|
|
|
|
September 9, 2013 Hi {!firstname_fix} Mornings are cooler. I feel the scent of Fall in the air now. I get up early and often go out. It is dark now that early. Dogs don't even stir but just open one eye and look as if to say, *Oh good grief!* We have started the deep healing class and are settling into the dialogue that comes with steady food. It is a process that I cherish and respect as your willingness to share and take your healing deeper expands. I thank you for the trust. I have been wanting to move the Introduction to Cooking list into a process of learning how to make comfort food program friendly. We put up a poll to let you choose which meals you want to start with. Then we will pick that meal, post the recipe and then have people make it during the week. We can talk about it together and see the reaction to the meal of the week. I think it will be fun. The lists are feeling settled...kinda like going back to school and settling in. I like how things are progressing. We have a new group of volunteers who are helping the mentors. We are calling them *partners* and I love the energy and enthusiasm they are bringing. And then there is the whole fiasco with Yahoo. I am VERy sorry it is such a mess. I know that they are trying to fix it. Here are some things we are trying... Use a different browser and see if it makes a difference. Post from your email rather than from the web. Maintain a sense of humor and keep calm. (smile) These classes will begin Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
These classes will begin Wednesday, September 18, 2013. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
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 ** Beta-endorphin is immensely powerful. It can drive you inexorably toward deeper addiction - or raise your spirits to a level of health that you may never have known before. **********************************************************************
**Testimonial of the Week **
This morning when I opened my journal, I saw at the top of the page Day Four. It was like a shock. It is so funny that between arriving home from vacation and today, I totally forgot that today would be a day four. Laughs. I LOVE my journal. So I had a little extra oatmeal this morning and will probably try to fit in an extra snack. Missy **********************************************************************
**Radiant Life ** Bon Jour from the festival city of Edinburgh Lads. Wife #1 and I went visiting friends of 25 years for dinner at their house last night. We've been doing this 2 or 3 times a year all throughout our friendship. Turn and turn about. This was a first at their place after a bit of a hiatus due to bereavement, travel and some general busyness. The last time we hosted. The sugar and whites were in my control. No coming out to yet another fad diet required. We've shared kids of similar ages and the tribulations and joys that brings. Also major life events like losing our parents to age and mutual close friends to cancer, a redundancy, retraining for a new career, health issues and life's ups and downs have all been dissected at these grown up dinners. The point of this post is that I shared my RR food requirements by email with them at the beginning of the week. They know I don't drink and have taken this in their hosting stride without a blink over the decades. Last night my no whites, no sugar request was met with wonderful kitchen, table, shopping, garden and menu prep grace and skill on their part. He checked with me if maple syrup in the gravy was ok by text during the week. I said no. Result; very tasty gravy with a side jug of maple syrup for those who wanted to add it. Menu was: Seafood cocktail of crab, lobster and shrimp with vinaigrette greens and samphire Shoulder of spiced pulled pork Mixed roast veg including beetroot, carrot, potato, and beans, purple sprouting broc (all self allotment grown) & gravy Banana, berry, peach,fresh grated coconut & lime compote set as a jelly with whipped cream. (Quite naturally sweet but no added sugar and a small serving in a nice dish worked out just fine for me.) There was wine for those who did and mineral water and a cold herbal tea cocktaily number for me with a decaf to finish. They also had the most brilliant playlist - The Kinks, The Clash, Iggy, Scottish & Irish folk, just enough Jazz, Allison Kraus, emmy lou, Van the man, Beatles, Stones, etc - stuff us 50+ year olds appreciate and at just the right volume. They had flowers from their allotment that really added to the ambience (I mention these cos Pre RR I just didn't notice small details like this. At all. Black and white tv view of life didn't allow me to. I do so appreciate the "colour" my radiant awareness now adds.) We were hosted with finesse, well fed, I had my food needs met, had a truly great fun night. I felt a part of and not apart from and it was all no big deal on anyone's part really. It was easy. Comfortable. Warm. Friendly. Have I enthused and praised being steady on the food and growing slowly through the steps enough here? There is no other reason than this that I had the kind of night I did than arriving at RR and reluctantly following the program as written. This works. In ways I wasn't expecting it to, like last night, more and more often just lately. There are big obvious changes since I first got here. I'm not depressed, I'm not obsessed with food, not ferociously night time grazing and am not very very over weight any more. Long may that continue. I like all these changes. A lot. The benefits of being SS in RR are well worth the effort I'm finding. Hope your Sunday mornings are going well for you all. Richie **********************************************************************
**Radiant Ambassadors **  Our Facebook group has just welcomed its thousandth member! Come on over and join in the fun! Selena selenas@blueyonder.co.uk Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news. **********************************************************************
**How I Found Radiant Recovery ** Hi everyone, my name is Natalie and I live in California. I started reading the PnP about a month or so ago, but only truly committed to Step 1 about 2 weeks ago. This is my first RR class. Even though I tried to join a couple of Yahoo Groups in the past -- it was too much for my sugar-sensitive brain to absorb! So now I'm trying to do only ONE thing at a time. Just breakfast. Hoping this class will help demystify all the resources available to us and looking forward to meeting you all. **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. 
Cod Liver oil has been used as an immune enhancer for hundreds of years. This week we are featuring Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil - the fish oil that started their line. We choose to carry this line because Nordic Naturals starts with the best raw material available: 100% pure Arctic cod (Skrei) sourced from the Norwegian Sea. They have built direct, exclusive relationships with smaller boats and independent fishermen, rather than larger trawling vessels that spend much longer at sea. These relationships allow them to maintain optimal raw material quality as well as sustainable fishing practices. They offer only 100% Arctic cod liver oil. No fish body oils or synthetic vitamins or additives are ever used—only pure Arctic cod (Skrei), which has the highest DHA, vitamin A, and vitamin D content of any cod species.As an aside, I also just learned that their oil is sustainably harvested. That pleased both Kathleen at me and is consistent with what we have done with the Shake lines. Using the liquid is great for people who don't like to take pills and wonderful for those of us who just love to put it in our shake and be on for the morning. Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
**Radiant Kitchen ** Janet's Breakfast Muffins (This is the base -- read below for flavor variations)
Flavor Variations: - add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 6 pieces fried, crumbled bacon to the dry mixture before adding liquids - add chopped strawberries or other berries to cream cheese mixture before adding to the batter, can also add unsweetened coconut. I just eyeball these amounts. - add a heaping spoonful of peanut butter to the cream cheese mixture. (I've also discovered macadamia nut butter and almond butter and have used these, plus the chopped nuts) - use just the base and cover the tops of each muffin with pecan halves before baking (or sometimes I add unsweetened coconut to this version, too) I find that by starting with this base, it's hard not to end up with a delicious muffin, no matter what I put in for flavor. This recipe was contributed by Janet from the Radiant Recovery Community Forum. For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site. **********************************************************************
**Radiant YLD ** Here's a post from Diana that I loved: I got on a bus and went to Compton's where I had been researching bikes and I put a deposit on a Brompton's bike. It's CLARET and quite beautiful and I can fold it up and take it into my work. That felt like a big investment in my body and my health.I LOVE this. Finding an exercise we love to do and having it as part of regular life is so fantastic! Steph x If you would like to join, come find us here **********************************************************************
**Radiant Conversations ** We have a new portal for the Conversations program. Come check it out here. This special membership program gives you access to the cutting edge of recovery exploration. This is about more than the food and brings you into the world of all the other things that can support a recovery way of life including emotional sobriety, finding passion in your life, disarming things that get in the way, program maturation and, of course, spirituality. These conversations will help you transform fear and give you new tools for healing. We explore the role of play in healing, how guided meditation works, when it is a good adjunct to your process and how to choose meditations. We look at topics such as grief, crisis, trauma, emotional healing, revitalizing your program and stepping into your big self. So the dialogue will be about the big picture and the practical ideas for daily implementations of the changes you are seeking. The dialogue will meet you where you are and offer ideas that you may not have heard before. Let go of old thinking that growing up has to be hard or painful. This is about joy, discovery, fun and creativity. And, of course, LOTS of laughter. 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 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 ** Introduction to Radiant Cooking is a lively group for members of the Radiant Recovery® community to gain confidence in preparing program-friendly meals. You will learn how to use the kitchen, how to cook and have a lot of fun here. **********************************************************************
**Weight Loss Thoughts for Fall ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
Many, many people come into the program with what I call *fat terror*. Here are some of the things I have heard: * I AM GAINING WEIGHT! * I need to count calories to be in control. * My weight and the size of my body has been the central defining issue of my whole adult life. * I have been on a diet roller coaster for 40 years. * When I read PnP, I had this *knowing* that surprised me...it explained everything. * I could not control the bingeing. I wanted to believe I could. * When does the bingeing stop? Where does it come from? * I have been doing low carb. I am terrified of carbs. Soooo, you come in with the weird combination of *knowing* that this plan is right, but having all this painful, painful baggage. Body image, cultural pressure, internal pressure that what you weigh and how you look is THE most important thing to deal with. You want in here and we simply will not talk about weight in the main part of the community. And it is incredibly frustrating and disorienting. You are in pain, you KNOW what needs to be done and you want to get on with it. And gosh darn, we just sound so, um, controlling. And then it is so conflicting. Do you stomp off for another diet, or do you stick it out, do you thrash, do you build resentment, and why in god's name do all these people keep saying the same thing...breakfast, eat breakfast, how is your breakfast? And you say, what about my A1C, my doctor says I need to lose weight now, my daughter's wedding is in the fall, my knees hurt, I am so depressed, I am so tired. And we say breakfast, eat breakfast. And you want to SCREAM! And, LOL, sometimes you do. Whatever is this about? The fact is we understand weight loss in a way that you cannot imagine. And we are offering you so much more. If you just want to do pounds, there are 4.2 MILLION weight loss sites on the internet. You can take your pick. It really doesn't matter because they are pretty much all the same. And if you go back to do low carb, you are simply pushing the real biochemical issue underground. If you do surgery, you are simply doing surgical starvation and nothing has changed. We are saying, *let's get healed first.* All this consistent message about breakfast is really code for...do the steps, do the food and heal your biochemistry. Stop the addiction, get balanced, find your lost humor, have hope, have fun. It also gives us some time to teach you about the craziness of the cultural message that who you are is defined by your weight. And the craziness of the medical message that your percentage of body fat determines your medical RISK... It is pretty radical, that challenging. And you won't believe us until you live into the solution for a while, and until you read some of the actual science that refutes what you have been told all these years. We have to take some time with you. We have to create biochemical stability that lets you hear a new truth. And we want to get some healing done. Weight loss works so much better when you are joyful about it, not running on a starvation/restriction high. But this is not an intellectual construct. You have to feel it, and let your cells get reprogrammed. We want to offer emotional healing of the wounds under using food (or restriction) to cover the pain. Your relationship to food is how you survived. If you change it without creating emotional safety and healing of the wounding, you won't be able to stay afloat. If you take off your life jacket without something else in place, you are at risk. We want you safe, we want you in the boat with skilled navigators. We want you to be in safe harbor before you do the next work. We want you fit. This is a really shocking idea. We don't want you to E-X-E-R-C-I-S-E to lose weight, we want you to be able to exercise and move in order to meet and get to know the body you have hated all this time. We want to give your body a voice, a sense of remembering or learning and a sense of competence as being part of the healing. A fit body with powerful and skilled muscle makes losing weight 1000 times easier. And it makes weight loss joyful. Before we send you out into the wilderness of weight loss, we want you to have stability and strength. Yah, yah, I know this is weird. When you start, I understand that this is not even in your frame of consciousness. And after you have done all this, we can tell you pretty concretely and specifically, do this and you will lose weight and have a blast. And nope, it doesn't work if you walk in the door and think you know it all already. This path is not for everyone. Not for the feint of heart for sure. But if you want what we have, you can do it. The map is clear, we are skilled and we are here to teach you. We didn't learn this in a month or a week or a year. It has been crafted over lots of time and lots of talking. And soon enough, I will be upgrading YLD to outline this in a step-by-step process. You get the preview, LOL. And if you want, you get to do it now. 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® Store. Selena provides the weekly Ambassadors column. Steph provides the Your Last Diet column. ©2013 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 |
