September 6, 2010

Hi {!firstname_fix}

I went to the farmers market this morning. The air is a little nippy now that early. The vegetables are singing, and now there are apples and peaches and pears. The goat cheese lady was there, and now a guy with many peppers...ranging from hottest in the world to mild, mild. I got 4 years of corn, David will come for dinner. I got a dozen eggs from the woman who knew which chicken each egg came from. And 2 bunches of bright orange carrots with crisp green tops. As I was leaving, there was a kid playing the keyboard. He was playing jazz and started playing Für Elise and it made me cry. My eyes just filled up with the beauty of this morning. It was a little difficult to explain to his father why I was crying. His name is Adam, he is 14 and he is for hire. I am thinking maybe I will have a party this fall and have Adam come and play jazz. I came home and made some eggs, thinking about the chicken that gave them to me. It was a wonderful morning.

And, we are getting all set for Radiant Ranch in Salisbury. It is always an exciting time. I love going back to this wonderful little city, and reconnecting with all our UK and European community members. This is our fifth year. How we all have changed from that first year in Ireland! We still have a few slots left if the spirit moves you to come. Click here for the signup page.

These classes will begin Wednesday, September 8, 2010. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

The 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 ashamed 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. And if you have just finished the introduction to weight loss class, this is a wonderful next class in your sequence. We postponed it for a week so you could come.

Using The Resources of the Community (4 weeks) 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.

This class will begin Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Brain Chemistry - Beta Endorphin (2 weeks) is one of our most popular classes. It will teach you the core of the science behind the program. This is the outline for a critical part of sugar sensitivity, why you act the way you do and what you can do to change it. I love this class and so do all the people who have taken it. Somehow BE rocks!

Radiant 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.

Getting to Radiant Ranch (8 weeks) is is an ongoing 8-week class to provide skills, motivation and support in getting to Radiant Ranch. This class is geared to people who may be on limited funds and who feel that there is no way they can make it to Ranch. This class will empower you and give you concrete skills. The money spent on this class will be applied to your Ranch tuition.

The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned.

Please wait to sign up for classes until a week or two before, and 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. 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 **


The power of radiance will affect all those around you. In both big and subtle ways, everything will change.

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** Testimonial of the Week **


We seem to have a lot of parties and barbecues especially in the summer. One thing that I am beginning to notice is that people, i.e. family, friends, neighbors are getting so used to the way that we eat that they aren't even surprised or mad that we don't have any sweets or sugary, white stuff at any of our parties. Yesterday we had a big barbecue, lots of family, friends, neighbors were there. None of the kids asked for any soda, they didn't whine or complain that there wasn't any ice-cream or desserts. We had lots of fresh fruit for dessert and juice with sparkling water to drink. We had ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, fresh green salad, homemade bean dish and tons of fun. It seemed like everyone was just focused on the fun and not the food. We had a huge water fight and then we did fireworks. There weren't any whiny, miserable children or teenagers there, lol. It was a great day.

Janie

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** Radiant Ambassadors **


I am in the process of planning a class to walk people through the tremendous resources we have available on the ambassadors list. I'd love your input!

We have lots of resources in the files section such as a 5-minute talk about Radiant Recovery, example letters, twitter instructions and a powerpoint presentation, to name but a few!

What else would you like to see available? What would make your life easier? How to talk to teachers about our sugar-sensitive children perhaps? How best to talk to doctors?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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 **


I had been seeing a my therapist for five years and taking high doses of anti-depressants when she figured it wouldn't hurt to try another recovery avenue.

She knew about Kathleen's work and suggested I go look at the website. I found it and within a couple weeks found the SARP book. From there I whizzed through the book and started step one.

I really credit my therapist for being willing to think outside the box and Kathleen for being able to create a new box. :)

And Ranch 2010 was awesome!

-John

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** Help Wanted **


We are looking for people who might light to help with outreach. Perhaps by posting on Facebook or doing Twitter. Email Selena if you would like to get involved.

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** Radiant Kitchen **


Espresso Breakfast Custard




This recipe was contributed by Elaine A.




Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 cups milk (I used oat milk)
  • 2 shots (1/2 cup) decaf espresso
  • 3/4 cup nonfat dry milk
  • 3 eggs
  • cinnamon
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350° fahrenheit.
  2. In a saucepan, combine milk, espresso and dry milk. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve dry milk.
  3. In a small bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add cinnamon to taste and then stir into heated milk very slowly (don't want to cook the eggs).
  4. Pour into buttered custard cups, place in a shallow pan of hot water.
  5. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
  6. I sprinkled it with slivered almonds just before eating to add a little more protein.
4 to 6 servings.

I make 6 custard cups and have figured out the protein content on Life Form. Each one is 11 grams of protein made this way and also the blueberry or raspberry way. I usually eat more than one.



For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store.


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** Radiant Conversations **


Last week we had an incredible discussion about the role of the amygdala in the fear and joy response. We talked about how the program helps us move from one to another. It was a preview of a new class I will be developing. I LOVE how the sequence goes. We talk, get excited and then I can see how to expand the material into great new information. So if you want to be on the cutting edge of what we are learning, do plan to join us at chat.

If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you are ready to change your life or just have some plain ol' fun!

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


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

This week we want to feature a little about the role of Vitamin D3 in health. Last year, I was introduced to a project called Grass Roots Health. So I did a lot of reading about what was being written about vitamin D. I was pretty much floored at how important it is for health. Go over at read on this page...

http://www.grassrootshealth.net/is-it-true

... to see how it has a huge impact on cancer prevention (especially breast cancer), mulitple sclerosis and colon cancer. It affects blood pressure and the incidence of influenza and falls and fractures. Check out the Grass Roots Website and see what you think.

At any rate, I suggested to David that we carry it in our store. I ordered the 5,000 unit one to provide a resource for you if you are deficient. Get your level through the Grass Roots site or through your health care provider and then work with him or her to see if this product is good for you.

Warning: Individuals taking more than 2,000 IU per day should have their Vitamin D levels monitored. If you are pregnant or nursing, consult your health care practitioner before taking these or any nutritional product.

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 **


Come join us on the Recovery List. We are going to be looking at a whole new set of things - how to get sober, how to stay sober, how to enhance your sobriety and how to move the promises to a new level. I am going to be working with the group directly and I think it will be really fun. This actually will be the start of the exploration of some ideas for the new book on alcohol recovery.

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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**Why Do the Steps Slowly and In Order? **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



In the last month, 20 or 30 people have come into the program and told me that they are doing everything but the potato, or maybe have already added the potato last week and are ready to go off sugar. Or they have gone off sugar and just need to do a journal. And they are confused and sometimes irked when we suggest that it might be better to come with a beginner’s mind and just work with step one. I thought it might be helpful to share a little more about the logic of "do the steps one at a time, slowly and in order."

When you first come in the middle of sugar addiction or have problems with bingeing or drinking and life is out of control, usually your brain is in disarray. Not only is it unbalanced, but it is set to respond to chaos and drama. We want to help you change your brain chemistry, we also want to help change the firing patterns. We want to create an even and predictable firing so that we can get your brain STEADY. We are not being perverse with the mantra of start at the beginning, start with step one. We are setting you up for intentional neurochemical change.

Repetition of the same thing over and over creates a pattern. When you have your breakfast at the same time, with the same stuff, be it shake or eggs or chili, every day, your brain starts to habituate. It knows the drill. When breakfast becomes automatic by doing the same preparation, having the same timing, and using the same cup, the peices all add up to breakfast competence. The structure imprints your brain with a pattern of recovery. And the *pattern* literally creates a shift in your neural structure. It stops the drama. It converts chaos into predictability.

Rather than whipping through breakfast, or treating it as a chore or saying, "Yep, I have been doing that for years," we want you to see it as the keystone of your recovery. We want you to understand that tiny changes create master. Your brain gets settled. Your brain gets steady. Steady creates a bridge for new learning. And, literally, the pattern that you are imprinting with step one will shape all of the rest of the process. So, listen up, steps in order, steps slowly.


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.


©2010 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/