Life can sometimes be like the rising sun. Photo by Scott Falkowski.

April is here for Easter Eggs, Spring Bulbs and Outdoor Activities. Have you ever combined them into a month-long Discovery Treasure Hunt?
Now is your chance.
Of course you can hunt for the typical Easter egg chocolate. Sweet Olenka’s anyone?
(They do have the best selection of truffles don’t they?)
I am not going take chocolate  away from you because chocolate is delicious and it’s actually very good for you. Did you know that the theobromine in pure cacao is exceptionally healthy for your cardiovascular health and supports your energy levels throughout the day? Yes, that means that you do need to eat more dark chocolate and less of the milky chocolate because milk chocolate really is just milk and sugar with some cacao thrown in.

Here’s how you can add good eats, celebrating Easter weekend, some extra walking and exercise and sharing with friends into this wonderful spring month.
Now is the time to get healthier and support local join me in exploring what our beautiful South Etobicoke has to offer. I call is the treasure hunt for health.
With our expansive multicultural eateries and businesses there is a multitude of places we can explore and learn about.
I recommend you put together your top five list and exchange it with your family and friends in the area. See how many similarities and differences there are. This will get you outdoors to explore the neighbourhood by walking and supporting local businesses. you’ll be encouraged to go outdoors, walk, learn about new park places and try new foods.
Here’s what you do:
Make a list of your top five favourite food takeouts. Add your two top favourite parks where you go play, work out, fish, hike or walk.  And, list your three favourite sources of exercise. Are they yoga studios or gyms. Even if some of these are not open, most of them have online classes and wonderful blogs and how-to guides available to you online. Lastly, throw in a couple of bonus places such as your favourite reiki studio or physiotherapy support clinic or flower shop.

Once you have this list, share with your friends and put in your recommendations for each one. For example “this one has the best roti” or “that one has the best Pilates class.” Guaranteed, this will help expand and support all of our local businesses and invite some new adventures into your life this month.
Choosing to be healthy is all about variety and getting out there, allowing our minds and our hearts and our bodies to expand, to grow. Take it upon yourself this month to expand your exploration of our wonderful neighbourhood.
Bonus points are awarded: If you make a point of sharing your favourite coffee shop and dessert place with your friends or neighbours. Take Easter weekend as a time to pick up your favourite butter tarts or biscotti or hot cross buns and leave some for your neighbours or friends, ‘leave some on the porches of neighbours and friends, for them to discover.’ (Ok, ring the doorbell too, so the birds or wildlife don’t sneak off with them!) Make it a Treasure Hunt for all.
Super bonus points are awarded if you walked to and from all of these places.

Tell me how it goes and what you have discovered!

Garden Time Health trivia question:
By the way, Tulip bulbs can be substituted into a cooking recipe for…….what ingredient?
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ”
-Margaret Atwood.

Contact Monika Meulman, of The Healing Muse Apothecary, at 2859 Lake Shore Blvd.W., or 416-347-5449 or @healingmuse or www.healingmuse.com