December 15, 2008


Hi {!firstname_fix}

Well, I am back from South Carolina with lots of new things learned. You will hear about them as I assimilate and put it all together.

This morning was cold, rainy and grey. I put The Messiah on, turned on the Christmas tree and sat down to wrap the tiny treasures I got for the stocking exchange we are doing in YLD. Somehow that connection to all of us all over the world who are creating a new tradition was very special for me. I got everything wrapped and then put on sparkly glue designs. Ronan decided to come in and take the stuffed bird from Pepper at that point. He wagged his tail over the sparkly glue. Now he has glitter in his tail and the designs are, shall we say, a little more artful.

Make sure to join us in the Holy Night class. It is not about Christmas or religion, but about honoring finding light in darkness. It always moves us.


This class will begin Wednesday, December 17, 2008. Please click on the name of the class you wish to join and it will take you to the registration page:

Holy Night (1 week) is our annual reflection on the meaning of light in the darkness. This is a free class, my gift to the community. We would love to have you join us.

There will be no classes the week of Wednesday, December 24, 2008.

If you are on disability or low income (your household income is less that $1000 a month), you may take classes for free if you get certified. I have put the guidelines for certification on the class schedule page.

The class schedule is online. 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


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** Quote From Kathleen **


One of the real markers for your recovery is to begin to think about your food needs before you get into trouble.

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** Testimonial of the Week **


Hi. I’m glad you came over. Ok, first of all, it sounds like you did a lot of things right. I always try to focus on those things and be gentle with myself. Each trip gets better and better, but I still sometimes get tired and make poor choices. It happens. What matters is what you do with that and I hear you working to make changes for the better. Yay!

So, I always start by thinking about how we’ll do breakfast. I think ordering Restore to be where you are staying and having groceries waiting for you is a fabulous idea! I tend to pack all our shake mixes, but 3 weeks is a long time so that is a fabulous solution. So, it sounds like breakfasts are solid?

Next thing I pack is browns. I find that protein is generally easy to find, but browns aren’t. Now, for myself this is easy. For the kids, it is way more challenging. They tend to eat more whites on trips and actually after this last trip, we’ve started to talk about how we can start changing that. For our first travel day I like to make a big batch of muffins and we take those. I don’t know why, but for us that is more appealing and comforting than crackers and it has really helped us. Plus, I usually add some protein powder so it works for snacks too.

Another thing I like to do is find out if there is a Whole Foods nearby or a health food store and I like to check out the offerings at the airports we’ll be in. If I have a list in my purse of places I can get good food, I’ll go and get it, but if I’m tired and hungry and don’t have a plan, I’m more likely to eat the closest food to hand. The internet is our friend on this. My best find so far was a place that does loaded baked potatoes and then I bought a burger and crumbled it up and added that. Yummy!

Ok, so a little on-line research and thinking about breakfast and browns gets me started. Next, I think about returning home. I’ve learned that having at least one meal in the freezer for our return and making sure there are breakfast supplies for the next morning is crucial. And I want that meal to be a family favorite – comfort food, food everyone will eat. Travel wears me out and the last thing I want to do the next day is go to the grocery store and cook. Also sometimes it is disorienting to return to regular life. Now, I like to have 4-5 meals ready and even a grocery list for perishables so that no thinking is involved. My dream is to be organized enough to have groceries arranged to be delivered upon our return. This has been a really important piece for me. I often had trips where the food stayed really solid only to fall apart when I got home. Meals planned and ready to go has transformed that.

Travel days can be hard and you have a long one traveling between UK and US. I think about the fact that we recommend adults eat every 5 hours and that is really the minimum amount of time between meals for most – some people can go to 5 ½ or 6 hours normally. So, I read that as needing to eat at least as often, if not more often, than normal. Kids need to eat every 3 hours normally and when we travel it is often even more frequent. I take lots and lots of snacks and water to keep them hydrated. Also, I find that I often need to eat more and on travel days I just go with the flow of what my body tells me.

I’ve found shake works great for those times when you are awake in the middle of the night. Actually, it seems that we almost always have a shake when we reach our destination these days. I feel like my body sighs with relief and shake is easy on the tummy and it just makes me feel cared for.

So, getting all those pieces in place took me a while and it sounds like you are doing well with a lot of that, yes? So, the main thing is dealing with socializing with others and staying on program when tired and dealing with time change? That is sort of the last piece I guess, so seems like you are doing really well to me. I LOVE your idea to have people make you some meals. That is a great idea!!! And if you need ideas of US products for things let us know.

Also, what about having easy take-out ideas? Like it was hot here yesterday and I didn’t feel like cooking so I got a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, some green beans all cut and washed in a bag ready to pop in the microwave, and then I added some muffins I’d made earlier. It was a great dinner and so easy. I often scrape pizza toppings onto rye crackers when we travel and that makes it easy when someone decides to order pizza for dinner.

I think learning to state your needs (especially when you are tired and off normal schedule) takes practice – lots and lots of practice. Each time gets a little better. Can your husband help? I know that mine will stand up for my needs sometimes when I’m too tired to think about it. Also, for me there is an emotional component. First, as a true SS I used to be very all or nothing and once one meal had gone wrong, I wrote off the whole trip. Now, I just pick myself up and get back to eating in a way that supports my body. In fact, I find it even more important to nurture my body for the next meal. And for me, vacations had associations with sweets and junk food. There were rituals and I still sometimes have moments where I miss those rituals, but now I’m making new rituals and each time I travel the new brain path gets set more solidly.

Whew! This is long and we haven’t even touched on the kids much. I’m going to send this now but let’s keep talking. Are there issues with kids? I know it can be delicate to help them settle in and adjust. Are you reading and thinking, “yeah, but what about when…..? “ We can do specific instances if needed.

Hope that helps!

Emily


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** Radiant Ambassadors **


A member of the RR community emailed me the other day to recommend the Mamasource.com website. It's a "free, local online Mother's community" which is only available in the US and it allows moms to talk to other moms about all manner of issues in your particular area.

Apparently there is a lot of talk about children acting out and generally displaying nothing more than sugar-sensitive behavior.

What if we were to mention "Little Sugar Addicts" and Radiant Recovery on the site and how it has helped our families?

If moms started talking to moms about Radiant Recovery, imagine what the future would look like (grin)!

Selena

Come join us if you are excited about spreading the news.


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** Radiant Kitchen **


BROCCOLI AND TOFU WITH PEANUT SAUCE



Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. regular tofu, extra firm
  • 2 TBS. tamari sauce, wheat-free
  • 1 TBS. fresh grated gingerroot
  • 1 TBS. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 TBS. olive oil
  • 2 cups broccoli florets
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth
  • 1 recipe peanut sauce, prepared with vegetable broth


Process:

  1. Remove tofu from the liquid in its container. Wrap tofu in several layers of paper towel, pressing down firmly to remove as much excess water as possible.
  2. Cut tofu into 1” cubes.
  3. Combine garlic, tamari, gingerroot, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Add tofu cubes and marinate for 1 hour.
  4. Heat olive oil in wok or large skillet. With a slotted spoon, remove tofu cubes from marinade (do not throw away the marinade-you will need it for the sauce) and add carefully to the hot oil. Stir-fry quickly, 2-3 minutes. Remove tofu from pan. Set aside.
  5. Add vegetable broth to skillet and bring to a boil. Add broccoli florets and cook over high heat until crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes.
  6. Add peanut sauce and tofu and continue to cook until flavors are blended and warmed through. Taste, add reserve marinade to thin the sauce or enhance the spiciness of the dish.
  7. Serve hot over brown rice.


Yield: 4 servings

Note: You can cut preparation time by purchasing pre-baked, marinated tofu—just be sure to read labels and purchase a brand without sugar added.

PEANUT SAUCE



Ingredients:

  • 1 TBS. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • ½ tsp. chili oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 TBS. soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup peanut butter, sugar-free
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • ¼ cup scallions, sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 TBS. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 3 TBS. chopped peanuts


Process:

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive, sesame, and chili oils over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute or until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic.
  2. Carefully add soy sauce, peanut butter, chicken broth and apple juice whisk until well combined.
  3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended and sauce is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.
  5. Use as a dressing, dip or sauce for vegetables, pasta, chicken, fish or pork.


Yield: 4 servings

Note: ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes on 1 finely minced serrano pepper can be substituted for the chili oil. Cook in step 1 along with the garlic.



Radiant Recovery
Cookbook


Naomi's Nutritious and
Delicious Cookbook

Sheila's
Kitchen Recipes

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


You know, I started YLD to provide a weight-loss option for the community. It has become so much more than that. I think you have gathered that I LOVE the stocking thing that is now becoming an annual tradition. It truly is the highlight of my Christmas season. Thank you!

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


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** Radiant Recovery® Store **

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


I have had a whole number of people call me about the cookbooks we have. They want to be sharing them for Christmas. Order right now and I can easily get them out to you:
Our Radiant Recovery cookbook is the cookbook Kathleen put together. This has fabulous information for getting started in the program. It is simple to use and must for every program kitchen.
Naomi's cookbook is a wonderful resource for those of you who would like both kosher and really yummy options. Naomi is the queen of translating recipes into program friendly choices.
Sheila's Kitchen Recipes is full of wonderful recipes for weight loss. They are high in potassium, low in sodium and delicious. And many are great fall choices.


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


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** Our Online Groups **


Hi I'm Karen the liaison for the Radiant Step 3 group. Like the name says, this group is all about our very favorite Step 3. This was a tough step for me when I started the programme and it was definitely the hardest! I either forgot to eat meals, ate the most inappropriate sugar-laden stuff or just grazed my way through the day. It took me ages to master this step, but now I happily eat three meals a day. It's easy and very natural and I never dreamed I would ever say that in my lifetime!

The Step 3 list is a great place to stop by for those who are finding this a challenging step, or who are starting out, or who would just like some extra support. We talk a lot about things like: What is a meal, exactly? How do I get my body to cooperate with eating "just" three meals a day? What are some tips to help me with consistent timing? And all sorts of other aspects of this step. We try to make it fun, because... well why not make it fun?? Since being the liaison for this list, I've been thrilled to see so many people come through and "graduate" to the next steps! It's a great place of support... come and join us! (And it matters not if you are new to the step, totally re-doing the step or just shoring up your Step 3 after being further along in the program.)


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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** Do You Have a Problem With Alcohol? **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



I am posting this again because I have heard from so many folks about this issue this past week.

Be tender with yourself when you look at this. If you have a problem with alcohol, you probably have had all sorts of people who have been far from tender with you. No doubt you have been criticized, shamed, fought with, talked to, cajoled, bargained with or argued with. In fact, if someone around you criticizes your drinking, it is one of the most reliable indicators that you have a problem with alcohol. People who do not have a problem with alcohol do not evoke pain, frustration or concern about drinking in the people around them.

Take a quiet look at your alcohol use. You don't have to admit you have a problem, you don't have to surrender anything. Your own commitment and experience will guide you in this process. Honesty about your relationship to alcohol is hard because the very nature of the disease of alcoholism is denial. Do this review in the privacy of your own home or office and give yourself absolute discretion over whether you share your findings with anyone at this time. If privacy supports your honesty, embrace it. If sharing serves you better, find a trusted friend to help you ask these questions. The very best alternative is a friend in recovery.

What is very surprising is that people who do not have a problem with drinking don't feel bad about it. They don't feel guilty. We talk a lot about the 'denial' of alcoholism. I believe denial is the response that emerges when the person is made to feel defensive about their behaviors. When there is no reason to be defensive, people are remarkably on target about what is going on for them. Take away the shame or the judgment and you can assess your problems pretty clearly.

'Oh, come on,' you say. 'Everyone does that!' Everyone doesn't do this.

People who don't have a problem with alcohol are not inclined to want more when they feel bad. Having a problem with alcohol or alcoholism is defined as 'continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences.' When a non-problem drinker has an adverse consequence from drinking, she stops. She will make the connection between feeling bad and alcohol. A problem drinker doesn't see this connection.

Not making the connection is not about being stubborn or stupid or even about willful 'denial.' Not making the connection between drinking and feeling bad is about chemical changes in the brain that alter the parts of the brain that form judgment by making a connection between cause and effect. The parts of the brain that are responsible for saying, 'Hey, this made me feel bad, I don't think I want more,' don't work properly.

Not making the connection creates a vicious cycle. In the problem drinker's mind, the alcohol actually makes her feel better, so she drinks more. Her opinion is confirmed when the alcohol triggers a beta-endorphin release of euphoric feelings. This reaction is why everyone drinks - the effect is nice. The sugar-sensitive person feels especially good because alcohol causes an even greater beta-endorphin response in her brain. She feels far better than other people do when they drink. But the next morning, she is hung over, a feeling that comes from withdrawal. All the beta-endorphin receptors that were stimulated, or primed by yesterday's alcohol use are screaming for more.

That morning-after feeling of wanting to do anything to feel better is so easily taken care of by having a drink. So she does. Relief comes. Blessed, sweet relief. And with her 'adverse consequences' switch turned off, the problem drinker's natural response is to feel that having a quick one is a reasonable and logical way to take care of bad feelings.

So CAGE stands for:

C - CRITICIZED
A - ANNOYED
G - GUILTY
E - EYE-OPENER


Now, let's go back to each question individually.

Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking? Not a hard one. People usually know the answer to this right away. Yes or no. No cheating, or fudging. If cutting down is even a passing thought, answer this one 'Yes.'

Have people ever annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Okay, be honest now. Ever? Think about those times when you have held your tongue, or wanted to smack someone for making a comment about your drinking. Think of the fights you have had with your spouse about it. Answer honestly.

Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking? This question is pretty straight forward.

Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning (an "eye-opener") to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?

A score of ONE is a warning sign.

Remember the meaning of CAGE. Let yourself think about this for a while. One of two things will happen. You might begin working very hard to say, 'Naw, I don't really feel guilty about my drinking.' This is an example of denial creeping in and wrapping its deadly little body around your neck. Just pay attention. Consider whether you are getting farther away from relationship to your body and your own inner wisdom.

The other thing that might happen is you may be jostled into realizing that you do have a problem with alcohol. If you decide that you would like to stop drinking, there are a number of factors to take into consideration before you do. First, you will need to estimate how severe a withdrawal you will have based on the frequency and volume of your drinking. You will need to honestly and accurately figure out how much alcohol you consume in a week. You can do this by recording your alcohol consumption right in your food journal. Do this for a week and then take an honest look at the frequency and amount of your drinking. Calculate the number of drinks you have in a day or a week. A drink is 4 oz. of wine, one beer or 1 oz. of hard liquor. So if you have three 6 oz. glasses of wine (18 oz.), this would be the equivalent of 4.5 drinks.

After you know where you now stand, you can start to plan your detox process. Just as in your detox from sugars, you will want to determine your style for making change. You can either taper down and then stop or you can stop all at once. Most people find it much easier to go for sobriety all at once. You don't have to be making decisions about how much, when, where, with whom all of the time. You can focus on one decision only - the decision not to drink.

It will be important for you to have some sort of support as you make the change. Do not stop drinking without telling anyone what you are doing. Work with us on the recovery list. And find someone locally who has been through alcohol detox. Talk to that person. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) can be a wonderful support because everyone in AA has been through this process. The only requirement for going to AA is a desire to stop drinking. You don't have to be an alcoholic. You don't have to sign up, you don't have to agree with the program, you don't have to do it any particular way. You don't even have to talk in the meeting. You can sit quietly in the back and slip out quickly any time you want.

AA can give you a lifeline to others who know about recovery. They can provide you with a road map and concrete suggestions about how to handle what you are feeling. If you go to a meeting and don't like it, don't assume that you won't like a different meeting. Some meetings are boring, some are abusive and most are profoundly supportive and life-giving.

If you are not comfortable in meetings, find at least one person to support you in your alcohol detox. Do not expect your spouse or partner, your daughter or your son to be your primary support. They are too closely involved. Find at least one person who has been there. Talk about what you are doing. Tell your story. Get books about recovery. Go to a treatment professional.

If you plan to stop drinking all at once, you must have medical supervision for your detox if any of the following are true for you:

  1. If you have a history of blood pressure that is higher than 140/90.
  2. If you have used more than a six pack of beer daily, more than six 4 oz. glasses of wine or more than eight ounces (half a pint) of liquor per day for over a year.
  3. If you have had prior withdrawal symptoms, such as depression or agitation.
  4. If you have ever had seizures for any reason, and in particular if you have had alcohol DT's.
  5. If you are using any other (either illegal or prescription) drugs in combination with the alcohol. This particularly includes benzodiazipines such as Valium, Librium or Xanax.
Withdrawal from significant or long standing alcohol use can be a serious process. Keep yourself safe as you make this change. You are taking a very important and brave step. Withdrawal symptoms can include depression, insomnia, sweating, tremulousness, agitation, irritability, and brain "fog." In fact, go to the sidebar which lists the withdrawal symptoms for nicotine. You may experience many of these same things since alcohol and nicotine do share some neurochemical pathways.

Withdrawal usually starts 4-6 hours after the time you usually have your alcohol. If you drink every day at 6:00 PM, you will begin to experience discomfort that evening. If you have been a heavy drinker, your doctor may prescribe short-term medication which will minimize the possibility of having seizures during detox.

Making the food changes in preparation for going off of alcohol will greatly enhance the likelihood that you can achieve and maintain long term sobriety.

When you actually start your detox, increase your vitamins and increase your fruit intake the first week you stop drinking. If you feel edgy during the day, have an additional 1/2 teaspoon of the B-complex liquid. (Don't have it in the evening, though, it will keep you up.) We encourage our clients to have 2-3 bananas a day for that first week. You can add one to your power shake and then use them as a snack later in the day. Make sure you have a baked potato before you go to bed. It will help your serotonin function and will support the normalization of your sleep patterns.

The people in our community cannot believe what a difference it makes to have done the food plan first. They have fewer withdrawal symptoms, very little craving and feel better than they have in years. This food plan can support the power of your commitment.

Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., Addictive Nutrition


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.
The banner photograph is by Geraint Smith.


©2008 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.htm.