ARC Daily Connect Newsletter - Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Welcome to the ARC Daily Connect. Today, I'm thinking about the link between stress and cravings.

I noticed cravings hit me hardest when my body felt tight and tense. It wasn’t just the food calling—it was stress driving the urge.

Science
Stress activates the amygdala, which signals the body to seek quick relief. Processed food provides short-term dopamine release, tricking the brain into thinking the threat has passed. But over time, stress and cravings become linked in a powerful cycle.

ARC Skill
When you feel stress rising, take a grounding breath and place a hand on your chest. Notice if the craving begins to soften. You’re not the only one whose cravings rise with stress. Every one of us is practicing the same grounding skills. Together, we’re learning new ways to soothe without food.

Have an amazing day! SHG

Here are the podcast replay links from the last month.

This is a Google Sheet containing all podcast recordings from January 2025 until present. Please check the tabs at the bottom of the sheet for the month you are looking for. Thanks!

Gratitude

The benefits of gratitude are nearly endless. People who regularly practice gratitude by noticing and reflecting upon what they're thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have more robust immune systems. What are you grateful for today?

Specialty Pods (updated list!!!)

ARC specialty Facebook Groups include:

ARC - ARM Addiction Recovery Ministries (Christians in Recovery)
ARC Plant-based Rotation
ARC Members Food Rotation Pod (Plant & Animal Proteins)
Digging the ARC Gardening
FAR Uniquely Neurodivergent
ARC - Writing Circle

ARC specialty Messenger Pods include:

Aging Well (NEW GROUP!!!)
ARC Crafts/Painting/Puzzles/Art
ARC Financial Freedom
ARC Pets & Animals Park
ARC Teachers
Canadian
Christians in Recovery from PF
Christian FARAs
Digging the ARC Gardening
ARC Community Call for Members
Eliminate a Food or Behavior Pod
FAR CAPS (Cross Addiction Pod for multi-substance addictions)
FAR Empowerment Pod (Bariatric Recovery)
ARC Parts Work
FAR Let's Travel
FAR Rainbow Room
The Raising Kids Pod
FAR Self Compassion
Freedom From Clutter
ARC Knifty Knitters & Crochet Club
Men of the ARC
Movement/Nature/Yoga/Exercise/Wheels/Water Hosts & Co-Hosts
Neurodivergent Pod
Strength and Athletic Pod
Spanish Speaking
Textbook Talk
Yoga Pod

Is there a pod that you would like to see? Please let us know, and we will add them to the 'needs' list.

ARC Daily Schedule

Here is the ARC Chats and Calls schedule for Wednesday

12a EST Awareness Hour - Check-in chats are a place to talk about problems, wins or whatever is on your mind.

4a EST Perseverance Chat - Check-in chats are a place to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind.

6a EST Clarity and Connection Hour - This hour, the host will offer a writing prompt that will allow you to check in with yourself on how you are feeling

7a EST Intention Hour One - Checkin Chats are a place to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind.

8a EST Intention Hour Two - Checkin Chats are a place to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind.

9a EST Study Group - This is where we learn the "whys" of addiction and how to help others.

10a EST Transformation Hour - Restore Hour format

11a EST Restore Hour Joan’s Wednesday Workshop

12 noon EST Mindset Chat - If Joan is hosting, she will give updates on all the exciting things taking place in the ARC. On those days, the Checkin Chat portion of the hour is shorter than other checkins and will take place after this. The checkins are a time to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind

1p EST Demo Study Group - Come experience the ins and outs of FARA training with Joan Ifland

2p EST Study Group - This is where we learn the "whys" of addiction and how to help others.

4p EST Resilience Chat Various ARC Exercises—Checkin Chats are a place to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind. This hour may consist of check-ins, ARC exercises, or a combination of both

7p Relaxation Hour - Joan’s Wednesday Workshop

8p EST Community Call - Checkin Chats are a place to talk about problems, wins, or whatever is on your mind. This call is not on Zoom. Please see below for details.

9p EST Peaceful Hour Art in the ARC--using Art as a Recovery Tool

10p EST Peaceful Hour—Handicraft Hour—This hour is a chance to socialize and connect with brain-calming activities

link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5306176558?pwd=b0JKM1prV1NjR3IxeUpmaHB3bjFVdz09

WEEKLY ARC CHATS AND CALL SCHEDULE

Zoom room 530-617-6558 Passcode: 123456

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHAT

Links for the next Community Call at 8p EST US:

*Online - https://instantteleseminar.com/connect/

Telephone - For US members call: 425-440-5100 Access code: 329564#

- For NSW Australia call: 02-8279-8670 Access code: 329564#

- For Victoria, Australia call: 03-8373-8670 Access code: 329564#

*Instructional video on how to join the conference call via the Internet. https://vimeo.com/588868517/4de70b7c99

Have you been in the ARC for more than six months? Would you like to tell your story as a food-addicted person? A powerful tool of recovery is listening to food-addicted people share their stories. Please let us know by reaching out to Lesley Schlink or Susan Hinshaw.