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February 2, 2015


Hi {!firstname_fix}

So it has been a week of 60 degrees and sunny and snow and soft grey. Today was the soft grey and white day. The dogs slept on the bed all day. No shame for them about lazing about. I spent the day learning more about insulin resistance and receptor signaling and how certain herbs can support healing. It was a perfect day for this. Sit on the bed with warm dogs, and a yellow marker and 20 monographs reading about cinnamon consumption and glycemic status, lipid profile and body composition. Then my brain got tired, LOL, and I went out for a walk.

I have been working with a couple of people in my new intensive *signature plan.* I love having the opportunity to do in-depth work. When people are so motivated and committed to life change, it is simply a joy for the coach. We started as an experiment for the desperate (smile), but of course Grace turned that right around into joy. Seems to happen a lot.


This class will begin Wednesday, February 4, 2015. Please click on the name of the class and it will take you to the registration page:

Using Radiant Resources (1 week) - is a free orientation for those of you who are brand new and would like to find your way around all the things we offer in the community. One of our mentors will show you the ropes. Watch for the welcoming email with a link to join the Yahoo list we use as our classroom.


No classes will be starting for 2 weeks. I am taking time off to do some research and thinking. I will be in the San Francisco area the later part of the month. We are going to try again for a luncheon on the 21st. So if you are around, come over to the Radiant Northern California list and share in the planning.

I will start classes up again the last week in February.

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


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**Quote From Kathleen **


Your cells will ALWAYS remember your touch of radiance. It is not like you have to find it. It is already there. You came in with it. Your unbalanced food covered it. But it is waiting.

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**Testimonial of the Week **


This speaks to me. The fat terror and self hatred always creeps back in, and gets in the way of my program and my progress. (auto correct: prom dress!) I am going to say, just for today I will have my breakfast and not worry. My brain and body are used to deprivation and chaos, and it might take quite a while to break that cycle. Finally having a plan that feels stable and doable, with a permanent lasting change, gives me hope for the future. And only having to worry about one little step at a time helps with my all-or-nothing attitude, which clearly has not worked.

Warmly,
Renee


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**Interesting Bits of Science **


Here is something from The Annals of Internal Medicine.* Last year they published a review of the evidence on the association between fat and heart disease. So they looked at 76 prior studies including close to 650,000 people. What they found was pretty striking. High levels of saturated fat (meat, butter, sausage and bacon) are not correlated with heart disease. Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oils) were associated with a reduction in risk. The only *bad* fats were trans fats. These are found in things like margarine and hydrogenated oils used in fried foods. Take a look at what you eat to see if they are there.

The significance of this study is that it basically contradicts what most docs have been saying for many years about not eating fat from meat. The lead author did say that refined carb, and sugar should be avoided which made me smile.

*Ann Int, 2014:160:398-406


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** Radiant Recovery® Store **


We have been working with our rep at Nordic Naturals about some of the products that I think you will like. I decided we would try out three of them and see what you think. This is an experiment in product sales development. The store is small and we have to choose carefully what to bring you. I always want it to be stuff I approve of and will use myself.

I tasted the Omega Boost and really, really like the flavor in my shake. It doesn’t feel as *oily* as some of the others oils.

The Omega LDL product has red yeast rice in it which has a lot of scientific support around reduction of bad cholesterol, so I think it is worth trying.

And I really like the kids Vitamin C Gummies product. The sugar level is low and that is the only sweetener, so nothing scary. I think this would be a great solution for flu season and winter vulnerability to colds. Try it out and give me your feedback.

Nordic Naturals tropical mango Omega Boost™ is a creamy, delicious formulation of omega-3s that supports optimal health and wellness.* Like all Nordic Naturals products, Omega Boost is in the triglyceride molecular form for better absorption of these essential fats.*

SUGGESTED USE: One teaspoon daily, with food, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist.

  • Creamy delicious mango flavor the whole family will love!
  • 525 mg omega-3s per teaspoon
  • Fast absorption for a tasty boost of omega-3s
  • Supports heart, brain, and immune health*
Nordic Naturals Omega LDL™ is a blend of highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids, red yeast rice, and CoQ10 to help keep cholesterol levels healthy.* Omega 3 essential fatty acids EPA and DHA and red yeast rice help support and maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, while CoQ10 provides antioxidant protection.

SUGGESTED USE: Three soft gels daily, with food, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist.

  • Maintains overall cardiovascular function*
  • Helps maintain normal cholesterol levels*
  • Supports healthy blood vessel function*
Nordic Naturals Vitamin C Gummies offer essential nutrient kids need for growth and development. In addition to supporting many of the body's physiological functions, vitamin C helps optimize immunity and provides antioxidant protection.* These delicious, sour, tangerine-flavored gummy slices are suitable for children ages 4+. Grown-ups love them, too!

SUGGESTED USE: For 4 years and older, two gummies daily with food, or as directed by your health care professional or pharmacist. Please ensure child chews each gummy thoroughly.
  • 250 mg vitamin C per serving
  • No artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives
  • Pectin based and gelatin free
  • 100% vegetarian
  • Supports a healthy immune system*
  • Provides antioxidant support*


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 **


Cottage Apple Bake


Ingredients:

  • 6 small, sweet apples, sliced very thin (the recipe calls for peeled, but I don't peel 'em)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup cottage cheese (calls for lowfat, but regular works fine)
  • 1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • dash salt
Directions:

Place apples and water in a large nonstick skillet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, until apples are slightly tender. Remove from heat.

Preheat over to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

In a blender container (or food processor), combine eggs, cottage cheese, dry milk, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth.

Spread apples evenly in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan that has been sprayed with a nonstick cooking spray. Pour cottage cheese mixture evenly over apples. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon if desired.

Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes, until set. Chill.

Makes 6 servings

For great program-friendly recipes, check out our Cookbook in the store and visit our online Radiant Recipes site.

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**Radiant YLD **


Well, the insulin resistance class is provoking me into finding all this really intriguing stuff to bring to you. This week at chat, I will talk with you about hypoglycemia and gastric emptying. It is REALLY exciting. Clear your calendar to be there. Here is the basic idea: While I was working on the cinnamon task, I came across a fascinating article called *hypoglycemia increases the gastric emptying rate in healthy subjects.* They measured how fast the stomach cleared food out when people had low blood sugar versus when they were in a *normal* state. They measured how long it took to empty 50% of the test meal from the stomach.

The normals did it in about 43 min. and the hypoglycemics in 16 min. Now why would this be important? Well, think in terms of *dumping* a lot of carbs into the system. Think of a spike in blood sugar and a spike in insulin. And if the insulin action is impaired, it won't be able to get the sugar into the muscles, so it will store it as fat.

Now, make this connection...hypoglycemia would reinforce insulin dysfunction and weight gain. And what do diets do? They create a hypoglycemic state. And what does diet head do - it says, *fast* to get thin. So we don't eat until we are desperate and then binge when we fall over the cliff and get a huge *dump* of sugar.

So creating a steady state with three meals and snacks if necessary keeps us out of a hypoglycemic state and into a place where we can heal and lose weight.

Now, if this does not make sense to you, you need to be in YLD, LOL. This is where we talk about this kind of stuff. I imagine we will be talking about this at chat. And if you are not a YLD member, and you are looking at body issues, this is the place to be. It doesn't matter what step you are on, everyone is welcomed and invited to share.

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


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**Radiant Living **


Like YLD, the Radiant Living energy flows from our weekly chats together. Radiant Living talks about life after creating *steady state* with the food. How do you do life without your drugs, how do you move from *miseryism* to engaged, joyful, playful recovery. How do you cope with unsympathetic partners and spouses to find your own way. We cover a LOT of ground. And we have fun.

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


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**Why You Are Having a Hard Time **
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.



I originally wrote this basic article about 10 years ago after the tsunami. But I think the ideas were on target and continue to be useful even now.

The past couple of weeks have been difficult. I went out to Florida for a family crisis. I came back and found that a whole number of folks on my leadership team were having a really hard time. At first blush it seemed as if it were simply coincidental... timing maybe, post Christmas stress, or winter fatigue or something like that.

But as I sat and thought about it, I realized that this is way deeper than personal stumbling. I began to hear the same story, spoken in different ways, and the more I listened the more I began to sense that something bigger is happening.

The tsunami was caused by an earthquake. But really it was a huge shift in the surface of the earth - a planetary shift that actually changed the earth's axis. This was a monumental event. The energy flooded, literally, and wiped away everything that had been. You held on for dear life or you were swept away.

Now, it is funny, but this is the same theme I have been hearing over and over. Nothing that was makes sense. It all feels pointless. Everything I counted on no longer fits. I don't know who I am, I don't know where I belong, I cannot find my center. Too much, too fast and I feel like I am being sucked into a dark hole.

Now a medical model will diagnose these feelings as clinical depression. And that same model will prescribe medication. It will identify the situations that precipitated these feelings of darkness. Of course there will be "situations" - a lost job, a move, a promotion, stress at work, no sleep from a new baby, the death of a mother, a son at war, an abusive husband, a lost relationship or all of the above. But we have all had these things all our lives. Why are we stumbling so now?

I think the energy shift of the world discombobulated us on a cellular level. Things as they were actually do not exist any longer. Literally, our 'magnetic north' changed and we can't get our bearings. And if we stumble and then our food gets off, we cannot sort it out. It feels so personal. We do not experience it as a major spiritual crisis, it just feels horrible and we feel lost.

I think this is a time of awakening. When things no longer fit, we have an opportunity to clear out that stuff, to throw away the stuff that does not fit and to make room for something new. We don't know what that will be yet, it has not emerged. So we have to endure this time of "in between" where the old is gone and the new has not emerged. However can we make sense of this?

At the first level, comfort comes with doing the food, doing the program. Not just taking out sugar, that is a tiny part of it. But following instructions, being connected, being patient, rebuilding a solid foundation that cannot be swept away are all part of creating a way to hold what is emerging.

This is the time to go back to basics. Literally. Rather than getting caught in how horrible it is, ask for help. Get connected. Trust that this is not just a personal stumble, but that you are part of a great shift. You got thrown off kilter and you can get steady. Come to the relapse/restart class. Get back on track with your food and program. Don't beat yourself up.

Last week, I said "If you are going to be with a person in a dark hole, take a ladder and a lantern." (smile)...the steps are the ladder and our humor and perspective is the lantern. You are not alone. Grace is unfolding.


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©2015 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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