January 31, 2011

Hi {!firstname_fix}

I love this time of year. Last Saturday, it felt as if everything started moving under the surface. Ideas that have been percolating for a while seem to be popping their little heads up. We are getting a new recipe blog ready for the web site...and are planning a blog for step 7 people to share their journeys with all of you. We will also be re energizing the geo lists - those are the online groups for play and socializing that are spread all across the USA and the world. I will keep you posted as these things are set to go.

Someone asked me if we weren't doing classes beyond the dates now up on the schedule. The answer is that we will be doing classes all year. I just need to schedule out the new ones.

This class will begin Wednesday, February 2, 2011. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Weight Loss in Action (2 weeks) is the *let’s do it!* class to help mobilize YLD members who are ready to rock on losing weight in a healthy and focused way. You must have 6 months on step 7 and prior approval of the class instructor to join this class. We expect that you will have done several of the weight loss classes before applying for this one including Weight Loss Readiness, the Obesity Myth Class, or Weight Loss Emotions.

There will be no classes beginning Wednesday, February 9, 2010.

These classes will begin Wednesday, February 16, 2010. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Magical Introversion (2 weeks) is a class which has grown out of your teachings. Last year you sat with me and talked about what life is like for you. I have taken that material, added the brain component, and put together the implications for sugar sensitives.

Depression (2 weeks) is a key class for the Potatoes Not Prozac crowd. Learn in-depth information on the kinds of depression, why drugs will or will not work, how they work and how Doing the Food can help.

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 **


Rather than responding to problems or roadblocks with tears, you will start anticipating and solving problems.

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** Testimonial of the Week **


This is a very overdue check in. Step six life is better than I could have expected it. I've completed 5 months on this step now and I just wanted to review some of the changes that I've been experiencing. "Lifestyle" is a word that comes to mind. I am actually changing my lifestyle in so many ways. Since I've never been able to do this before, I have to assume that my changing biochemistry is responsible for all of these great changes.

It's been nearly a year since my return to RR. Today I woke up to a fasting blood sugar of 114, which is great! A year ago I was pushing 300 which is very bad and potentially life threatening. This didn't happen overnight, but as a gradual decline through working the steps in order, as written.

A year later I am down 40 lbs, and this is without trying, or even focusing on weight loss. In a month I'll have 6 months on step 6 and plan to get into weight loss focus. I'm pretty excited about it and have been waiting patiently. In the meantime I've been working on my RR lifestyle. It's the most amazing thing!

My appetite and sugar cravings are so much decreased. My activity has increased so much. I'm excited about my daily walks and pilates routine, swimming at the gym, using their treadmill. I made a playlist on my iPod of upbeat dance type songs and I so look forward to my time spent listening to my favorite tunes and moving my 55 year old bod!

I am so much more active in general and just a happier person. I feel like I'm in control of my own destiny, not the sugar addiction. I'm journaling every day and noting these changes. I do believe that if I continue on my path, I will have changed the course of my life and health for the long term.

I just want to say, this has all been so worth it!

Take care all,

Jan

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** Radiant Ambassadors **


Does anyone read the Washington Post? Well, it seems they wrote an article about conquering food addiction recently. You can read it here.

The article does talk about the biochemistry of addiction and research, which is a good thing. Imagine how many people are reading that article and sitting up and taking notice now that there is some more scientific weight to it?

I think it would be wonderful if people wanted to comment on the article and mention Radiant Recovery, too. Several of us have added our own comments. Does anyone else want to join us?

Oh, and I've tweeted the author of the article too :) It's amazing who you can find on twitter!

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 **


Hello! My name is Ruth Anne, and I’m from Raleigh, NC. I’ve been doing the food now since mid-September and am on step 6. I am continuously amazed at how much this food plan is transforming my life! I’m not just seeing an improvement in my food choices, but in so many other choices and behaviors. A therapist recommended Potatoes Not Prozac after listening to my food struggles – for which I am eternally grateful. Finally, the “food craziness” noise in my head has reduced to a manageable hum – THANK YOU, KATHLEEN DESMAISONS!

Ruth Anne

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


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

I was having breakfast and thought it would be fun to report it here.

I have a SHAKE made with Restore , almond milk and some baby oatmeal.

I add some of the vanilla flavoring from the store. I got a big bottle of it and put an olive oil spout on the top.

I also add some of the All-One vitamins. I use the pink can with the antioxidants in it.

I put all this in a pink shaker bottle and take it in the car with me when I go out for a meeting.

Takes about 3.5 minutes to put together.

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

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** Happenings on Facebook **


Radiant Recovery® International | Promote Your Page Too


The newest addition to our Facebook page is our Radiant Foods album. I've been uploading photos of my (prettier!) meals as I remember to take them, with a description of what's for dinner. I'd love to see what YOU are eating! The comments are the best part - this could lead to new, creative ideas, recipe sharing, and more.

Come check out our photos! And if you don't want to go that far, come and leave us a comment or question.

Come find us on Facebook at

http://www.Facebook.com/RadiantRecovery and join the fun!.



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** Radiant Kitchen **


City Chicken

This recipe was taught to me by my Polish mother-in-law. I hope you like it as much as we do. I’m not sure if City Chicken is available all over the country so I’ll explain what it is. We buy cubed pork and veal that has been placed on small skewers from our Meat Market. You could also buy veal and lean pork steaks and cube them yourself and place on small skewers. You can also just use pork steak alone. Our Meat Market also sells cubed meat that you place on the skewers yourself. I make 10 pieces of City Chicken at a time. Season your meat with salt and pepper.

Beat an egg or two and add some milk.

Roll meat in egg/milk and then roll in a mixture of breadcrumbs and a little flour. (I use my own homemade breadcrumbs and spelt flour.)

Brown breaded City Chicken in vegetable oil. (I use canola oil.)

Place nicely browned City Chicken in a roaster or casserole dish. Add about 1/8 of a cup of water. Add some cut up onions, celery leaves, and I like to add some cut up carrots. Dot with a little butter. Cover with lid.

Cook in oven at 375 degrees fahrenheit for a half hour and then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and cook for another hour and one half. Test with fork for soft meat.

This meal is so delicious! I serve it with a side of vegetables and a “brown”. Yesterday I made it with boiled, (skin-on) red potatoes with some melted butter, coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

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

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


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** Radiant Conversations **


We have been continuing the dialogue about the impact of reinforcing the *joy dots* in our lives. And there is a wonderful corollary to this happening in the community. In the Play class, we are experimenting with a commitment to do something playful every single day. It is having a huge impact on the people who are doing it. So it is sorta like conversations and chat are percolating the concepts and then we try it out in the community. I love this.

If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here 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 **


A lot of new people have come over to Radiant Parents and are talking about how to do new behaviors with their kids. We are talking not just about food, but about new patterns of recovery in your family. If you are looking for great support for toddlers to teens, come join us. The problem solving is such a comfort and I love seeing the more experienced parents give so much help to new people.

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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Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



Many of you have asked me why we don't have a step seven list. We have lists for all the other steps, so why not step seven. We had such a list for a while, but it felt very mushy, like no one really knew what step seven meant. Also what happened is that once people reached step seven, they often got complacent and stopped paying attention to their food and got wacky but didn't want to leave. And I did not want to play policewoman for program. So we backed up and said, "Let's do some thinking about this." Today I want to share with you some of the thoughts that I and your leadership folks have come up with.

How do you know when you are on step seven? When we started this process, we made the assumption that detox meant the completion of step 6 and once you were detoxed, you were on step seven. Well, over time, it was real clear that this idea was plain silly. What started to emerge is that after detox comes a period of learning how to do regular life without sugar (or alcohol or drugs). The alcohol part was pretty easy since we have said that detox on step six includes not drinking. But we certainly were not so clear about the drug part. So a lot of folks continued to smoke pot and think that they were on step seven.

Now, I think we are defining step six as detox...going off of the mind altering substances like sugar, alcohol and drugs. So the second half of step six is getting settled with that, going through the flat and finding a sense of clarity and reconciliation with it. After the flat comes the calm, where you feel ok and relaxed and this is where step seven starts in.

Step seven is more subtle than any other step. It is more about a process, a way of doing life...a wanting to push deeper into recovery...not from desperation, but from loving what it gives. And some funny things start to happen. Perhaps the most intriguing hallmark of step seven is the clarity and intention that emerges as you settle in.

There are some major things that happen. First is the willingness to look at the other stuff that you turn to to help cope with life stuff. We affectionately refer to this as the addiction amoeba...taming and transforming the flow from *using* stuff like work or exercise or shopping or codependency to feel better. This of course is a lifetime commitment since most of us have such a long list of *stuff* we use....but as we work on these, we also start emotional healing. Now we are steady and we can hold deep feelings...and we learn the tools for that. Guided imagery is a big piece of our repertoire.

The other part of step seven, is of course an emerging sense of relationship to God, a Higher Power, the Creator, Grace, the Great Mystery or whatever might make sense. It seemed really funny to me. It certainly happened with me, but I thought that was a personal thing. Then over time, the same thing kept happening to everyone else. So I figure we might as well put it in the equation of step seven.

What we have been reflecting on is how to support all of you who are now on step seven and really living into it. What we have come up with is a set of step seven lists that serve as *consultation* lists...more like drop in places to check into when you have something specific to work on. What we are looking at now (although not confirmed):

  • Radiant relationships to Money
  • Transforming Work Addiction into Radiant Vocations
  • Healing relationships with Family and Friends
  • Exercise with a step seven heart
  • Step Seven Journaling
  • Special Topics as a place to heal IBD, menopause, hormones, infertility, diabetes, and other stuff
  • Tackling the Addiction Amoeba in a fun way
  • Creative Cooking
  • Weight Loss
  • Stepping into our Big Selves...
  • How Service gives an opportunity for payback and returns 1000%
Now, these may include classes or little tutorials.. And I may do some of them in chat and chat study just for the sheer joy of it. In some ways, I think we are seeing that step seven becomes the joy of exploring all this stuff from a healed and steady place. It is not like you finally *get* to the top of the mountain or something, but more like the early steps train you, outfit you with gear and give you practice with skilled mentors. In step seven, it shifts from mentoring to sharing in a very big way. There is nothing in the world so much fun as hanging out with a group of food-skilled, funny people in recovery.

Now, having said this, LOL, in true Kathleen fashion, I am going to turn your brain upside down. I think step seven is a way of doing recovery. And sometimes it starts BEFORE detox. So that some people emerge from step three and are totally in this energy. And some people get through detox and are just as crazy. And oh will we have fun talking about that in chat.

What I have noticed is that those folks that get themselves into the PROCESS of chat and chat study seem to capture this totally outrageous idea that step seven is about a way of being and not about the sugar.


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.
Tina tells us what's happening on Facebook.


©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.

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