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May 12, 2014

Hi {!firstname_fix}

I hope all of you here in the US have had a lovely Mother's Day. I am sharing this image of the flowers that came this afternoon from my children. They are gorgeous and I figure you all can enjoy them too.

Well, we have had a week to regroup from Ranch. I thought it would be fun to share a little more of my thoughts with you and will do that in the article section. I think it will give you a nice sense of the overall picture.

I also have a wonderful joy dot to share about my *rescue* life. I have had one hard-to-place guy since last November. He was a quirky dude - did lot of barking, and dug and dug. A little obsessive with the digging, he lost 20 pounds over the last few months. I wasn't sure if he was sick or just burning off calories. I tried to take him over to Animal Humane a couple of times but it turned out that each time I went, the intake supervisor was out. I had resigned myself to the fact that Rufus might live with me forever, LOL. However, just before Ranch I got an email from a couple who saw his picture on the website and wanted to meet him. She is a Doctor, he is a retired attorney. They fell in love with him. I said, *Why don't you foster him first and let's see if he gains weight. I want to make sure he is not sick.* They called last night and said they wanted to officially adopt him, could we meet to do a weigh-in? I met at the vet this morning. Mr. Rufus looked fabulous. He has filled out - gained 10 pounds - and is all shiny. I was, as my Brit friends say, *gobsmacked.* It is a rescue success story.

And you know, the work of hanging with the ones who are harder is kinda the story of what we do here in the community. It is all the same (smile).

There will be no classes the week of Wednesday, May 14, 2014.

These classes will begin Wednesday, May 21, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Step 2: Introduction (2 weeks) - will teach you the basics of journaling. The class will give you step by step instructions in how to record your food and feelings in a way that gets you excited.
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.
What Else is Embedded in the Steps (2 weeks) - This is a special class for all you newcomers who want to move on ahead quickly or for those of you who came to the program *already doing everything*. Find out what else is in the steps besides the food. Get the inside scoop from the one who wrote them (smile). You do not have to second guess anymore!!


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 **


All this work will create enormous gains for you. As you 'do the food,' you are going to reconnect with your birthright.

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**Testimonial of the Week **


* seeing evidence of last night's rain (the first decent rain since October) everywhere on my drive to Mass this morning

* having time to read the chat transcript, and being so inspired - light bulbs gently glowing for me

* watching old episodes of Glee - always makes me smile and feel joy

* feeling the nice ache in my muscles from yesterday's movement

Thank you, 'chatters,' for the following pieces of gold that really reached me today:

'the way to dopamine is through joy'

'dopamine = motivation'

'choose to be open to seeing joy, or hearing it'

'don't wake up and cry, wake up and eat'

'have lunch BEFORE you are off the cliff'

'if I feel fat it means low blood sugar'

I have been having a period of time that has been pretty low, feeling very isolated, but pressing on, doing the food, and the above really gives me hope that I can crawl out of the box, one dot at a time.

Paula
Green Hills, Western Australia

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**Radiant Life **


Hi all,

I joined the list a while back, then stopped posting, but am still reading. At the end of May I will have been on the program for 3 years. I didn't do the steps in order, but did keep steady. I came back to step 3 to learn about eating enough, and eating enough times during the day, for my small body size. Turns out small people need more food, more often. Who would have thought!

Don't go thinking, 'Oh she's lucky, she's thin.' Compulsive and binge eating were my daily fare from an early age and wreaked havoc with my mental, emotional and physical life. And for many years I was overweight for my small body structure. Then my weight became normal, but I was still living on sugar and whites and feeling absolutely horrible.

Kathleen's program has turned my life around. It is soooo simple - protein and complex carb at every meal (and snack, if you snack) - and on time. Of course, there's a lot more embedded in the program, but to me, when I focus on this, the rest takes care of itself.

When I have breakfast, lunch and dinner on time, with enough protein and a complex carb, my body is happy, happy, happy and my mood is stable stable stable. Why would I want sugar and whites when I'm happy and stable?

Personally, I eat three meals a day, and between 1-3 snacks, depending on how busy/stressful the day is. My body is amazing - it has become my clock. I feel hungry, look at the clock, and yep - it's time to eat. Food is ALWAYS cooked and available, waiting in the fridge to be warmed and eaten at moment's notice. (This took a while to master, and it was crucial to my recovery.) If I know I won't be home for a meal, I ALWAYS pack a food box to take with me. I have been known to eat chicken and wild rice from my food box, standing at the bus stop, if necessary. I don't care how I look. If it's time, I will eat.

This program is priceless.
It is my foundation.
When I do the food, I can do life.

Love,
Sarit

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**Notes from the Forum **
by mosaic


Hi Alison

This has been in my mind. I thought there might not be anything I could say, because I always sleep well - but then I thought, "Ah well, perhaps what I do might be of use..."

I treat myself like I did my kids when they were little. Bath, bed, story. I think a routine helps - and that's funny from a person who was really against routine, preferring the drama of flexibility.

I discovered about a year ago that computer in late evening winds me up too much. I don't always manage it, but closing down by 8pm helps my brain unwind.

With my step 4, I found the quality of my sleep was very much affected by the steps. I was never a morning person - used to have to drag me out of bed - but now if I wake alert it's a sign that all my steps are in place. Waking snoozy or dozy and I know to have a look in my journal.

So that's why I would like to congratulate you on breakfast 'several days in a row.' Focusing on that foundation is a great start to restful sleep along with all the rest of it, I think.

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**How I Found Radiant Recovery **


Hi! I'm Kathe from Kansas.

I'm just starting out on my journey. I have over 100 pounds to lose, and I have been on every diet under the sun. I just can't get the weight off no matter what I do.

Last weekend I took a class that was about the sugar roller coaster. I remembered that I had found out about Radiant Recovery from a friend of mine - I don't know how she found out about it, and as far as I know, she never did anything to try to follow the steps.

My entire family is sugar addicted, and I need to learn all I can so that we can all be healthy. Guess it's up to me, being the chief cook around here!

I'm excited about the classes that are offered, and am hoping to work on some other "issues" as well as my sugar addiction.

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


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

This week I wanted to feature our Omega 3s for kids. I think they make such a difference.


Children's DHA

180 Tablets

$23.99/$21.99

Buy


 Children's DHA Formula

Ultimate Omega Children's DHA Formula is a small, natural strawberry flavored chewable children's DHA supplement. Children's DHA Formula contains naturally existing vitamins A & D.

Ingredients: Purified Arctic Cod Liver, vitamin E, natural strawberry flavor

Per Capsule: Capsule size: 250 mg.
Capsules per Bottle: 180
DHA per capsule: 30 mg.
Vitamin A 270 IU
EPA per capsule: 20 mg.
Vitamin D: 47.5 IU
Other omega-3: 10 mg.

Suggested Use: For children over 2 years old. 2 caps/day for children up to 30 lbs., children over 30 lbs.: 4 caps/day, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist.

Due to the natural existing Vitamins A and D in Cod Liver, do not exceed suggested usage unless recommended by your Physician.


ProEFA Junior

90 Tablets

$19.99/$17.99

Buy


 ProEFA Junior

ProEFA Junior provides a full spectrum of Omega fatty acids necessary for brain and eye development and maintenance, as well as mood, focus, learning ability, and overall well-being.* Taste-tested by kids and teens, these lemon-flavored chewable capsules are perfect for ages five through teens.

DHA: 90 mg GLA: 33 mg EPA: 135 mg OA: 94 mg LA: 70 mg Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols): 12 IU

Suggested Use: Two soft gels daily, with meals, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist.


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 **




Patty's Roasted Peppers

I LOVE roasted red peppers (I roast them myself). I do several pounds at a time and have them ready. I wash and dry the whole peppers, lightly wipe each one down with olive oil, put them in a baking pan with lots of fresh garlic cloves and bake at 300-350 for as long as it takes for the skin to start to blister. Then I turn them over and let the skin blister on the other side.

Take them out, let them cool, skin and seed them, preserving any of the juice as I go. Put them in a container with the roasted garlic cloves and mix in some Vegesal - YUM!) I mash the roasted garlic on each of 2 slices of Ezekiel toast, put a generous serving of red peppers on the toast, top with mozzarella and broil or microwave until the cheese melts. YUM!

This recipe was contributed by Patty from the Radiant Recovery Community Forum.

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


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**Radiant YLD **




Are you already a member of YLD but haven’t stopped by the list in a while?

Last week I asked the question ‘What do you love about the YLD list’ I had fun making a word cloud from the replies! (smile)

So, whether you are an existing member or someone who is thinking about joining, hopefully this has given you a peek at what’s happening on the list.

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.

One of the things that came out of Ranch was the gap that some of the old timers expressed about where to talk about their process. If you are settled and steady with the steps and want to have a place to share about *refinements* and *life enhancements*, where do you go? We have support for depression and cooking and fitness, but nowhere to look at *life* stuff. The logical option is to redesign conversations to expand its mission. We will also change the name to Radiant LIfe.

This is the official heads up for the new name, a new focus and a special place for sharing. We will get the web page updated this week, and start talking about this shift in chats. Hope you will 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!

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**Our Online Groups **


The radiantrecovery list was set up as a support for people who are in recovery for alcohol and/or drugs and would like to add the Radiant Recovery nutritional piece to their healing. Our approach to recovery encourages the use of 12-step programs and Radiant Recovery. I have heard from a lot of people who have many years of sobriety in AA but have just recently come across Radiant Recovery. Won't you come and join us over on the recovery list to learn how to integrate sobriety and doing the food steps? If you want the promises to come in a way you have not imagined, it is a great time to come over. And if you aren't sure, but think alcohol might be a problem for you, we are here to support that exploration as well. The folks on the list are warm, compassionate, caring and straightforward. So we would love to have you come join us.

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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**A Little More About Ranch **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



I thought it would be fun to share some of our *joydots* from Ranch.

Here is John

  • KD's talk about emotional healing,...getting to draw what we want in life.....

  • The nice beds at the hotel...:)

  • Eating wonderful food with wonderful people.

  • Meeting new people who really didn't seem all that new...well-behaved new people. LOL

  • Sharing my artwork and getting to see others' work.

  • Feeling safe away from home...that's not always the case.

  • Feeling that my program got a nice kick in the pants, feeling reinvigorated to move forward.

  • The sunshine, oh the wonderful sunshine.

  • Starbucks right next to the hotel (two sausage and egg muffins for a snack).

  • Getting to pet KD's dogs.

  • Listening to the peacocks.

  • Talking with David about when we were kids and played fast pitch with the pink rubber ball.

I could go on .....

it was tons of fun!

Here is Catherine

  • Getting to know my roommates.

  • Being awakened by someone when my alarm didn't go off (trust.)

  • Sitting in old town with Terri and Desiree listening to the pan flutes.

  • My Navajo doll from the Christmas shop.

  • Food, omg, Duran's lunch and Joy Lynn's dinner and John's gift of his blue corn pancake (thanks John.)

  • Flying Star patio.

  • The co op.
  • Being away from San Pedro, California.

  • the mountains, hearing they were made of quartz, desiring to be 'quartzed.'

  • Small group sharing.

  • Crying (you'd never know it, but it doesn't happen that often when I'm alone.)

  • The hotel and sense of a safe place to be and sleep.

  • The soft beauty of desert.

  • The AA meeting at 6:45 and our gift coffee cup.

  • Sunday morning at Starbucks, half-marathon racers with their 'signs on.'

  • *Gloria and I laugh/cry on my birthday night.

  • Feeling loved, feeling home, wanting to know the desert.

  • Gretel's compassion for me.

  • Kathleen's reassurance.

  • Everyone's faces at breakfast, every day, never forget any of it.

  • Melanie's children in their pajamas.

(there's more, but I know you have your own….)
Here is Gretel
I have been trying to think how to write what I loved about ranch this year and decided I just need to write about it as joy dots.
  • Seeing old friends and feeling like we have been together forever and that a year apart physically is not actually 'being' apart because we have chats and the lists through which we connect during the year.

  • Meeting new friends and feeling like we've known each other forever, realizing again it's because of the connections already made through chats and the lists.

  • Kathleen's presentations about how we sugar-sensitive people feel pain more deeply and how we use sugar and other addictive substances to keep us alive. And how 'doing the food' helps us 'hold' the feelings as we learn new ways of coping with and transforming pain.

  • Sharing together in group what we want within the next year and how we can come to believe that not only do we deserve it, but concrete steps we can take to get there.

  • Having delicious program-friendly meals organized by Kathleen and David that provided us with the opportunity to just relax, laugh and be together informally.

  • Beautiful New Mexico weather with abundant sunshine and a view of mountains to the east from my hotel room. One morning I woke to Venus bright in the dark sky just before dawn, and it took my breath away.
As I've written these I realize I still can't capture in words the feelings of being at one with the people, the messages, the purpose of Radiant Recovery. I've been doing the program for 15 years and have been to as many ranches (well more, because I also go to Euro Ranch). I say every year, 'this was the best ranch ever,' and I've meant it.

Which means to me that the experiences of ranch have contributed to expanding and deepening my appreciation for the growing sense of not only okness with who I am, but an understanding of the power of love that builds as we share together our experience, strength and hope with each other.

And so....while these words don't seem adequate to describe all I took away from ranch, they are at least an attempt to share the radiance that I feel now in the aftermath. Who would have thought that just starting with breakfast every day would have led to this!!!!

Now, if you find this as touching as we all did and you would like to come to Ranch in Salisbury, England, you can do that. EuroRanch is the first weekend in October. Here is what we will be doing:

  • Looking at why being sugar sensitive makes us particularly vulnerable to wanting to *use* something to help us deal with emotional pain. We feel deeply, and experience pain more intensely. Sugar is soothing and we get hooked early on.

  • Looking at how our brain chemistry affects the way we look at the world and how we experience reality.

  • Looking at how what we eat can support either balance or imbalance and how the imbalance can seem real even while it is distorting everything.

  • Exploring how doing the food - the steps - can have a profound impact on our feelings.

  • Visioning what we want from our lives and how to call in the things that will support what we most dream of.

All of this is done with humor, tenderness and kindness. Lots of breaks, a lovely combination of my teaching and then sharing with others in groups that are small enough to allow real dialogue (helpful for you introverts). Time for working and time for resting and playing.

The food is fabulous. The famous *Chris potatoes* were a unanimous hit last year. The hotel is delightful and they loved having us - warm and welcoming.

I will be limiting the numbers this year so we insure that the process is as wonderful as it was here.

Ranch starts Friday, October 3 at 1:30 PM and runs through Sunday Oct 5 at noon. Many of us stay over Sunday night and go to a wonderful Indian restaurant. Saturday lunch is included in the tuition and the room rate includes breakfast together each morning.

Salisbury is beautiful

Here is the link to sign up.

Kathleen

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!
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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. mosaic contributes to the Notes from the Forum 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