Artisanal heirloom tomatoes in a basket at the market
Welcome to Radiant Recovery®
January 23, 2019,
Hi {!firstname_fix},
I am putting that picture up there to remind you about journaling :). Many people think they are on step 7 but they don't journal. If you don't journal, your body has no voice. Isn't it nice to have your body be a collaborator in the journey.
We have made a few changes to Radiant Ranch. I won't be doing a program for new people this year, it will simply focus on the art of doing the program when your steps are steady. We will be working with material from the new book, so it will be a pretty exciting opportunity to enhance your program. Write or call me with questions. I have added an option for paying in installments, so if that will help, just click on the link above to learn about it.
Remember if you have ideas or input for us on what you would like to have available, share them on the Community Forum. We do listen and are very interested in your ideas.
Support for Your Program
COMMUNITY FORUM
Share with others, ask questions, explore everything and anything about your program without a charge. A great place for newcomers.
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GROUPS
Learn the steps, get fit safely, learn creative program cooking, learn about depression, learn with parents, share in local areas. There is no charge for groups.
Sign Up for Groups
CLASSES

Fat Terror

The next class coming will be Fat Terror. Those of you in YLD can have a preview because we talked about it in chat. I will put up a link to register in the next newsletter.

WORKING WITH KATHLEEN
I feel very strongly about offering you a way to work with me directly. I have set up a whole range of options for you to do that - going from private coaching to being involved in small groups. This link will show you all the choices.
Coaching Apprentice is open to people on steps 1-3 who are starting their program.
Coaching Skilled open to people who have mastered at least step 3 and want more guidance.
Signature Coaching is for those who want to work individually with Kathleen in a 90-day process. Signature is the top of the line. All who have done it talk about their lives being changed.
Another option is setting up a one hour assessment and then making a decision based on that conversation. And you can always call 505-345-3737 and ask me about how each one works.
Sign up
"When you can't cope with anything, just go back to eating breakfast."
Testimonial of the Week
This is some excerpts from this weeks YLD chat. I thought you would love to hear about program success.

Fiona R

Sounds good. And I think I’m getting some glimpses of radiance! :)

radiantkd

say more fiona

Del

ohhh cool!!

Fiona R

Well, I’ve been on Step 6 for a while and doing it well most of the time and I’m starting to feel different

Helen

That is brilliant Fiona

Del

great! how different?

Fiona R

I’m feeling calmer, steadier, my body is feeling better than it’s felt for years and joy is creeping in

Del

awesome

Fiona R

I’m enjoying things about my day to day life and feeling brighter and more positive and more energetic

radiantkd

yes!

Gretel O

wonderful!

Fiona R

It really does feel wonderful! Really wonderful.

Del

isn't that thje best feeling ever?

Fiona R

I’d never have thought it possible. And it’s really motivating me to keep going, although I don’t really need motivation any more, it just seems to make sense

radiantkd

yah

Fiona R

Yes Del, I agree

radiantkd

and here is what is funny

Del

yesssssss

radiantkd

it accumulates

Gretel O

I think she's got it!!!!! :)

Helen

By George she's got it LOL

Fiona R

That sounds great Kathleen

Gretel O

:)

Fiona R

Thanks Gretel and Helen :)

Del

by George's shake lol

radiantkd

well you have been very diligent

radiantkd

and willing

Gretel O

Fiona, from the day you came to the first chat i sensed you were going to eventually come to understand what we know, about how sensible and amazing this program is

Fiona R

Thank you. I LOVE being part of this community and all the support it offers.

radiantkd

those who embrace it, get a payoff beyond anything you can imagine

Fiona R

Thanks Gretel. It really is straightforward and sensible and now I’m starting to get the amazing part.

radiantkd

it is impossible to convey the depth of it

Del

definetely

Gretel O

:)

radiantkd

and not flashy, so is very different from so many other options

Fiona R

I’m starting to totally get that Kathleen. It’s taken going slowly, patience, some frustration, and keeping going trusting that it was going to work

radiantkd

we want to diminish drama rather than amp it up

Fiona R

Yes I love that it’s not flashy

radiantkd

yes, which is why it endures

radiantkd

doesn't burn out, and calls you back if you forget

Fiona R

:)

radiantkd

I am smiling :)

Gretel O

me too

Del

It'sa great to see someone else getting it :)

Fiona R

:)

radiantkd

now you get to have the fun of refinement

radiantkd

and enjoyment

Fiona R

Ok!

Gretel O

And to really experience the joys of living

Fiona R

That really sounds great. Maybe that’s what step 7 is about, i’ll Find out!

Del

and a not foggy brain ready to find solutions

radiantkd

Step 7 is not a mythology, it is just living from that place

Fiona R

That sounds good too Del

Fiona R

Great Kathleen! I am definitely up for that!!

radiantkd

it re-energizes all of us

Fiona R

Thanks Kathleen. The support at RR- here, forum, yahoo lists, has made all the difference
David still smiling
This is David DesMaisons, your Radiant Recovery® Concierge
Come visit our STORE. Call 505-345-3737 if you have questions.
David, the store manager, is always happy to help.

Verena wrote this after a class. I am not sure that you all know how often we send stuff overseas. But we have learned the art of getting them there quickly and through customs. I love learning these skills. It is funny, the people at the post office ask me questions about shipping. They love what I know and we enjoy trading tips.

Dear David,

Thank you. I learned a lot. Am very happy about enzymes (they really work!!! It's wonderful!), flavorings (yum), George's Restore (likewise), the Blender Bottle (quick and easy), Omega 3 (allergies improving)... pretty much everything I've ordered. It was great to learn about it in a systematic way. Thank you!

Also, delivery within the US is really quick. I was very happy about that as I arrived here 5 days after ordering and found my package waiting for me.

Best wishes to you and everyone

Verena

Curried Chicken Salad
carrots waiting to be scrubbed and cooked
  • Ingredients:

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or a rotisserie)
  • 1 medium tart apple (I like Granny Smith)
  • 1 green onion
  • 2 TBS chopped nuts
  • 2 TBS sugarless mayonnaise (I use Trader Joe's)
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • curry powder to taste (I use Penzey's sweet curry)

Process:

  • Cook the chicken breasts (steam, bake, grill, etc.).
  • Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
  • Chop the onion. Core the apple and chop in bite sized pieces.
  • Combine all of the above in a bowl with the walnuts.
In a small bowl combine the mayo, lemon juice, and curry powder. I use about a teaspoon of curry powder but I like it strong. The more curry powder you use, the more lemon juice you will need to thin the dressing. If you aren't sure how much curry powder to use, start with a half-teaspoon. You can always add more, but you can't take it out if you get too much.

Put the curry mixture over the chicken and toss with a fork to coat everything. Chill for at least a couple of hours. I chill mine overnight. Serve on butter lettuce or in a sandwich.

2 servings.

Come over to our recipe blog for more ideas
Visit the Recipe Page
I'd Never Have Believed
Image
This will be a new feature in the newsletter. I am including it to give you ideas and hope for the impact of your doing the steps. I will also put in a little *joy dot* picture. This one is longer than the others will be.

Well, I type this from the comfort of my sickbed, since I have a Happy New Year virus and am feeling lousy today. Nothing much has changed since Step 7 in how I cope with being ill. I am still an abysmal patient who thinks she is dying of the bubonic plague rather than the common cold. But this is my first cold in 18 months, which is miraculous for someone who always averaged 4 colds a year. I will also grudgingly admit that this one is a lot milder than those I am used to.

I was just reviewing my journal, and to cheer myself up, I thought it would be fun to reflect on some of the post-program changes that I simply would not have believed until I experienced them. Some stuff I expected. VAGUELY feeling better. (How could I feel worse)? Maybe bingeing less (Again, how could I binge more?) Feeling a fraction less crazy (as before, do you see a pattern emerging here?) LOL. But I didn't expect a great deal beyond that. So fast-forward a couple of years, or one year if we're talking Step 7. Here in no particular order, is my list of big and small surprises.

I would never have believed you if you'd told me:

That my taste buds would be the main part of me to undergo dramatic and wholesale rehabilitation. When I started SARP I was not keen on 85% of foods, and keen on about 15%. Generally those that came laden with fat and sugar. This ratio has now flipped over, and it happened so gradually but it still takes me by surprise how many flavours I can taste now.

That I would feel satisfied at the end of each day, not hungry and dopey and spacey and hurting like dieters are so used to feeling. That I would go 17 months without a sugar binge. The longest before that was 4 days. I counted. The binges stopped when I finally quit playing coy flirting games with Step 3 and well... shamelessly threw myself at it.

That after an initial gain on Step 3, my weight would stabilize for the first time ever. That I would lose 2 dress sizes over a year without really trying. But note to newbies: this happened INCREDIBLY slowly. I don't weigh myself any more, but I'm guessing about a pound a month. I know it's different for everyone, and I wasn't really overweight, but fluctuated crazily and very unhealthily. That my beloved tea could ever feel good without the caffeine, and taste sweet without the sugar!

That I would pass my degree, when for 3/4 of it, I had been on course to fail.

That I, who am Not A Responsible Person, could act as an executor for a close family member, tying up all their legal, financial and business affairs pretty much single-handedly. That in the process I would research investments and learn about money and find it fun and empowering, as well as useful for a time in the future when I'm earning enough to invest on my own behalf.

That I would complete a one-month teacher-training course consisting of 18-hour days that I honestly thought would kill me!

That I would have energy all day long, not for a brief window between 11:30am and 3pm if I'm lucky.

That I could ever, ever, EVER be A Morning Person.

That I would buy my first bikini, and start wearing skirts for the first time since I was a little kid.

That I could buy chocolates for someone else, and my mind would actually go blank trying to figure out what brands or flavours might be the best. One kind of connoisseurship I am astonished and glad to have gotten rusty in! That paying for said chocolates, I would feel completely detached, like I was buying yarn for a knitter friend, deluxe nut roast for a vegan buddy, or something else that Other People Do. That I didn't have to buy the chocolates at the last possible minute before handing them over, to stop myself from eating them instead.

That I would become more emotionally honest, and be grown up enough to deal with the consequences.

That I would really, really want to travel. I just didn't feel that same curiosity before I began to heal.

That I would find a career, even two parallel or successive careers, that I am seriously interested in pursuing.

That I would form several great new friendships this year, which have delighted, nourished and inspired me. Previously I averaged one every couple of years. I am so excited about the new people in my life and what they've brought to it.
Read More
Radiant Living
Radiant Living is geared to looking at life issues with all its quirks. This means feelings, healing old trauma and remodeling our bodies. We have Radiant Living Chats on Mondays.
Find Radiant Living here
Your Last Diet!
Your Last Diet Book Cover

I just want to lose weight. Is this the right place for me?
It is the best place in the world for you. Most important, we will help with what we call *fat terror* that pervades every part of who you are.

I am just starting the steps. Does it make sense to join now?

Yes, it does. We have found that the people who come to chats do the best with the steps. The connection in chat is awesome. You get a chance to talk with the old timers, you can ask questions and I am right there to guide you, It really is an incredible opportunity.

We are having a great time in chat. I asked people to share why they like chat. Here are some of what was said:

  • Connection with 'you', the author, the visionary - in real time
  • Yah!
  • The opportunity to ask questions and get answers right away
  • I like being 'with' other people who believe in the program
  • Support

If you are not a member yet, come and join us. If you are a current member and want to join us in the new chat room, come to the landing page. We will send you the pass words after you join.

If you would like to join us in YLD, come find us here.
Sunday morning breakfast with waffles
CRAVINGS
Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD

I have been reading a lot of posts on the issue of what to do with cravings and I thought it might help to say a little more.

Cravings come from beta-endorphin withdrawal. If you had something sweet, when it wears off, you will crave. If you have a big event that spikes beta-endorphin (a fight, a joy, a lot of sex, dancing all night, getting a job, not getting a job), when it wears off you will have cravings.

Sometimes the *wearing off* effect takes 4 days, so you do not make a connection between let down and craving.

So the key question, is what to do when you have them ?

First of all, entertain the idea that it is possible to have a craving and not *do* anything.

Now, when you are just starting out, this is hard. Not doing anything is called impulse control. If you have low serotonin, you may not have much impulse control, so you get a craving and you do something right away. One strategy is to simply work the steps and allow your biochemistry to heal and improve your impulse control. Another strategy is to start right away and learn to recognize this phenomenon and simply practice waiting. Cravings by nature are simply your brain calling. If you start to get antsy and scared, it calls more. If you do something else, you can override the call.

So, bottom line, sort out ways to reduce the BE priming - this means having your sweets with meals or always with protein. This cuts down the *hit* effect.

Use your journal to mark when to expect the whispers or yelling to come...Mark 4 days down the road when you have a BE spike. Being prepared for the edginess helps.

Do the food. When you get to step 7, cravings go away.

Kathleen

Ok this is great Kathleen. I got it till I got to the last sentence:

"Do the food. When you get to step 7, cravings go away"

Could you or someone else elaborate on this a little. I thought you said cravings are caused not only by food, but by life also. Actually you wrote that cravings are due to BE-withdrawal, so are you saying that once we're on step 7 we learn to avoid BE spikes hence no cravings? Or we manage the withdrawal better? What I'm noticing is I'm trying to avoid spiking because I'm noticing the effects it has on my body, but sometimes it's impossible to avoid spikes. I see them too late and that's when I get cravings. I'm sorry I'm a bit puzzled with what comes after step 7. It sounds like the step 7 is somehow magical and all the bad things go away and I feel disappointed because it's not the case in my life. What I do see is that I start to manage things better, I have a better control over things, I have choices, but the things I've struggled with, I still have them in my life. I just manage them better.

Anyway, I just got a little confused by the last sentence.

Thank you for this clarification .

As your brain heals, the beta-endorphin receptors don't scream so much. If *life* creates a spike, you have skills to not react in the same way. So it is a blip not a flood. The more you heal, the more you up the normal level of beta-endorphin. Let me see if I can describe this...

When you start, you have low level BE. Imagine it at a 2 out of 10. Something happens that spikes it to an 8. So when it drops, you have a 6 point gap with big screaming and big fallout craving. Over time, you heal. Now your normal BE runs at 7. Something spikes it to an 8. It drops back to a 7. The BE receptors say, "Um, did you notice that?" And you laugh with them.

Make sense?

Kathleen

Here is the Annie Lane column that brought so many of you here.


Dear Annie: I read with interest the letter from "Weird, Stupid or Selfish?" – whose husband eats all the decorative candy she puts out. His inability to resist sugar resonated with me, as I have sugar sensitivity and have engaged in exactly the same behaviors. I simply could not resist sugar.


After years of struggling and dieting and sitting in work meetings obsessing about the doughnuts instead of the topic at hand, I discovered the book "Potatoes Not Prozac," by Kathleen DesMaisons. Her theory is that people who are sugar sensitive have brains that respond differently to sugar, alcohol and refined carbs and that what they eat and when they eat it have a huge effect on them. She shows how to rebalance blood sugar levels, serotonin and beta-endorphins through small lifestyle changes and offers the latest research, free online support and seven steps to change your life. It is not about willpower; it’s about biochemistry, which her program can slowly improve, just one tiny step at a time, with amazing results.


I have been sugar-free for six years now, lost 25 pounds and never gained any of it back. I can go to dinner with family and don’t even think twice when someone orders dessert. I don’t have cravings, and sugar is no longer on my radar. I am more focused and more tolerant, and the daily mood swings are gone. The woman who wrote to you could suggest to her husband that he check out http:// radiantrecovery.com to see whether he does have sugar sensitivity. At the very least, she would be better informed about this condition. – Happy Without Sugar


Dear Happy Without Sugar: I hadn’t considered that health issues might explain

her husband’s behavior. In fact, I hadn’t even heard of sugar sensitivity.

Thanks for opening my eyes to the condition! I’d like to encourage all readers to talk to their doctors if they find themselves compulsively eating sugary snacks.

—Email questions to dearannie@creators.com


ANNIE LANE
©2018 Kathleen DesMaisons. All rights reserved. You are free to use or transmit this article to your blog 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 for additional resources on sugar sensitivity and healing addiction.

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