Hi {!firstname_fix}

Well, I have been in sunny Florida for the week on family business. It sure is nicer in the winter than mid summer. Nothing like leaving all that puppy stuff for the quiet and order of people who do not have dogs.

Don’t forget we have three classes starting up Monday. If you come right now, sign up, then immediately return the invitation email to join the group through which the class will be conducted, we can fit you in...

Brain Chemistry 101
Using the Resources of the Community
Doing the Steps: An Overview (this has been moved up from its original date of beginning on 1/17)

Let me tell you what these classes will be doing. The 101 class is an introduction to the brain chemistry of sugar sensitivity. We will be talking about things like upregulation and downregulation and where craving comes from. Using the Resources of the Community is for new folks who are just learning their way around the site and would like a guided tour. Think of this class as a trip on the cart through the community with a guide pointing out the sights. The Overview class is the same sort of guided tour through the steps. It is NOT an in-depth analysis of each, but serves to show you how they fit together and why they are in the order they are. This is an especially great class if you are coming to the program having done Atkins or South Beach or Weight Watchers and think you are ready to move on ahead and simply add the potato. I repeat these 2 classes from time to time to accommdate our new people.

We have posted a schedule of the classes for the next 2 months. Check it and see if there is something you like. If there is something you would like and don't see it, let me know.

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.

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

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January 10, 2005
** Quote From Kathleen **

Once you have experienced a week of radiance, you will always return to it. Your molecules will remember and want it.

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** Testimonial for the Week**


I wanted to write a little about my holiday because it was an interesting year for us.

First of all, we made a budget for presents and we have never done that before. And we didn't use any credit. I felt really good about that. The girls and I made a lot of gifts and so did Jon. He made this awesome gift for his mom and aunt--he took old 8 mm reel film footage (1950's) of the family and put it on a DVD along with songs that his grandparents had recorded singing on 78 records. We watched it Christmas Eve and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. That was wonderful.

The most exciting part of the whole holiday was what had changed from last year. First, the food was less dessert centered. I made a few "goodies" that my kids love and they ended up getting eaten as much as the fudge! I love that! Secondly, everyone in the family ended up making presents as well as buying. I can't tell you how it shifted things for us all. Last year was so depressing...tons of gifts strewn everywhere and we were all kind of overwhelmed and sad afterwards. This year my brother in law made us a bird feeder out of wood and also made all the adults these beautiful pens out of wood. Mine is made of Tulipwood and is cream colored with rose colored grain throughout. There was less stuff, but much more heart.

Thirdly, I did not get stressed out. My inlaws, bless them, take on a lot, and when I go there I get caught up in it. I feel like I "need" to help them. This time I thought, "You know, I'm going to do whatever I can to help, but not get caught up in the stress of it." And I did. It made things much more enjoyable for me.

Erin, my 7.5 yo, stayed with my inlaws for the rest of this week. It's the first time she's been away from home for more than a night. I was really uncomfortable with her doing that at first, but then as it got closer I just let it go. I worry that she will melt down and not be able to figure out what she needs (she's very ss), but I also see there a huge amount of growth that can come with this. My inlaws are just wonderful about the food now. My fil doesn't get it at all, but he complies. I'm also afraid she won't want to come home, lol, because my inlaws are spoiling her rotten.

So now there is a new year coming. I can't believe it's almost 2005. My mom is coming to visit for a couple of weeks. I'm going to put her to work, too. I am going to make some curtains for a couple of rooms and see if I can't get my bedroom finished (needs painting). I also need to find space for a crate because I am picking up Oliver (aka Spud, Button, Penny (my 4yos idea), Finn, Ozzy, Ringo, Coffee, Pickle, (If Kathleen let's me take him, lol!) I can't wait!

Well, thanks for reading. I'm off to start the day! Heather D.

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**Recipe of the Week**


It's soup time (smile)>. Here is a great recipe from the Radiant Recipes cookbook.

Minestrone

In a large stockpot or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute carrot, onion, celery and garlic until the vegetables are fragrant and translucent. Add oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Add diced tomato, tomato juice and broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add zucchini and green pepper. Cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes. Add brown rice pasta shells. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. Makes 6 servings.

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


Last week we talked about the things that help keep you steady on the program. I love the chats because they make the program come alive. And we can really do problem solving about weight loss. This week I got an email from several people who said, "I am just going to go off and lose some weight and then come back to the program." It makes me smile. Why not commit to healing and let us walk you through how not to gain weight while getting steady.

Click here if you are ready to change your life.
 


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**Radiant Ambassadors**


You never know when a situation will present itself to share the program with someone. Elizabeth keeps herself ready for those opportunities by carrying both the Radiant Recovery business cards and the LSA cards. She was one busy ambassador during her holiday travels. Below is her report:

Flying from NM to FL, I gave ambassador cards to one man and one woman.

While riding in the rental car airport shuttle, I gave the LSA card to a mother whose little boy was spreading chocolate cupcake crumbs all over the van's floor and upholstery. She said her children normally didn't eat sugar at home. She seemed quite interested in reading the book.

If you love the program and want to learn to share the word more effectively, consider joining the ambassador group. We are having some much fun learning from one another.

If you haven't gotten any cards to pass out yet, order them now. They are free! It is a great way to spread the word.

Come find us among the Online Groups


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**David's Corner **

 


A number of people have written to me and asked how we could be selling cookbooks that have recipes with white things or sugar in them. One person even wanted to return her cookbook. I thought it would be helpful to give you a little background. Many sugar sensitive people honestly do not know how to cook. Or they hate to cook. When I was at the Fall Trade Show, I met the people from Cook's Illustrated. I LOVE their magazine and wanted to check out the cookbooks and resources. Well, I was so excited about the books, I thought it would be a great resource to share. It never occurred to me that it would be a problem for you to see a picture of a dessert. I just figure if you are on step 7, you are not going to care about them. And if you aren't, and you want to make that stuff, you can.

I like how these editors think. I like how they approach food. I love these cookbooks. I can barely leave them in the store I want them so much (smile). If you like cooking, or if you would like to love cooking come see these books.

Kathleen

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

Thanks
David

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


 
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**Our Online Groups**


Hi, I'm Connie, the moderator of the RadiantBinge group on Yahoo. We talk about doing Radiant Recovery food in the context of binge eating. We have people who come in from all kinds of places, who have found Radiant Recovery through Kathleen's books, internet searches, searches through the Yahoo groups, and of course referrals from the main web site at Radiant Recovery. So we are diverse!

What's interesting given all this diversity is how alike we are. Hmm, where have we seen this before!! Anyone who has struggled with bingeing knows that the sufferer can become scared, ashamed, and mystified and think that the problem is bingeing.

However, as we talk about the biochemistry of sugar addiction, and how imbalance can show up as bingeing, all of a sudden it is clear and understandable. Voila, no more scared, ashamed, or mystified. As a side benefit - as we talk, we learn a lot about eating disorders in general, and how they are really just on a continuum of balanced/imbalanced sugar sensitivity.

However, doing the steps to heal takes a lot of practice and two-steps-forward, one-step-back. Some of us were out of balance for a long, long time. I was for 40 years. (No longer bingeing, and haven't for a couple of years.)

That's where the fun part comes in. It is very freeing and fun to "talk real" about the challenges of a clean food program, with other people who have "been there." I know my poor friends on the binge list have been very patient with me as I learn to include veggies! It's taken a while!

So if you have ever struggled with binge eating, feel free to drop in or read the archives. I will paraphrase Miss Manners when she was talking about the world of propriety: "Welcome to the world of recovery from binge eating. We have much more fun here than you may have been led to believe." (smile)

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** Featured Topic**
Tsunami
Kathleen Des Maisons, Ph.D.

I have waited to write to you about the Tsunami because I , like most of you I am sure, have had to collect my thoughts first. It was too big, too devastating to even know where to start in making sense of it. But today, something clicked for me.

As some of you know, I have had an ongoing interest in the scientist from Japan who has been photographing frozen water crystals and seeing the impact of different messages on the structure of the water. He published a series of amazing photographs. The crystals from water that many people had said *I love you to* were exquisite and beautifully formed. The crystals from the water that people had said *you fool* or *I hate you* were malformed, broken and distorted.

Even more interesting were photographs from a lake that was severely polluted. The crystals from the lake water were dark, jagged and looked like the water exposed to heavy metal rock music. It was pretty unsettling. Then they did an intriguing experiment. They took a group of people out to this lake and prayed for it. After the prayer, they collected some water, froze it and photographed it. Its structure had changed totally. It was now formed into the same sort of perfect crystal structure we see in snowflakes.

The scientist is now talking about praying for the ground water left after the tsunami. He is convening people to offer their prayers. So I went over to his website to check out what he was saying. His message seems a little strange to me these days. He no longer posts the photographs on his web site for free, you have to pay for them. He gets paid a lot of money for lectures and the like. So I am thinking he has kinda forgotten the simplicity of his own original message.

But the invitation retains its power. I like the idea of offering our prayers not only for the people but for the water and the land. There are a lot of us. And there are a lot of us in recovery which means we have cleared out a lot of our own fear and distortion and *pollution* from the water (all 90% of it) within our own bodies. So I think we have clear hearts to ask for healing for the areas that were devastated. I am going to suggest that we do this collectively. Perhaps every day at 6 PM MST we can all stop for 5 minutes and simply ask for healing of the devastated land and people. Here is a link to an international clock if you want to sort out what time that would be for you. Use Denver, CO to calculate MST.

I know I cannot make this horrible, horrible thing right, but I can offer my own heart and openness for the healing to come. I invite you to join me and all those who are making this commitment.

Warmly,
Kathleen

©Kathleen DesMaisons 2004.

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

Gretel, the liaison for the recovery list and the webmaster puts it all together
JoAnna, the liaison for vegetarians gathers the testimonials
Naomi, the liaison for Yisroel gathers the recipes
Terri, the liaison for Ambassadors sends over the ambassadors quote
Marie, the liaison for diabetes gathers the info on the online lists
David, who runs the Radiant Recovery® Store talks about what new products we have.