LiveWell Vermont

Our blog is an educational tool for YOU. Share with us what subjects around health and wellness would you like to learn more about! We want to know! Share your ideas by commenting on this post, emailing DHR.LiveWellVermont@Vermont.gov or calling 802-828-7308.

Hello Chittenden County! Capital for a Day is in your county tomorrow (Sept. 26th) and LiveWell Vermont is coming! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC- Fuel & Fitness. Come learn with more about moving your body and how to fuel it at this one hour workshop with your State of Vermont Wellness Specialists. 11am-noon at Dorothy Alling Memorial Library  21 Library Lane Williston, Vermont AND 2-3pm at Burnham Memorial Library 898 Main St, Colchester, VT Both of these workshops are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Just show up! We hope to see you there!  

Intermittent fasting is a popular topic. Some people use it to regulate their body's functions and others use it for weight loss. This blog post is strictly educational- Live Well Vermont does not endorse intermittent fasting. You shouldn’t try intermittent fasting if you are pregnant, diabetic or healing from a traumatic event such as surgery. Before deciding whether intermittent fasting is for you, consult a healthcare professional. So...what is it? Fasting has been a practice throughout human evolution. Ancient hunter-gatherers didn't have supermarkets, refrigerators or food available year-round. Sometimes they couldn't find anything to eat. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them. In this respect, it’s not a diet in the conventional sense but more accurately described as an eating pattern. Common intermittent fasting methods inv...

BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont is hosting Apple Days again!! Apple Days celebrate fall and our local orchards. Guest of all ages enjoy free apple picking and activiites that support healthy, fresh local food. Fill a free BCBSVT "Pick a Peck" bag with delicious apples, right off the trees! First 500 guest get one bag per person, limit four bags per family. S ept. 29-Allenholm Farms South. Hero 11 a.m-3 p.m. Oct. 6-Champlain Orchards Shoreham 11 a.m-3 p.m. Contact info: events@bcbsvt.com

Do you love beets? If you're on the fence about this purple veggie- here are 4 benefits beets provide: 1. Beets boast an impressive nutritional profile. They are low in calories, yet high in valuable vitamins and minerals. In fact, they contain a bit of almost all the vitamins and minerals that you need. RDI (recommended daily intake). Calories: 44 Protein: 1.7 gram Fat: 0.2 grams Fiber: 2 grams Vitamin C: 6% of the RDI Folate: 20% of the RDI Vitamin B6: 3% of the RDI Magnesium: 6% of the RDI Potassium: 9% of the RDI Phosphorous: 4% of the RDI Manganese: 16% of the RDI Iron: 4% of the RDI 2. Beets can lower your blood pressure! Beets contain a high concentration of nitrates, which have a blood pressure-lowering effect. In your body, dietary nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels, causing blood pressure to drop. This may lead to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke. 3. Beets can help your stomach by being a  ...

We want you to stay healthy this flu season, so we have provided some tips to avoid the flu! Try to avoid close contact with sick people. While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. No tissue? Use your elbow! Wash your hands often with soap and water and dry them well. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu. (phone, desk, keyboard). Avoid sharing items that may be contaminated such as phones, pens, toothbrushes, silverware, drinking glasses/ cups or straws. Keep up a healthy lifestyle. Keeping your own immune system healthy is your number one defense. Eat a healthy balanced, diet; drink water; exercise on a regular basis; sleep 7-9 hours a ...

There are many theories and ideas about food. Food is how we fuel our bodies, so we want to make sure we are giving our bodies the best! A general rule is to always pick the whole food over a processed option. Below, we make it simple! A whole food would be considered, ideally, as a food with only one ingredient. Whole foods look most like their natural composition i.e. corn on the cob, apple, chicken or a cucumber. A processed food is typically food with more than one ingredient. Food companies typically add additional sugars, preservatives, dyes, saturated and trans fats. WHOLE FOODS: Fresh fruits and vegetables Frozen fruits and vegetables Unsalted nuts Fresh meat, fish, eggs Low far milk (skim or 1%) Plain yogurt Low fat cottage cheese Low fat cheese PROCESSED FOODS: Fruit/vegetable juices Fruits canned in heavy syrup Fruit snacks/gummies Veggie or potato chips Processed meat (bacon, sausage, fish sticks, deli meats, et...

AVOCADOS AND CRAB!! These California Spicy Crab Stuffed Avocados are extremely simple and tasty.   Ingredients: 2 tablespoons light mayo 2 teaspoons sriracha, plus more for drizzling 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives 4 oz lump crab meat 1/4 cup peeled and diced cucumber 1 small Hass avocado (about 4 oz avocado when pitted and peeled) 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds 2 teaspoons soy sauce   DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl, combine mayo, sriracha and chives. Add crab meat and cucumber and chive and gently toss. Cut the avocado open, remove pit and peel the skin or spoon the avocado out. Fill the avocado halves equally with crab salad. Top with sesame seeds and drizzle with soy sauce. NUTRITION INFORMATION Yield: 2 servings, Serving Size: 1/2 stuffed avocado Amount Per Serving: Calories: 194 calories Total Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 60mg Sodium: 746mg Carbohydrates: 7g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 1g Protein: 12g   H...

The U.S. Department of Labor defines Labor Day as:  a creation of the labor movement and a dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. L abor day is the first Monday of September every year. Enjoy this national holiday and day off celebrating how hard you work all year long!