Hi {!firstname_fix}

I just came back from my latest trip to Minnesota to plan for the Sugar Project. We had a great time and things are moving along. We will in fact be setting up pilot projects in 3 Indian tribes to use the program as part of alcoholism and addiction treatment. We are moving towards an end goal using traditional foods as part of healing. And I will be sharing more as we go. I have asked Maggi Adamek to begin writing some articles for the newsletter. She is the Director of The Sugar Project and is also a community member.

The other BIG news is that I have a real live copy of Little Sugar Addicts in my hot little hands!!! Wow, this is so exciting. News from the publisher is that almost all the books they printed are already spoken for. So if yah want one, go preorder at amazon.com or call your local bookstore to reserve one. My concern is that you all won't get your copies quick enough and will have to wait for a second printing. I am as excited about this little book as anything I have ever done. I hope you will love it.

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.

A copy of this newsletter may also be found posted on the web at http://www.radiantrecovery.com/weeklynewsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, use the link at the bottom of the page. Do not email me, do not get mad at me, just click on the link and you will be forever removed.

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

Warmly,
Kathleen

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

July 5, 2004

** Quote From Kathleen **

Food will no longer be your enemy, but your support.

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

** Testimonial for the Week**

I was with my friend. After her brother's softball game we went to 7-11 because her family needed milk. Her little brother got this new kind of soda and drank the whole bottle. Later he had a big fit over going to school the next day because my friend and I both wouldn't be at school because we had graduated earlier that morning. I made the connection that he had soda earlier and he was having a sugar crash. Lately I've been noticing things like that but I never did notice things like that before. It's weird. - kayla

I am working on step 6...detoxed in May. I am eating well, have some fruit some days, and am feeling the best that I have in my whole life. I like how I feel!

I am particularly happy about how I was able to handle two potentially difficult social situations recently. A week ago I had a successful experience at a social event with a group that I have been a part of for over 10 years. I ate my dinner beforehand since I knew the food would not be good for me nor the timing. Enjoyed talking with others while they were eating...drinking my good old water. Candy and alcohol have always been a big part of this group, but I found neither to be attractive to me. I had fun with the people...conversations were better and I certainly felt better the next day without the sugar fog, etc. Thanks for the gift of this program.

This past weekend we went to our dinner-dance group's summer party. We have been long-time members and I really was worried that I would have to quit the group because of the food typically served and the drinking aspect. I was able to have a great time, eat program friendly food and have fun. This was so amazing to me because I have self-medicated before/during such social occasions for my 34+ years of adulthood, and thought that I didn't know how to be an adult in a social situation....I had the best conversations with folks, had fun dancing, took a "brief informational tour" of the food preparation to see if I could eat well for me, and when dessert was served I pulled out my pecans and had them while others commented on how healthy I had been eating. My club soda with lemon was great and best of all I know now that I can do this. Thanks to all for the support and guidance I have received. -P-

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

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

I thought you would love to read this week's chat so I have posted it online without password protection.

And if you wonder whether people are losing weight, come read here.

Come join us and hear about this success!

http://www.radiantrecovery.com/YLD_signup.htm

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

** Obsessive Cleaning and Serotonin **

From one of our members...

(Yes, stay tuned and you will discover the connection between the two)

Today a colleague of mine and I were talking about depression and seasonal affective disorder. I have a brain injury and am a brain injury advocate and have had SAD since the brain injury. She has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and is an OCD Advocate.

I mentioned to her that the last 2 weeks I can see & feel the SAD getting much worse (my light box arrives tomorrow!!!). One of the things I have noticed -- as the days get shorter and darker -- is I am developing this compulsive, annoying need to clean, clean, clean.

She asked me if I can just leave the messes alone, or can I ignore that one spot on the table? I said, 'yes, I can but I usually don't.' She asked how much does it bother me. I said, 'it will annoy me if there is that spot and I don't clean it or if I don't make sure all the dirty towels are all together in the same laundry basket in the basement or all the forks lined up the same way or.....whatever.'

I have been spending A LOT of time clutter clearing, as you all know (LOL). As it gets darker I am finding more reasons and more closets to clear. I fear by December 22, the Solstice, I will have clutter cleared away everything in my house!

Anyway, she said this is classic OCD stuff. That when OCD gets really bad you can not stop the need to clean that one spot on the table or keep washing your hands or organizing the silverware drawer or whatever.

And, here is the kicker, she said how do you feel after you clean or neaten the things up that bother you? I thought for a moment and said, 'I feel much , much better. A sense of relief...and calm.'

She said that is because you just got some serotonin. The act of cleaning, or repetitively doing something calms you down which produces a small amount of serotonin.

It fits... It makes perfect sense and I know she is right.

Many people with OCD are successfully treated with some form of medication which increases serotinin, which stops the obsessive need to clean or do repetitive actions.

So, as it gets darker and my house gets shinier, neater, cleaner, fastidiously ordered and squeaky, I have discovered yet another way to make serotinin for myself. Potato, move on over!

When the light box comes I will let you know how I am faring. Probably my home will begin to look its normal comfy mess and I will begin to come up out of the darkness of temporary depression and fatigue which SAD gives me.

In the meantime, give me back my Lemon Pledge and ignore me if I wax the coffee table for the 11th time! And please, when you get up from the couch, could you please smooth out the wrinkles in the coverlet, and pick up that speck near your right foot, ok? Or, better yet, let me do it!

Laura
Lutheran Warrior League Honorary Member
Cleaning Committee Chair
P.S. Will the Lutherans EVER embrace feng shui? Or will conversations centering on jello, mini marshmellows and covered dishes rule the roost?

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

**David's Corner **

I thought you would like to see a picture of me and my daughter, Madison. I know you love the personal side of Radiant Recovery®! I have been talking with Kathleen about finding a way for those of us who are not sugar sensivite to step up and formally be part of the team. I suggested we start a group called radiant supportives. Let me know what you think.

This week, I want to highlight the Southwest Coffee House CD Kathleen did. A number of you have told me you got it and put it in the car for your husbands and partners to listen to. Their feedback was, 'WOW! How interesting!' This is one of our favorite items. Kathleen is really funny and talks about some things you don't usually hear her saying - a little more about life than food. Now if you are wondering what the picture is...it is a petroglyph on a stone - an old fashioned radio and a coffee mug. Took me weeks to figure it out.

Please send questions and suggestions for items you might like to see in our store. YOU are building our store. Tell me what you want and we will sort it out.

Thanks
David

And of course, we have something for everybody in our store

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

**Featured Topic**
More on Little Sugar Addicts

by Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.

I just can't help myself. I am so excited about the new book. I am going to share some more from the lunch section...

Before we talk about what to put in the other two meals of the day, let me share a little about the idea behind lunch and dinner for children. The most important rule is eating on time. Most sugar sensitive parents have trouble with regular meals on time. I mean this very kindly. You get distracted or involved or busy and you “forget” that it is 11:30 and your child needs to eat lunch. You figure the snack will tide her over and she will be fine. You know that you can push yourself a little more and just finish up. That may be true for your grownup body; it is not true for your child.

So, step 4 means having to pay attention to time. I know, you thought I was going to say you have to pay attention to food. Yep, that too. But first, let’s do time. Children really cannot go more than about 3 hours with out eating. Your parent job is to make sure they have food on time. It is funny; most parents think the contents of the meals are the most crucial. They get very motivated and start thinking about what to feed their children and don’t really factor in when. The more I talk with sugar sensitive parents, the more aware I have become about when.

Let’s start with this. Think about the children who eat at home with you. This will be little ones who are not in day care and most of them on the weekends. Do a quick review and see if time is an issue for you. What are your typical routines? Do you even know when your children eat lunch? Start with what is easiest in making a time change. It may be weekends or it may be the during the week routine. Spend a week and see if you can get all the lunch times you have control over within the same 30-minute period every day. Just try this and talk with your children as you are. Get a sense of what supports this and what messes up your plan. Just as we have done with everything we are doing, knowing what gets in the way will give you choices about what you need to do to make this successful.

Marty always gets in trouble on Saturday. She takes the kids out to do Saturday errands. She has just one more thing to do and pushes the time edge until her kids are falling off the cliff. The other boy starts getting wild at 3.5 hours. The other starts to whine at 3 hours. Her daughter gets pale and quiet.

Suzanne is fine with her kids on the weekend, but has a terrible time during the week. She works out of her home and gets on the phone - 11 becomes 12:30 in a flash. She has sweet kids; they are very cooperative and don’t whine or create a problem. She just didn’t notice that they got pale and lay down on the couch at 11:30. She just thought they were being good.

Many parents really have to work on this one. Be kind and gentle with yourself. Talk with your children and see if you all can identify ways to have everyone help remember time. Set an alarm clock. Give the 5 year old a digital watch so he can come remind you. Write out the schedule and put it on the refrigerator.

If every one goes off to school, plan for the weekends. Talk about lunch at breakfast time. What are the plans? Where? When? And then, of course, what?

Lunch needs to have the same amount of protein as for breakfast. By now, you and your kids know the protein drill. Sit down with your kids and talk about lunch options. Be very specific. If they have fast food choices at school, have THEM sort out which choices will work. They may discover that they need a supplemental protein package. Talk with them about what will work. Here are some ideas for wraps

Grilled chicken, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion Fajita
Flavor tofu (or meat), onion, peppers, salsa
Scrambled eggs, potatoes, chili, cheese & beans
Chicken Salad with grapes and walnuts
Grilled salmon and roasted red pepper dressing
Roasted veggies with shrimp/chicken/pork
Stir fry veggies with shrimp/chicken/pork
Sandwich meats and cheeses piled high
Sloppy Joes made from ground hamburger or turkey and Sloppy Joe Mix
Navajo Taco – ground beef, beans, lettuce, onion, tomato and salsa
Peanut butter and apples and raisins
Planned over meatloaf, cheese and sliced tomato
Tuna salad with apples
Egg salad with onion flakes and tomatoes