June 25, 2012

Hi {!firstname_fix}

It has been smoky here. We have had fires down south with inversion smoke sitting on the mountains every morning. Then a fire broke out in the Bosque, the woods by the river, and it felt so close by. One night of rain calmed everything. Dry, hot for an extended period is unsettling.

My landscape planning is continuing...we have a rough outline of what to do. Now I just want to check to see if I can find the old-timer who works at Home Depot and is reputed to be be a whiz on wells. If I can get my well restarted, that will make a difference in the plan.

There will be no classes beginning Wednesday, June 27, 2012.

These classes will begin Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Using Radiant Resources (2 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.


Radiant Play (2 weeks) - will talk about the extraordinary impact playing has on the healing of our brains. Sugar-sensitive people NEED play and often we don't get to it, or we don't know how. This class is FUN and will teach both the biochemistry of play and the art of it. If you haven't taken this class, sign up. It is a wonderful part of our healing package.


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

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** Quote From Kathleen **


When you eat according to your food plan, you will have a solid sense of self-esteem that comes from biochemical balance, clarity and well-being

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** Testimonial of the Week **


I am feeling all kinds of happy with myself because in June I messed up my Step 6 due to poor planning, all my meal times went out the window, my snacking returned, etc, and now I have been to a family party with my Emergency Meal (that I hadn't really thought I'd need, but brought it anyway thank goodness), and then a couple of days later I went for a three day visit with my daughter-in-law and little grandchildren while my son was at a business conference. I brought my own food and stayed with my program! I even wrote in my journal every meal! Good for me!

Getting back to replies about the Emergency Meal: yes, banana would make it taste better. I'll have to try it. Good idea!

Husbands: my darling husband went to the party with me (the one with cookies, brownies, ice cream, Chinese food, and everything being served at various times) and he ate everything they served. The next day he had a royal headache, allergies acting up...he's been eating what I've been eating at home, you see. When I realized what was wrong I got him a banana, encouraged him to drink a lot of water and eat fruit with every meal (as a former Step 6er I don't have many sweets around). Now he knows I'm not the only one with a sensitivity! (lol) Plus he has a lot of compassion for the old days. "Is this how you felt when you were on the couch?" "Yes." "It's horrible! How did you stand it?" "I didn't. That's why I was on the couch." (Now he can understand why various relatives do what they do to avoid feeling like that. One day when we're radiant I hope they'll try RR.)

On the trip I brought Ezekiel bread, oatmeal, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, cans of tuna, salmon, garbanzo beans, and even frozen vegetables (in a cooler with ice). I was determined to assume nothing. I figured the worst that would happen is my dil would have extra groceries in the house. I also brought George's Jr shake, which I left behind for her to use on my dear ss son who can be pretty grouchy in the morning. I suggested that she just do what I did: hand him a shake. If he drinks it, he drinks it. If not, she can have it.

Something I've learned from this community is that we are not weak. We have bodies that are a special challenge to us, and we have the courage to face it and work with it. I learned that it is not weakness to spend the day after I got home taking it easy and not expecting too much of myself. My body needs what she needs and I can't run her ragged without consequences. I love the fact that we do this program in steps. It isn't all or nothing. If it all comes apart we can start at Step One and gradually add back the steps until we're better again. In June all the old sugar feelings returned and I didn't think I'd get better, I just did the steps because I didn't know what else to do. Now I feel stronger than ever. That feeling of having a spotlight on me with everyone watching me seems to be going away, too.

It's good to be back!

Lora

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** Radiant Ambassadors **




Have you found a way of getting Radiant Recovery noticed?

Perhaps by putting RR business cards on your works notice board or talking to friends?

If you've found something that has worked for you, don't keep it to yourself - come on over to the Radiant Ambassadors list and share it with us!

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 all- nice to meet everyone. I've been working on step one since April 5th. I found the program by googling "sugar addiction " one day when I was feeling fed up by my difficulty resisting the stuff.

I heard the radio program Loren mentioned and I think it's worth a listen. I have found that there are a lot of little valuable bits of information that you can pick up about the program if you participate in the online forum and I'm taking the class in the hopes I can make the best use of all the resources here.

My name is Gretchen, I'm from Minneapolis Minnesota and I have two little kids who I think will benefit from this approach.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone

Gretchen

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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


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

Someone recently asked me what relationship I am to Kathleen. I am her son. So then they want to know why I call her *Kathleen* in public. It is a mark of respect and professionalism. She and I have worked together off and on for many years.

As many of you know we have streamlined our subscription service. We have it all in a database. You know how creative I am in accommodating your needs (smile). If Mary wants shake and ProEpa every other month and Suzanne wants a journal every other month and 2 jars of Restore on the off months along with a *shuffle* of flavorings for the shake, I can do it. Of course trying to explain my mind to a data base person takes some work, LOL.

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

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** Radiant Kitchen **


With the hot weather, I love to make cold salads. This is one of my favorites from our own Radiant Recovery Cookbook

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD

  • 3 c. cooked chicken, cubed
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 1/2 c. sugar-free mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. curry powder or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 c. fresh orange segments
  • 1/2 c. sliced scallions
  • 1/2 c. sliced black olives
  • 1/2 c. chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 c. chopped pecans or almonds
  • 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper or to taste
Combine all ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. Good over mixed greens as main course salad or as sandwich filling. For vegetarian version, substitute baked tofu (cubed) or tempeh for the chicken. Makes 4 servings.

For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site.


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** Radiant YLD **


I am hearing a lot of OMG, the program is making me gain weight. This is from people on step two. They think that adding breakfast is making it happen. In some ways it is. Many of you have starved and skipped breakfast as a way to cut a deal for the after dinner ice cream or the all day bingeing on sweets. So when you add breakfast and are still doing the other stuff, it will have an effect. But it is the adding in that creates the stability to be able to hold the weight loss that will come. And come it will!! That is the exciting part.

Listen to how Delse describes it.

I can only give you my experience, but when I was at the place you are at right now, I had a heart to heart talk with myself. The truth was that I did this program to stop binge eating. It scared me, and I couldn't control it.

But it was real easy for me to slip into diet head and forget that. So, I kept gently reminding myself "it isn't about the weight right now." Then, I went out and bought some jeans that actually fit. What a relief.

Rather than fret about the weight, I worked hard to get through the steps honestly. By the time I got to step 6, I started to slowly lose the weight. I lost 15 pounds without much effort. Was it worth those extra months of not losing weight? Oh my word, yes. I haven't binged on sugar in over a year and a half, and it used to be an almost daily occurrence.

So, I would recommend deciding what is really important, and focusing on that. For me, stopping the madness came first, then weight loss.
And Delse is right. Learning to *hold* those first few months of getting stable is hard. But we have everything you need first to heal and then to lose weight. The Your Last Diet part of our program is an excellent add-on to your core program.

If you would like to join, come find us here

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** Radiant Conversations **


The conversations component of the Radiant Recovery® community is a place for joyful exploration of the rest of life things that matter for sugar sensitives. We talk *food* everywhere else. Here we talk of life and love, dogs, vacations, and joys of all sorts.

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!

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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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**Some Training Tips for Serious Athletes **
Ann Margaret McKillop



Beginners to Radiant Recovery but not beginners to endurance training often have questions about refueling for the “long run” without sugar. Below is Heather’s Goo Recipe and an FAQ that should help answer some of those questions.

Heather’s Goo Recipe and Musings

For each serving, take 1/4 cup oats, cook them on the stove with ˝ cup water; then mix in 1 TBS George’s Restore protein powder and 1/2 small banana (or 1/4 c of berries). Put each serving into a snack sized Ziploc, smush it down until it is only at the bottom of the bag and then freeze it.

Then when I went on my long runs I would grab a few to carry along. Freezing ensures that the food is still cool when you eat it, and not gross and hot from being on your person the entire time. I'm not one of those people that can eat anything while running, but this concoction was gentle on my stomach and seemed to do a good job keeping my energy up. How many you need is up to you and your body, but for me I'd use one for a run of 12 miles, and then every 4 miles after that I'd add another. And, of course, having a solid breakfast first made all the difference. Heather

FAQ
  1. Should I worry about non-sugar fuel replacements when I am early in the program?

    Technically no, you should not worry about non-sugar fuel replacement before you have detoxed (step 6). However, the replacement that is favorite among the list members (goo—recipe above) will not only replace fuel, it will also help keep your blood sugar level, a great concern for SS athletes. So it is a good thing to try whenever you like.

  2. Why oatmeal instead of fruit or something with higher glucose levels?

    Again, as SS athletes, we need to be careful of spiking our blood sugar levels. Oatmeal will give us a long steady burn and not cause a crash after the event or a few days later. And if you can find them, steel-cut oats are even longer burning. The small amount of fruit in the recipe should supply all the immediate glucose you need.

  3. Why is there protein in the recipe? Doesn’t that take away too much energy to digest?

    In the small amount we use it, the advantage of having the protein to keep blood sugar levels steady outweighs any small disadvantage with the digestion process.

  4. What about electrolyte replacement drinks or sports drinks?

    Most of us have found that water is the best sports drink, if we have been training steadily and taking care of our programs, which includes adequate amounts of water daily. Most electrolyte replacements do not provide much in the way of replacement anyway. As with all things, baby steps are best. If you are currently using sports drinks, begin to cut them with water and very carefully journal your body’s reactions. Be especially careful in warm weather to drink before, during and after you run.


Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this, feel free to forward it to them.

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Until next time!
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.



©2012 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/weeklynewsletter