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How to Decorate Your Florida Home

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Dreamy watercolor palettes, dramatic sunset images, and the wildest wildlife all belong in your Florida home... Decorating a house or apartment in Florida is different from decorating in the other 49 states. As a Floridian, you have unique creative options and can experiment with bursts of color that might look out of place in a Greenwich Village loft or San Francisco studio. Here, Suncoast Girl reveals the top decorating ideas for your Sunshine State abode. Apply Bold Colors Like Florida fashion, interior decorating on this pretty peninsula begs for joyful and vibrant colors. You can select a color theme for your home with a trio of beachy shades, like aqua, gold, and cream. Or, you can use the entire rainbow and choose colors that complement one another like turquoise and silver. Maybe you want to decorate each room a different shade. How about a lavender bedroom that glows at sunset and a lemon kitchen that exudes freshness? The rule is that there are no rules when it ...
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What Does Self-Care Mean to You?

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What does self-care mean to you? It could mean taking a 30-minute walk in the middle of a hectic work day. Or it could mean meditating for just 5 minutes before bed  and putting down the phone . Self-care is different for everyone, but the act and ritual of replenishing the spirit is essential to our whole well-being.  Jean Shinoda Bolen, author of  Goddesses in Everywoman ,  said, "When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life." Here are 5 ways you can refill your well and feel refreshed: 1. Practice Yoga & Meditation You don't have to twist your body like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat, and you don't have to go to the gym or a yoga studio to reap the benefits of these soothing ancient practices. Spreading your mat out on your living room floor or setting up camp on the beach are free and easy ways to  integrate yoga and meditation into your life . Sit quietly for the ...
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Bikini Body Files: Cycle Your Way to Svelte

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Are you ready for an adventurous outdoor workout to complement your yoga practice? Suncoast Girl beams the spotlight on cycling in Southwest Florida... How Cycling Keeps You Fit One hour of leisurely cycling (at around 10 mph or a little less) can burn off approximately 200 calories depending on your height and weight. But cycling is more than simply cardio, and you'll also experience toning benefits from gripping the handlebars which mimics plank position and push-ups. You'll also work on your core balance and abdominal strength from maneuvering on two wheels. Finally, you'll condition your glute and thigh muscles through all that constant pedaling. Over time, the results will become clear with a slimmer waistline, flatter belly, and firmer muscles everywhere.  Beyond Fitness: Other Benefits of Cycling In winter, Southwest Florida is plentiful with the 65-degree days that make cycling a pleasure, but you can reap the rewards of the activity wherever you are. Ac...
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Shopping Organic & Local

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Taste Test Challenge: Buy a carton of conventional strawberries and another of organic strawberries. Pluck one from each package, mix them up and close your eyes. If the strawberry you bite into has a bitter aftertaste, it's the conventional one. If the strawberry you sample offers a sweet, clean flavor, you know you've got organic, garden-fresh goodness. But organic foods don't just taste better; they're better for the global environment and our ecosystem right here in Florida.  Sun Coast Girl shares secrets of where to shop organic in Southwest Florida and live your healthiest life... Why Is It Important to Buy Organic? Try these 5 compelling reasons for starters: 1.  Organic foods are healthier since they're produced without pesticides or other harmful chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens. 2. Organic agriculture promotes healthy soil, which in turn, absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, purifying the air we breathe. 3. Organi...
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Healthy Florida Cooking

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The art of Florida cooking is expressed through the freshest produce, bursts of color and coastal flair. If you want to learn to cook like a Floridian, add these items to your shopping list and stock up your sunny kitchen... Citrus Fruits If there's just one item you keep in the ice box of your refrigerator, make it a bag of freshly picked Florida oranges. Besides being the crowning jewel of Florida's diverse agriculture, oranges are extremely versatile. Here are a few ways that you can squeeze those ripe oranges into a delicious meal, drink or dessert. Start your day with a glass of frosty orange juice Slice up oranges and add them to a spinach salad with slivered almonds Make an orange sauce for a chicken or fish dish Freeze leftover orange juice from breakfast and make popsicles Blend oranges, coconut milk and sugar to create homemade ice cream Florida also has an abundance of other citrus fruits, so mix it up with lemons, limes, key limes and grapefruit...
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