Hi {!firstname_fix}

Sunday night and I am as far as NJ. Tomorrow, the dogs and I will wind our way north to Maine. I am ready to settle in and nestle down.

This class will begin Wednesday, December 19, 2007. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

Holy Night Reflections is our annual very special time of connecting to the real meaning of Christmas. This is my gift to you at this time of year. There is no cost for this special class. Won't you come join us and transform your experience of Christmas?

This class will begin Wednesday, December 26, 2007. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

Learning About Depressionis a key class for the Potatotes Not Prozac crowd. Learn in-depth information on the kinds of depression, why drugs will or will not work, how they work and how Doing the Food can help.

The class schedule is on line. Click here to see what is planned. Please do not sign up for classes that are not yet scheduled.

A number of you have asked me how the classes work. Check the class list page for more information on this. The classes are done online and you do not have to be at your computer at any set time. It does not matter whether you are in the US, Europe, the Far East or Australia, you simply respond on your own time. And although I advertise that the classes are one or two weeks, sometimes we are a little flexible and they may run longer.

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.

Please feel free to pass this week's newsletter on to your friends and family. Don't forget to let me know what you like and would like to see me cover.

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

Warmly,
Kathleen

**********************************************************************

December 17, 2007
** Quote From Kathleen **


For a while, you may struggle with the concept that 'doing the food' - something so simple and so not sexy - can be so powerful.

*********************************************************************

** Testimonial for the Week**


I thought I'd update you all on our Santa Lucia celebration. Yesterday morning I filled the house with candlelight and soft music and made Swedish pancakes for breakfast (eggs too for protein). It was such a lovely way to greet the morning and the girls seemed to really enjoy it. Last night we had Swedish meatballs (a new cooking experience for me) for dinner and again ate by candlelight. It was fun. We're still working on our 2nd part of the celebration for the solstice. We're going to take breakfast to the grandparents. The girls have been practicing their carols and my mom is making them Lucia crowns. I thought I'd found white/cream nightgowns, but they are out of stock, so I'm not sure what we'll do for that yet. I had all these ideas in my head and I decided that the details aren't as important as starting the tradition and we can add and refine as we go each year. Our plan is to make cinnamon buns. We'll work on more next week when the girls are done with school. I think one of the things I liked the best about doing this is that it has pulled some of the focus from presents and such and instead we're talking about geography, heritage, light and dark, music, good will and more. The girls have been asking more about the stories of Christmas and Chanukah and other holidays. I love the shift.

I did love though that Laura came home and said, "Mom, no one knew that today is a holiday!" She'd explained to her class how she woke up and could only see candle light and hear music. My goal for next year is to find a better story of the holiday so that I can explain it better.

Thank you for helping me incorporate this tradition to our lives.

Emily

********************************************************************

**Radiant Kitchen**

By Naomi Muller, Step 7, author of Nutritious and Delicious Cookbook.


This week's recipe column is devoted to the idea of food gifts. The first recipe, Granola, is from Stacey and is so delicious that when I sent it as a gift, the recipients raved about how wonderful it was! The second recipe, Garlic & Onion Almonds, is from my cookbook and is also a big hit. You could also make the almonds and put them out in your unused candy dishes for people to snack on during the holidays. I love putting these into fancy cellophane gift bags and tying colorful ribbons around them. Sometimes, I even print up the recipe onto a fancy card and punch a hole through it and place it on the ribbon, too.

Granola

  • 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups unsweetened, shredded or flaked coconut
  • 2 cups sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut and almonds together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and apple juice over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

GARLIC & ONION ALMONDS

  • 2 cup raw almonds
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk egg white until it is white and foamy. Add spices and blend. Add almonds and toss to coat. Place almonds on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, making sure to spread them out so they are in single layer. Bake for 10 minutes and toss well. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

********************************************************************

**Your Last Diet: More Than What You Think**

YLDonline is a membership program run directly by Kathleen DesMaisons herself.


We are gearing up to start the new special weight loss series early in January. If you have been thinking about joining, this is a great time to do it. You can come and learn the ropes, get to know people and be all settled for the first class in the weight loss series.

If you are not a YLD member, come and join us. Click here if you are ready to change your life or just plain ole have fun.
 


********************************************************************

**Radiant Recovery Store **

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



We still have time to put together gift packs for you. Order what you want and let me enclose a card from you as a gift. Just write what you want it to say in the notes section. A book, shake, a journal, a CD, whatever you like....and if you want something special, just call me at the store 505-345-3737, I will even brave the line at the post office for you.

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

********************************************************************

**Our Online Groups**


This week, come join the Holy Night class. It will change everything.

Or come to the group page to see all our groups. http://www.radiantrecovery.com/list_serves.htm


********************************************************************

**Feature Article**

Your Sugar Sensitive Child
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.


You may intuitively feel that you have a sugar-sensitive child. But how can you know for sure? We have no blood test yet that will tell you. What we do have, however, is a solid list of the behavioral clues that point to sugar sensitivity. To see if your child fits the profile, ask yourself these questions.

  • Does your child ask for sweet foods all the time?
  • Does your child have a hard time paying attention?
  • Is your child restless and in motion all the time?
  • Does your child have a very short fuse?
  • Does your child cry at the drop of a hat?
  • Does your child go from being absolutely charming to pouting and moody?
  • Is your child wildly dramatic and goofy?
  • Does your child lock into a task for a long time and forget to do anything else?
  • Is your child known as a motor mouth?
  • Is your child depressed or withdrawn?
  • Is your child impulsive and reactive?
  • Is your child mouthy and argumentative?
  • Does your child have lots of allergies?
  • Does your child still wet the bed?
  • Does your child come home from school exhausted?
  • Does your child have unexpected meltdowns that turn into tantrums or tears?
And here are the two most important clues to sugar sensitivity in children — and adults.
  • Does your child have low self-esteem even though he or she is smart, skilled, and capable?
  • Does your child feel alone, isolated, not a part of the in-crowd at school or in the playground?
If you have recognized many characteristics in this list that fit your child, you may be stunned. You may have simply assumed that you have a moody child, or a little goofball who bounces around with motor mouth turned on. You may have just figured these things were a part of your child’s personality or personal style.

The truth is, all of these behaviors can be rooted in your child’s biochemistry. The degree to which your child displays them will depend on what and when she eats. Many parents intuitively have made the connection between sugar and hyperactivity. Even though much of the medical establishment dismisses this theory, most of you see it at work in your kids’ lives. You know the connection exists. Often, though, because you are sugar sensitive yourself, you get stuck; you feel like an inadequate parent.

However, there are solutions. This is what our program is about. This is what we are doing WITH you, And it is sooooo much fun.



©Kathleen DesMaisons 2007.

Here are the folks who are helping put the newsletter together:

Gretel, our webmaster, puts it all together
Naomi gathers the recipes.
David, who runs the Radiant Recovery® Store talks about what new products we have.

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.htm.

©2007 by 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 and use this attribution: "By Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. of Radiant Recovery®. Please visit Kathleen's website at http://www.radiantrecovery.com for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction." Please notify me at kathleen@radiantrecovery.com to let me know where the material will appear.

Banner Photograph by Patti Holden, Step 7