Hi {!firstname_fix}

Well, we are all back from Euroranch. It was lovely. And actually lifechanging in a lot of ways. I am including something that Jaki wrote in the article section. I think it really captures what happened. It is wonderful to see the maturation that has happened in 3 years. It makes me smile and makes me very proud to have our across-the-sea sisters so engaged.

I am happy to be home as well. First night in my own bed, surrounded with dogs was wonderful. A three-dog night! And now I am getting settled and ready for the rest of Fall. I love this harvest time of year.

Some of you have asked me about how *little* Franklin is doing. Diane reports that he is bigger and bigger. His paws are now the size of his palm. He is having good days and hard days, but overall is better and better. Diane continues to work with him every day. She is being creative about finding ways to build a ramp for her house. We talked about Craig's list and freecycle. Diane lives on disability herself, so funds are limited although heart is wide. Here is the blog update http://www.radiantmaine.blogspot.com/

Yesterday, I bought A HUGE pumpkin. I think it is so big that my dogs will not relate to it as edible if I put it on my porch. It just makes me smile.

So let's get back to classes and regular life.


These classes will begin Wednesday, October 22, 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 (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.

Step 3: Three Meals (2 weeks) is one of our core classes. This is a skilled based class. If you want to learn the baby steps of a successful step 3, come join us. This class is ALWAYS fun.

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.


These classes will begin Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

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.

Step 4: More Than You Think (1 week) is the potato class. Come learn everything you ever wanted to know about the timing, size, frequency of your potato. Learn about the best vitamins and talk all you want about them. This is a nice way to strengthen and refine your step 4.

Anger Management (2 weeks) is a new 2 week class designed to help sugar sensitive people learn new ways of coping with hard feelings. This class is open to anyone on step 3 or higher. It will be intense and VERY practical. If you want to change your response pattern but have not been sure how to do it, this is the class for you. If you are ashamed of this part of you, even if it has been quiet for a while, this will be a safe place. Anyone taking this class will be asked to watch the movie The Incredible Hulk before starting. If you have any questions about the suitability for your situation, email me first.


If you are on disability or low income (your household income is less that $1000 a month), you may take classes for free if you get certified. I have put the guidelines for certification on the class schedule page.


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

**********************************************************************

March 31, 2008
** Quote From Kathleen **


Learning that you can have positive felings from a thousand things other than food is a wonderful insight.

*********************************************************************

** Testimonial for the Week**


I am discovering a new kind of uniqueness, Before doing the food my uniqueness felt terminally defective, a "no one would understand, I am different" unhappiness, Now I am seeing and embracing the aspect of myself that I have as particular strengths, besides the sugar sensitive aspects we all wonderfully share. So having shed my 'terminal' uniquenss, I am picking up on my delightful uniqueness, the same name but oh so very different.

Kath

********************************************************************

**Radiant Ambassadors**


Spreading the word

Mine's nothing fancy, just a clickable link in my siggy, underneath my name and details, it says "are you a sugar addict?". Some of the other members of our RR support thread there have put links in their

signatures too. That forum has a special board for "special interests and support" so a friend who I discovered is also doing the program and I started a thread, where we now have about 20 members. I also just mention RR on the boards that I post on whenever I get the chance, if someone is posting something relevant. And I PMed a lady who'd posted saying she was celebrating 30 days of sobriety. I joined the "lots to lose" thread and I started a thread in the weight loss section of another forum I post on, asking if anyone else was doing RR. No one was but I got several questions like "how do you handle the cravings" which are fun to answer.

There must be a lot of people in the RR online community who are also posters on other groups where they could find the opportunity to mention RR. I think it goes down better if it's somewhere you're already a member of where people know you, otherwise it can come over a bit spammy. I tread carefully so I don't come over that way as I don't want to put people off. The interesting thing there as well is that people there have known me pretty closely for the last 3 years and can see for themselves that I have changed.

Katherine

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

********************************************************************

**Radiant Kitchen**


Oat Cakes



Ingredients:
  • 7 oz (200g or 1 3/4 cups) oatmeal
  • 3 oz (75g or 3/4 cup) oat flour (made by whizzing oatmeal in the blender)
  • 1 (5ml) teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 oz (50g or 1/4 cup) butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons(30-45ml) boiling water


Process:

Preheat oven to 190 C /375 F/gas mark 5 and lightly oil two baking sheets.

Mix dry ingredients. Melt butter (or marg or oil). Gradually add enough boiling water to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is firm enough to roll out. You can cut shapes or cut into squares.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until golden brown.

You can add 3-4 oz (100g) of pecans or try cheese, peanut butter...... I'm sure you can think of other variations.

Radiant Recovery
Cookbook

Naomi's Nutritious and
Delicious Cookbook
Sheila's
Kitchen Recipes


********************************************************************

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

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


All rightie, we are making a few changes.Monday night chat will be a beginner's chat. If you are just starting the YLD program, and Wednesday chat feels like a big step, come on over to Monday chat and test the waters. We do questions and answers. It is small, informal and fun.

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.





We recently had someone ask about the safety of our shaker bottles. What kind of plastic? Were they ok? So I wanted to share with you the scoop on the bottles. You can access the PDF file here to read the green facts of our wonderful bottle.



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

 
********************************************************* ***********

**Our Online Groups**


In the RadiantDiabetes group we talk about the different aspects of managing our diabetes while following the guidelines of the RR program. As you might imagine, it is a little more difficult to keep our BS levels in a good range than it is for people who don't have diabetes. We do this with humor and lots of sharing. I am very proud to be the liaison for this great group of people.

If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, or someone you love has them and you would like to get more information, as well as support and encouragement, please come join us.

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


********************************************************************

**Euro Ranch 2008**
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.


We all just got back from ranch in England. I want to share with you something that Jaki wrote.

I came back from my first ranch on Sunday night - it's taken me a while to find some words but I wanted to share with the community this unique experience. It's long but those of you who have been to ranch will know how hard it is to describe it.

So here is my report-

During the week the rain and mist cleared away and the autumn sun shone down on the turning leaves. Driving to Salisbury I turned off Radio 4's financial gloom and put on my favourite Andrea Bocelli CD. His glorious voice was the perfect soundtrack for the golden leaves and rolling plains of Wiltshire. A huge buzzard, my favourite raptor, soared across the road in front of me, so close I could see his eagle beak and glittering eye. He felt like a sign.
As I neared the City I could see the spire of the cathedral soaring above it. The city of Salisbury, or Sarum as it was known before even the Romans arrived, is one of Englands oldest and the ancient stone gateways with their worn stone saints welcome you into a teaming maze of small winding lanes. It has not been easy for this ancient city to accomodate 21st century traffic and it took a while to wend my way to the car park behind the hotel.


Trundling my suitcase behind me I turned off the main street with its busy shops and crowded pavements and suddenly I was in a different world. Through the heavy wooden gates the small cobbled courtyard was a green oasis from another time and strands of bright red leaves wafted from the telephone lines and guttering as the old vine (400 years old) transformed itself for Autumn. A chorus of hello's greeted me from the overstuffed armchairs and sofas of the reception area as I checked in and eventually I found myself in a most delightful little dormer room at the far end of a labyrinth of corridors.

Now I have to struggle to describe the experience of Ranch. It's hard to put into words the power of being SEEN. After years of feeling terminally unique I was su ddenly with women of every different size, shape, colour and nationality who just 'get it'. Not only do they 'get it' but they also say, in different words and many different ways, exactly how I feel in my world. In looking back at the weekend I add to that sense of sisterhood the compassion, love and honesty of Kathleen and I feel like I healed and rearranged my very cells.
I also fed my body and my brain. My body learned from eating meals with everyone from step one to step seven and their experience. I laughed and laughed at mealtimes and I think I managed to speak to everyone. I'm an introvert and I don't do 'social' but I felt among friends. Whenever I felt a little lost I looked for Gretel (who was my Ranch buddy) and there was always a returned reassuring smile.


The seminar itself? My brain learned enough theory and science to keep her fed for quite a while.

What did I learn? Nothing I didn't already know but the power of hearing it and experiencing it as Kathleen spoke made it real and digestible and I made many parts my own.
  • I am not broken, I am unbalanced.
  • I was born this way, not only is it not my fault but I can bless the learning it has bought me.
  • If I just do the steps, as written, I will heal without even needing to know the science or the 'why'.
  • It isn't about my weight, it was never about my weight, it still isn't about my weight.
  • Compassion and honesty heal. They heal me and transmit to others.
  • I am actually a good person. No I think I'll have that one in bold LOL
  • I AM A GOOD AND VERY SKILLED PERSON.


There are other very personal experiences which I am hugging to myself and treasuring but this is the essence of my Euroranch experience. Today (Tuesday) I feel a little more in the real world but my sense of having been in 'altered time' is still with me.



©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