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Stress is a one of the world’s leading causes of illness, even death. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration (OSHA) states that stress has contributed to billions of losses in terms of productivity in the workplace, sickness, and poor work ethic.

Combat stress by starting your day with relaxation. When you start your day without the stress of the previous work day, you’ll feel better physically and mentally, ready to take on the challenges of a new day. Here are five ways to a more relaxing start to your day.

1. Prepare for tomorrow

The key to starting off your day relaxed is by preparing for it the night before. Before you go to bed lay out you clothes for the next day, make your lunch, and write a to-do list for the next day. This way, you can concentrate on starting your morning free from stress, rush, or panic. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Building an eco-friendly nursery involves more than buying a crib made from recycled wood, or making sure your baby uses only organic cotton sheets. A truly “green” nursery considers several ambient factors, such as reducing the amount of chemicals used in the paint on the walls, making sure the nursery has ample natural light and good ventilation. And that’s just for starters.

Here are a few helpful tips to creating a eco-friendly nursery that’s also budget-friendly. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Diaper bags are no longer limited to kiddie-frumpy designs and pastels. Designers and manufacturers are catering to the booming baby market and appealing to the interests of both moms and dads in terms of their functional and stylish needs. These days, more and more green and eco-friendly diaper bags are fast becoming the trend. Here are 3 of our top picks.

1. For Mom: Bags from Oi Oi

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Photo: jimcrotty.com, flickr

A recent video of Alicia Silverstone and her son, Bear Blu, has been causing a stir on the web. In the 40 second clip, Silverstone is seen feeding her son by directly transferring pre-chewed food from her mouth to her baby’s mouth, such as how birds feed their young. The video, which was posted on her blog The Kind Life last week, has spread like wild fire, becoming a catalyst for debates among moms and medical experts worldwide.

[Watch the video below] { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Photo: Samantha Decker, Flickr

Easter’s fast approaching, and there’s no better way to start celebrating this spring festival than with some Easter egg-making with the kids. These days there are safer, natural alternatives to dyeing these shell-covered pretties, which means you can bid farewell to pre-packaged dyes and artificial food coloring.

We’ve got some fun, simple to make food-based, natural egg dyes that you can make right in your own kitchen. Follow these simple steps for colorful, eco-friendly Easter eggs. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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It’s no mystery that when it comes to feeding a baby, there is no better natural food than breast milk. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office states breastfed babies are less likely to develop a disease, while breastfeeding mothers experience a better quality of life after giving birth, including decreased chances for depression, and fewer health risks such as ovarian cancer, Type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and even breast cancer.

With all these benefits, partners of breastfeeding moms should be compelled to do all they can to help a nursing mom succeed. Providing the proper support to a breastfeeding mother is essential to a parent partnership, and fathers who learn proper ways to support their partner can experience the benefit of having a healthy, happy family in the long run.

Here are some ways you, as a partner, can support breastfeeding in your family. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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“For better or for worse.”

This vow in the marriage ceremony is often misunderstood or undervalued, especially when issues such as disagreements come in. Culture has long implied that marital arguments are taboo in a marriage, and may be a sign that something in the relationship isn’t working.

However, studies in recent years claim that fighting can actually be good for your marriage, and even make it stronger. One study, for example, suggests it is beneficial for married couples to fight at least once a week. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Phot: ibu menyusui, Flickr

A breastfeeding mom they say eats for two, since she would need to consume anywhere between 300 to 500 extra calories a day aside from her recommended daily allowance. According to breastfeeding advocates, there is not a strict list of foods that a breastfeeding mom should avoid. Turns out you can actually eat what you like. However, if you notice that your child has an adverse reaction such as an allergy, colic, or even lethargy, then you should check to see which foods you’ve been eating that may be the culprit.

Colicky, gas-causing foods

Some doctors believe that babies get gassy or colicky if a mom has eaten a certain “gassy” food. Common gas-causing foods include onions, certain vegetables (cabbage, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, and peppers), shellfish, chicken, beef, citrus fruits, wheat and dairy products, among others. According to the Dr. Sears’ website, it’s recommended that you eliminate a certain food from your diet if you believe it’s contributing to your baby’s colic. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Photo: marcokalmann, flickr

Living sustainably might sound like a deep concept for some families. But it simply means using the Earth’s natural resources in a way that is ecologically responsible. From the way we source our food to how we power our homes, living a sustainable lifestyle is being able to preserve our environment while still living our lives as conveniently as possible.

According to the World Watch Institute — as with several other similar organizations — climate change is causing more and more erratic changes in the weather, and ultimately affecting the Earth’s ability to sustain our ecological resources. The good news is, we can make a gradual changes in the way our families live so that we can take better care of the Earth’s resources. Here are five steps towards leading a more sustainable life — some big, some small — which you can take together, as a family.

1. Use the car less

Yes, this means walk more. By using our cars and motorbikes less, we consume less gas, which means we preserve the Earth’s supply of fossil fuels. This might mean freeing up your schedule in the morning so that you can have time to walk or bike to work, or even take public transportation. A good idea would be to arrange for a carpool schedule in your neighborhood, so that your kids can all go to school in one vehicle instead of a car per family. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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Expressing yourself through writing has many benefits. From self-discovery to personal healing, writing can help you learn about yourself as you revisit key events and moments that impacted your life in a significant way. Journaling can be a motivating, freeing and enlightening experience, depending on how regularly you practice it. In some cases, it can even be therapeutic or healing. It can even be a tool to relieve stress.

For many people, journaling is keeping an account of every little thing happening in their day-to-day life. While this is a good thing, you can actually get more out of journaling than just merely chronicling your life. { read more }

About Martine De Luna

I'm a freelance writer, editor, blogger and former preschool teacher. Married with one kid, I'm a work-at-home mom, but most of all, a mom-in-the-works. I'm a work in progress, and I believe that living intentionally day by day will help me become the best mom for my child.

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