First, you should know that all coconut products are not equal and do not have the same nutritional value. Coconut pulp or meat, the white part inside the fruit, is high in dietary fibre and also contains nutrients such as potassium, iron and magnesium. High in fat and calories, it should be consumed in moderation. As it has a pronounced flavour, a small amount is enough to give your dish a mild taste of the tropics.

Coconut milk is made from the meat of the coconut, which is crushed in boiling water. It usually comes canned and is easily added to exotic recipes. Despite its name, coconut milk is not a substitute for cow’s milk because coconut milk is richer and contains very little calcium.

Coconut water or juice is the liquid found inside coconuts that can be consumed when the coconut is opened. Coconut water is low in fat and low in calories. It can be used to prepare “sunny” beverages, and it provides a few nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. A glass of unsweetened coconut water is a good replacement for soft drinks and other sweetened beverages.

Did you know that Indonesians say there are as many uses for coconut as there are days in a year? If, like me, you are not yet ready to start weaving your own mats out of coconut leaves, I suggest you learn to use coconut occasionally in your recipes, partly for the nutrients it contains, but mainly for its exquisite taste, that will take your thoughts too to the warm southern sun.

Enjoy your culinary travels!

Reduce daily stress
One of the benefits often noticed when we travel is reduced stress. Lying on a beach with a good book or climbing the slopes of Everest, whatever activity you choose will probably help you to considerably reduce your stress after a few days, or even a few hours.

Enjoy the sun’s benefits
While the sun and its ultraviolet rays can be dangerous when we spend too much time exposed to them or without protection, the sun is also a formidable ally for our health. In fact, its rays enable us to synthesize vitamin D, essential to healthy bones. As well, the visible light emitted by the sun modifies the production of certain molecules in our bodies, which has a beneficial impact on our mood. Light therapy is now used to help treat seasonal depression during the winter, a period of the year when the percentage of sunshine is greatly reduced.

Make a clean break
You may have noticed that the simple fact of not being in one’s daily environment can play a beneficial role in a person’s well being, by considerably reducing stress in some people. When we travel, it is preferable to make a clean break from our work and leave our troubles behind us in order to enjoy this time out from routine. So, leave your work at home and turn off your smart phone. You’ll soon feel relaxed.

Replenish yourself
Among the unquantifiable but real benefits of travel are the notions of pleasure and rebirth. Going on a trip means changing one’s rhythm, environment, time zone, food. All of these changes can create a very agreeable feeling and many travellers sense they are replenishing themselves when they travel.

Larger room offer more opportunity for different play centres (a kitchen area, a craft area), but even in a small space you can think along the same creative lines. Start with decorating—think about what colours and themes your kids like. Whether one wall or four, you could paint with bright tones, chalkboard paint or magnetic paint. You could decorate with wall stickers to create a dinosaur or underwater scene. You could also keep the wall a low-key colour to blend with the rest of the house but put up the kids’ favourite art to make that “nook” their own.

Think about storage—not only will it keep your house tidy, but it will make finding things easier for the whole family. An old suitcase can hold dress-up clothes, tin cans can be covered with construction paper or felt to make pencil and marker holders. Get a few colourful boxes from a storage store and allocate them for different items like dolls, cars, stuffed animals. Label each with a photo or picture. Even the youngest kids will know where things go. Toy hammocks are a great way for larger stuffed animals to be stored off the floor, but still in sight.

Steal tips from professional spaces like daycares and kindergartens—everything is washable, there are throw pillows around for floor-play and there is a lot of open space. Even with limited space, you can create a small “work station” area for crafts and then add a beanbag chair and lamp for a “reading corner”. This differentiation helps children to focus and concentrate.

When it comes to furniture, keep it simple. Open bins are easy for all ages to access. A desk is great for building Lego structures or colouring. A low bookcase allows kids to easily grab their favourite stories. A colourful area rug can delineate a kid’s space even if it’s not in a separate room.

If you have too many toys, store some out of sight and then rotate them in. Your playroom will be uncluttered, toys will be easier to find and the kids will be excited to get new items every once in a while.

Dance, dance and more dance
It’s the perfect marriage of pleasure and sports, ranging from traditional dances like tango, salsa, merengue, rock ‘n’ roll and line dancing to dances that you may not have heard of but will definitely want to try! Zumba is an invigorating exercise routine from Colombia, inspired by several Latin dances (salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton…) and aerobics. Electro dance fans should try out popping, a technique based on contracting and relaxing muscles in time with the beat. Couples who want to stay active together can try forró, a Brazilian dance. For everyone else, there’s Bollywood, Afro-Brazilian and Cabaret Broadway.

New sports
One sport that has been generating quite a lot of buzz recently is CrossFit. It’s not exactly a sport, but more of a physical conditioning program that draws on several disciplines, including weightlifting, gymnastics and track and field. Group sessions last one hour, and consist of a series of exercises with no down time in between. It’s high-intensity, but very accessible—the level of intensity can be easily adapted to each participant. A similarly intense workout can be found with BootCamp courses, which feature a motivational trainer. At the other end of the spectrum is acro yoga, an increasingly popular activity that brings acrobatic moves to traditional yoga routines, often requiring two people. One partner lies on the floor (the base), supporting the other partner in the air (the flyer). Perfect for developing equilibrium and self-control.

Sports @ home
One great way to forget your winter blues is to exercise at home! Video game consoles like Kinect and Wii Fit can help you get in shape and play games at the same time—time flies when you’re having fun! Other alternatives are exercise DVDs, which are available for virtually every activity, such as Abs, Pilates and Yoga. A stationary bicycle is a great way to ride a few kilometres from the comfort of your home, and spinning at home can improve your cardio. If space is limited, the TRX line of trainers can help you stay in shape.

Mexican Fiesta

• Homemade mini pita pizzas: whole-wheat pitas, tomato sauce or salsa, lean ground beef, bell peppers, olives, low-fat cheese.
• Grilled whole-wheat pita triangles with homemade salsa: cut pitas into triangles, brush lightly with olive oil, season to taste with herbs and bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 5–7 minutes.
• Corn soup shooters: get little plastic shot glasses to serve kiddie portions, no spoon required!

Fruity Summer Party

• Fresh fruit skewers with Danino yogurt dip: you could also drizzle melted dark chocolate over the fruit.
• Chocolate milk and berry smoothie: combine your choice of berries and chocolate milk in a blender and blend to the desired consistency. Add fun plastic ice cubes and serve with a straw.
• Frozen grapes: eat them right out of the freezer. Sensitive teeth beware!
• Frozen bananas dipped in chocolate: cut bananas in half, thread them onto wooden skewers and freeze them for at least one hour. Remove them from the freezer and lightly coat them with melted dark chocolate. Serve immediately or refreeze for up to two days.

Mix-it-up Party

• Chicken salad bites: use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of sliced bread (let children choose their own shape), and top shapes with chicken salad.
• Low-fat cheese cubes and grapes: thread cheese cubes and grapes onto skewers or tooth picks with colourful ends.
• Homemade snack mix: combine plain popcorn, high-fibre cereal, nuts and pretzel sticks, and season to taste with herbs and spices.