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February 24, 2014 Hi {!firstname_fix} 
My neighbor is a master gardener. I always watch to see what is happening in her garden. Today there were 5 bright yellow daffodils up and facing the sun. It was warm and sunny and I was outside sweeping the walks while Ronan and Pepper lay in the sun soaking it up. My new rescue has learned to come and sit. It took 4 hot dogs and a clicker. He was excited.Everything is feeling settled and quiet...I am working with the banquet manager to arrange the meals for Ranch here in New Mexico. She has read Potatoes Not Prozac and is excited about our coming. I like the feeling. These classes will begin Wednesday, February 26, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
These classes will begin Wednesday, March 5, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned. 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 **********************************************************************
**Quote From Kathleen ** When you actually start keeping a journal, you will be floored to discover that what you thought you 'knew' and what you did were very different. **********************************************************************
**Testimonial of the Week ** The food spikes - I have just very recently started to notice how food is related to the spikes throughout the day. Just yesterday I made a conscious decision to lessen the impact of a spike by deciding to wait and have my "sweet fix" until after I had dinner. In the last weeks or so I have slowly been moving sweets into my meals and it has slowly lessened the impact of spikes. I don't feel terrible or super great....I just feel even Steven if that makes sense. I can start to appreciate what food does for my mood and I am excited! I am getting steady slowly. Raising the natural state of BE - I am noticing that little sweet joys make me glow. I am starting to appreciate this little glow and how it's slowly raising my BE bar. I'm starting to appreciate "quiet time" and its powers and also the power of walking and how that raises my BE. It's like feeling a soft warm light instead of feeling a jolt of electricity when I get a spike from sugar. Kathleen: Time, energy, commitment, diligence build. Sort of like adding one brick of BE at a time. Yes it does take so much effort to get three meals done for myself and my family. I am starting to see my brick wall of recovery. Every day I carry that heavy brick of commitment and work and lay it down. Kathleen: First blood sugar, then serotonin, then BE. BE is like dessert. And long term, when the other two are healed, BE is where the action is. I think I am in the blood sugar stage. I am starting to have three regular meals with sugar at the meal and not in between. This step is still very shaky though so id say I'm just dipping my toe in the step 3 water right now. Diana **********************************************************************
**Radiant Life ** For a person who does not like changes, I am getting a proper change workout. Think Maddie is going to choose to come home after uni in June, she will either seek work or is also thinking of an MSC... to be decided!! That's pretty exciting, three years went by jolly quick. My first thought was my dinner at 6 pm and if she is working my dinners will be upset LOL... will LOVE having her at home but what a change it will be ... for all of us, and such a wrench for M disbanding her student house ;( Having a retired DH has gone so much better than I imagined. Last year, if I am honest, went by in so much of a daze - it was all organising something or clearing or deciding. Seems more leisurely now. I realise we are both very introverted which is to our advantage. I go off to work, he likes a 'to do' list which gets me out of doing the washing, and we bumble about doing our own individual things till tea time when we are pleased to see each other again. The kitchen finished with the installation of a door yesterday, which involved new Man-tools and saws and a new screwdriver that I can hardly lift which has a spotlight (DH is happy). Now we can think of the dining room but we are waiting till after next hols to start. I have been making a birthday cake for Maddie. Ironic as I won't eat it and she hates icing and so does everyone else in my family. But she wanted one for her 21st for her friends/bd party and so I made her childhood teddy bears tea party as requested. It really woke something up in me. NOT sugar paste, don't worry! But I really want to do something with clay, throw a pot or something. I found the modelling soothing. I think I have a small artistic talent that I would like to play at finding. I'm going to look for some night school pottery or something. I thought, for less than a second, "Oh, no, 21st birthday cake or champagne or anything." Then I thought, "Daft so and so, didn't at Charlie's either! And I won't miss it." We go to see her on her actual birthday Tues and she is taking us round town and then in the evening to Giraffe (great restaurant for me). I commissioned a cushion from my cousin for her birthday. She has a small business making cushions and craft whatnots. Its made of my grandmother's embroideries, tatting, crochet and bits all appliqued on... it arrived today and I haven't seen it yet, I only know its got orange in it as it's her fave colour. So excited for M to unwrap it! We saw a small ray of sunshine today. That made me feel bright. I have a renewed faith in my exercises lately. I am pleased to say my weight is steady for a year now - well I go up and down the same 4 lb that I think is my maintenance range.... am going to do my exercise more now though as I am planning for a long weekend in Barcelona in March - which will mean me having to have some stamina the amount of walking we have planned. Am very ready for the break, if not a rest :) Wishing you a fast approaching Springtime. mosaic **********************************************************************
**Radiant Ambassadors **  I received a large envelope in the post recently. Opened it up and there were copies of Potatoes not Prozac and Little Sugar Addicts. I couldn't figure out who would be sending them to *me* LOL - I normally send them to other people :) On closer investigation there was a note attached and it was from the main man in charge of health and obesity at our local council - you know, the one I met after a long line of letters to the Prime Minister etc. Anyway, he thanked me for the loan of the books and that they made for an interesting read. It also noted that sugar was now beginning to make the headlines!!!! I didn't expect to see the books again, let alone to hear that they had been read! Happy days! Selena selenas@blueyonder.co.uk Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. **********************************************************************
**How I Found Radiant Recovery ** Last December, 13 months ago, I was struggling with sugar addiction and looking at various “options” from surgery to Overeaters Anonymous. I was desolate and could not face another diet. I talked about my binging with my nurse-midwife in January and told her of my frustration. I also told her I had picked up Kathleen’s book on Sugar Addiction at my local library. She gently suggested that no surgery would fix whatever was going on in my head that was causing me to binge and eat massive amounts of refined foods. I began to read Kathleen’s book and called my sister who brought me some OA literature (and a wholesome, balanced dinner). Step by step, I followed suggestions from the book and the website, reading discussions on radiantrecovery.com when I needed more support. My journey has been nothing short of a miracle. I have lived with food cravings and emotional eating since I was about 12 years old and the last year without overt sugar in my life has been life changing. My simple plan of 3 meals a day, enough protein, and a simple brown food before sleeping each night is nothing short of a break-through. I was able to begin exercising gradually and have seen so many health improvements in my life. I have reduced my weight by almost 50 lbs. without ever skipping a meal or feeling deprived. I weigh myself once a month, for feedback, and to help understand how much I can change/balance my portions from meal to meal and still get what I need from my food. I think I have passed along at least 3 copies of the Sugar Addiction book, I keep ordering another one each time I pass one along to anyone who seems interested. I do enjoy your posts and the newsletter in general, so thanks for your important work. You are helping so many people. Sincerely, Lily **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. We are excited to announce two new products. Our Nordic Naturals Sales Rep sent over some samples for Kathleen to try.
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
**Radiant Kitchen ** There’s a fruit cobbler recipe I have made for years that I made sugar-free tonight for the first time. It’s great! I used apples and strawberries, but you can use anything, really. If you’re using something like canned peaches (in natural fruit juice of course), you can use it as is. Tonight I sautéed apple slices in a bit of butter and cinnamon and nutmeg until they were a bit soft. Then added a handful of strawberries, sliced. Put fruit in the bottom of a glass pie dish. In a bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and about 2/3 cup apple butter. Add 1 egg, 1 cup Kathleen's Baking Mix and mix well. Glop this on top of the fruit in several places and spread to cover. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for about a half an hour. Delicious with whipped cream. This recipe was contributed by Sue Ann from the Radiant Recovery Community Forum. Kathleen's Baking Mix
For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site. **********************************************************************
**Radiant YLD ** We made a wonderful discovery at chat. A lot of the step 7 people hang out in chat, so it gives the newer people an incredible opportunity to hear experience, strength and hope first hand. Our chats seems to have gotten turbo charged recently. We thought we were having fun before, but now it is even better. If you would like to join, come find us here **********************************************************************
**Radiant Conversations ** We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here. Sometimes we are laughing so hard we cannot even type. What is this that happens at conversations chats...our connection and our curiosity come together to do problem solving, joy dot sharing and just plan connecting. Do come join us. If you would like to join us, you can do that below. Join YLD Weight Loss Now: click here - $99 Join Conversations 2011 Now: click here - $99 Join Both YLD and Conversations Now: click here - $149 Current YLD members wish to Upgrade to Both, click here - $49 If you are not a member, come and join us if you want to be a part of the latest and greatest or just have some plain ol' fun! **********************************************************************
**Our Online Groups ** As the name says, the Radiant Step Three group is all about our very favorite Step 3. This can be a tough step for some when starting. People either forget to eat meals, eat the most inappropriate sugar-laden stuff or just graze through the day. The Step 3 list is a great place to stop by for those who are finding this a challenging step, or who are starting out or who would just like some extra support. We talk a lot about things like: What is a meal, exactly? How do I get my body to cooperate with eating "just" three meals a day? What are some tips to help me with consistent timing? And all sorts of other aspects of this step. We try to make it fun, because... well why not make it fun?? It's a great place of support... come and join us! (And it matters not if you are new to the step, totally re-doing the step or just shoring up your Step 3 after being further along in the program.) **********************************************************************
**Barney ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
When I wrote this article, I thought I would republish it every year. Just recently I went to a funeral of a 35 year old guy who had committed suicide. He left his wife and 3 little girls. He was another victim of addiction. There were more than 400 people in the church. All that love couldn't touch him. One more bead was added to my grief cord. But rereading this story of Barney, I had this thought...I think sorrow lives right next to joy. If we are able to do deep feelings, we get to do sorrow too. Barney taught me that I would not die from sorrow. I think I am going to post this article every year on the anniversary of Barney's death. I know that some of you get irked by my *dog* stuff...but honestly, this is who I am. This story will tell you more about me than any PR promo in any of the books. And I think it is important to honor anniversaries. 
Barney showed up in my life about 10 days ago. A shelter in Northern NM had called to ask me to take a young male who was found running on the mesa. I declined because I had 4 dogs already and my rescue pens were full. Three days later, I got a call from a young woman who does rescue up there. She had pulled Barney from the shelter and had him at her house. She loved him. He was loving, sweet affectionate, great with her kids and dogs, and even her chickens. But he did not want to be locked up and kept breaking out. He had ripped all her fencing, and broken down the gates. She had to put him on a chain and she knew that it was not a good solution. She was willing to drive 3 hours to bring him to me. So, of course I said yes.Barney was wonderful and yep, he was a breakout artist. He ripped out the wire in pen #1, so went to high security which has pig fencing and a dog cannot break it with his teeth. It is also designed so no one can dig out. I noticed when I let Barney be with me and with the other dogs, he calmed down and played and laughed. I figured out that he just did not want to be alone, he wanted to be with his gang. So I rearranged dogs, invited the best, most settled dog in my network to come for a visit, and Barney was in heaven. He had a *pack* and the world was right. I have another grumpy, old fat guy who snarls at everyone. He got the lock down spot and would do the curl the lip thing and snarl at Barney. Barney just looked at him and said, *Get a grip , dude.* I was looking forward to finding him a loving home. Thursday evening, I glanced out the window and saw that Barney was having a pretty major seizure. I went out to get him and it quieted. He was totally disoriented and I had no idea how I could get him to the vet because he was a big guy. He finally stood up and started going in circles. I guided him to the car and drove to the vet. She took him in, and did the standard protocol. Nothing in the blood work to suggest his eating something toxic. After 30 minutes she came back and said, *We need to put him in the hospital so they can stabilize him. I will load him with phenobarbitol and valium. He may have another seizure in the car.* It is a long drive to the emergency hospital. And yes, he had another seizure in the car. They took him in. The resident came out and went through the long list of possibilities and asked me what I wanted to do. *No MRI, no spinal tap, let's get him stabilized and see where we are in the morning,* I said. The late night doc called me later and said he was still having episodes and she was concerned. In the morning she called and said he was walking, eating, wagging his tail and she was optimistic. Fifteen minutes later, she called back and said he had another major episode. I knew at this point we were in trouble. I knew that I could not place him with uncontrolled epilepsy. I knew that the bills were mounting and every dollar we spend means it has to be raised. So I made the decision that we would euthanize him. I told her that. She agreed that it seemed to be the right decision. I hung up and felt incredibly sad. She called back in 10 minutes and said they needed a witness to the decision. I decided that I would drive up and sign the papers in person. I did. While I was sitting in the waiting room, I decided that I would sit with Barney for this passing. He had no one, and it just seemed like the right thing to do. It was part of taking care of my *pack*. I told the receptionist. And I waited and waited. Then they put me in the kill room...I guess they feel that a carpet and upholstered chairs are better than stainless steel and linoleum. The doctor had told me that Barney was under deep anesthesia. They brought him in and set him on the blanket...a white polyester fleece with multicolored flowers. He opened his eyes, wagged his tail and tried to stand up. The doctor seemed like she was 18. I asked her to just let us sit alone. So I held him and I stroked his head and as I wept over him, I told him that he would be safe. I asked my old girl who had died if she would come for him, show him where the balls were, where the fields were to run in and explain that all wounding would be healed. I told him he was a good boy and that I cherished him. He went to sleep. The young doctor came back. She explained all the stuff. I wanted her to just shut up. I wanted to tell her that I knew all the process. I just held Barney and he passed. I asked her to leave me alone with him for a while. I turned off the overhead light and simply sat with Barney for a long time. I have been with people who have died. I know that the big soul goes first and the cells are confused. So I told them what had happened. I felt that Josie came for him. I thought about the fact that had he not been with me, he would have died in a ditch on the mesa. Probably his owner knew of the seizures and had simply thrown him out to die. I have often said that when we experience a grief, we add a bead to a cord of the like griefs. I put the Barney bead on the cord and then touched all the beads before it. My Josie dog, George who committed suicide by alcohol, my mother, my therapist who committed suicide, my father who also drank himself to death. One death gives us all the deaths. And perhaps this heart, opened by a goofy blond boy dog, now could experience those other beads because somehow the recovery had allowed me to FEEL. I got in the car in so much pain, I thought I could not drive. I wanted to drink, to have a hot fudge sundae, to go shopping, to go to a casino, to have sex, to do almost anything not to have this pain. And somehow in that moment, I realized that this is what it means to be sugar sensitive, to feel so deeply that we do not know what to do with it. I knew I had to get some lunch. Flying Star has a take out on the way home. I got a grilled cheese sandwich on whole grain bread, and an iced decaf coffee. I ate it. I didn't drink, I didn't have sugar, I didn't do anything but go home and weep. I just waited. I told my dogs that Barney was with Josie. I made a phone call. The next morning I shared in a 12 step meeting. I did what we do in recovery. And I didn't die. I found that pain would not kill me, it would heal me. This is recovery, this is why we do the food. Why it sustains us, holds us and heals us. It is why we show up for one another, and why we sit with our sisters, our brothers, our friends as we learn this new way. Thank you for being part of my life. Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them. Not a subscriber yet? Like what you have read? Sign up to get future issues delivered straight to you: http://www.radiantrecovery.com Until next time!
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. Steph provides the Your Last Diet column. ©2013 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. You are getting the weekly newsletter from Radiant Recovery® in response to your signup. A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter |
Family and Friends (2 weeks)
