 Hi {!firstname_fix} I have been enjoying being back in New Mexico. I have unpacked all my boxes and got my place back in order. I am finding that living with *less* is really wonderful. Today my house/yard helper spent the day and we caught up on all the little projects in the house. My tenant had left screens broken and faucets loose. So we did all that, and cut the grass and put down woodchips. I polished up my bike. The only dilemma was going to put away tools and finding the HUGEST black widow spider I have every seen in my life sitting across the door way. Ah, welcome home! We sure are having fun withe the science class. You guys are just awesome. It is so much fun to be sharing what I love so much. A nice introduction to the book I am working on as well. What a partnership! This class will begin Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page: Using Radiant Resources is 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. These classes will begin Wednesday, June 4, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page: Diabetes (2 weeks) is the class we do every so often for those of you who have diabetes as part of your story. If you want to learn how daibetes and sugar sensitivity go hand in hand, this is the class for you. This class will teach you about the numbers and the solution. We will have our community experts as teaching assistants so this is a wonderful opportunity to learn skills ideally suited for your recovery. Obesity Myth (2 weeks) is the famous class that blasted our myths about being fat from the water. If your doctor, husband, girlfriend is on your case, come join us. If you are shamed about being fat, come. If you feel that being fat is wrecking your health, come. get the real scoop and then move forward knowing what to do. This class is ALWAYS fun. The class schedule is on line. Click here to see what is planned. Please 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. The classes are done online and you do not have to be at your computer at any set time. It does not matter whether you are in the US, Europe, the Far East or Australia, you simply respond on your own time. And although I advertise that the classes are one or two weeks, sometimes we are a little flexible and they may run longer. 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. Please feel free to pass this week's newsletter on to your friends and family. Don't forget to let me know what you like and would like to see me cover. Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery¨ website and Community Forum regularly. Warmly, Kathleen **********************************************************************
May 26, 2008 ** Quote From Kathleen **
Your molecules yearn for balance, care, and healing. Instead of cravings for sugar, there will come a longing for wholeness. *********************************************************************
** Testimonial for the Week**
Today marks 3 years since my family began doing the food. This is a special day for me because I know our lives would be so very different without this program and without this community. Parents list is where I began and where my heart remains. I loved this week’s Newsletter about Kath’s family. I wondered if being new and skeptical like I was if you’d see this as the “results not typical” example even though that doesn’t really happen here or if you’d be inspired by it. For me, reading about Kath’s family is always inspiring, but I also know that it is just one example and that in fact the results are typical. But again, if I were new, it might seem impossible to get there. I thought it might be fun to try to give yearly snapshots of my family so that you can see some of our journey and I think I’ll enjoy doing the reflecting. 3 years ago, I came here desperate for help. Alex, then 6, was struggling. She could go from pleasant little girl to hysterical tantrum in seconds and over what seemed like nothing. I felt like I walked on egg shells because I hated her rages. They would last 45 minutes or more and she threw things, screamed, cried, kicked. It was awful. We tried EVERYTHING we could think of (good and not so great parenting moves) – bribing, threatening, pleading, leaving her alone, sitting with her, etc. It was like talking to a brick wall, nothing helped. I tried to stay calm, but it was so hard and I felt like such a failure as a parent. I consulted doctors and had a list of psychiatrists. We were so frustrated and I was heart broken to think my baby would go through life with this rage inside her. My pediatrician suggested that I chart her food and sleep and track the rages to see if there was any pattern. I had been doing this and I started to notice that lack of sleep led to small meltdowns and that large amounts of sugar led to huge rages. So, I started searching for connections on line and found Little Sugar Addicts. I checked the book out of the library, read it in one day and saw hope not just for Alex, but for me too. I had been off sugar once before and had a very similar diet and I had felt sooo good and knew I wanted and needed to get back to that, but going cold turkey just didn’t work. I always resented it. I liked this slow, gentle approach and that I didn’t have to think about going off of sugar for a long time. So, unlike a lot of people, I happily did the steps slowly – no rush to get to step 6. (smile) I started breakfast and a couple of days later I started the girls on breakfast. Now, it wasn’t easy at first and I can remember asking what I was supposed to do when they refused to eat. I felt so lost, but I finally got that I needed to set a clear boundary and make breakfast non-negotiable. Within a week it was like having a whole new family! Just doing breakfast and breakfast with sugar no less, made such a huge impact. Everyone was calmer, less bickering, more energy, no rages…. I felt I’d found my answer. As the months progressed there were fewer and fewer rages and they became more and more mild. 2 years ago, I’m guessing I was working step 3 as I did the step 2, 3, 4 dance for some time. The girls had protein with each meal and with snacks. We ate our sugar with other food and we were feeling pretty calm and steady. Alex’s rages were rare and generally a thing of the past. But, it was still hard, life was hard, although that has always been my secret. I’ve always told people I love being a stay at home mom, but deep down I’d sort of cringe and say sort of. It was a struggle to prepare food. I felt such anger at all the sugar we were constantly bombarded with. I was feeling glimmers of happiness and that terrified me! At the same time people kept commenting on how grounded I was, how calm, how patient. Hmmm… something was happening even if I couldn’t see it. 1 year ago, I’d detoxed and life was pretty great, but I was I was definitely still mourning my sugar. Thank goodness for the step 6 list! We’d learned the importance of timing and the girls and I had developed lots of strategies for maintaining our food. I’d become pretty skilled at making some program friendly desserts that they liked and sugar was quite limited in their lives. I expanded my leadership service in Radiant Recovery and loved giving back. Life was MUCH better, even if I still felt like deep down a little something was missing. That little deep down part was less and less though. I had glimmers of this life I wanted. I could travel, move house, grieve, celebrate and still maintain my program. Sharing on my geo list about life helped me start to see all the blessings I have. I was learning how to play, how to have fun. Alex was asking LOTS of questions about what it was like to not have sugar, how did I feel, was it hard. We had really interesting conversations. Both girls were so functional with their programs and seemed to have great connections with their bodies even if they weren’t quite ready to abandon sugar completely. That brings us to today. I’m steady on step 7. I feel settled, calm, and steady. I am happy. I’ve rediscovered old dreams and am finding new ones. My life has opened up. I love being in service to this community which is such an important part of my life. I love watching my girls grow and change and discover who they are. Alex decided in the fall to follow me and detox. She has such a beautiful program. But of course, she’s only 9 ½ and sometimes she forgets and sometimes it isn’t as easy, but we have 3 years of skills and 3 years of listening to our bodies and feeding them good food and we know how to get back on track. Laura wasn’t ready yet, but I see her emulating her sister and perhaps someday she will be ready, but she also has an amazing connection with her body and is very skilled with her food. Life is beautiful and fun and there is so much joy. I attended Ranch this year and it was truly a life changing experience for me. I feel filled up. It is like I had this final thin wall around my heart and being at Ranch tore it down. My heart is open and I feel sappy and joyful and blessed. Thank you all for being part of this amazing community that nourishes me on every level. Emily ********************************************************************
**Radiant Ambassadors**
The conference was fabulous, and my own presentation went very very well. Oh, and 109 people came to it! LOL. I was a little nervous just before starting but not too bad. I'd had a wonderful lunch, meditated and made sure I breathed. :) Like you with the journal Kathy, I went into *just do it* mode. Then I saw everyone coming in had gigantic cookies they were given on the break just before. Someone asked if that was ok, and I said yeah- it's fine. Then another woman made a comment about the guilt she had about bringing cookie to the *sugar is evil* class.. and I just laughed and said..man, did they ever set you guys up! It's not your fault! And we all laughed together. The ice was broken, and we were having fun already. People were really interested, asked LOTS of questions and were making lots of notes. I had a handout that Kathleen and I had prepared for a seminar she had done, and RR business cards. In the workshops I took myself, people werent talking to each other. In mine, they were..people really engaged and were sharing their relationships with sugar with each other, and that was so nice. After each workshop, people were given assement surveys to rate the presentations and then at the end everyone gathered in the main conference room to hear 1 more key speaker and wrap up for the day. Apparently while this was going on, they were going over the surveys and tallying them up. I didn't know they were going to give out awards. I got 3. LOL. 1 for highest attendance, 1 for the highest rated workshop..and the grandaddy of them all...The Governors award of excellence in modeling recovery, which I think I am still in shock about. Whew. Several people gave me their cards, saying they would like me to come to their agencies and talk there too. I will give them a call. :) But not tonight. LOL. It has been quite a day- and I am exhausted. Bedtime! :) Thanks again for your support everyone! Diane Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. ********************************************************************
**Radiant Kitchen**
DUTCH PUFFED PANCAKESIngredients:
Suggested Savory Fillings:
KATHLEEN’S BAKING MIXIngredients:
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**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**
YLDonline is a membership program run directly by Kathleen DesMaisons herself. We sure are having fun in the chats. I love working with all of you. It has been especially nice to weave the topics we are doing into both Eurochat and the regular chats. Remember that starting this Wednesday, we will be doing chat 30 minutues earlier. This will allow our East Coast people a chance to go to bed at a reasonable hour. if you have any questions, ask on the YLD list. And for those of you who haven't joined YLD, this is a perfect time to come join us. The chats alone are worth the membership. If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun. ********************************************************* ***********
**Radiant Recovery Store **
David manages the Radiant Recovery Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. 
 Oatcakes are just wonderful, they are delicious!! Each box had 4 cellophane wrapped packets of 5 oatcakes - they are like biscuits, only not sweet, and are the ultimate portable brown. We Brits had been eating them for ages and raving about them on the lists and eventually Kathleen began to stock them in the store. I took some to Ranch with me the first couple of years I went and everyone who tried one loved them. And there is even a solution to the crumbs in the handbag that so many of us had with the cute storage boxes I always have oatcakes in my handbag, briefcase and car. In restuarants, with friends having desert, I often order cheese as dessert and then eat that with my oatcakes instead of the crackers the restuarant will serve. Now that is one brown that is REALLY discreet :-) Karen Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. ********************************************************* ***********
**Our Online Groups**
The Movement list is for people who are new to moving their body and exercising. I had been struggling for many years to come up with an exercise routine that worked for me. I was out of shape, 100 pounds overweight, and I suffer from chronic pain and injuries. And every time I tried to move, I would hurt myself and have setbacks. I loved the support I got from the others on the list while I struggled to make movement a habit and honor my body and its challenges. But with a lot of patience, I found a way to make movement a big part of my life and my recovery. And I've become enthusiastic about wanting to help others get what they can from movement, and know that even moving for 1 minute a day is a great start! Right now, many of the regular posters are people who have been working on movement for a long time and are more consistent and can do more. I would love to also hear from more of you who are just starting out so that we can support you in enjoying movement as much as we do! ********************************************************************
**Structure as Antidote to Blind Lurching**
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. Many people come to Radiant Recovery saying they are already doing most of the steps and just need to add a potato. I often suggest they get a copy of the talk I did at ranch in 2007 about what else is embedded in the steps. That discussion goes through each step and outlines the biochemical changes encoded in each step. But there is another key issue – one I haven’t really talked about. Structure antidotes blind lurching. When we are in active addiction, it is as if we lose our center and we stop being grounded. We lurch from one thing to another. Maybe from diet to diet, job to job, person to person, place to place or interest to interest. We have 6 knitting and crafts projects going on. We present ourselves as creative and curious, liking to try new things. We collect little things like office supplies or pens in case we need them. We lurch and resist being pinned down. We might say that structure ties us down, thwarts our creativity. Structure seems dull and old fashioned. It seems routine and boring and who would want to do that. Nowhere in our brain have we thought of our behavior as lurching. We never really thought that a little of this and a little of that might be saying something about our sugar addiction. Why is it that we dream big and stay small? Why is it that those sparks of insight and knowing sputter and fade rather than bursting into our passionate flame? My hunch is that we have avoided the gift of structure. We haven’t considered that structure, doing things in an intentional order, might actually shape us. And it might change the lurching to intention. If you do this, you will get this result. Now think about that. For so many years, we have worked how to forget the consequence of our actions. We forget that if we eat sugar, or skip meals we get cranky and unpleasant. We forget that we lose direction and we lurch. We forget a lot. So when we have structure, we stop lurching and we do not lose direction. Even early on in the program, when we are still forgetting because of our biochemistry, the structure itself guides us. The steps, those funny steps led us into intention. They guide us with if you do this, you will change. If you do these steps, you will have a life you cannot imagine. Everything will shift. And it will shift in ways beyond anything you have considered. Now, many of you may feel that this is simply talk. It is not. We now have enough people who are doing the steps for a long enough time that it is really, really clear that there is a developmental pattern that emerges very predictably over time. The promises we make happen. The steps are bigger than the food. Don’t think of changing them. Do them, do them and get the miracle. ©Kathleen DesMaisons 2008. Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together: Gretel, our webmaster, puts it all together David, who runs the Radiant Recovery¨ Store talks about what new products we have. 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.htm. ©2008 by 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 and use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery¨. Please visit Kathleen's website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction." Please notify me at kathleen@radiantrecovery.com to let me know where the material will appear. Banner Photograph by Patti Holden, Step 7 |
