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July 4, 2011 Hi {!firstname_fix} My has it been hot in the afternoons here. I find the heat just wipes me out! So I have been doing things the Spanish way...I get up really early and do *stuff* early in the morning when it is cool and fresh. I have little green tomatoes on my tomato plants. But they are heirloom varieties so they wilt in the heat. I have to give them water every day. I suspect these will be the most expensive tomatoes in the universe by the end of the summer. This class will begin Wednesday, July 6, 2011. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page: Radiant Step 2: Skillful Use (2 weeks)is the next level of journaling. This is for those of you who know *how* and want to learn what to do with your data. This class shows you how to interpret what you have written in an exciting and pragmatic way. This class will begin Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page: Radiant Step 3 (2 weeks) is one of our core classes. This is a skill-based class. If you want to learn the baby steps of a successful step 3, come join us. This class is ALWAYS fun. This class lets you create a plan that is manageable and fun. The class schedule is online. Click here to see what is planned. 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 **********************************************************************
** Quote From Kathleen ** When you understand sugar sensitivity, what has been and overwhelming mystery in your life becomes a fascinating journey in self-discovery. **********************************************************************
** Testimonial of the Week ** I am intrigued by the substance of last night's conversation. Specifically, I LOVE , LOVED, LOVED Kathleen's idea that I am a "skilled addict". ( I was remembering how a thousand years ago I took better care of my cigarettes than I did my money or my cars and how I would plan and execute where and how I was going to smoke.) I think I learned valuable "life skills" faster than my peers because my addictions were immediate and would not wait. I learned that I could side-step the rules because I figured out ways (skill) around them and then learned how to manipulate people into thinking they had the problem. I associated anything with addictive behavior as "bad" or "weak" until I started to think about them differently last night. Thinking that these "addict skills" serve me well now was a bit of a stretch.....however, yes, I can see how I take real good care of my lettuce (wash, dry wrap in paper towel, store it) because I need it to be fresh and crispy or I get cranky-pants. There is always a chicken drumstick, pot roast or chunks of organic turkey in the refrigerator...'cause there is no other way to live well now. I take inventory of food stocks in my home like it matters....as natural as I breathe, but it has taken time to "switch out" the motivation behind the behaviors. When my Father lay dying in the hospital this past December, I got the call at 9:30 p.m. to come quickly. I dressed, grabbed the lunch I had prepared for Monday, some extra sweetpot pies and lots of water and drove 60 miles north, but he was gone when we got there. My family was in shock...I ate my egg salad sandwich, slices of organic apple, sweetpot pies and sat with my Mom and held her hand. Over the last few months my sibling's drama has unfolded, while I just continued to unfold my napkins. They began smoking, drinking and being mean, I cleaned up the family finances, cooked beef short- ribs and joined the local gym. Suffice to say, the only thing that stood between me and chaos was doing the food, which took a boat-load of "addict skill turned professional". Today, I have been taking a "skills inventory" of sorts. It doesn't matter to me what I used to use the old "addict skill" for since these same skills have a brand new set of clothes and they appear sharp and bright and fascinating to touch. I am allowing my chest to fill up with the thoughts that support the hunter/gatherer in my soul, except now my hunt is for organic berries, beef jerky w/salt, organic roast beef, fresh summer flounder with homemade coleslaw and some light wind to sail by. I think some shame has also floated away once I was able to see my "addict skill set" as worthy. It's like Dorothy...in the Wizard of OZ.... always having the power to go home....and she never knew she had that skill until someone told her and she was able to re-direct her energy. Thanks Kathleen for re-directing my energy. Patricia **********************************************************************
** Radiant Ambassadors ** 
I love it when someone discovers one of Kathleen's books and writes about it on their blog. I still remember that frisson of excitement at having found the answer I was looking for - I knew that all those years of self-help book buying would pay off one day!Anyway, here is a fabulous article that I came across last week: http://www.tinaferguson.com/tag/kathleen-desmaisons Can anyone relate to what the writer is talking about? I've posted a reply to her blog and tweeted it. Why don't we all write to her and let her know that she has discovered something truly fabulous and that she is not alone? Selena selenas@blueyonder.co.uk Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. **********************************************************************
** How I Found Radiant Recovery ** I found RR in the early winter of 2007. I was in the deepest depression I'd ever experienced after a move from Kansas to London, England. It was to the point that my husband was having to pull me out of bed in the mornings so that he could leave the kids to go to work - and this was *with* antidepressants. Not pretty. I was desperate to find a solution after my new doctor told me I'd need to quit taking one of the antidepressants I had been on for eight years. I had come across the RR website one night before we even moved when googling such things as "addicted to sugar" and "burn off my taste buds" (thinking that would be a possible way to solve the 15 cookie problem I had) and remembered seeing Potatoes Not Prozac referenced there. I went back, ordered the new version of the book, started having breakfast, and waited for my book to arrive. Knowing that I had a lot of work to do to accomplish my goal of getting off of my depression meds after reading Potatoes Not Prozac, I buckled down in early 2008 and detoxed in August of the same year. I joined every step list along the way and connected with my geo list as well. I took classes, went to meetups, attended Euro Ranch, and slowly I started to heal. :) In May of 2010 I finally finished up tapering off of 450 mg of one medication and 150 mg of the other. I have been medication free since and have felt better and more sane than I have in years! Amazingly though, that's not even the best part! In the process of working on the depression aspect of my biochemistry, I got some other really nice surprises. In the background, very quietly, my struggle with eating disorders disappeared. It was such a pleasant realization when I found one day that the behavior was just gone! And to be able to like myself and be ok with my body (and buy a bathing suit without emotional upheaval) was quite a positive change for me. I also started the program with my kids. They are not sugar free, but the changes that we made to the way we eat have helped steady them tremendously. I can always tell when someone needs a piece of cheese and an oat cake! :) Thanks to this program and the support system Kathleen has put in place, I have grown and changed in ways that I never imagined possible. I'm still getting to know the *me* that I've become - and of course there's always room for more improvement (I'm still learning a *lot*) - but it certainly feels nice to have come this far. It has absolutely been worth the effort! Heidi **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. I first learned about digestive enzymes when a friend shared that she had tried every trick in the book to heal constipation. Nothing had worked. She tried enzymes and was delighted. Since then, I have read a lot and worked with a number of people who experience bloating, gas, digestive problems. When they take digestive enzymes, they get better. And it seems that enzymes are not all equal. We carry the brand we have in the store because so many people have commented on liking them. We carry two types:|
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
** Radiant Kitchen ** This is a great recipe to take to a picnic.
Spray a rectangular casserole with cooking spray. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil til translucent. Stir in the flour, basil and salt. Add the milk and cook stirring until thickened. Add the spinach and potato. Stir gently. Pour into the casserole. Top with cheese, Bake until bubbly and slightly browned (about 30 minutes). Serves 8 as a side dish. For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site. **********************************************************************
** Radiant YLD ** I am beginning the process of taking YLD members through all the weight loss steps in each chat. Last week we started by outlining the steps. We will look at each of them individually and also talk about how to develop your own customized plan. I think we are getting clearer that the art of YLD is really about the *customizing* part - how do YOU sort out the order and the focus for your own weight loss needs and style. I can't believe that weight loss can be so much fun. If you would like to join, come find us here **********************************************************************
** Radiant Conversations ** Conversations is a place for us to talk about what life is like when we are balanced. It is the essence of *why* we do all this silly stuff...perhaps the point of it all. We are not talking about food in conversations, but about life. In the next few weeks, I will be sharing what step seven really is...perhaps the demystifying of it...and as I have been making notes for that process, I find myself just smiling for the sheer joy of it. We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here. If you would like to join us, you can do that below. Join YLD Weight Loss Now: click here - $99 Join Conversations 2011 Now: click here - $99 Join Both YLD and Conversations Now: click here - $149 Current YLD members wish to Upgrade to Both, click here - $49 Current YLD members who wish to Transfer to Conversations 2011 Only can do so for a $14.99 admin fee: click here If you are not a member, come and join us if you want to be a part of the latest and greatest or just have some plain ol' fun! **********************************************************************
** Our Online Groups ** Most of us underestimate the importance of breakfast and try to do all the steps in the first week. When that doesn't work, we begin again. We concentrate on Step 1, breakfast, and find our lives begin to change. The RadiantStepOne list is a great place to learn the nuances of breakfast, build a strong foundation for the rest of the Steps, and find how helpful it is to share our journey with others. It is great for new people and those who have been on the program a long time. Sharing helps everyone. The awesome thing is we all, Step 1 or Step 7, eat breakfast every single day. How cool is that? We'd love it for you to Sign up: We love new members! **********************************************************************
**It Is Possible ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
I'm sitting here contemplating all the wonderful things that have come about in my relationship with my teenagers because of this program. I'm filled with joy and wonder and I just had to share this with you all. My twins are 15 and sophomores in high school. Last Friday night they had a movie night at our house. There were 8 girls here. My husband made pizza with brown rice crust and various toppings. There was no soda, lol. Then later they popped some popcorn. My girls were laughing and giggling, having a good time. No fights, yelling, screaming or whatever. They laugh with me and include me in their stories and jokes. They are not embarrassed by their mom, lol.I think Janie’s report pretty much sums up what I hear over and over and over about children on the program. We expect *terrible twos* but they just don’t happen with program kids. We anticipate struggles and problems, coping with identity and tears and sibling rivalry and ADD and mood swings. That just does not happen with program children. We plan for the kinds of teen years that Janie remembers, and I remember. Anger, moods, tears, drama, embarrassment with our parents, flouncing about. When we start the program, we think, 'well maybe I can do this, but my family won’t ever buy in.' But you know what, they will. They buy in when you are no longer ambivalent. And then something happens. We get RELATIONSHIP, connection, humor, respect, sibling adoration and value. Honestly. I am not making this up. I didn’t know this when I started. I just thought I had nice kids, LOL. But now, what I see is that my kids were doing the program (albeit in a somewhat less refined manner), and that meant they were in balance. And NORMAL means kids like each other, like and respect their parents, do problem solving, serve as role models with their peers and generally rock. School has let out for the summer. I am going to invite you to do something outrageous. Get your kids on the program. Get Little Sugar Addicts and learn the steps for kids. They are different (and way simpler) than your steps, LOL. And join the parents’ list. I want you to give your children this miracle. I want your children to have the kind of lives that Janie’s kids have. Whew, doesn’t that just give me shivers!! 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. ©2011 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/ |
