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February 10, 2014 Hi {!firstname_fix} New Mexico has been doing the same crazy weather that is going 'round the country. We think that spring is coming, and then we get snow and ice, LOL. But the trees and plants are all thrilled for the moisture. Of course this means MUD, so my house is all gritty from dog paws bringing mud in. They are shameless. I am very pleased with how the new classes are shaping up. Don't forget to sign up for Ranch...and make sure to call the hotel to register so they can plan. These classes will begin Wednesday, February 12, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
These classes will begin Wednesday, February 19, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
These classes will begin Wednesday, February 26, 2014. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:
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 ** You are not afraid, you are not alone. You are part of a larger miracle. **********************************************************************
**Testimonial of the Week ** Anne Marie: My dh does not want to be woken up by Vitamixer before 6:30 and I get up at 5:45 Feel frustrated as to how to do my shake! (live in tiny house) Must talk to him about my needs. Kathleen: Many of us are creative (smile)...you can put a towel over it. Or you can put a towel over him. Or you could get an extension cord and take it outside. Anne Marie: I think that might be a joydot today - put a towel over him! Made me smile! I have tried the towel over the blender too and it does work a bit. Susan: 'I think that might be a joy dot for me today.' Haha! Made me smile too, actually laugh - imagining my dh mummied up in a towel while I am running the Vitamixer and especially funny to imagine me running my blender out on my deck in my robe waking up all our neighbors! My husband laughed too and says to make my shake when I want - no worries! lol (it was me I think that needed swaddling in a towel yesterday!) I am at peace today. Funny part is I slept in and made my shake at 9:00! Life is comical sometimes. **********************************************************************
**Radiant Life ** I am intrigued by the substance of last night's conversation. Specifically, I LOVE , LOVED, LOVED Kathleen's idea that I am a "skilled addict". ( I was remembering how a thousand years ago I took better care of my cigarettes than I did my money or my cars and how I would plan and execute where and how I was going to smoke.) I think I learned valuable "life skills" faster than my peers because my addictions were immediate and would not wait. I learned that I could side-step the rules because I figured out ways (skill) around them and then learned how to manipulate people into thinking they had the problem. I associated anything with addictive behavior as "bad" or "weak" until I started to think about them differently last night. Thinking that these "addict skills" serve me well now was a bit of a stretch.....however, yes, I can see how I take real good care of my lettuce (wash, dry wrap in paper towel, store it) because I need it to be fresh and crispy or I get cranky-pants. There is always a chicken drumstick, pot roast or chunks of organic turkey in the refrigerator...'cause there is no other way to live well now. I take inventory of food stocks in my home like it matters....as natural as I breathe, but it has taken time to "switch out" the motivation behind the behaviors. When my Father lay dying in the hospital this past December, I got the call at 9:30 p.m. to come quickly. I dressed, grabbed the lunch I had prepared for Monday, some extra sweetpot pies and lots of water and drove 60 miles north, but he was gone when we got there. My family was in shock...I ate my egg salad sandwich, slices of organic apple, sweetpot pies and sat with my Mom and held her hand. Over the last few months my sibling's drama has unfolded, while I just continued to unfold my napkins. They began smoking, drinking and being mean, I cleaned up the family finances, cooked beef short- ribs and joined the local gym. Suffice to say, the only thing that stood between me and chaos was doing the food, which took a boat-load of "addict skill turned professional". Today, I have been taking a "skills inventory" of sorts. It doesn't matter to me what I used to use the old "addict skill" for since these same skills have a brand new set of clothes and they appear sharp and bright and fascinating to touch. I am allowing my chest to fill up with the thoughts that support the hunter/gatherer in my soul, except now my hunt is for organic berries, beef jerky w/salt, organic roast beef, fresh summer flounder with homemade coleslaw and some light wind to sail by. I think some shame has also floated away once I was able to see my "addict skill set" as worthy. It's like Dorothy...in the Wizard of OZ.... always having the power to go home....and she never knew she had that skill until someone told her and she was able to re-direct her energy. Thanks Kathleen for re-directing my energy. Patricia **********************************************************************
**Radiant Ambassadors **  Articles on sugar seem to be everywhere at the moment. I was alerted to the fact that there was an article entitled 'Sugar on trial: What you really need to know' in the New Scientist recently. One particular part jumped out at me: "For several years neuroscientists have found it useful to compare energy dense foods to addictive substances such as cocaine..." Several years?! I do believe a certain Dr. we know has been using that comparison forever! Addiction only got a cursory mention. There are an awful lot of references to 'war' in the article - something that's used a lot nowadays. And obviously 'obesity' and how much someone weighs is the sole indicator of health (!) But sugar in itself is not 'bad', it's just how some peoples' bodies respond to it - and that can be changed as we well know. You can read the full article here. 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 Bill and I am just begining this journey. Recovery alcoholic who learned to self medicate as a young boy. After many years in recovery I found myself obese and threatened by my weight health wise. Found out about sugar addiction in Food Addicts Anonyomus. When I looked up sugar addiction online I found Radiant Recovery. Praise the Lord a program I could sustain. Looking forward to the journey Warm Regards **********************************************************************
** Radiant Recovery® Store ** David manages the Radiant Recovery® Store. He is also Kathleen's oldest son. I first learned about digestive enzymes when a friend shared that she had tried every trick in the book to heal constipation. Nothing had worked. She tried enzymes and was delighted. Since then, I have read a lot and worked with a number of people who experience bloating, gas, digestive problems. When they take digestive enzymes, they get better. And it seems that enzymes are not all equal. We carry the brand we have in the store because so many people have commented on liking them. We carry two types:|
Please send questions and suggestions. I love hearing from you and truly want to help you do your program better. **********************************************************************
**Radiant Kitchen ** This week I came home to a wonderful dinner that my husband made – Mexican Lettuce Wraps made with grilled fish. Thought I’d share it here. On the table were bowls of:
Everyone got to make their own wraps, to their liking. It was a delicious. I can’t wait for a repeat of this meal! For more great program-friendly recipes, check out our cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site. **********************************************************************
**Radiant YLD ** "The Fitness for Weight Loss is another new YLD offering that has emerged out of the Older, Rounder, Willing class where we have been discussing the variables that affect sugar-sensitive people wanting to design an exercise plan that will enhance their weight loss. Typical cardio stress plans will NOT generate weight loss in ss people. Come learn why." When I read this from Kathleen in last week's newsletter I was very excited, I love knowing how and why! I can't wait for the Fitness for Weight Loss Class!!! 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. Conversations is a place for us to talk about what life is like when we are balanced. It is the essence of *why* we do all this silly stuff...perhaps the point of it all. We are not talking about food in conversations, but about life. In the next few weeks, I will be sharing what step seven really is...perhaps the demystifying of it...and as I have been making notes for that process, I find myself just smiling for the sheer joy of it. 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 ** The Radiantdepression group is all about support for the person who is depressed and trying to work the 7-step program of recovery from sugar addiction. Many of us have struggled with severe depression for years without any hope of finding an end to it. But through doing the food we have found that hope returning and have found light where before there was only darkness. Some of us are taking anti-depressants while doing the food, so we talk about how the two are compatible and we also share about getting through the tough spots together, with support from each other. If you are feeling depressed please come join us. There is hope. **********************************************************************
**It Doesn't Have to be Hard ** Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.
As many of you know, I usually present a new concept at ranch. This allows us to have a dialogue in person on these emerging topics. This year, I presented on the idea of Addiction to Misery. This topic started in chat and I have been thinking about it a bit. The talk was fun and challenging. It certainly moved me. Yesterday, Janice posted a reflection on the forum that knocked my socks off. She got it. Come share this process with us. What if none of it has to be hard? This is the radical thought that has followed me home from Ranch. Kathleen had been talking about addiction to misery and how it seems to be one of the easier pieces of our sug sen puzzle to fix - it doesn't have t be hard. And then she blurts out what if none of it has to be hard? I think most everyone's instant reaction was "huh? I don't think so," me included. But the hair on the back of my neck stood up when she said that. And I have not been able to get this idea out of my mind. I was listening to a (country) CD in the car and it seemed every song was about some kind of "hard." And a voice in my head is saying, "What if it doesn't have to be hard?" I looked at my shoes that have been by my bed for weeks now patiently waiting for me to wake, shake, walk. And the voice again, "What if it doesn't have to be hard?" I came home to what could have felt like an overwhelm of laundry, no groceries, starting the potato and the need to gain weight. But what if it doesn't have to be hard? And the laundry and groceries got done. The potatoes are ready in the fridge. I'm remembering to eat a little more than usual. These are, I realize, simple things, easy to not be hard. But what if none of it has to be hard? I've been thinking about why I am so invested in things being "hard". I was brought up in a culture that taught 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps,' 'nothing worth having is easy,' 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' 'true beauty lies in struggle and pain' and so on. And I am very attached to the idea of having been "brave" in my recovery journey. I think the dopamine-boosting reward factor is in play, too, when I feel I've done something "hard." So what happens if I let go of the idea of doing what's hard = worthy accomplishment. If it's easy will there be that sense of accomplishment? Will the act of letting go of "hard" be the accomplishment? Maybe it is all in the re-framing. What if instead of "hard" and "how can I possibly do what seems impossible and just too difficult and where in the world do I start?" the "hard" thing becomes a challenge and the doing of it an adventure? The feeling/idea of my life being an adventure instead of a struggle is something I have been becoming aware of as I've done my post detour work. If I stop and look at the past 7 months what started out as hard became easy. Not easy as in in being a piece of cake (sorry) but easy as in being a joy to do. I have come to think of my regular life as a grand adventure, too. It still has it's moments of scary-as-all-get-out but it doesn't spook me any more. And I think maybe that is another key - seeing "easy" as joyous instead of just easy and not really valuable. So if "hard" becomes an adventure and "easy" becomes a joyous thing to do, then "what if none of it has to be hard" becomes pursuing the business of life as a joyous adventure. This idea feels incredibly real and true to me. Would I have been ready for it at the beginning of recovery? I honestly don't know. I think I might have said, "This is nuts, I'm outta here." It's hard (no make that it's a joyous adventure ;-) ) to turn our long held, deeply embedded, highly invested way of being in the world upside down with such a radical thought. I am ready to give it a go. By the way, I got up and put my shoes on and walked for 20 min. this morning :-D Turns out it didn't have to be hard. I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this idea of it doesn't have to be hard. Thanks as always for listening to my long ramble. Janice in Maryland 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 |
Radiant Fat Terror Class (2 weeks)
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