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A
'Well-being Routine' - the Real Key to Health
As
important as a fitness routine is to your physical health,
it's just as vital to have a "well-being
routine" that focuses on your mental health. Being
well-rounded physically and mentally can foster balance
between your work and personal lives, and help reduce
everyday stress.
Stress
is a major and growing health concern in America,
according to the American Psychological Association (APA).
In fact, a third of all Americans say they are extremely
stressed, and 77 percent report experiencing physical
symptoms associated with stress, according to an APA
study.
"Stress is a normal
part of life, and small amounts can actually make you
stronger physically and mentally," says Martica
Heaner, a health, fitness and wellness expert. "But
when stress builds up and becomes overwhelming, it's time
to take action to manage its impact on your life. Looking
after yourself by focusing on your wellness is one of the
very best ways to take care of what's on the inside as
well as the outside."
Americans are more focused
on overall wellness than ever before, a fact that has not
escaped the notice of companies like The Body Shop, Heaner
notes. The Body Shop, long recognized as leaders in the
naturally inspired beauty industry, recently launched a
line of Wellbeing products that fit into four key aspects
of a wellness regimen - Divine Calm, Total Energy, Deep
Sleep and Pure Detox.
Your well-being routine
should help you create calm, get adequate rest,
re-energize and purify your body, Heiner says.
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Coconut
Tea Cake
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (stir well before
measuring)
1/2 stick(4 Tbls) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp dark rum (optional, but so good) I used 1/2 tsp
rum extract
3/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)
toasted, or not
Getting
ready: Center a rack in the oven and
preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-10 inch
Kugelhopf or Bundt pan, or use an unbuttered silicone
pan. Don't place the pan on a baking sheet- you want the
oven's heat to circulate through the inner tube.
Working with a stand or hand
held mixer, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl at
medium-high speed, until pale, thick, and almost doubled
in volume, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the
rum, if you're using it. Reduce the mixer speed to low
and add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of
the bowl as needed and stopping just when the flour
disappears.
Keeping the mixer on low, add the coconut, mixing only
until it is blended, then steadily add the hot milk and
butter. When the mixture is smooth, stop mixing and give
the batter a couple of turns with a rubber spatula, just
to make certain that any ingredients that might have
fallen to the bottom of the bowl are incorporated. Pour
the batter into the pan and give the pan a few back and
forth shakes to even the batter.
Bake for 60 to 65
minutes, or until cake is golden brown and a thin knife
inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer
the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before
unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.
Coconut
Lemon Ginger Tea Cake:
Rub the grated zest of 1 lemon into the sugar before
beating it with the eggs; add the juice of 1/2 lemon to
the coconut milk and butter. Keep the dark rum or
replace it with Malibu coconut rum. Add 1 tsp ground
ginger to the dry ingredients.
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Best
Beauty Secrets