LiveWell Vermont

Green Up Day is this upcoming Saturday, May 4th. The first Green Up Day was April 18, 1970. It was started by Governor Deane C. Davis. In 1979, Green Up became a non-profit organization. Green Up Day is about mainly about picking up litter, but many communities provide refreshments, breakfast, picnic lunch or bbq, dinner and even live music and entertainment.  Contact your town coordinator  to see what the local traditions may be. Over 15,000 people volunteer annually in picking up litter on Green Up Day. Over 40,000 bags of trash are collected annually. For those new to Green Up…check out our Green Up Guide for history information, the basics of organizing Green Up Day in your town, and safety tips. Click here to download PDF. . Green Up's mission  is to promote the stewardship of our state's natural landscape and waterways and the livability of our communities by involving people in Green Up Day and raising public awareness about the benefits of a li...

Attention cyclists! The National Bike Challenge is starting May 1st! Before we get into the details, let’s do a little victory dance.  In case you didn’t hear:   Vermont WON the National Bike Challenge in 2012!   We had more points per capita than any other state.   And with your help, we’ll do it again this year! The Challenge is an exciting health and wellness initiative that encourages people to bike for transportation and recreation. It is open and free to anyone who lives in the U.S. In addition to improving our health, saving money and helping the environment, the Challenge is a fun way for participants to meet other riders in the online community and to win prizes.  The Challenge is a five month program that begins May 1, 2013 and ends September 30, 2013.  Get started by joining today! Log on to www.nationalbikechallenge.org , click “Join”. It’s quick and easy!   Make sure to enter “State of Vermont” as your employ...

It all boils down to the Law of Attraction. Everything that's coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it's attracted to you by virtue of images you're holding in your mind. The idea is simple and very general: whatever it is that you focus on, think about and occupy your thoughts with will appear in your life. Humans, in this way, are like magnets. We attract into our lives whatever it is that our emotions, beliefs and thoughts focus on. While stress and negative emotions can certainly contribute to illness, things aren't always so black and white. Be sure to never be hard on yourself about being sick. No one ever deserves it, and it is never helpful to be hard on yourself. Many people worry about getting cancer and don't, there are people who are afraid of getting sick and do not get sick, and then there are people who live a very "clean" lifestyle and are quite stress-free who do get sick. The Power to Avoid (or Attract)...

Our modern round-the-clock lifestyles, plus caffeine, alcohol, lack of exercise, stress and a myriad of other factors have conditioned our bodies to stay awake. At times, sleep seems like the impossible dream and staying up is wearing us out. So is there hope for the bleary-eyed? Is a good night’s rest even possible these days? Absolutely! But first, you’ll need to brush up on your sleeping skills and make a few simple daytime changes so you can sleep better tonight. Here’s where to start: 1) Get into a sleepy-time groove. Getting up and going to bed around the same time, 7 nights a week is one of the most important things you can do to establish good sleep habits. Waking and sleeping at regular times reinforces a consistent sleep rhythm and reminds the brain when to release those all-important sleep and wake hormones. 2) Lost sleep is lost. Going to bed extra early Sunday night after Saturday night’s debauch won’t help you “make up” for lost sleep. Instead, it’ll throw...

These DIY Reusable Dryer Sheets are all natural and they’re super cheap to make! They are fantastic for helping you  save money on laundry  since they actually use less vinegar per batch than I would use in one load of using just straight vinegar per load. Plus, you’re keeping trash out of the dumpster by recycling old t-shirts to use for dryer sheets. If you don’t have enough old t-shirts to use, you can use old towels or sheets as well. DIY Reusable Dryer Sheets You will need: (1) old t-shirt, towel or sheet (1)  Mason Jar with lid 3/4 cup  white vinegar 1/4 cup water 3-4 drops  essential oil  of your choice   To start, grab a size  large or X-large t-shirt . You can use a smaller size if that is all that you have on hand, but be aware that if you do, you’ll very likely need more than one. Cut your shirt into around (16) 6×6″ pieces. You don’t have to be exact with the measurements, but try to get clos...

Habits to be aware of when you decide to "dig in": Big Servings. People who were given a big bucket of (stale) popcorn ate 34 percent more than people who got a smaller bucket. Fancy Names. Cafeteria sales jumped by 27 percent when foods were given descriptive names like "Succulent Italian Seafood Fillet" (instead of "Seafood Fillet") or "Belgian Black Forest Cake" (instead of "Chocolate Cake"). More Variety, More Calories. People ate about 40 percent more if they had a choice of candy that came in six different colors than if the candy came in four colors. Plate ware Matters. When people were served a brownie on a Wedgwood China plate, they rated its taste higher than when the same brownie was served on a paper plate or napkin. Food on the Table. Men ate about 29 percent more - and women about 10 percent more - if the serving dish was left on the table (rather than the counter). Who Sets the Pace? People...

Improving focus, stamina and clarity. Diet may influence your mood, focus, and clarity through a variety of mechanisms.   There are certain amino acids (protein) and other nutrients that help our brains make chemicals called neurotransmitters. Amino acids and other nutrients obtained from our diet are precursors to neurotransmitters. Carbohydrates and proteins from our diet influence the rate at which neurotransmitter precursors enter the central nervous system from the bloodstream. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, folic acid, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and the amino acid tryptophan may decrease the symptoms of depression, improve focus and aid in the prevention of migraines.     Food for thought:    Complex Carbohydrates These help to enhance the proper absorption of the amino acid tryptophan. Carbohydrates may also boost serotonin (a neurotransmitter well known to contribute to well being and happiness) ac...