Birth Plan Basics

Jun9

A birth plan  provides thorough communication encouraging all parties involved to assist you in getting the birth you want (or as close to it as you can).

As a pregnant mother you have expectations on how you would like your birth to go but sometimes feel leery to express your wishes for this labor and delivery to your medical professional. Remember your doctor works for you and your birth is just that – your birth. You can decide and design your perfect birth scenario.

You can ask any question that you want, You can birth in a manner that makes you feel amazing and empowered (unless of course there is a medically valid reason why you can’t)

Having an option and direction gives you piece of mind that your wishes will be honored and your baby will be birthed in the manner of your choosing. A birth plan ensures just that!

Giving birth is a natural process but things can come up, so creating your birth plan supports your first decisions as a mother and your needs during labor and delivery.

doulaacvtion2Helping you achieve your goals for an ideal birthing experience your detailed birth plan will cover:

• Where you will deliver – birth center, hospital, or at home
• Who will attend: Doctor or Midwife?
• What type of meds – Prescribed pharmaceuticals or Herbal Remedies?
• How you will manage pain – Relaxation techniques, Environment/Ambiance or Epidural
• Do you need surgical intervention – Caesarean or Episiotomy?
• Are you – low or high risk?
• Who will support you – Doula, Dad, Significant Other, Family or Friends?
• Is my birth location baby friendly – building infant mother bond, immediate skin to skin contact and breastfeeding, do they allow question following the birth in regards to the baby initial examination?
• What I will need for my Recovery – support dealing with regular post partum delivery issues, post partum delivery issues with interventions.
• What if something goes wrong -Sometimes babies are sick, disabled or even sadder, can die. Having a support team in place is imperative. Knowing your rights to your child in health, sickness and in death are imperative as is the right to grieve and say goodbye.

Having a birth plan ensures that your ideal birth wishes are honored and respected. Sitting down and having a heart to heart talk with your spouse, significant other, family, friends and loved ones and express what is most important to you and how their positive support, encouragement and caring communication throughout your pregnancy can effectively achieve an amazing labor and birthing experience.
By Maritday Rodriguez, Doula, CB HC, LME,

doulaacvtion1I was quoted HERE on What nurses need to know about birth plans

I used these references to write this article:
Book Reference
• Creating Your Birth Plan The defining guide to a safe and empowering birth
Written by Marsden Wagner, M.D., M.S.
Internet References
• http://www.pennysimkin.com/articles/The_WinWin_Birth_Plan.pdf
• http://nursingbirth.com/2009/07/22/writing-your-birth-plan-tips-from-an-ld-nurse-part-1/
• http://blissedoutbaby.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-naturally-minded-birth-plan-2012.html

Being able to Understand & Cope With Feelings

Mar2

Good morning world!  Today is a brand new chance to make a difference!

zen-chasing-worldWhat is something that we all have, often don’t acknowledge and probably don’t fully understand?

The answer is feelings(I bet the giant hint above helped you with this answer!)

Almost all of us know when we have been cut, burned or scratched.  Physical feelings are pretty easy for all of us to ascertain.  It is emotional feelings that seem to baffle us the most.  We need to communicate our feelings and the fact that we don’t understand them makes it pretty difficult.  This leads to many of our communication problems; how can we eloquently communicate something we just don’t get?

Feelings are something that you are aware of through the mind or through the senses that is not connected with sight, hearing, taste, or smell.  

Sometimes we try to stop feeling when it is uncomfortable.  This can make us really tired and further confused.  Feelings need to be acknowledged, sometimes spoken and released.The Feeling Wheel (above) sits in black and white on my bookcase. It is folded and tattered from lots of sharing, reading, transporting and love.  It helps us identify the layers of underlying feelings.  I was glad to find a prettier version of it on the internet.  I know it is from a book, but mine was just a copy with holes for a binder.  If anyone reading this knows of its origin, I would love to know!  This wheel is used by a lot of counselors because understanding our feelings leads to an even greater emotional health.

 Once we understand a feeling, we can get to the next step to either create and enjoy the feeling, communicate it better, change the value that influenced it or to move on and change the situation to eliminate the cause of the bad feelings. This wheel is similar to a color wheel!  It shows the opposite feeling opposite ends of the wheel.  For example gratitude is a peaceful feeling and peaceful feelings are the opposite of scared.   This wheel is a great tool to use to get in touch with your true emotions!

Today, I am feeling thankful, cheerful, and intelligent and truthfully a teeny bit scared that I am not going to get all my work done!  I am also feeling loved and loving which gives me mostly peaceful emotions.  Maybe if I get all my work done I will feel powerful too!

 

Mindfulness through Prayer, Thoughtfulness, Meditation

Feb17

There are a lot of people who live day to day and without a real purpose.

ripple mother teresaAre you one of those people? Ask yourself and answer honestly. No judgment.

We just do what we are supposed to do and want for more.

Many people just don’t see that there is something deeper and more meaningful to life.  We try to be the prettiest we can be, with a good body, nice hairstyle, the biggest television, a grand home and fancy cars.  We are always wanting more.  Instead of looking at the exterior things, we would be wise to look inside ourselves. 

“The accouterments of life were so rich and varied, so elaborated, that almost no place at all was left for life itself. Each and every accessory was so costly and beautiful that it had an existence above and beyond the purpose it was meant to serve – confusing the observer and absorbing attention.”
― Thomas Mann

Prayer and meditation not only bring you closer to God, they provide health benefits.  In tests, people who prayed (meditated) for a minimum of two weeks not only showed reduced stress but they also had a stronger immune system, better sleep, a better heart rate and lower blood pressure.   In addition to this, the test subjects also had better mental capacity with an improved memory and better test performance.

When you add spiritual actions like forgiveness and gratitude, your mind becomes clearer and more open to growth and prayer.

tableau-deco-tableau-zen-19Meditation is not exclusively an Eastern spiritual tradition, like some people think.  Going back to the earliest of times, it is a Christian and Jewish tradition as well.  Meditation has something to offer all beliefs.  Instead of chanting Hindu mantras, you simply pray as you would in church, just not as a community, as a simple communication between you and God.

There are many scientific studies that show that beyond the physical and spiritual benefits of praying, there are measurable results as well.  In the tests, a group of people prayed for things like fungus not to grow.  The results showed that the fungus actually did have growth that was retarded.  There have even been tests where they measured the results of prayer on healing that showed positive results.  There have also been studies that show just the opposite.  The studies themselves are not perfect, in that they can’t cover everything.   They may be able to measure number of participants and results.  They can not measure intent, expectation or divine intervention.

Prayer needs to be an act of faith, without expectation of results.

There is a lot of power when people come together to pray.  Praying with others offers further support and a deeper sense of community.  Whether you are praying together in a church, synagogue or mosque, it is beautiful; they pray loudly, they sing loudly and they do the cute little hand gestures while they sing with their whole heart and soul.  If you ever wonder about the power of group prayer this is where you can feel it without doubt.

Join the Party – It Works!

Jan27

itworks3
There is no substitute for clean eating and exercise…but there are amazing compliments to this! The It Works supplements are cutting edge, superfood based, Non-GMO, detoxifying compliments to clean eating that can propel results. And, most people give up on their efforts to “get healthy” during the first month due impatience and lack of gratifying results.

That’s where the wraps come in- giving extra satisfaction AND motivation by tightening, toning and firming in as little as 45 minutes.

Fitness professionals on our team are calling this the magic combination because we offer solutions from inside-out and from the outside-in!
Our wraps can do what only surgery could before…. Don’t waste another moment! You know you want to try it those CRAZY Wrap Things! LET”S CONNECT TODAY – Email me!

itworksLC-it-pays-to-be-loyal2

It Works loyal customer is someone that wants to buy It Works products that doesn’t want to make money as an It Works distributor, but wants to save up to 50% OFF on every order, forever!

If you sign-up to be an It Works loyal customer and fulfill your 3 month product purchase commitment, you are a loyal customer for life.

There is a 3 month commitment because it we want you to get the MAX benefits and for you to see and experience the greatest results with It Works products.

You can choose whatever product or package you want shipped to you on auto-ship for 3 months. You can change it each month or leave it the same for all 3, it’s easy to edit your auto-ship and it’s up to you on what you want to order.

Click the pics or the links or just visit https://amaritday.myitworks.com – Any questions please email at itworks@amaritday.com

Til next week

Ama’ritday

Bringing Home & Health Together: Sacred

Jan20

According to Zelnik Panero, author of Environmental Psychology, “Most applications of human engineering have, in fact, been in the industrial and military sectors.  Unfortunately, the more mundane applications, such as those found in the design of the interior spaces within our homes, offices, health facilities, schools, etc., have been relatively ignored.  This is particularly ironic since much of the underlying philosophy of human engineering is based on the premise that everything is designed for people.  Where else can the concept of “designing from the man, out” make more sense than in the field of architecture and interior design?”

Frank Lloyd Wright knew that the way to a perfect interior design was to bring the outside in.  I think maybe with our bodies it is just the opposite; we should bring the inside out.  God made the water, trees, sky, and hills all the beauty that surrounds us.  God made us fully from our souls to our bodies and if we treat that well and bring it out into the world; we are fulfilling our ultimate purpose.

By designing for the physical, psychological and spiritual needs; increased health, productivity, happiness and general quality of life will be the end result.   When designing a home or lifestyle such as this, maintenance, sustainability, comfort and simplicity are the keys.  Spirituality, intellectual growth, fitness and socialization are keys to our health and because they are so important, should be built into our environment.

How do we build these things into our environment?  There are a few simple things we can do with little cost or extravagant expense depending on how we want to do it.

Sacred space – Someplace to retreat to for prayer and reflection.  This can be a corner with a comfortable chair that is quiet and out of the way or a room with a water feature for acoustical privacy, specialized lighting and a comfortable place to sit.  A dream space would be an interior spot that brings the exterior in through fenestration and it would include water, soothing colors and a soft place to sit.

Fitness space – We should not have to go to a gym to exercise our bodies.  We can create a full out gym with all the bells and whistles or again, all we need is enough room to move our bodies.   A dream fitness space would be similar to the sacred space listed above, only with smooth interiors lots of water for drinking and some favorite equipment.

Socialization – A real living room with no television so families are forced to interact and play together.  An ideal spot, for a family with small children, would be an area to sit down and work together on projects or schoolwork or play games.  This area should be in the middle of the house where everyone walks through to do almost anything.

In a perfect world, every home would have an entire library that encourages intellectual growth.  Beautiful books to choose from anytime you have an interest in something special, Internet access to Google anything you wonder about and a huge table and bench to spread it all out on and study.   This again could cost a fortune but could be accumulated slowly or it could be a small space with a little bookcase, table and chairs and a library card.

The kitchen is another blog entirely! Regardless of whether you cook warm meals at home or prepare raw masterpieces there are a billion ways to make a kitchen a place for joyful, healthful tasks and interaction!

May you have an amazing week filled with Light Love and Bright Blessings!

Ama’ritday

 

 

Understanding Forgiveness

Jan13

We talked about life’s balance and how health is much more than just nutrition and exercise.  For true health and a balanced life we need to take care of our other needs one is our connection to others.  Whether you consider forgiveness spiritual, relationship or self-esteem it is an important part of emotional health and thereby physical as well.

rumi lady heartThe following is borrowed from a man who has been sending out love to everyone for a long time.  His blog is called “The Daily Love” and his name is MastenKipp.

“The joy that comes from realizing that suffering in our lives comes from the meaning we have given it is unlimited.”

I am not saying that painful things in your past didn’t happen, but what I am saying is that they no longer have to be as painful. It’s not as easy as changing your mind once or twice. It takes work, and reps, like in the gym. Though if you try and try enough over time, new life and new meaning can emerge.

One of the best ways I know how to do this is to take ourselves out of our own story and step into the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of the person who hurt us. Not so we can make right what they did, but so we can begin to understand the painful event from their point of view.

As I have guided clients through this process, the outcomes have been amazing. Forgiveness shows up on a whole new level of themselves and other as well as from VERY traumatic events.

The point of forgiveness is not to make right what happened, but to bring a new sense of empathy and compassion to all involved – this includes you.

The best way to get back at people who have hurt us is to forgive them, because that is how we break the bond over the painful event. From there, when we step into their shoes and consider how they must have been thinking and feeling, we begin to understand that their actions were not truly against us, but a request for Love or Significance in a very messed up way; that was the best way that they knew how to at that time.

From a SOUL perspective, we can claim ownership over the meaning we give that event, and no longer make it about how it hurt us, but about how they were hurt and our job is now to step into more Love and compassion and empathy, for them and for us. This takes us deeper and helps to bring clarity, resolution and forgiveness.

The words I am writing in this blog are easy to say and harder to do. It’s not as easy as reading The Daily Love and being done with it. My hope is that this blog can be a beginning point for you to start the journey of forgiveness, of empathy and of compassion, so that one day soon you will be set free of the chains that bind you from the past.

When we see things from the point of view of others, we realize that what they are doing as not against us but as an action to make up for the love they didn’t get. It’s that simple. In this realization, we can transcend the hurt and the pain because we realize it was never about us in the first place, and so the victim story can be replaced with the story of the hero who overcame the darkness in another with Love.”

I love what Mastin says here.  I believe that there is unbelievable healing in forgiveness.  Forgiving someone can take years of burden off your shoulders not to mention your soul.  It restores relationships, enables new beginnings and allows us to move on to better things.

a915a2174ccef8afc65e23c83ddcb810How can you start practicing forgiveness right now? I’d love to hear you share with me in the comments below.

Sacred Healthful Holiday

Nov19

FREE – Healthy Holidays

healthy holiday
Transform Your Holidays!

Monday November 25, 2013 marks the start of our FREE Holiday Event!

Come join Me and lets transform our holiday season together and start the New Year out right!

Do you want to join us?

It is FREE and we are all participants.

We can all do it our own way. All you have to do is set goals and be accountable for your actions and progress at least once a week.

Goals should include:

  • Nutrition (adding in at least one healthy food per week)
  • Exercise (a minimum of 30 minutes 6 days a week)
  • Gratitude (take the time to be grateful for at least 3 things in your life daily)
  • Giving (challenge yourself to give without expectation of reciprocation once daily)

Nutrition
Don’t be hard on yourself this holiday season. Our goal is to simply add in one healthy whole food each week. Enjoy your holiday traditions and don’t eat beyond what feels good to you.

Exercise
Resolve to get at least 30 minutes of good healthy exercise in each day (with one day of rest). You will feel better through the holidays. Exercise is good for depression, weight maintenance and your general health.

Gratitude
List 3 things that you are grateful for each day. By focusing on gratitude, we see our lives from a different perspective. Instead of seeing what is going wrong, we see the more important picture of what is right in our lives.

Giving
You don’t have to brag about your giving, but if someone gives and it turns out to be really special, share it with us. You may also want to include it as a part of your goal. In prior years, my goal was to give without cost; it does not have to be an expensive gift, just thoughtful and meaningful.

Do you know anyone who is struggling through the holidays? Invite them along!

This weekend I will work on my own goals and post them here.

Please click here for our “Facebook Group” that you can be invited to if you would like to be involved!

Comment at the bottom of this post or contact me privately using the form below to join in, this will be fun!

Share this with your friends!

courtesy of THCG

Gluten Free Holiday Taste!

Nov12

Trying something new isn’t always easy but trying a new recipe will be
fun and educational with this fabulous free holiday guide.
WOW your friends and family over the holiday season with some
new healthy recipes that will save you time money and make you look
like you worked really hard all day in the kitchen 😉

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have in regards
to beauty, health, wellness, spirituality, and nutrition!

REMEMBER

HOLISTICALLY AESTHETICALLY SACRED

Ama’ritday *HAS* a Remedy

Stone Church

Sep16
Image

Stone Church

When times get tough… This is the place I come to when I need a lift 🙂 Some of the roughest days Jesus would sit and hold my head while I cried… Today feels like that, I will cry it out and let go….. So I can move into new space free of negative clutter… I let go, I let go, I let go!

OMG!!!! Natural Homemade AMAZING makeup powder from my Kitchen! I can’tbelieve it!

Apr19
Hola Everybody! Wishing you a Fabulous Friday!
I am so excited to write this post and share this hot tip with you! You aren’t going to believe this! 2 weeks back I came across this post on FaceBook from Homestead Survival. They shared a recipe from another website Great Oak Circle for a translucent makeup… Well let me tell you, I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand! I didn’t have to buy anything and what I found next was just the most amazing thing.. Easy to make, I had an empty Colorscience refillable mineral powder brush and just filled with my own homemade powder…
The deal breaker was when I applied it, flawless natural coverage equivalent to any translucent powder by any of the leaders in mineral natural makeup industry like Jane Iredale, Colorscience or even Bare Minerals only thing missing was a sunscreen which if you add some Zinc Oxide and micronized Titanium Dioxide that should do it….
Here is what I did:
Using the directions provided in the above mentioned post
equal part corn starch (cupboard)
equal part cocoa powder(cupboard)
equal part french green clay( I am an aesthetician by trade and happened to have some on hand purchased in bulk from Jean’s Greens.In the picture you see the Products I used and 2 different amounts of the powder ~ mix as much or as little as you need. In the jar is 1/4 cup of each ingredient and on the plate is a 1 Tbs of each ingredient

Pic1 washed exfoliated & moisturized                                                                                                                                  pic2 I applied make up on one side only

Pic3 1/2 Face

Now the last photo I used really bright light so you could see the coverage. I am 39 with some sun damage and fine lines but coverage is natural even and light weight with no harmful effects to my skin. I applied some lip gloss and I was ready for the day! Aesthetician approved!

Small Changes, Big Life

Mar3
Learning simple new ideas and techniques can make a world of difference in the kitchen especially for your health. The action of cooking with love, positive energy and intention behind what you eat is super important. So really understanding how sacred the act of cooking and nourishing yourself is and why it is imperative to your well-being and optimal health.

As a Certified Health Coach I practice a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means that I look at how all areas of your life are connected. Through this blog I hope to give readers an opportunity to learn new ways of being in the kitchen, finding and trying recipes that wont intimidate the beginning cooklet, as well as, tips, tricks, freebies and recipes that are helpful, healthful, holy and holistic.
I believe that food is medicine and we can find a better way to nourish our minds bodies and spirits.
Make sure you click the pic or this link to get your free book 🙂

 
 From my heart to yours, Namaste!
Ama’ritday

Hello 2013 ~ New Year New You, Alright!

Jan17
My New Year is shaping up to be amazing! I have so much to be grateful for and so many beautiful possibilities on the horizon. However getting focused and clear about what is important this year is so important. I know I can use all the help I can get 😉

Just because New Years Day has come and gone doesn’t mean you can’t set a few goal to get you back on track for a more authentic healthful fulfilled 2013. Isn’t it amazing how we seem to make resolutions each and every year but have such a tough time making them stick.

Check out this definitive guide which will provide a few tips to get you going in the right direction! Simple yet effective tips for a stellar year!

YOU can also check out MY WEBSITE and sign up for a free, one-on-one, 50-minute health consultation or grab your free book, Integrative Nutrition: Feed Your Hunger for Health & Happiness.

I look forward to sharing all that I learn along the way with you all. Have a very blessed day! Wishing you all a most fantastical 2013!

Abrazos, Bendiciones Y Besos (hugs blessings & kisses)!
Ama’ritday

Fall Time Health

Oct19
Thank God it’s Friday!

I AM so blessed to be on this healthful journey and am tremendously pleased to be sharing it with you!

I pray that you have something extra super duper fantasmo lined up for this weekend and if not let’s get something extra special going for you!

Make this weekend the perfect time to make you the superstar of the show!

Check out this amazing fall detox guide to get the system working all sparkly and bright!

Get rid of what is no longer serving you and just absolutely insults your soul!

Say Hello to fall and welcome the new you that comes with putting yourself first and engaging in self care!

Remember FOOD is MEDICINE!

 

Find out what food can do for you by contacting me for an a COMPLIMENTARY Health Coaching Session!

Bendiciones(BLessings)
Mucho Amor y Luz(Much Love and Light)
Ama’ritday

OMG OMG! I Did It! I Really Did It!

Oct13

http://www.integrativenutrition.com/banner?affid=0015000000QzgIOAAZ&rectype=ereferre

I did it. I enrolled in The institute of Integrative Nutrition so I can learn about myself, my health and the life I truly want to live. On this learning journey, I will share all I AM learning at school. My intention is to be a Board Certified Health Coach and provide a circle of loving, nourishing grace that fosters spiritual healing of pain, discomfort, and the abuses of life.

Getting well has been the focus of my life for over 5 years now. Learning how and what to eat as well as what not to eat. I refuse to let the healthcare system use me as a guinea pig. I know my body best, so I plan on learning from the very best in the business of preventive medicine, teaching the best information available!

For those of you who don’t know me I AM Currently I am Certified Biblical Nutrition Coach, as well as a Licensed Master Aesthetician. I graduated a live out apprentice with Susun Weed, world renowned master herbalist, Wolf Clan member, keeper of the wise woman tradition. I am also a motivational speaker and public speaker regarding Organics and GMO foods and the importance of navigating the terrain when shopping cooking in and eating out.

 My Luna Vision is to invite woman (men too!), at any stage of their life, maiden, mother, crone (Young Man, Father, Elder), to nourish empower and care for themselves, preparing their body, mind and spirit, in the best possible way, using the wise women tradition of thinking and healing to best deal with aging, bodily changes, mental distress, and the pollution of our ever changing planet.

I support women(men too!) dealing with “Healthy Life” challenges to change their lifestyle choices to increase overall health, nourishment, well being and empowerment. I help women(men too!) become the miracle they were intended to be, a prosperous, radiant, and discerning being, using a holistic approach to life, women will embrace themselves as they are-healthy, whole and holy.

By teaching women(men too!), to nourish empower & care for themselves, using the gifts provided to us by mother nature, such as, nourishing local organic foods, luxurious, revitalizing organic skin care products, & professionally chosen energetic skin/body care treatments, as well as, Affirmations, Aromatherapy, Crystals, Herbal Tincture and Infusions, Flower essences, Gem Elixirs, specifically chosen, synergistically combined, helping women(men too!), to feel nourished & empowered  by using self care to feel healthy whole & holy from the inside out.

 Why the World Needs Health Coaches (video)

  I need 3 volunteers to do a Health Histories with, as part of my graduation requirements. If you are interested, You can email me at or visit my website

Sep21

Once upon a time, there lived a hippy who loved to make art & do soulful hippy things. She also worked in a cubicle job, until one day she could stand it no longer. She went for a walk in a field, and decided that within a year she would learn all she needed to know about business and turn her little hobbies into a big thriving business.

And she did it. Every year since then, her business has doubled in size, and has now become the sole income for her family – letting her & her husband both be stay at home parents and move to tropical paradise.
The Business Goddess e-course is everything she learned along the way about how to become a Business Goddess

It is complete guide–over 190 pages!!–for how to make money online, the blueprint of how she did it, 100+ ways to market magically, mindfully & joyously, and how to sane & joyful when business gets BUSY!

It comes chock-full of bonuses too: profiles of inspiring business gods & goddesses & the Magic Money Maker kit!

Business Goddess