Newsletter

February 4, 2013

Hi {!firstname_fix}

Well, NM trees are thinking about spring. Some mornings are still really cold, but the air is different. The light is different too. All dogs are outside with Bison Marrow bones. It feels like putting my children in front of the TV to watch Sesame Street while I write the newsletter. Everything is quiet...and clean since Thursday is when my housekeeper comes and cleans. Three dogs make a lot of dust when they shake and shimmy in the morning.

I think working on the troubledkidsrealsolutions.com site has connected me to feelings about being a grandmother. The article this week reflects that.

Euroranch dates, times and place have been settled. Special thanks to our scouting team who made an outing to Salisbury, ate food, had tea, sat on beds and fluffed pillows on our behalf. Check out the ranch section. And don't forget we still have a couple of spots for SANTA FE in May!

These classes will begin Wednesday, February 6, 2012. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Radiant Problem Solving (2 weeks) - This is a special class for the stuck. If you have been doing the program for a while and don't feel the way you think you should, or if you feel stuck, or if you don't honestly know what you should do next, come to this class and explore your specific concerns. This class will be an intensive tutorial. There will be homework and you will be asked to be an active participant. This is an unusual opportunity to get answers. This is for the motivated and willing. You will learn skills and have a LOT of support.

Using Radiant Resources (1 week) - 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.

These classes will begin Wednesday, February 14, 2012. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Step 1	Step 1 (2 weeks) - 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.
	Brain Chemistry Serotonin (2 weeks) - CEU - 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.

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 **

Its clues may not be in words, but your body talks in a consistent and predictable way. You just have to learn its language.

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**Testimonial of the Week **

Hi Suzanne,

Dr. Kathleen is also the president of the Golden Retriever Rescue of New Mexico ( GRRNM) - which is where both of my dogs were adopted from. :)

Like you, I had never *NOT* been in a sugar fog either. Even the couple times I managed to take sugar out for a little while, it's residual impact and my unbalanced sugar sensitive biochemistry never had the chance to heal. I could only take my body screaming for sugar just so long and well, you know how it goes from there!

My life has changed completely with healing my sugar sensitive biochemistry and addiction. A really important thing to remember is that we heal our unbalanced biochemistry first *before* taking the sugar out, with what we *add* into to our diets.

As we work the Steps, cravings start fading and usage tapers off. Then on Step 6, we start taking whatever is left for sugar out. Usually, by then it is not a lot and is relatively painless to let it go - much much different than the horrible withdrawal you've experienced in the past.

Here are some of the things doing the program has changed for me:

My health has improved profoundly.
My poor eyesight has improved.
Anxiety, panic and other mood disorders/depression/mental health diagnosis' rescinded. Gone!
Type II diabetes - under good control.
A chronic insomniac for most of my life, I sleep quite well now.
After 15 years of Disability, I started college and am working full time.
As an introvert, I am much more outgoing and enjoy being in groups of people way more. I am far more social.

Here are some other things I've been experiencing profound improvement in:

Healing other addictions to include computer games, spending, smoking
Memory
Clear thinking
Patience
Impulse control, being able to wait
Ability to listen, and hear :)
Saying No/Boundaries
Decision making
Problem Solving
Planning ahead

My list could go on and on! It is a whole new world for me, truly...and it still just keeps getting better!

Do you have a copy of Potatoes not Prozac? If not, definitely get one- the newer edition - 2008. I think you will find it extremely helpful!

In the meantime, you will want to be focusing on *only* Step One for now, until it is solid and steady before adding the next piece. Working the Steps really works best that way! :)

Are you familiar with the 4 parts of Step 1?

Diane

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**Radiant Ambassadors **

Sugary drinks.

Everybody seems to be talking about them in Britain at the moment.

From the Prime Minister to the minor celebrity on a breakfast television programme to the psychologist.

How exciting!

A couple of us have written to the breakfast television show, and the Prime Minister, and even tweeted the psychologist.

We will let you know how we get on!

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 **

Hi, my name is Vinoma and I live in Orange County, Calif. I have been on step one for about a week and a half. I found Radiant Recovery one night while searching the internet for help with sugar addiction and losing weight. I was so excited I ordered Potatoes Not Prozac to my Kindle and stayed up all night reading it. I want to start with this basic class so I get a good foundation on how to use the website...then move on to the other classes so I have a successful program/journey.

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** Radiant Recovery^Ž Store **

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

When any of us in the Radiant Recovery community make travel plans, these are two great products we are sure to carry with us:

Get a little travel mixing bottle. We have been getting awesome reports back from the people who have them. You don't need batteries, they really mix well and are very light weight.

And if you are going on a plane, make sure to take pycnogenol. One of the things it is most noted is its protective effect on DVT (deep vein thrombosis - blood clots from sitting in a plane for a long time). This effect has been tested in a number of peer reviewed studies in major journals. Kathleen highly recommends it for that purpose.

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 **

Diane's New England Style Baked Beans

I am a bit of a throw it together kinda cook and go by eye more often than I measure, so this is a collaboration for an actual recipe. :)

2 cans of pinto beans, with the juice.
A few slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup apple butter
1 TBS grainy brown mustard or to taste
1/2 of an onion

And from Kathleen:

Here is what I did.

I put 2 cans of pinto beans in the crock pot.
I sauteed the bacon and one half of a vadalia onion in some olive oil.
I mixed the apple butter into the beans and added the mustard.
I added the bacon and onion to the beans when they were not quite crisp. I cooked it for about 4 hours in the crock pot.

And it was incredibly good.
Kathleen

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

Radiant Recovery
Cookbook

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**Radiant YLD **

Hi all!!!!

So, this morning I went for my gym induction. I donned my best sports bra (actually my only one, which hasn't been used in I don't know how long), my black leggings (I didn't feel ready for my new sports wear just yet), and a black breast cancer tshirt. Teens said I looked like I had an all in one on!!! I was comfy and felt inconspicuous so all good.

I put my stuff in a locker and on the way back to reception I saw the swimming pool. It was dimly lit with blue lighting, and only two people swimming. Ooooh, I wanted to jump in right there and then!!! I met my fitness trainer who performed a fitness test on me. I was taken aback by my results. My resting heart rate, lung function, peak flow were all good, and my grip strength was excellent ............and apparently (it says it on my printout so it must be true ) that grip strength is acknowledged to be the best single indicator of overall body strength.

I asked the trainer to show me how to use the weight equipment. Oh boy, they had a really good range. The equipment was all pretty similar to work, and there are diagrams on the side for when I forget . She advised that I pick a weight I am comfortable with and do 3 sets of 12 repetitions. So after she showed me those machines I asked for a reminder on how to work the cross trainer, etc. as I hadn't been on them in so lon. But that was easy as they mainly had touch screen tvs which were really easy to follow.

So......I went round by myself and tried out each machine to get the feel of them. I LOVED the leg machines, feeling those muscles move was amazing! The shoulder press was the hardest. Looking at my reflection in the mirror was hilarious, I had my serious concentrating face on. I finished with 2 minutes on the cross trainer.

I am chuffed to bits, and can't wait to go back. It will probably be Monday, but I want to go NOW!!!!

I've taken myself over to the fitness list..........LOLOL......ME? Oh my days! As I will need to add in a snack and want to know about timings for that, before, after, how much etc........

Steph x

If you would like to join, come find us here

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**Radiant Conversations **

We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here.

Conversations is the place where we share ideas with one another. We don't usually talk about food in these discussions. We talk creativity, joy, laughter, transformation, fun, integrity, abundance, joy dots, holographic reality, calling the clowns, LOL...some of those we haven't done yet, but we will . Now, if you haven't started the program yet, Radiant Conversations might irk you. You might think we are not being serious enough and we need to get to work. The reality is that Conversations is the hub of play, the great healer. If you want to know what drives our healing, come join us.

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 radiantparents 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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**Reflections on Grandmother Time **

Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.

OK, I am going to write to you from my grandmother heart. This is a big deal for me. I have been writing about my years as a young mother for the past few weeks - my daughter asked me for the details and I have been having fun doing this task.

I have learned some things I did not know then. My kids did not care about a perfect house or a perfect mom. What they cared about was time and being present. That is what they remember.

They did not care about my career, about my being in school and what I was learning, they didn't care about their grades or excelling. They cared about time and being present.....

The day we all decided to skip school and go sledding.
The night we went to The Nutcracker at the local high school. The music was bad. They didn't care.
The day we made cookies together for the tree (forgive me for that one, LOL)
The nights we sat in the big chair and I read Watership Down to them.
The times we rode in the car to their dad's house and we sang silly songs I made up.
The time they went on strike and refused to eat dinner and insisted we go get pizza and we did.
The day we dressed the dogs in costumes and took them on a walk.

Now, if you think you are too busy, too tired.....and there is no way....remember I was a single mom, going to school full time and working full time. And I was not even doing the food. I had dreamed of perfect children, a perfect family and all that stuff. But what we had was something different from the dream.

Here is what made the difference, I think. I intuitively knew that *I* had to have some quiet time to be sane. They watched Sesame Street every day at 5PM and did not talk to me. I regrouped and caught my breath. I had time alone at regular intervals. I did things that filled me up.

And deep inside, I would reach down in my heart and meet them at where they were...and I was clear about boundaries. This is what I instinctively knew at 30. Now, from this perspective, I know something more.

If you have an eight year old, this is the ONLY winter, the only season you will EVER have with an eight year old. You know all that other stuff you think is so important? It isn't. If there are too many after school activities, stop them. If there are too many demands, start learning *no,thank you.* If you don't know how, ask us.

If you are a grandparent, ask how you can support your children at this time of year. Provide space, fun and humor. Go get those kids and be goofy. If you live far away, get on the phone and be goofy on the phone. Email them. Give them cameras for Christmas and ask them to email you pictures of their lives. Send them pictures of your dog, your cat, your friends at the senior center. Wait, I don't think any of us go to senior centers, LOL. Teach them to knit - even the boys. It raises serotonin. Make a cookbook for them.

Guess you can tell what I have been thinking about this week. I am making a book about my life. I am writing, writing and then will find photos and put them with the writing...this is a wonderful and powerful thing to do.

Mostly, I am committed to this being a holy and reflective time.

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

Not a subscriber yet? Like what you have read? Sign up to get future issues delivered straight to you:

http://www.radiantrecovery.com

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^Ž Store.
Selena provides the weekly Ambassadors column.

Š2013 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^Ž", and notify kathleen@radiantrecovery.com of the location. Please visit the Radiant Recovery^Ž website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction.

You are getting the weekly newsletter from Radiant Recovery^Ž in response to your signup. A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www. radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter