Newsletter

April 21, 2014

Hi {!firstname_fix}

The lilacs are fading here but all the trees are green now. I can see only a tiny glimpse of the mountain through the trees. The peacocks are up at 4 am protesting their love for one another. The dogs get quiet in the afternoon sun and sleep. They no longer sleep in the dog beds, but choose the concrete stoop where it is cool.

Things are ready for Ranch now. I am taking the workbook to the printer tomorrow. That feels exciting. Logistics are settled and everyone is talking about their trip.

I am thinking, too, about a garden. Moved the compost from the compost pile to the hole waiting for it. Now to secure the area. :) One of the rescue dogs thought I put it out for him and he is working on spreading it through the yard. Oh sigh, this is what I do.

This class will begin Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Using Radiant Resources (1 week) - 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.

We will be taking a class break while we are doing RANCH.

These classes will begin Wednesday, May 7, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

	Step 1 (2 weeks) - is our foundation class to get you started. Learn all four parts of step 1 in a structured way. Learn how to progress through them with enjoyment. Let us support getting your program off to a fabulous start.
	Brain Chemistry Serotonin (2 weeks) - is the other of our most popular classes. It helps you make sense of why the potato works, why you have a problem in the winter and how Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can play into this. If you munch in your mind, if you are depressed or edgy or feel sad, this is the class for you.

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

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**Quote From Kathleen **

Most sugar addicts who have not started to heal do not plan much.

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**Testimonial of the Week **

Doing the food can change things like the "cranky" and the "overwhelm" and the "guilty" and even "being plain old tired" too, I think.

Overwhelmed was a word that appeared in my journal so often as I worked from step 3 to 6. Now - on step 7 - doing the food has taken me to a place where I can problem solve rather than simply put up with things that might not be working. Doing the food has given me the ability to see clearly and work solutions out.

This week, for example, I've been feeling overwhelmed - but this time it is specific - I can clearly see what I am overwhelmed about and yesterday after meditating I sat quietly and came up with some solutions.

I can remember doing step 3 and thinking and sharing that I would have to give up a contract because it didn't work for me. What happened, in fact, was that I did the food and found the contract worked really well for me. I don't think I will keep it for good because it is a lot of work, but right now I need the money and I think I'm learning stuff, too, and so I am sticking with it.

For me, one of the fun parts has been working out how to remain really steady on my food given the work challenges. I have learnt it is doable - some of my solutions I've shared here.

And the steadier I am with my food, the easier the work is too. So I am thinking - if we focus on the food - a lot of the other stuff will work better too.

Karen

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**Notes from the Forum **

Mosaic on All or Nothing

Love your all-or-nothing skinny vegan by Friday. I can really relate to that.

You have a lovely energy... one of the best things Kathleen said to me was to take the energy and just focus that on breakfast.

I thought that would be difficult and didn't know how to go about it. All I could think of was - post about breakfast, discuss it, share experiences, try different things, listen to everyone's breakfast stories. And that turned out to be right

I also liked re-reading the PnP breakfast chapter. Honestly I see things I never noticed there before when the time's right , and it's soothing.

I think for me, inspiration comes from reading the forum every day. Might be a post from a long timer, or a new first poster. There's always something really interesting, something to be reminded of, a new idea.

So do please continue posting and sharing with us. Inspiring me with your all or nothing reminders and breakfast energy

here, or step one list if it's comfier.

And congratulations on 3.5 years sobriety

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**Radiant Ambassadors **

Did you know that Radiant Recovery has a couple of videos on YouTube? Not only that, but people are also showing Kathleen’s books and talking about them on YouTube.

I received an email from Jeff telling me about one such video. After a minute and a half of the video, Potatoes not Prozac is flashed in front of the camera and recommended - yay! Shortly afterwards, Kathleen is quoted - double yay! It does tend to meander a bit after that, but look at the coverage we‘re getting!

Click here if you want to take a look.

I'll be adding a comment to it, especially as it seems to be recommending an immediate detox - does anyone else want to join me?

Oh, and the video has been viewed nearly 17,000 times so far - so that‘s 17,000 more people who have heard of Potatoes not Prozac :).

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 **

My name is Sue and I am also new to Yahoo groups, I am sure we will soon get the hang of it.

I live in Spain, but I am English. I have known I am sugar sensitive for many years as I used to have loads of hypoglycemic episodes, still do if I am not careful. So, I learned about the importance of eating properly with plenty of proteins. (Though until now I have not realized I need 22g at each meal.)

I found Potatoes not Prozac a couple of weeks ago and have found loads of good sense and help in it. I have gone straight to step 3 and doing step 2 at the same time as I have done the breakfast for a long time. It really makes a huge difference to my day. So keep going with it, it soon becomes second nature.

I just put the question, 'how much protein in an egg,' into google. So it may be a bit time consuming at first, but I am sure it won't be long before we retain the knowledge in our heads.

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** Radiant Recovery^® Store **

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

This morning I started a new journal. Of course I use Your Body Speaks. I couldn't help myself. I have to give you a personal blow by blow. The cover is heavier and the pages are bright white with heavier paper. No dog ears for us now! And it has this gorgeous spiral binding. I know, I know you can think I am nuts, but these things make me excited.

So I decided to go through it as if it was the first time. Here is what I found:

A list of the steps. I never get tired of them.
A list of balanced physical feelings and unbalanced physical feelings. I like to go and check on which fit me on a given date. I do it in different colors. It is intriguing. Then I could up my score. Steady food means high balanced, unsteady means low unbalanced. How amazing!
A list of balanced and unbalanced emotional feelings. My goodness, are they on target.
The charts of the signs of imbalance and the signs of balance.
Protein values in a typical serving. If you want to know how much protein in cottage cheese or an egg, it is right in your journal.
A list of white things, brown things and green things.
The grams of sugar in a number of fruits.
A list of sugars by other names.
A hundred ways to raise beta endorphin. Great quotes from yours truly.
A place to record your exercise.
A place to record your gratitudes and commitments.
And, of course, a place to record your food and feelings.
And then, my very favorite....a list of things to reflect on about the changes in you since you started. If you want to know what radiance means, check out this list. It is awesome and you won't find it anywhere else!

Come get a journal!

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

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**Radiant Kitchen **

Ice Cream

So I figured out a way to make some very yummy sugar-free iced cream recently. I bought a Cuisinart iced cream maker this summer--it's a newer type that doesn't require salt or hand cranking or anything. Basically you just freeze the inner bowl overnight, add your ingredients and turn it on for about 20 minutes. I've made two types now, coconut blueberry and coconut peach. The recipe is pretty simple. Take a cup or two of fruit, cook it down, add vanilla flavoring or a vanilla bean, puree it in the blender and put in the fridge to chill. When ready to make the iced cream, add two cans of coconut milk and the fruit :). It lasts a very long time since it's so rich. My hubby, who's not on the program, enjoys it. The iced cream does get hard after being in the freezer for a while, so I sometimes leave it out while having dinner so it's softer when I want to eat it. Really, it's best freshly made, but edible after, too.

Heather

For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site.

Radiant Recovery
Cookbook

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**Radiant YLD **

Are you fed up with the perpetual cycle of falling off the next diet that promises to work where all the other diets failed? Maybe you are thinking you want to step away from that insanity and come and join us to live joyfully into the solution. It’s pretty awesome

and beats feeling defeat and failure every time!

Steph x

If you would like to join, come find us here

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**Radiant Conversations **

We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here.

This week I think we will see about updating that list in the article below. (smile) I think we have waaaay more changes we can list.

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!

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**Our Online Groups **

On our Radiant Fitness group we talk about how doing the food can support our fitness program and vice versa. Some favorite topics are what to eat when doing intensive exercise when all that's out there commercially are sugar filled products. We also talk about what to eat before and after morning workouts, and what to do for those folks whose training program requires a twice a day workout.

We have runners walkers, bikers, dancers, aerobicizers, yogis, and many more types of exercise enthusiasts on the list. One of the neat things on the list is people who are recovering from exercise addiction who are learning how to work exercise back in their life in a healthy way. If any of this fits you, well, come on over and join in.

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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**Some Thoughts on Well-Being **

Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.

I have been reading some research material from the American Psychological Society and thought it would be fun to talk about some of what I am reading. Much of this material is more academic than excites me. But there was a scale of "psychological well being" that I found intriguing. It measures self-acceptance, positive relations, purpose in life, environmental mastery, personal growth and autonomy.

These sound a lot like what happens as people do the food. So now I am thinking what fun it would be if we began to have a dialogue on our forum and lists about what it is that happens with the food. I am going to start by sharing what I notice.

Blame and entitlement shift to taking responsibility and humility.
Despair shifts to hopefulness.
Anger shifts to humor.
Inadequacy shifts to empowerment.
Isolation shifts to connection.
Arguing changes to sharing.
Denial moves to disclosure.

When I started, I thought it was about healing depression and addiction. I thought we were creating a health system. I had no idea what else would come. I thought the changes I experienced, all of the above and more, were personal things coming from my own journey. But as time passed, it seems that these changes come with the territory. They are developmentally predictable and way more universal than I ever imagined.

Doing the food changes something profound. It is as if it resets us to a state of openness - open heart ready for healing. And then all the other stuff we all do has a place to sit. I often use the image of a cracked bowl. We can fill it a thousand times, spend a lifetime trying and we still are empty. If we fix the crack, we get filling up and spilling over.

This community, this website is made possible by the tireless work of close to 50 volunteers. They are spilling over and share the recovery, the radiance that doing the food has brought them. Go listen to their stories if you want to know what is in store. And come share your stories as well.

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.

©2014 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