Newsletter

Hi {!firstname_fix}

I have begun to look at my schedule for the rest of the year. I will be going to Maine for a little vacation at the end of this month. In August, I will be presenting at the National NAADAC conference in Kansas City. Then in October will be going to England to do Euro Ranch in Salisbury. This is a 14th century hotel. Staggering thought for an American. The pillows remain from 1950, the clock in the lobby is from 1400 and the people are absolutely charming. We all love Euro Ranch and this year we have a number of folks from here going over.

In November, I will be doing a seminar in New York City. We haven't settled on a date yet. And then in December I will be going down to Hilton Head to present both a day long session and a single session at the national NICABM conference. This is a group that works with alternative health practitioners. I really like what they are doing...and they have recently put together a really super special report that you will enjoy even if you aren't a formal practitioner. Here is a link to get the report. Let me know what you think. I like what they are doing and I learned a lot at the conference last year.

http://www.mindbodymedicineupdate.com/?affid=spkrhKs18lt

I have done a new schedule, wahoo. It reflects some of the *on demand* requests from the rowdy chat attendees. Never think you do not have an impact on planning.

These classes will begin Wednesday, July 16, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

Step 7: Radiant Life (2 weeks) is a class that will give you a snapshot of what lies ahead. And for those of you already doing step seven, it gives you an understanding of the developmental aspects of this phase of your program.

Radiant Store Tour (1 week) is a free guided tour of the store. David will be leading this class so if you want to get to know the guy that makes it all work, come sign up. This is his first teaching experience, so you can show your support for the work he does to keep you happy.

These classes will begin Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

YLD: Diet Head is Not All That Bad (2 weeks) is a new and very unique class to help you transform old messages about the importance of dieting and using the scale to determine your sense of well being.

Step 1: The Art of Breakfast (1 week) 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.

Using Community Resources (1 week) 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.

***Ok, and I have made a change in the class fees....if you are on disability or low income (your household income is less that $1000 a month), you may take classes for free. Based on the responses I have gotten, I have decided to put a few guidelines into this service. In order to be eligible for free classes, you need to do some homework first (smile)...

You need to have taken the free classes we offer. You need to participate and complete them.
You need to be actively participating on at least one list.
You need to be willing to do some sort of service in the community. We will talk about this when you apply.

So, if you believe you are eligible, and you meet these criteria, send me an email outlining these three things and we will work out getting you certified. My email address is kathleen@radiantrecovery.com..br>

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

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July 14, 2008

** Quote From Kathleen **

There is life after addiction, and it is a very good life indeed.

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** Testimonial for the Week**

Journaling my BS was easier for me too. Entering *all* of my food wasn't easy when I started doing Step 2 either, but got more comfortable the more I thought about it as just information. No judgement, no shame and a way to connect and communicate with my body. I have come to love the voice (even when it is grumbling), and the feedback to help discover what works best for me so I can repeat it and focus on the foods that my body especially likes and heals well with.

It is how I discovered that oats work better for me than any other grain, how a regulated amount of soy everyday helps reduce my menstrual pain, how raw milk aids my digestion, and how green beans make my eyes sparkly. Ok- so my mother made that last one up when I was little to try to get me to eat green beans, but remembering that a few months back did prompt me to go buy some to try them again, :) I think that she very well may have been on to something, and will report back after I have had them a few more times. :)

Diane

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**Radiant Ambassadors**

I've just checked in to my library website to have another look at the latest Potatoes not Prozac and see how it's doing.

It appears that three of the five books that they bought on the strength of my recommendation are currently on loan. Yay!

Does your library ask you to recommend books to buy? By at least having the books on the shelves we have a chance of spreading the word.

*Doing a happy dance*

Selena :)

Ok,and we have exciting news...we have someone in every state in the USA now. How fun. If you haven't signed our buddy map, won't you come do it?

http://www.buddymapping.com/maps/radiantrecovery

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

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**Radiant Kitchen**

That was fun to see how many of you joined our three kitchen lists. Let's get back to a fun recipe.

LEMON CHICKEN STIR FRY Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 1 1/2 lbs. Chicken tenders
1 Tbl. wheat free, low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
5 Tbl. cornstarch
1-bunch scallions
1 large lemon
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbl. golden balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbl. water or stock

Process:

If you use chicken breasts, they will need to be tenderized first. You can skip this step if you use tenderize, chicken tenders which are naturally tender. To tenderize, place breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and gently flatten to ¼ inch with a rolling pin
Cut chicken into strips 2 inches x 1/2 inch. Put strips in a bowl with soy sauce – toss to coat. Sprinkle 4 Tbl. of cornstarch over mixture and coat each piece of chicken, set aside.
Trim the roots off the scallions and cut diagonally into ½ pieces, set aside.
With a peeler remove the lemon rind in thin strips and then cut into fine shreds. If you are in a hurry, you can grate the lemon rind instead. Squeeze juice from lemon and set aside.
Mix remaining Tbl. of cornstarch with 1 Tbl. of water or stock to form a thickening paste. Have ready the remaining ingredients (garlic, vinegar, stock) because once you start cooking, the stir-fry goes very quickly and you will need all ingredients immediately at hand.
Heat about 2 Tbl. olive oil in a wok or large (10" or more) frying pan and cook the chicken quickly over high heat. Work in very small batches so that chicken browns lightly without steaming. Each batch should take 3 to 4 minutes to cook. Keep each cooked batch warm on a plate as you fry the rest of the chicken. Add oil as necessary to finish all the stir-fry.
Add 1 Tbl. oil to skillet. Heat quickly, then add garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and stock. Bring to a boil. Add cornstarch paste and whisk to make a thickened sauce. Add chicken strips and scallions. Make sure all pieces are coated nicely. Taste, add salt or pepper if desired. Continue to heat for a minute or two more. Serve immediately with brown rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Radiant Recovery
Cookbook

Naomi's Nutritious and
Delicious Cookbook

Sheila's
Kitchen Recipes

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**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**

YLDonline is a membership program run directly by Kathleen DesMaisons herself.

Last week at chat we got into an incredible discussion about being fat and clothes. You guys got me so excited, I have added the clothing class to the schedule!!! Yah, for interactive planning. And, of course, I am developing a new class for you as we speak on the diet head discussion that started last week.

I love chat. Love, love chat.

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.

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**Radiant Recovery Store **

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

Many of us love tuna. And it is a staple in our diet. I have been reading about mercury tuna. Don't be eating tuna sushi. And if you weigh 150 pounds, you should only have regular white albacore tuna no more than once every ten days. And children and pregnant women shouldn't have regular tuna.

But...we have this wonderful, wonderful tuna which has negligle mercury levels. I just bought 5000 cans of it. I think it is one of the best products of the market. Not only is it safe, it is delicious.

I have a lot of people on subscription for tuna (smile).

And BTW, we are working on a new subscription data base. This means I can give you even better service. You all are getting so creative that it has been getting harder to keep track of all the little variations in your orders. Mom got the data base expert over to talk. I explained all the gadzillion variables and she never batted an eyelash. She started building it already.

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 breakfast list is rocking. Elaine went off to Disneyland for her son's wedding. She got to ride in a Cinderella carriage. We all loved the pictures. Now she is back and in full swing helping folks learn the art of mastering breakfast. Come join us!

Or come to the group page to see all our groups. http://www.radiantrecovery.com/list_serves.htm

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**More on Franklin**
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.

Thank you all for the wonderful notes you sent about baby Franklin. There is more to the story and I think it relates to our recovery.

We sent out the newsletter on Sunday night after I had taken him out to his new people. We had a sort of fairy tale ending. At 9:43 that evening, I got a phone call saying they just couldn't do it. She couldn't get him down the steps, he was too heavy for her to carry. She felt really bad and was crying. I said we would come back for him in the morning, but they would need to meet us half way. Linda was still here, we packed some travel snacks and water, and left at 7 AM. At 9, we got to Denny's and snagged his nibs back. We were back to the house by lunch time.

So here he was. A little guy. Back to the ethics of all this. I knew that I cannot be his full time, long term caregiver. I have been working hard at unweaving my life from being consumed by rescue dogs. I also knew that ultimately what happens to him rests with my decisions and my thoughtfulness. Monday night I felt tired and overwhelmed. Caring for a puppy at best is exhausting. Caring for a special needs guy is even more demanding.

Tuesday, he just seemed to unravel. Couldn't stand up well, couldn't focus, went round and round. Circles. I felt this sense of it being ok to release him. What kind of life could he have? My heart was very heavy. Diane called from Maine (yes, Diane of the diabetes list] and she said she was thinking she would adopt him. We talked for a long time. I pulled no punches. She said, I think I can do it if we can work out logistics.

So this would be a lot of work, but maybe we could do it. Wednesday, I got up at 5 with him, fed him and then went out for the 7 am out of the crate time. He was just running and running in circles. Margaret came to run Pepper. She is a college student. She is studying early ed and she plays soccer. I asked her to come back in the afternoon, but wasn't ready with the task, so suggested that she just spend time with Franklin. So she did, put him in the crate, played with him, sat with him. And then reported to me in minute detail what progress he was making. Some things are worse, some are way better. I listened. I trust nineteen year olds a lot. I said, *ok, let's make a list tomorrow, so we can track what is actually happening.* She said that was a good idea.

That evening I went out with him. I sat on the ground and he kept running to me. Then he growled and shook his head. I thought, this puppy is playing. I got him a kong, he shook it. I grabbed him and made him sit still for a minute. Then I let him go and he tore around. He is moving differently. I grabbed him again and sang to him. He turned and licked me and then screamed and struggled. Sort of like our newbies, LOL.

I don't know how the story will end. I know it is not a myth. I know that it may be that he decides to go back to doggie heaven for some healing, or he may go out to Maine. The answer isn't revealed yet. This is so much like the program. Sometimes just waiting, showing up, being loving, watching, journaling, ASKING FOR HELP....and staying out of the myth. Franklin is my little teacher. A little wild and crazy screamer who has something, something going on. I sense that he is surrounded by puppy angels....

This really is not about the *lady of last resort*, or some unusual kindness...but really, it is about showing up and being responsible for the beings that come to us. Much of my life was spent in sugar la-la or codependent caretaking that was more about me than them. Recovery has shifted that. Much of my life was self absorbed. Even though if you had met me, you would have thought I was sort of a super woman....underneath, I was just holding a myth together so I didn't have to face how things really were. Not any more....no more myth making. Just being present to what is without an agenda. Let grace guide it.

It's funny to be sharing with you like this. It is a very profound thing that is happening with this puppy. On the surface, it just looks like dinner and cleaning crates and the bricks and chute time and rubbing his big huge ears. But underneath, big work. You never know where the teaching will come from.

©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 Geraint Smith,