Waitrose because Philadelphia just doesn't have enough flavour for me. It was good, more like the cream cheese we get in NZ and I assume is similar to the US version.*

Pour onto nut crust in the spring form pan and chill until firm.

Serve topped with fresh fruit. (I have used all kinds of berries)

*Milly: I topped with fresh raspberries and this was an excellent flavour combination.*

For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store.


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** Radiant Conversations **


Well come to chat on Wednesday for a historic first. We are going to talk about calories, LOL. If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you are ready to change your life or just have some plain ol' fun!

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son.

We got some children's vitamins from Nordic naturals. Here is why we like them: They have no artificial colorings, flavorings, or preservatives. They are Pectin based, are Allergen-free and easy to chew and they are yummy. If you are giving your children something else, compare to see if they have all that. I have been giving my daughter these since she was very little. My only problem is that I made the mistake of giving them to my dog once and now he thinks he should have them every time.

Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better.

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** Our Online Groups **


The Radiant Step Two list is a source of helpful information and support with journaling. On this list we talk about how to get started with the journal, how to start listening to our body and why giving it a voice is so important. We also discuss how to use the journal for detective work in our program and, of course, how to make journaling fun! Right now the list is rockin' with people supporting each other and making big discoveries with their journal. So whether you are just starting out or are looking for a recharge in your journaling, come on over and join in the fun!

We get set doing all four parts of Breakfast and then comes 'The Journal'.

Many people have kept journals of food intake before to track points or calories. Others have written great long accounts of their feelings, poetry, their making sense of life, the universe. This journal is very different. Here we record what and when we eat, and how the body feels. We are able to discover what our body likes, doesn't like. What makes 'our' body function and feel best. We get to know the dear body who has faithfully carried and served us our life long. And we get to make the best food choices to nurture our body and allow the body to heal.

The journal is a tricky step for a lot of people! (smile) Learning the language that the body uses can be harder than learning Russian without a phrasebook. But if we persevere, the rewards are wonderful. Getting to know 'you,' getting to know 'all' about you is the best and most lasting love affair you will ever have.

On the journal list, we talk about how to have the journal work for you and your body. How to manage carrying a journal, being kind to yourself when it seems too hard, and how to understand what it tells you. Come on over and join us to learn to hear your body speak.

Or come to the group page to find the one that will best support your program: http://www.radiantrecovery.com/list_serves.htm


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**Gaining Weight on the Program **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



You do NOT have to gain weight on the program.

I have had some intriguing insights in the last week about gaining weight. First, I posted this on the community forum.

Here are the reasons you might gain weight when you start.

1) You are still eating lots of sugar and white stuff. You used to skip breakfast and not eat 'til evening.

2) You do not move or exercise and you are still having sugar and white stuff.

3) You have been doing low or no carb and when you add in some browns, your body gets all excited.

It is your addict brain that says, OMG, I will GAIN weight if I eat breakfast...rather than, oh my, I have been managing my sugar addiction and weight by not eating the rest of the day.

So, the question is, do you have to gain weight? The answer, of course, is no... you simply get your motivation in gear and move along in the process. Step three has a huge impact on the sugar and white stuff.

Now, I know that some people think I am mean or curt or unloving when I speak up, but honestly, all the drama about weight really is not necessary. If you are in a panic about it, you can go and do a diet. You know how to pick one. See if it helps you get settled. See if it heals your sugar addiction. See if you feel better and clear and not frantic. If all that works, you can simply do the diet and then come back.

I guess what I am trying to offer you is that the weight is only the tiny tip of the iceberg. If you chip it off, the rest of the iceberg is just going to surface anyway. What the program will do is take care of the iceberg...melt it...and the weight loss part of it comes after taking care of the iceberg, so when you do it, nothing else surfaces.

This post all made perfect sense. Then I got an email from a woman in the First Steps in Losing Weight Class. She said she had been working on the program for a year and had gained 20 pounds. Ok, so that made sense to me. It fit with what I had said above. Then she said….

* According to DH I have about 1,000 calories for breakfast alone. which I am comfortable with, because that gives me the protein start I need for my day. The other meals tend not to be so calorie heavy, I think. I try to not keep track of the calories and focus on the protein and whole grain aspect instead.*

Now, at first glance, it sounded consistent with what I have been saying over and over for a long time. Except the 1000 calorie breakfast part. That one just stopped me cold. How could that be? I wrote her an asked her if she would share with me what she has for breakfast. She did. Here is what she wrote:

Here's my usual breakfast. I have it within 20 minutes of waking up.

1 tablespoon butter to grease the pan, mushrooms (usually have them on hand, sometimes not), 3 eggs (21 gr), 2 sl amer cheese (6 gr) or 1 sl harder cheese (4 gr), 1 sl whole grain bread w/ 1 tablespoon natural p.b. (3 gr for pb) ( (no sugar or oil added). Depending on my mood, sometimes I'll add a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar onto the p.b. (probably about 1/8-1/4 tsp sugar), 16 oz whole milk. Sometimes I will also throw in an ounce of deli meat or leftover meat from the night before into the eggs.

If I remember correctly, I don't count the protein from the milk or the bread. Bread counts as my whole grain and milk doesn't hold enough for protein count. Feedback would be great.

 I knew that her breakfast was not all that different from what a lot of folks have. But how could it be 1000 calories? So I went over the the UDSA calculator site and actually counted calories. I think this is the first time I have counted calories since I was 8 years old and I was mimicking my mother who used to count calories every day. Here is what I found.
  • 1 tablespoon butter to grease the pan, 102
  • mushrooms (usually have them on hand, sometimes not), didn't count
  • 3 eggs (21 gr), 210
  • 2 sl amer cheese (6 gr) or 158
  • 1 sl harder cheese (4 gr), 113
  • 1 sl whole grain bread w/ 73
  • 1 tablespoon natural p.b. (3 gr for pb) ( (no sugar or oil added), depending on my mood, sometimes I'll add a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar onto the p.b. (probably about 1/8-1/4 tsp sugar), 94
  • 16 oz whole milk. 300
Here was my response to her…

If you look at the numbers, you can see that the milk is 30% of the total. If you took out the butter, the peanut butter and the milk, you would halve your calories...and if you changed out the cheese to 1 cup of no-fat cottage cheese, you would go from 260 calories to 100 and get 15 grams of protein instead of 10.

So that would be about 380 calories instead of 1000+.

I sat there and I was simply dumbfounded. I realized that I have done you all a big disservice. I did not factor this stuff in.

It is a difference of 60% of energy intake (yes, that would be calories).. I realized that I don’t think about this because I don’t think about calories. I think I have thrown out a crucial component.

So maybe we need to add in how to make some choices around which foods you choose to stack up that protein. I want to talk about this at chat, and on the forum. I think it is important. What do you think?


Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, our webmaster, puts it all together.
David runs the Radiant Recovery® Store.
Selena provides the weekly Ambassadors column.


©2010 Kathleen DesMaisons. All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your ezine or website as long as you leave the content unaltered, use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®", and notify kathleen@radiantrecovery.com of the location. Please visit the Radiant Recovery® website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction.

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