LiveWell Vermont

Once you've made the commitment to healthier eating, cooking more of your meals at home and paying attention to healthy cooking methods becomes important. After all, event he most nutritious meal can be sabotaged if you fry it or douse it in trans-fat-laden oil. The type of oil you choose to cook with can also add or detract from the nutritional value of your meal. Here is a list of the most popular cooking oils and a break down of which ones are great, or not so great, for cooking. Vegetable Oils: Included in this category are soybean oil, canola oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and others. Although these polyunsaturated fats are typically described as heart healthy (ex. they may help to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease) they are often highly processed and are quite perishable. What does this mean? When you use them to cook, the fats easily become rancid, which may contribute to oxidative stress and damaging free ra

Sometimes our days get so crazy we forget to take a minute to breathe! But we must–it’s the only way to decompress before getting too carried away. Fortunately, there are many ways both physically and mentally that we can do this.  All of these methods for calming down can be done in under a minute. 1. Catch your Breath Close your eyes and inhale for 3 seconds from deep within your diaphragm, then exhale for 3 seconds. Repeat 3 times. 2. Pectoral Door Stretch ​Place your elbow and forearm on the edge of an open door frame. Make sure the elbow placement is just shy of shoulder height and stretch the chest forward. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat the movement three times with both arms. 3. Focus Breaths ​Focus on something you  want  to happen or feel — even if you don’t deeply feel it yet. For example “today I am beautiful” or “I am going to rock this interview.” Close your eyes, take a breath and say the words. It will penetrate. 4. Posture Break Sit up tall, focus

There are many schools of thought when it comes to drinking soda water. Is it harmful to the enamel on your teeth? Can leech calcium from your bones, leading to osteoporosis? Will it irritate your throat and stomach? Well, we did a little research and found out some answers. Here's the truth: Does Carbonated Water Leech Calcium from Your Bones? Soda consumption has been linked to lower bone mineral density - cola in particular. It’s pretty evident, however, that it has nothing to do with the carbonation itself.  Researchers had one group of women drink one liter of still water every day while another group drank a liter of plain carbonated water. After eight weeks, the researchers could detect no difference between the groups when it came to markers for bone turnover. In fact, the most recent research suggests that the reason people who drink a lot of cola have weaker bones is not because something in the soda is robbing calcium from their bones, but because they tend to hav

Planking is a simple but effective total-body exercise. Holding the body stiff as a board develops strength primarily in the core — the muscles that connect the upper and lower body — as well as the shoulders, arms, and glutes. This static exercise  — meaning the body stays in one position for the entirety of the move — is especially awesome because it requires no equipment and can be performed just about anywhere. Find out how to perfect your plank below. THE BASICS 1. Plant the hands directly under the shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder width apart) like you’re about to do a push-up. 2. Ground the toes into the floor and squeeze the glutes to stabilize the bottom half of the body. The legs should be working in the move too, careful not to lock the knees to hyperextension. 3. Neutralize the neck and spine by looking at the floor about a foot in front of the hands. The head should be in line with the back. 4. Hold the position for 20 seconds to start out. As you get m

Stay late at the office to prep for a morning meeting … or head home and hop in bed with a laptop? While it may be tempting to get comfy with papers, spreadsheets, and email, doing work under the covers could compromise sleep. Pin it The Need-to-Know The hours we spend at the office may not be enough. In one survey, fifty percent of employees admitted to working two to six hours a week in bed right before going to sleep. But research suggests that working in bed makes it harder to see the bedroom as a place for sleep , which can ruin a good night’s rest. Plus, most people’s work involves digital technology and using electronics right before bed may   negatively affect sleep quality. According to one survey, 95 percent of people use some form of electronics shortly before hitting the hay. The glitch in this system is that exposure to artificial light (from devices like phones and computers) after sunset suppresses the release of melatonin, the sleep-promoting hormone. Usin

You've seen them at the gym, and you may even have one in your home. But how often do you actually  use  a foam roller? For most people, foam rolling, like stretching, is one of those things they plan on doing if they have extra time in their day—meaning they never actually get around to doing it. But while it's necessary to work hard during your workouts, it's equally as important to make sure your body gets the recovery it needs. And while getting a massage every once in a while is a great way to treat yourself and soothe sore muscles, foam rolling is a much more wallet-friendly and time efficient way to recover on a daily basis. Here are four convincing reasons why you should be foam rolling every day: 1. It reduces soreness and tightness from working out:  You know that feeling when you wake up the day after a really hard workout and your muscles are so sore it's hard to move? Foam rolling right after your workout (or even the next day) can help reduce some o

Way To Go! which is a challenge that encourages people to choose healthy commute options, will be held October 14-18 .  Bike, walk, carpool or ride the bus to victory!  Win prizes, have fun - and help us reach our goal of reducing 250,000 lbs of carbon pollution in Vermont. Visit http://waytogovt.org/ to sign up and be sure to register with “State of Vermont” listed as employer so your efforts count for our team! Download this POSTER to promote this event in your office!

NATURAL DISINFECTANT SPRAY LIKE LYSOL Ingredients: 1/2 cup Vodka 1/2 cup Water 15 drops Rosemary Essential Oil 25 drops Wild Orange Essential Oil 15 drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil 15 drops Lavender Oil Instructions: Mix all ingredients together and add to a glass spray bottle . Shake the spray bottle frequently while cleaning. To Disinfect: -Spray any surface that is frequently touched in your home. -If you don’t drink alcohol, you may not have vodka at home. Do not leave it out of this spray. It will help sterilize all your surfaces. Get a super cheap bottle from behind the liquor counter for just $4.99 and use it. You only need 1/2 cup. -The oils you buy at the grocery store can be labeled Therapeutic Grade but only have to have 5% of the essential oil. That simply won’t work in this formula, which is why I’ve since made the switch to a brand that is 100% essential oil. After all, we’re talking about sterilizing and guarding against viruses! -Once you try using th