Blood Drive: State House, Montpelier - Wed. February 4th

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How to Build a Low Cost Home Gym

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So many of us wish we could get more use out of our gym memberships, but with hectic lives and unpredictable schedules, it's not always so easy. If you find it too hard to get out of your house every day for a workout, why not bring the gym to you? Creating a gym in your home can save time and money -- there's no need to own the same heavy, expensive equipment found at a standard gym. You may be surprised at how easy it is to tailor a home gym to fit you personal needs. All you need are a few tangible pieces and a motivational vibe! Below are five necessities to start building your home gym. Atmosphere: Think about what you like most about the gym and figure out how to bring some of that atmosphere to your own space. If natural light is a must have for you, find a space upstairs with great windows to create the look you want. If you like to watch TV while you sweat, set up your gym in a room that has screen access. Need a little visual motivation? Try something simple like...
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Sunlight, Vitamin D, and Skin Protection: A Balanced Approach

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  With the beginning of summer, many of us are happy to be outside again. Sunlight can help regulate circadian rhythm, support mood, and contribute to vitamin D production. At the same time, ultraviolet (UV) exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, and Vermont consistently reports melanoma rates well above the national average. According to the National Cancer Institute State Cancer Profiles , Vermont's melanoma incidence rate is about 35 cases per 100,000 people, compared to about 23 per 100,000 nationally.  With so much conflicting information available, it can sometimes sound like there are only two choices: avoid the sun or skip sun protection. In reality, the research supports a more balanced middle ground.  Natural light exposure, especially earlier in the day, helps support the body's sleep-wake cycle and may improve alertness and mood. Sunlight also helps the skin produce vitamin D, which is important for bone health, muscle function, and immune health. Importa...
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Carrying Pride Forward

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Nutrition Tips for Holiday Season

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  Merry Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah! When we talk about nutrition around the holidays, a lot of the chitter chatter is about “temptations” and a lot of the advice we hear is about “resisting temptations” And yea, there are a lot of what we think of as “temptations” around this time of year. What are your favorite holiday treats that get labeled as “temptations”? (here are some of DHR's favorite treats!) Gingerbread cookies Pie Stuffed mushrooms Chex mix Eggnog Morning sticky buns hot cocoa chocolate peanut butter balls peppermint ANYTHING Latkes These treats are important for helping us celebrate! They help us feel connected to traditions, feel like the holiday is actually here, connect with family, remember family members who’ve gone before us, etc.! However, healthy eating doesn’t have to mean that we have to “stay strong” in the face of cookies and eggnog and latkes. In fact, depriving ourselves of these foods that we see as such an important part of the holidays is...
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Developing a Workout Routine

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Developing a routine when working out is important for achieving fitness goals and protecting your body from injury. Below are some tips and tools on developing the perfect workout routine. Use these tips to customize a workout routine that works for you! Tip 1: Consistency Building a strong fitness routine does not happen overnight. You must develop a process and work at it regularly. Decide how many days you are going to work out each week and commit to fitting it into your schedule. Tip 2: Recover Your muscles need time to recover to completely benefit from your physical efforts. When creating your routine, make sure there are days for rest! You do not have to remain completely inactive on recovery days. Long walks, light yoga and casual swimming are all things that get your body moving while still allowing time for your muscles to recoup. Tip 3: Variety Consistency is important when you are thinking about duration and frequency of exercise. Variety is import...
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Challenge Yourself: Step Away

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  Step Away Challenge July 13-19 July's Healthy Habit Challenge is to step away and calm your emotions first, each day. However, if you are not flying into a rage on a daily basis you might be wondering how to engage with this challenge. Below some options to engage with the challenge. Noticing early signs counts toward this challenge.  Most folks can probably list things that will irk them easily, but identifying the first sign that you are triggered is harder. For one full day, try to notice the earliest sign possible that something is going sideways. Some folks might notice themselves giving a terse response, other folks might notice a change in their posture, or a feeling in their chest. As you notice things, write them down. That list can be helpful on difficult times, as you now have a "check engine light" to look for.  Experimenting with ways to step away counts toward this challenge. Stepping away can be literal or metaphorical, you get to decide what works for y...
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Understanding Diabetes and Blood Sugar

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  Preventing Diabetes In many cases, diabetes is a preventable disease.  This means that by making lifestyle changes we can improve quality of life. Aim to start small with manageable improvements to what you are already doing and build from there. Dietary changes include eating a variety of whole, unprocessed foods, consuming more fruits and vegetables. Beverages matter too!  Aim to drink more water and avoid sugary drinks. Physical activity is also important; the CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate level exercise and 2 strength building sessions over the course of a week. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, aim to work more movement into your day wherever possible, like parking farther from your destination and going downstairs to use the bathroom. Try different types of exercise to find the ones that are most enjoyable to you or make activity social by inviting friends. Prediabetes & Diabetes Before people develop type 2 diabetes, they usually have prediabetes. T...
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