Archive for February, 2010

Both sides On Breastfeeding - Can It be Contaminated

When it comes to breastfeeding today, many moms are beginning to wonder if there could even be contamination in breast milk.  Not sure that this is true?  Well, it's time to take a closer look at the pros and cons of breastfeeding and whether there could be a problem with contamination. For those who are living in countries that are developed, research has shown that all humans have a toxic burden that is quite large on the body.  This comes from being exposed to many different chemicals, which occurs in rural, urban, and suburban environments.  Of course, this is definitely alarming, but it's even more alarming to realize that some of these chemicals do show up in the breast milk and they can be passed along to babies. Many women are beginning to realize that there are environmental issues that surround breastfeeding and whether or not it is truly the best choice today.  Breast milk often attracts contaminants, such as heavy metals, because of the high protein and fat that is contained in it.  Not only do babies get the proteins, sugars, and fats needed, but they also end up being fed contaminants in our own bodies, including rocket fuel, dry cleaning ...

The Best Basic Symptoms & Remedies for the Flu

During the winter months, many people deal with the flu and colds.  Wondering why it is so hard to avoid dealing with these uncomfortable illnesses?  Well, many times we actually invite the flu in.  We end up skipping our exercising, we start eating bad foods, and with the holidays, often the body gets overburdened and deals with a lot of toxic buildup.  During these months we often start feeling wet, inert, cold, and dense.  Kapha can start rising, and the body can start dealing with congestion. The body works to try to get rid of the buildup of toxins before it leads to even more problems.  So, often the flu or a cold is the way that the body works to clean itself out, although it definitely is not pleasant for you. You may think about going to the store and grabbing anti inflammatories, decongestants, cough suppressants, and other drugs, but this may not be the best option.  Ayurvedic medicine encourages helping to support the body as it cleanses itself out, although this makes us deal with symptoms that are uncomfortable.  Let's take a look at some natural ways that you can work on dealing with the flu or a cold. When you ...

Purchasing Food Locally in an Eco-Friendly Way

If you have apples in your kitchen, do you have any idea how far they had to travel before you were able to buy them at the store?  In most cases apples travel more than 1500 miles before you get a hold of them.  Now that's a lot of fuel.  Consider how much fuel is used to transport apples and other types of produce all over the country.  That's a lot of pollution that is created by the vehicles that carry these foods.  Sure, apples are good for you, but those fumes are definitely going to start causing some problems. While the environmental impact is one of the issues to deal with, you also need to think about the preservatives used to keep the apple fresh while it is traveling across the country to your local store.  There are many companies that use various preservatives that include chemicals that can be dangerous to your health. Wondering what you can do about these problems?  Well, one of the best things to do is to start purchasing your food locally.  While many small farms have been lost in the past 70-80 years, today you'll still find that there are often farmers in your local ...

Easy Ways to Renewable Energy

You have made significant changes to your lifestyle where energy consumption is concerned.  You have replaced your bulbs with compact fluorescent lights, traded bike for car and lessened energy consumption, to name a few of these changes. Well, are you ready for a bigger change?  Yes, you can step up your energy conservation and, hence, environmental protection efforts through the use of renewable energy.  You need not worry too much about going about it full blast because you can take small but sure steps towards it. Here is how. Switch to Green Main Grid Power Many of the power providers in the country also offer renewable energy alternatives to consumers.  Said alternatives often include wind and solar energy although geothermal sources are also becoming more popular depending on the area.  You will pay more for the renewable energy alternative - for example, Sacramento residents pay 5 cents per kilowatt hour more for solar power - but the benefits to the environment in general should be well worth the price. Install Active Solar Energy Systems Now, if living off the grid, partially or totally, is your target, then we suggest installing solar cells in your home for an active solar power setup.  It will cost more ...

Start off Building on the Green Foot

So much of the time, architects and builders start thinking about how to make a building green, but they do it far too late.  They start when they're just about to pour the slab, not in the planning process.  That's a huge mistake, and it could cost you a lot of money.  Or, you could end up with a building that just has a "green veneer" - a conventional building with a few improvements slapped on at the last minute. One of the biggest barriers to building green is that we don't know what we're doing, and we don't think to ask until it's almost too late.  A whole generation of builders, architects, and others needs to learn about how to build green, from the ground up.  Let's take a look at the basic steps - painted as broadly as possible. The first thing you'll need to do if you're interested in building green is making sure you get the right people together.  It can be hard to tell who's right.  Some "green building experts" have definitely been building environmentally friendly structures for a long time, but ...