Creating a birth journal is personal and meaningful. More than a photo album, a birth journal will prepare you for and document one of the most important and personal events of your life. Here is how to make your own special journal. 1. Make it personal. Choose a 3-ring binder with paper of your choice, a scrap book, photo album, or simply a notebook - whatever reflects your personality and feels comfortable to you. 2. Before your baby's birth, write your dreams and aspirations in the birth journal. Also include specific plans for the upcoming birth - when you are in labor, it is not easy to think straight and remember all those details that make up your ideal birth plan. Be specific, such as: -Where you want the birth to take place. If it is a homebirth, note rooms or areas of the house. If you are going to the hospital, note at what point during the labor you plan to go there. Some women like to go to the hospital at the first contraction; others prefer to wait until labor has progressed. -What medical interventions you do or do not want. Make sure others know this, too, so they can speak for ...

Category : Green Family - Parents | Green Living

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Depression is a difficult problem that often goes undetected in the sufferer. It can have a paralyzing effect, wrapping the depressed person in a fog of darkness that prevents him or her from thinking clearly and getting help. It seems so enormous and overwhelming that many sufferers give up without even trying to help themselves. However, writing can be very therapeutic for a depressed person, especially because it does not involve having to face people (which can be difficult). While seeking therapy, counseling, and possibly medication are important steps to take in getting help, writing definitely has a place in healing from depression. Define the Problem One of the things that can make depression so frightening is that it is hard to define. When you write, your thoughts and feelings are in black and white and can be evaluated and read by you. Problems look more manageable that way. Being able to view these issues clearly can help you get a handle on them. It can even make your problems look smaller. Record of Your Progress As you write down your thoughts, you have a record of your thoughts and feelings to look back on and see your progression. What you were struggling with five ...

Category : Green Health | Green Living

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The office can be a wasteful place. Paper, plastic water bottles, defunct office equipment, toner cartridges, pens, and so on, float around and often end up getting discarded. This kind of waste in the workplace is of growing concern. Setting up a recycling scheme at work can help. Here are some easy ways to make that happen. 1. Involve Your Boss Have a meeting with your boss and include him or her in your plans. Point out that recycling will save the company money in the long run, and make sure your boss is on board before proceeding. If you proceed without his or her knowledge, you may find your efforts thwarted. 2. Contact Your Local Waste Authority The company who collects your trash or curbside recycling is a place to start. See if they will partner up with your company to collect your office recycling. Check with local charities to see if there are any needs for old computers, copiers, printers, and other office equipment. Develop several partnerships with various companies to see that your office waste is being utilized most efficiently. 3. Conduct a Waste Audit Spend some time noting where the most waste is generated in your office or workplace. It has been shown ...

Category : Green Living | Green at Work

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Sea vegetables are not, botanically speaking, really vegetables. But they can be eaten as or with vegetables, they are green and leafy, and "sea vegetable" somehow sounds more palatable than "seaweed"! Sea vegetables are amazing foods. In Japan, they are a staple food that is fried, steamed, boiled, toasted, etc. Sea vegetables are eaten by coastal-dwelling people all over the world. Practitioners of a macrobiotic diet - a Japanese-based, vegetarian diet and overall lifestyle that has been reported to alleviate cancer - incorporate large amounts of sea vegetables into their dishes, often serving them in some form for every meal. What makes these ocean-dwelling plants so healthful? * Iodine - All types of sea vegetables contain iodine, although some contain more than others. Iodine is an essential nutrient that supports thyroid function. In fact, people who experience a sluggish thyroid often find the problem corrected when they ingest kelp tablets. Kelp is a kind of sea vegetable that is especially high in iodine. Arame is also high in iodine. * Calcium - Japanese women, who eat very few dairy products, do not suffer osteoporosis any more frequently than dairy-consuming westerners do. The secret may lie in the calcium-rich sea vegetables so common in the ...

Category : Green Food & Drink | Green Health | Green Living

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A typical garage is a good place to start working towards an eco-friendly way of life. Garages tend to get little attention compared to the rest of the house, and are sometimes treated like that closet you never go into. The idea of just putting everything in the garage is great until the garage is so full of junk that there is almost no room for the car! Making positive changes in your garage is a great way to reduce waste, get organized and recycle. You can save money on energy costs by insulating your garage door, water heater, and windows. Replace your un-insulated garage door with an insulated garage door. Change out your single pane garage windows with insulated, double-pane windows. The other option is to invest in insulating window film or curtains. If the water heater for your house is in your garage, make sure it is outfitted with an insulating blanket. These small changes will do wonders for your energy bill. Be careful and responsible when it comes to getting rid of any hazardous materials you may have lying around in your garage. Check the use by dates on chemicals, car maintenance items, cleaning solvents and pesticides. Dispose of ...

Category : Green Living | Green at Home

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