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July 25, 2016

Hi {!firstname_fix}


I am back from my vacation. Rested and restored. Here is a picture of my last morning on Vinalhaven...Those of you who have been to New Mexico for Ranch know that my regular life is a tad bit different, LOL.





After I left the island, I went up country a bit. That is sunrise looking out over the field. It was a long day coming home. I hit the middle of the Southwest outage so didn't get back to my bed until 3 in the morning. It has taken a couple of days to shift gears.





David had been taking care of 7 rescues, so he was happy for me to be home as well. I had another shocking experience as well that I thought I had better report. I visited a friend. They have two cats. I actually liked them. Here is a picture of one of them. I took a picture because I know that none of you would believe me.




Anyway, now I am home and settled in to catch up and put my revitalization to good use.



These classes will begin Wednesday, July 27, 2016. Please Signup and it will take you to the registration page:

Clearing All That Clutter

A FOCUSED, quick and dirty support to getting your house, your yard, your closets, your life, your soul all cleaned up. This will be a funny, playful way to look at the scary corners filled with 15 spice jars, cosmetics pots of face cream, tools or old sheets that you might need someday.
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Brain Chemistry: Beta Endorphin

Learn how this chemical affects your self-esteem and why your capacity to cope may be directly related to your beta endorphin levels. A fascinating look at the part of the story that is most crucial to sugar sensitivity.
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These classes will begin Wednesday, August 3, 2016. Please Signup and it will take you to the registration page:


Using Radiant Resources

This FREE class will teach you all the ins and outs of the resources in the community. You will learn to navigate the community forum, learn how to use the resource center, check out Radiant Ranch, and learn your way around the website. You will be on your way with an invaluable resource in your pocket!
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Language of Recovery

A number of people in the Family and Friends group have asked me about doing a special class on the language of recovery. They have shared with me how useful it has been to work through complex family situations when they have practiced *recovery scripts* like, *I am sorry, that won't work for me.* Here will be your opportunity to come and do case studies of weathering dysfunctional family patterns and finding new ways to deal with what seem to be entrenched interactions. This class will be highly interactive so make sure to get your place.
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Check the class list page for more information on how the classes work. See the the Class Schedule here.

Be sure to visit our Radiant Recovery website and Community Forum regularly.

Warmly,
Kathleen

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**Quote From Kathleen**


One of the markers of your own progress is the respect you command from those around you about your food habits.

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**Testimonial of the Week**


I think I know what you mean. While I always hated the guilt, self-hate and physical discomfort afterwards, there were some aspects of bingeing that were comforting. First of all, it's an escape from the world of restrictive eating and self-denial, so that's the main attraction. It's also very private...in my mind I think it was a way of 'treating myself to something special' even though that sounds really strange because I was really treating myself to a whole bunch of awful food that was going to make me feel horrible afterwards.

I guess since I haven't been bingeing, I've begun to be aware of other ways I 'treat myself to something special.' Usually it's quiet time that I wouldn't have taken to myself before (not wanting to be selfish!) but that I now realize is so critical to my well-being and my ability to perform all my other duties better (at work and with family). I also think that I'm 'treating myself to something special' when I make everyone else adjust to my needs - i.e., when I eat my meals on time whether others are ready or not, when I carry along a baggie of Triscuits to a restaurant, when I tell my husband he has to watch the kids so I can go for a long walk.

It all means I've become more selfish, but I've learned that in my case it's not a bad thing. I'm much more caring and nurturing about their needs now that I'm taking care of mine, so we're all better off.

Best of all, because I never 'decided' to stop bingeing, I don't feel deprived. I'm still making my own choices at each instant. I'm just not compelled to binge - actually I'm only occasionally compelled to eat anything sweet or doughy at all, and then I do so with a meal, because I'm on step 4.

Cindy

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**Radiant Recovery® Store**


I have the cookbook and it is tattered and dog eared from so much use. There are many great recipes in it that have become part of my standards (Kathleen's lasagna has never been matched, in my opinion), and it is also a very good little reference book. There are also spaces where I have written a few of my own in. The recipe for Kathleen's baking mix is in the book, and I use that too, it is quick and easy. - Verla

I love getting these emails...yah the Cookbook is awesome. Even Madison is using it now. And Kathleen’s baking mix is way better than Bisquick!! Get a cookbook if you don’t have one yet. You won’t be sorry.



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**


Cabbage, Apple & Cheddar Slaw

Recipe yields about 8 to 10 servings

Dressing Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons light sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt, preferably sea or kosher, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad Ingredients:
  • 1 medium cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
  • 3 apples (any variety), cored and cut into matchsticks
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (about 2-1/2 cups)
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 cup grated Extra Sharp Cheddar
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Recipe
  1. In a blender, combine vinegar, sesame oil, mustard, soy sauce and cinnamon; blend until smooth.
  2. While blender is running, slowly add olive oil.
  3. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients.
  5. Add enough dressing to coat salad well and toss together until well combined.
  6. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.
  7. Serve and enjoy!
(adapted to be program friendly, original recipe from the Cabot Cheese newsletter)
For great program-friendly recipes, check out our Cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site.

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**Radiant Your Last Diet**


Your Last Diet membership gives you everything you need to succeed at weight loss. There is NO failure in this program. There is no pressure, no stress, no yelling in your face. We think of this as a program for The Biggest Winner! Your program will include:

People who understand and mentor you
A dedicated list on Yahoo with Direct access to Kathleen
Access to a dedicated live chat
Access to classes specific to weight loss Steph x

If you would like to join us in YLD, come find us here

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**Radiant Living**


The special membership program gives you access to the cutting edge of recovery exploration. This is 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 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.

Your membership will give you what you need to master this new way of being. Your membership will include:

People who understand and mentor you
A dedicated list on Yahoo with Kathleen’s personal involvement
Access to a dedicated membership only chat held at 2 different times each week
Access to classes specific to the topics discussed in Radiant Living


If you would like to join us in Radiant Living, come find us here

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**Doing The Program on a Limited Budget?**
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



So you have gotten excited about your healing. You are ready to make changes. But when you think about the impact on your budget, you get overwhelmed. Things are tight already. However can you do this plan when you are trying to work with a limited income? Sometimes you read the struggles people are having about how many grams of protein and you groan because you are struggling with making ends meet let alone counting protein grams. You know you can't afford fancy foods and the costs of the foods in health foods store is beyond your means.

The secret to making change is just like the program. You do it in baby steps and you plan carefully. Let's start with the proteins. They don't have to be fancy. Pinto beans are great. Tuna, eggs, chicken all work. And they all go on sale. Chicken thighs can be found for very little and have lots of meat. Don't spook yourself. You are already skilled at stretching things.

What you are going to do is make artful trades. For example, if you buy plain oatmeal instead of sugared cereals and spend the difference on extra tuna, you will be on your way. So, try this experiment. Next time you go shopping, add up what you spend on the sugar stuff and the junk food stuff. NO judgment. Just add it up and see how much of your food budget goes for that. You may find that you are spending money on things that you have always bought but never really thought about it. And often when working with a limited budget, you get in the habit of buying what feels like cheap things - bologna and macaroni.

I know you have huge creativity. You have been using it to get by on not much money for years. The trick in the process is to shift your thinking on what you buy. Let's say you have been eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese 3 nights a week. Not much nutrition but it fills you up. So now you buy a large bag of potatoes, use commodity cheese and add a can of tuna. Same meal, 1000 times better for you.

Or you can get whole wheat tortillas or make pancakes from scratch with whole wheat flour and you fill 'em with beans and cheese and vegetables. Or you serve oatmeal and eggs instead of poptarts. Lentil soup on brown rice is about as good a meal as you can get. And dry milk is a great protein source. Add it to all sorts of things. When people talk about making a shake in the morning, you can do the very same thing using dry milk powder, oatmeal and day old bananas.

We asked some of our folks what changes they have made. Maybe some of these will ring a bell.

  • I'm always looking for ways to eat better for less money. Recently my daughter (who also follows the program) and I hit upon a deal where I do most of the cooking and we share the cost of the food. I freeze individual-sized servings and we have our own frozen meals to 'heat and eat.' I keep track of how much the ingredients cost and estimate the cost per serving. I was amazed that most of our meals with protein and a brown (some include veggies, too) were under $2.00 per serving. Many were less the $1.50 per serving. This is considerably less than even 'fast food' prices.

    Here are some things that I've learned to do to cut food costs.

    • I buy meats that are on sale. And I buy bulk quantities and repackage them into serving size portions. Then I freeze these for use later.
    • Boneless skinless chicken thighs are cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breasts and are a good substitute in most recipes.
    • I buy ground turkey and use in recipes that call for ground beef.
    • For things like beef stew, I look for a small roast and cut it up into chunks for the stew. It's often less per pound and better quality meat, too.
    • I buy veggies that are in season and ones that are on sale. In the summer I buy fruits and vegetables from local growers and farmer's markets and freeze them. I have a small garden and grow some of my own veggies. You can grow tomatoes and many other vegetables and herbs in large flower pots.
    • Growing my own herbs saves me a ton of money.
    • I buy oatmeal and brown rice and whole grain flours in bulk.
    • I invested in a soy milk maker and I make soy milk for pennies. I paid for the soy milk maker in less than a year.
    • I make my own chicken broth and my own red sauce for pasta for much less than the commercial brands. Plus I 'know' mine don't have sugars or coverts.
    • Canned beans are not expensive, but cooking dried beans costs even less money.
    • I buy blocks of cheese, grate my own, and then freeze it by spreading it out on a cookie sheet to 'flash freeze.' Then I store it in a zip-lock bag and you can scoop out just what you need for your recipe.

    It's taken me a while to learn to shop and cook more economically. And it's definitely easier to stay in my budget since I don't buy pricey foods like boxes of cereal and cookies and chips and prepackaged convenience foods. Because I have lots of ready-to-eat food choices at home, I don't buy dinner at the drive-through.

    It is definitely possible to follow the program and eat really well and not spend a fortune on food. Looking for recipes? Kathleen's book, Recipes to Remember, is a jewel. There are also great ideas in the Radiant Recipes section of the Radiant Recovery website.

  • I buy items in bulk by going in with my friends and shopping at Sam's Club. We started planning together sort of as a game. Now, it is fun. We kinda have our own little buying club.
  • I buy items on sale and stock up. I know the basic things I use and PLAN for when the sales come up. I think the planning thing is the biggest change. Of course the longer *I* am doing the program, the less helpless I feel about having such a limited budget.
  • I buy the fruits and vegetables that are in season. My store has a place for bruised or cut vegetables and fruits and I get them and just cut out the damage. I have talked with the produce guy and he told me the best day to find things. In fact, he loves to help me get the good stuff.
  • I go to my local farmer's market or grower and get extra and then freeze what is leftover. I was surprised how easy it is to do this. And at the end of the market, a lot of the growers are willing to give me what is left for a very low price.
  • I talked to my neighbors who grow things. They let me take the drops from the field for free. I got great apples and made lots of sugar-free applesauce. Then froze it and use it with all sorts of stuff. My kids even put it in the oatmeal they are eating now.
  • I planted my own tomatoes and veggies. My kids helped. We had fun and they LOVED eating from their own garden. They used to turn their noses up at vegetables. But when it is their own vegetables, they rub 'em and scrub 'em.
  • I started to can my own foods. My mother used to do this and I thought it was way too hard. But now I know why she did it. Great food and very low price. I got a lot of the supplies for it at the flea market. That was an adventure. My mother has lots of tips and is having fun passing them on.
  • My kids love it so much they haven't even noticed it is brown. We use it for peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast. They have that and a glass of milk and it seems to work really well for them.
  • I grew up on beans and rice and corn and tomatoes from the garden. Funny, we were never sick. I went away from this as I got older. But I am trying it out. My brain remembers what to do. I am making brown rice instead of white. My family is actually pleased. We even made some homemade tortillas and then were great!
  • I get food stamps and usually just roam the aisles deciding. Last time, I actually made a plan before I went. I left the kids at home so they wouldn't ask for things. I ate before I went. What a difference it made. I spent the same amount of money but got totally different things. I am even thinking about using my commodity foods in a different way.
  • I made this HUGE pot of lentil stew with ham hocks. It smelled so good, my kids are asking for it every week. Then I got brave. We usually have franks and beans on Saturday night. Last week, I MADE the beans and made some brown bread. Surprised even me!
  • When I started, I thought this was silly. But we have been doing this for a year. My doctor bills are almost nothing. My food bills are more, but my doctor and prescription bills have dropped so much that we actually have a little extra. And we all feel so much better.
  • When we looked at what we were spending for cokes, beer and chips, it stunned both me and my kids. We bought some more protein, got better bread stuff and spend some on videos. It is a nice trade.
  • My sister and I lived closed to each other and both of us were on tight budgets. What we did was invest in some plastic baggies and plastic food containers with covers. Then we'd go shopping together and buy foods/staples and paper products that were on sale and/or in larger amounts than we would need individually. After shopping we'd go on over to her house and divide the stuff up. We also used store coupons on the sale products too. This was great. We saved money and we didn't have to worry about finding a place to store the extras in our tiny apartments.




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Until next time!
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©2016 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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