LiveWell Vermont

It's finally Spring! Warmer weather is a time for camping, hiking and getting outside to enjoy the outdoors, but it can also be a scary time of year due to the number of ticks. Don't let those pesky, annoying buggers stop you. Try this homemade solution that will protect you and your family and allow you to enjoy the great outdoors! Repellent for your pets: For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent). To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When o

Saturday, May 3, 2014   Green Up Day is about removing litter from the 15,793 miles of Vermont’s local town roads. This is an important day to everyone. Green Up Day helps our planet to be cleaner and helps our planet to go into a positive direction. If we just let clutter build up disease could start or animals could go extinct from eating the clutter. If we continue to have Green Up Day our world will begin to be less cluttered every year. Green Up Day gets everyone in a positive mood to make the world a cleaner place. In conclusion, Green Up Day is a great tradition to make the world cleaner, hopefully one day there will be no more littering and everyone can throw away their trash responsibly. Green Up Vermont is non-profit organization responsible for Green Up Day’s continuing success. We are looking for new businesses to support it. The sponsorship printing deadline has passed for this year, but donations of any amount are welcomed, and please consider becoming a

31st Annual   VT Corporate Cup Challenge  &  State Agency Race Registration Deadline is April 28, 2014 Friday, May 2, 2014! For Information & To Register Go To: www.VCCSAR.org

Way to Go! Week is May 12 – 18  Let’s make Vermont a better place! Have you signed up yet? Spread the word to your coworkers, friends and family! Win special prizes and join Live Well Vermont in reaching the goal of saving 300,000 pounds of carbon pollution in Vermont.  Organizations can track their progress through an online dashboard, and all participants can compare your organization’s progress against others through the "Compare Organizations" page. Sign up today at www.waytogovt.org and help us spread the word! Questions? Contact info@waytogovt.org or call 800-685-RIDE.

Do you struggle with seasonal allergies? If so, you are among over 35 million Americans who suffer from allergies during springtime, due to various pollens in the air triggering allergic reactions like runny noses, watery eyes, sneezing and coughing.  While medications are readily available and generally affordable to fight allergies, there is a big price to pay for their convenience. Synthetic medications come with a number of side effects that can negatively affect your health – some of which can be as bad or worse than the allergy symptoms themselves. Potential side effects include, but are not limited to: headache, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, insomnia, drowsiness, loss of appetite, anxiety, depression and irritability. Try the following natural remedies to get relief: Raw, local honey Locally produced, raw honey is known to alleviate allergy symptoms. As the bees become covered in pollen spores when flying from one flower to the next, the spores are tran

We have been getting a lot of questions about composting recently! This is exciting because it means that you all are thinking more about it 😊  For some, this topic may feel overwhelming because it sounds like so much time and effort has to go into trash! But...GOOD NEWS...it does not have to be complicated! In fact, it can be very easy!!  This website  is great for the basics.  It breaks down the components and simplifies the science behind composting. Ok, so what is compost?? Compost is a nutrient-rich blend of decomposed organic materials that works wonders for plants. Plus, it's a great way to recycle leftover or unwanted items—think garden clippings, kitchen scraps, and dry leaves. For a more detailed list of what can be composted check out  Green Mountain Compost . As you may know, there are tons of benefits to adding compost to your garden!  Also, there is a variety of devices you can buy to help you process a moderate amount of compost. But, what you may not know, is t

It's never too late and you're never too old to make positive changes for optimal health. If you start with small changes now, you'll reap BIG rewards as you age. If you make a few changes at a time, you won't get overwhelmed and discouraged, which is the key to sticking to a healthy lifestyle. Begin by choosing one of the following six healthy habits and work on making it part of your daily life. Once you've successfully accomplished one, move on to the next one until you've mastered all six habits! 1. Get outside and fill your lungs with fresh air. You may not even realize the amount of time you spend indoors each day, driving a car, sitting at the office, returning home and repeating the same thing the next day. By not getting outdoors and exposing yourself to fresh air you are missing out on important healthy benefits. Strive to schedule even a small amount of time outdoors each day, such as a brisk walk around the neighborhood or your building at work

IT HAPPENS! Filled with New Year's resolutions, you start the year strong, diligently ticking off workout after workout. But gradually the excitement wears off, you skip a workout here and there, and before you know it, lacing up your sneakers begins to feel like a chore. Don't despair, though: You can find plenty of ways to push through the doldrums, overcome the excuses, and restart your running engines. YOU FEEL: OUT OF BREATH BEAT IT: If you can't talk in full sentences, you're going too fast. Run or walk fast one minute, walk one minute for 10 minutes. Shift to a 2:1 run/ walk ratio for the next 10 minutes. Do whatever you feel like for the final 10 minutes. YOU FEEL: LIKE STOPPING BEAT IT: Starting out too fast can lead to a sudden increase in muscle waste products that can make you feel sluggish. Head out slowly—and remember, no pace is too slow. YOU FEEL: TIME-PRESSED BEAT IT: Multitask: Run or walk on a treadmill while you're waiting for a meal to

Quinoa Lentil Balls or Burgers This recipe is perfect to enjoy as a burger, in a wrap, crumbled in a salad, or in pasta! Ingredients 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed well) 1 cup uncooked lentils (rinsed and drained) 4 cups water or vegetable broth 1/2 cup salsa 3 cups fresh spinach 2 cups chopped mushrooms 1 Tbsp sea salt 2 Tbsp flax meal fresh ground pepper 2 cups quick oats (or whole oats slightly processed) Preparation: 1)   Put quinoa, lentils and water/vegetable broth in a pot and boil for an hour or until the lentils are done.  The quinoa will officially be over cooked, but that helps the mixture come together.  There should be no more liquid in the pot.  If there is, drain it off. 2)   Put salsa, spinach and mushrooms in a food processor and process until small, but still chunky. 3)   Add sea salt, flax meal, ground pepper and half of the hot quinoa lentil mixture to the food processor.  Process until the mixture comes together.  Still a little chunky.