SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL

So as everybody seems to be aware, we got hit with an earthquake here on the East Coast.  It certainly can't compare to the type of quakes that commonly plague the West Coast and other parts of the world, but it was still pretty startling.  Though it only lasted a mater of seconds, if you have never experienced one before, it can be pretty horrifying.

I was in my basement at the time it struck.  With earthquakes being such a rarity in Pennsylvania, at least the kind you would actually be able to feel, I had surmised four different scenarios in my head before determining it was a quake.  My first inkling was just one of unease, like the feeling you get when someone is sneaking up behind you.  Then it moved from a feeling to an actual belief that someone or something was in the house, be it an intruder or something supernatural.  (LOL, now I know how it must feel to think you've been paid a visit by something from outer space.)  Once I realized that an invader was not possible, I jumped to the next scenario.  Everything from, had my deck collapsed to did a gas leak cause an explosion somewhere close by??! When the shake, rattle, and roll continued, I soon figured out it was an earthquake.  I watched my plasma TV rock back and forth on its pedestal, my barware cling, and my heavy sectional sofa bounce around like it was apart of the seating at the IMAX theater at Universal Studios.

I have lived in Pennsylvania my entire life and can only recall one other earthquake which was so mild, that most didn't know it had occurred until they read about it in the newspaper.  So it was pretty unnerving.  Especially following my discussion yesterday about the push we are feeling.  Even if you are not someone who believes we are headed on the path of destruction, I don't know how you could be alive today and not recognize the extreme changes in our weather and atmosphere.  I am absolutely baffled when I hear people dispute the legitimacy of theories like Global Warming.  I am stultified that anyone could believe that we could continue to deforest our land, erode our ozone layer, eliminate native plants, animals, and insets, pollute our airways, pollute our waterways, multiply are population at an alarming rate with no regard for the availability of necessary resources, and practically spit in the face of God and all his creations, and not suffer any consequences!!

All I can say is that today's events reinforced the notion that we are all being pushed toward something.  I am not typically one who runs around screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling!" but I definitely believe the Earth is trying to grab our attention.  I know this.  What a shame that so many people are too busy texting on their phones and blogging ;-) to also notice!

"Someday perhaps change will occur when times are ready for it instead of always when it is too late..." -Shirley MacLaine 

LA PUSH

So I guess my last post was a bit depressing, no?  Well I always speak the truth as I see it.  And part of that means letting people know where I am no matter how hard that may be to talk about or to hear.  I do think the world is in a terrible state.  I think many of us are feeling an enormous push.  Some think it is about 2012, others believe it is connected to the bible and end times, and others don't seem to know what the rest of us are talking about?!?  Why are some so affected, while others appear unaware that anything is even going on?  I have a bit of a theory about that- at least in regard to myself and those around me who may be experiencing similar emotions.

Everything happens for a reason.  Sometimes those reasons are unclear and we are left to wonder why turmoil seems to be lurking around every corner.  I believe this "push" is a wake-up call.  Not because you are living a bad life or are deserving of trauma, but because you may not be living life to the fullest. This is about the giant billboard of the heavens screaming out to us, "are you where you want to be?"   Are you doing the kind of work that is important to you?  Are you living in a place that makes you happy?  Are you fulfilling your dreams?  Are your priorities right?  Are you surrounding yourself with the right people?  Are you doing too much?  Too Little?  Do you wake up everyday loving the life you have, or wanting it to be over?!

This isn't about how much money you earn or whether or not you are considered successful by societal standards.  This isn't about living life in the fast lane or being the envy of all your friends.  This is about your definition of a happy life; you living out the hopes and dreams you had as a child, but more importantly the ones you have as an adult.

Is there some place you want to go that you haven't been?  Is there a hobby you dream of that you haven't yet begun?  Is there a career passion you've always wanted to try that you haven't pursued?  Is there a move, a goal, or a wish that you've been talking about nearly your entire life that you have yet to fulfill?  What are you waiting for?

I understand that life presents obstacles. There are financial roadblocks.  Time roadblocks.  But when you truly want something you find a way to make it happen, and when you don't, you only stand to suffer a lifetime of regret.  If there are things standing in the way of your dreams you need to do something about it now.  Then you need to realize and recognize that your potential for reaching this goal is only shrinking as time goes on.  A life of no met goals or dreams fulfilled, is only a life that will always feel exactly as it feels today. That "push" will eventually fade and with it will be the chance or opportunity to have made some changes.

I don't exactly know what is waiting around the next corner for me, but I am doing my best to stop and take notice of what God is trying to tell me.  To pay attention to the message on the giant billboard in front of me.  I am looking at the things that need to change in my world.  There's nothing I can do about regret, other than to have fewer regrets in the future.

Right now I stand nervously awaiting a decision that affects my present and my future.  I have done all that I can to influence things in what I hope is a positive way.  The rest is up to God.  Here's to hoping the push, enables a pull in the right direction for me.  Only time will tell.

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in life has a purpose.” -
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross   

THE WORLD IS ON FIRE

Exhale......deep breath.......exhale...Yes, it has been a very long time.  I don't believe in the history of this blog, I have ever gone this long without writing a post.  It has been a very difficult time for me.  This week has been difficult, this month, and this year.  If I were to be honest, the last three years have been difficult.  I don't know how the rest of you are feeling, but I feel like the world is on fire.  The political unrest, the crime, the economy, the job market, the financial market, the environment, the quality of our food, the quality of our jobs, the quality of the goods we buy, and the quality of our lives has all become so poor.  The American dream has been downsized.  For those of you following along in other countries, I know your dreams have been slowly eroded away also.

The world is on fire, and MY world is on fire.

#1 SELF ACTUALIZATION
As many of you already know I have been searching for work after having lost a job in a creative field.  For years prior, I had worked in every industry from civil service to corporate America doing mundane tasks and collecting my living mostly from a long stint in sales.  Having always felt the creative spark of wanting to do work more suited to my passions and creativity, I finally made the very difficult leap from working in a health club to working in photography. About a year after landing what I thought was the job of my dreams, I lost it. I have since struggled financially and have struggled to find comparable work. Not wanting to give up my dream and return back to the work I have grown to despise, I continue to search for the next open door. My self-actualization has been burned.


#2 ESTEEM 
Naturally when you can't make your life work it affects how you feel about yourself.  Not being able to fulfill dreams, not being able to control weight, not being able to find work, completely erodes away confidence and costs you the respect of others.  My self-esteem has been compromised.

#3 LOVE/BELONGING 
I have had a terrible time with family.  My parents have gone a long stretch without speaking to me.  They have a bad habit of withdrawing their love when trouble arises as they are spooked by the fear that they may have to help emotionally or financially.  Lacking the skills involved to nurture, they retreat at times when most parents reach out to their children.  Coming from such a small and volatile family, my love and sense of belonging has been threatened.


#4 SAFETY
I have watched a string of robberies and home invasions break out in the neighborhoods surrounding me.  No one is protecting us as most of the reports were taken over the phone, a patrol car not even sent out to do an investigation.  Law enforcement has done their best to squash news of the incidents leaving many residents unaware, unprepared, and unguarded for the attacks that continue to occur.  I have no means right now to beef up security. My safety feels threatened.

#5 PHYSIOLOGICAL
Naturally, when you are stressed your eating patterns, sleep patterns, sex habits, bathroom habits, all get disturbed.  My physiological world has been disturbed.

For those of you recognizing a pattern here, what I have just described is Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs Theory.  When every sliver of that triangle has been disturbed for a period of say about three years now, you have a person who is both physically and emotionally on the edge!  In other words, MY WORLD IS ON FIRE!!!!

I hope I have a more positive outlook tomorrow.  Trust that I will have more positive things to share with you next time.  I just wanted to offer up some explanation on where I am right now and why my ability to post this past week has suffered.  Here's to hoping better days are ahead for all of us!!

“Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours.” -Swedish Proverb

"Food" for Thought

Here's a thought provoking article for the thin and the fluffy alike...

http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/eating-frequently.aspx

In my quest for liberation from my food consumption quirks, I came across this article and was tickled when our dear Jennifer sent the link to me to see about my take on it: eat every 3 hours? good, bad or other?

I think that it's a method that may work for some people if utilized effectively. I think that it would be most effective with people who overeat due to some nervous compulsion or as a pacifier to soothe emotional upsets. I have found this with myself actually, in the beginning of the diet that I am on. I have really been studying my responses to stressors, the foods that trigger a binge and why. Before I was eating to excess when I sat down to eat, subconsciously, that stretched, full feeling had become comfortable to me, that I had worked hard, that I DESERVED this moment of relaxation, the 'nourishment.' When I started taking away the volume, I felt panicky, like I was being deprived, although I was not technically hungry after a certain amount of food. I used the snack times as a tool, to fill in the gaps, to explore healthy snacks and start changing my mind-set, that smaller meals and less food in a sitting was not a bad thing. I used to start to train my stomach to smaller amounts and paying close attention to my hunger signals. Now after 8 weeks, I am able to start dropping the snack, if my stomach doesn't feel hungry, without feeling nervous. It has gotten me more used to looking at much smaller portions on my plate, and really thinking about what is going onto it.

I think that well balanced main meals should be the staple of your day, and properly planned with proteins to carbohydrates gives you the staying power to last through to the next meal. The chemistry of what you put on your plate is what will keep your blood sugars even over the course of the day. So 5-6 small meals I don't think are necessary. (I cannot speak for the population dealing with Diabetes except in the area that diet makes the difference for most in the quantity of medication that is needed.) I am insulin resistant, and food choices are everything because my body reacts so strongly to what I eat. "A moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips" or gut, in my case.

For me the 3 small meals and 3 small snacks have been a tool to help me begin to combat the slightly obsessive-compulsive reasons why I am prone to over-indulge; its a little more complicated for me than that, but that is primarily the root. It may not be the same for everyone. I would be interested to see what others' take is on this and their experiences.

On another related note to the urges we have, with Nature vs Nurture: I think that the "nurture" is stronger than the nature. The body only needs a certain quantity of food based on its caloric output, but humans use food to satisfy basic needs that are not nutrition related. While its true that you find fat animals in nature, their fat is there for survival purposes only- for insulation, for endurance during long periods where food will be scarce, and so forth, but you never find an animal who has fat without purpose---unless they've been domesticated by humans.

"Food" for thought? I think so! Let's hear what you think!

TREE HUGGER

List of Woody Plants/Trees For Good Biological Support:


1.) Oak
2.) Willow
3.) Cherry, Plum
4.) Birch
5.) Poplar, Cottonwood
6.) Crabappple
7.) Blueberry/Cranberry
8.) Maple, Box Elder
9.) Elm
10.) Pine
11.) Hickory
12.) Hawthorn
13.) Alder
14.) Spruce
15.) Ash
16.) Basswood, Linden
17.) Filbert, Hazelnut
18.) Walnut, Butternut
19.) Beech
20.) Chestnut

Obviously I mean the native varieties.  We talked about the affect alien species has on trees such as this.  I never even got to how lumbering has killed off our hardwoods.  Go ahead and plant a tree!  You need one for your hammock anyway!  Do a double good and make it a tree from this list ;-)

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools."  -John Muir 

THE RECONCILIATION ECOLOGY PLAN

I live in one of those neighborhoods that is peppered with streets named "Red Oak Lane," "Beech Street," and "Elm Avenue."  Years ago these streets were littered with rows of trees, but today they are lined with ornamental plantings that bare little resemblance to their namesake.  Though off topic, I wanted to share with you something near and dear to my heart.  Close friends and family would verify my status as a tree hugger.  In fact, the nickname bestowed upon me from my father-in-law is PETA.  I have a deep respect for wildlife and the environment, and have been known to make friends with creatures most individuals would consider a third stage, red alert, threat to their home-front. So why the difference in thinking?  Why do some embrace nature with open arms, while others make it their mission to rid the planet of all forms of original habitat?  Is it that we are born as individuals, some with an innate love of nature, and others with a fear?

I personally believe the answer lies in understanding nature and our planet, or in most cases, the lack of understanding.  If we would invest as much energy into learning about nature, as we do trying to control it, perhaps we wouldn't feel compelled to squash it as soon as it inconvenienced us.  But of course we would first need to ditch the idea that the Earth and all of its creatures were created to serve humans.  Because I believe most would do better, if they knew better, I wanted to share some information with you.

We have more than 300 million people living in this country and no mention of a need for population control or any national recognition of the limits of the land's ability to support that many people.  We have not left enough habitat for most species to avoid extinction.  It is interesting that our attention has been drawn to the the loss of tropical forests with no mention of the devastated forests here in the U.S.  Fifteen percent of the Amazonian basin has been logged, but seventy-five percent of forests on the United States eastern sea board are gone!  In my home state of Pennsylvania, less than one percent of the land is wild.  We have paved at least four million linear miles of public road.  Add parking lots, driveways, and other paved surfaces, and you have more than 43,480 square miles of blacktop.  Compound to this our love affair with lawns and less than three percent of the land remains undisturbed for plants and animals.  We have taken ninety-seven percent of the land in the forty-eight continuous states and modified it for our own use.

Why am I telling you these depressing facts?!?  Because if we don't do something now we will have lost ninety-five percent of the species that greeted the Pilgrims.  This is not speculation, this is fact.  Unless we modify the places where we live, work, and play to meet the needs of other species, we will be the only species remaining.  If you don't understand how the extinction of every other species ensures the extinction of us as a species, well, I won't waste anymore time trying to inform you.

There is something small and easy, not nearly as vast as you would expect, that we all can do to help the situation.  We can design our living spaces, our backyard, to accommodate the basic ecological needs of other species.  With the placing of my hammock, and the mission of landscaping my property in an eco-friendly way, I began researching plantings for my yard.  In the process I discovered an amazing book, one which is helping me quote the statistics above, and opened my mind even wider to the contribution I can make to bio-diversity with my simple quarter-acre.  The predictions of mass extinction are based off assumptions that man will continue to fight co-existence with other plants and animals.  Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded by Douglas W. Tallamy, tells of an approach that may just save our planet.

We have excluded other species from our living space through thoughtlessness, not need.  This book speaks of ways we can reintegrate native plants, insects, and wildlife back into our yards.  We have come to expect perfection in our yards.  The plastic quality of artificial flowers and the pristine manicured lawn of a golf course is now the norm.  What it really is, is a garden so contrived that it is no longer a living community.  It is so unbalanced that any life form other than the desired is viewed as an enemy and quickly eliminated.  We have shopped the nursery looking for plants and trees marked pest free, that only grow so wide and so high, that promise quick growth, that do not produce messy pods, seeds, leaves, fruit, or any other sign that the tree is real and not artificial.  This is all so we can keep our yards, gardens, driveways, and gutters free of any mess.  I have neighbors who discuss this natural debris like it's toxic waste, meanwhile they don't think twice about whipping out a can, a bottle, or a drum of harmful pesticide and weed killer.

I hear them complain about the occasional insect outbreak appearing completely unaware that they most likely caused it!  You can not chop down native trees because they cause a nut or leaf to land in your yard, and replace them with a sea of Japanese ornamental trees and plants, and then be stupefied as to why you have so many stink bugs!?!?  You built them a home second only to Japan itself!

In a balanced community, no one member dominates another, at least not for long.  This is why not all of the leaves in native forests are eaten by insects. Todays gardener is so concerned about the health of their plantings that they run for the spray can at the first sight of an insect.  My husband just sprayed a bunch of bees at the insistence of a visitor who saw them looming around the front yard.  Moments later he thought, why did I just do that!?  They weren't bothering anyone.  Turns out, they were a strain of bees that rarely sting or attack anybody.  Gee, I can't imagine why our bees are going extinct if two self-proclaimed environmentalists were so quick to grab the Raid can! :-(

A sterile garden is one teetering on the brink of destruction.  It is completely dependent on the efforts of the gardener as all other checks and balances have been removed.  This is why you see a drought reek such havoc on our landscape.  All we have managed to do is create a high-impact enterprise, that requires more time and money than we have to spend.  We'd do better to employ nature for such purposes.  What if we invited more toads and bats into our yard to eat the insects we'd like to control?  When I mention this the neighbors look at me like I'm the crazy one.  Meanwhile they continue to use weed killer that is linked to birth defects!?

What's the difference between alien and native plantings?  The butterfly bush is a popular example.  It provides nectar for adult butterflies, but because it is an alien planting, not one species of butterfly in North America can use it to host larvae.  They can not reproduce on it.  To ensure survival we need to replace it with native host plants like Milkweed to ensure we will have butterflies in the future. This makes more sense than hoping butterflies will eventually adjust to the new nectar source.

We also feel the need to mow all areas of land, even roadsides.  We need to convince the civic association to stop mowing roadside that support Milkweed populations during the summer.  A single cutting in October is enough to maintain safe roadside visibility while protecting habitat and it would save the township money during this recession!  Did you know mowing for one hour produces as much pollution as driving 650 miles?  We burn 800 million gallons of gas each each year in our dirty lawnmower engines and spend 45 billion each year on lawn care.

Evolutionary biologists believe humans plant lawns without visual obstructions because we want to be able to see what danger may be lurking.  The desire to spot trouble early lingers in the human psyche.  Maybe if we understand this we could fix it, as the chances that one or two more oak trees in your yard will not enable a lion attack.  Converting lawn to trees or garden would have a three-fold affect: creating food and habitat for wildlife, absorbing carbon dioxide and reducing emissions, and saving us money.

Don't get me started on what we lose because we remove leaves that are free mulch, fertilizer, and weed control.  Some simple changes to your landscape habits could help us sustain wildlife and diversity for the rest of our years.  Be a rebel in your neighborhood like me, put up a bat house, and a corn feeding station for the chipmunks and squirrels.  Most importantly, educate yourself on the things living in and around your community.  I have heard such a fountain of misinformation spew from the mouths of those who share the homes close by.  Everything from, I am going to get rabies from a squirrel, to I am going to be killed by bats.  The facts, there has never been one recorded case of a human being contracting rabies from a squirrel in the history of the United States.  They simply are not carriers.  And as for the bats, they are far more interested in eating flying insects than me!  Some of the arguments people make against nature are just plain ignorant and ridiculous!  All while ignoring the fact that the most destructive species on the planet is man; the only species that destroys his own habitat!

Please consider the pleas I have made today.  Even if you are the only one on your block converting alien plants into native plants and inviting wildlife to seek refuse in the safety of your borders, the affect is cumulative and probably synergistic.  Check out the book I mentioned above.  It is a real eye opener and a great guide to planting eco-friendly dwellings.  Tomorrow I will share with you a list of the most helpful trees to the environment.

-PETA signing out!

"Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them."  ~Bill Vaughn

SURGICAL SOLUTIONS

For those of you who are considering surgical intervention for weight-loss, I would like to share a very helpful website that provides information on procedures.  WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY HELP

If any of my readers has a success or failure story about one of these procedures, please share!  I'd love to hear comments on how it is going for you.

For anyone on the fence about surgery, I hope this website helps and I'd like to hear from you too!  Let me know how the decision process is going and what has led you to consider surgery.

BAD MEDICINE AND THE BARIATRIC BLUES

I'm sure many of you are wondering how my former partner in crime is doing. For those of you who were late joining this blog, it originally had two authors. The other Tilly in Tillies was my friend Tera; a married, thirty-year old, mother of two, who lives and works in Texas.

We were fed up with our weight and wanted a way to communicate, articulate, and share our struggles.  A blog seemed the perfect solution.  We could post photos, share our emotions of the day, exchange recipes, and monitor success and failure, all without having to commit to scheduled times for phone calls.  It seemed a simple scenario.  She could share one day, and me the next.  We might just develop an audience who could learn from, and identify with, at least one of the pair of us.  But when Tera's world caught fire, keeping up with the health and fitness mission, and the blog based off it, became too much.

I was hoping Tera would continue to mind her health.  Sadly, she continued to gain weight.  Having reached a pinnacle of frustration, she sought help from the medical community.  She was referred to a Bariatric surgeon who wasted no time selling her on surgery.  When she mentioned this in an email, I was flabbergasted.  How could a perfectly healthy, thirty year-old woman, who was much younger and weighed a lot less than me, be an ideal candidate for surgery?!?  Has the world gone mad??!

I wasted no time in forcing my overbearing opinion down her throat.  I had some questions about this diagnosis.  Did anyone recommend a diet and some exercise first??  How about a change in lifestyle??  Were the words: habit, behavior, therapy, or medication mentioned??  I was furious. Not at her, at the medical community!

I had a sour experience that fueled this reaction and my passion to take matters into my own hands.  Before starting the blog and being diagnosed with an insulin condition, I had sought the help of a bariatric specialist.  This seemed like a great idea after it was recommended by one of the TV doctor shows.  Go to someone who specializes in obesity so they can evaluate your health, check for causes, help you manage any existing conditions, and design for you a health and fitness plan to get you on track to a healthier weight.  Should your issues be extreme, they can also administer medication or perform surgery. Perfect!

But when I began to seek help, I was denied everything that preceded the word surgery on that list.  First I called my health insurance to see what visits and treatments would be covered.  Counseling, nutritional advice, medications, working with a dietitian or personal trainer- none of that was covered.  The only way I could get help with my diet was if I was diagnosed with a debilitating condition like Diabetes.  I told the insurance rep, "I don't want Diabetes, that's why I'm asking for help!"  They wouldn't pay for any preventative measures, but they would pay for bariatric surgery.  I would think a few meetings with a bariatric counsellor or a dietitian would cost less than a surgery.  It didn't matter.  They weren't interested in helping me.

I decided to skip insurance and go right to the source.  Turns out, no one seemed interested in helping me with any of these measures.  I was being sold on the benefits of surgery over the phone, and these doctors hadn't even met with me yet.  I could be capable of battling this without an invasive procedure, but I wasn't even presented that as an option.  Nor did anyone seem concerned about discussing the risks involved in surgery.  The attitude was, "people call us when they want to have their stomachs stapled, when that becomes you, feel free to call back!"  This wasn't going anything like what Dr.Oz said.

So I decided I was going to give Tera the medical advice I had hoped would be dispensed to me on one of those phone calls.  I said...


"Tera, you are a healthy, intelligent, young woman who is perfectly capable of losing weight through diet and exercise.  This problem does not require a surgeon or a hospital stay.  What it requires is some discipline and lifestyle changes.   I suggest you start exercising thirty minutes a day, packing your lunch, getting eight hours sleep, and finding a way to reduce your stress.  You may need to find a different job, hire a baby sitter, or get a divorce, but I suggest you start making the necessary life changes to bring your health back around.  If you don't, I guarantee this will be the first in a line of many surgeries you will need to correct your failing health.  When you don't address the underlying issues, new problems continue to surface!"


Tera brooded for a day or two, then emailed me to say, "I knew you'd give it to me straight!"

I am not against Bariatric surgery.  So save the hate mail.  What I am against, is it being dispensed as the first or second solution for anybody with a weight problem.  I remember when this surgery first hit the scene you had to be a certain size, and in a certain condition, to qualify for it.  Things had to be life threatening.  It didn't take long for that to change.  If you are one of those people at rope's end who is facing a life or death situation, HAVE THE SURGERY!!  CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!  DON'T WALK, RUN!!  But if you are someone who can still move around, exercise, make it to the gym...don't sell yourself short!  There is something to be said for taking responsibility for a situation, for behavior modification, for ownership, for making the necessary changes to ensure that all facets of your health are being cared for by you!

Bariatric surgery.  Yes, some have great results!  But others get infections, remain overweight, have bowel troubles, or continue to overeat and throw up because they never changed their behavior.  Why would you want to put yourself through that if you can do this without it!

I am happy to report that Tera has momentarily shelved the idea to have surgery.  She has decided instead to follow the diet they prescribe following surgery.  She has lost 20 pounds!  I am so proud of her!  I will support her no matter what she decides in the end.  Maybe it is me who is the fool to battle through this problem in a slow and difficult way.  But for now I carry on.  I hope others will do the same.

"Your only limits are self imposed."

SOME HEALTHIER SOLUTIONS

I know it has been awhile since I've given you some updates on my progress. I will be sure to get to that later this week.  I wanted to follow up my DEATH BY DOUGHNUTS post, because, what good is a problem without a solution?  While what I propose may not be as convenient as throwing a clear box of ready-made doughnuts in your cart, I promise the extra effort is worth it.

I am always on the hunt for natural products.  I routinely check the shelves of all grocery stores to see what I can dig up.  Finding natural-made products requires a bit of sleuthing on my part, because they are generally produced by small, independent companies.  Because these companies don't have the buying power than the big corporations do, their products are often placed with the lowest priority on grocery store shelves.  I could tell you stories about hunting down natural breakfast cereals that were conveniently placed way out of view of the popular Post and Kelloggs brands, as in, found in the baking isle, but that's a whole other blog post to look forward to in the future.  For now, I will simply say you need to keep your eyes, peeled!

I found this brownie mix, No Pudge, produced by Reily Foods out of New Orleans.  It contains the following ingredients: Pure cane sugar, unbleached wheat flour, dutch coca, dark coffee, egg whites, cornstarch, wheat gluten, salt, and baking soda. Hey!  I didn't lose my place typing that list!  Quite a big difference from the laundry list of additives in the grocery store baked doughnuts!  It calls for the addition of one container of plain or vanilla yogurt. 120 calories per serving.  Even if you increase that to a double serving- not bad!

I also found a product by Nestle, a lemon bread kit, with a bigger ingredient list.  I was still pleased to see that it was a long way off from what was appearing in the store-bought snack cakes.  At least it contains all-natural flavorings, no artificial colors, no hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup, and no preservatives. Not perfect, but a much healthier choice than the death doughnuts!  I was happy to see this one coming from a bigger company.  One serving has 230 calories.

I came across this soft pretzel baking kit from Auntie Anne's.  I was a bit puzzled when I read the ingredient list, because I could swear it is healthier than the nutrition facts I recall looking up on the pretzels served through their retail chain.  The kit comes with dough mix/yeast/baking soda and cinnamon sugar for making ten plain or cinnamon pretzels.  All you need is butter, which is optional.

The DR. OETKER organic baking products are a great choice for muffins, cakes, and other dessert mixes.  My box of Lemon Poppy Seed muffin mix contains only seven ingredients.  Big difference from fifty-three!

Most of these creations take ten minutes or less outside of baking time.  If you can't wait forty minutes to have a wholesome dessert, you probably don't really need one.  Still, for those who can't find the time or patience to bake we have one more alternative.

In the freezer section a very small selection of natural made desserts can usually be found.  The easiest among these is ice cream, with Haagen Daz being my favorite for taste.  They boast of five ingredients or less and their ice cream has a much creamier, less icier texture, than say Breyers.  A little pricier and a bit more fattening, but definitely good quality.  Remember less is more, so just help yourself to a smaller serving of a higher quality dessert.

My favorite pre-made frozen desserts are found at Target.  The Archer Farms brand has a dizzying array of natural foods from frozen creme brulee to trail mix.  BUT, be sure to read all labels before popping an item in your cart.  While I've been able to find a great selection of minimally processed goods from this brand, not all of their offerings are natural.  Pick and choose accordingly.

Of course the best alternative is still baking your own creation from scratch, but few of us have the time to devote to that these days.  I absolutely love homemade cooking and baking.  But on days when that is not an option, I've found the above products to be good alternatives.

“I really don't think I need buns of steel.  I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon.”  -Ellen DeGeneres