LiveWell Vermont

Join the National Hearth, Lung and Blood Institute(NHLBI), The Heart Truth, and organizations around the country on National Wear Red Day, celebrated each year on the first Friday in February, to raise awareness for heart disease! Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. American Heart Month is a chance to raise awareness about preventing heart disease. Show your support by wearing red tomorrow!

This awesome challenge started yesterday! If you have not signed up yet, there is still time!! You have until Sunday February 3rd to register!  This 3-week challenge is worth 60 incentive points towards the Start Small. Go Big! Incentive Program. Register in the portal today!

According to HealthLine, water makes up 60% of the average human body. Being that our system relies so heavily on water, it is important to make sure you are getting enough. MSN reported that 3 out of 4 adults are chronically dehydrated an unaware. Here are some common symptoms of dehydration: Water helps your body flush out toxins. When we are dehydrated, we remove our bodies ability to properly flush out these toxins. Chronic dry skin can be an indicator you are not getting enough water. If you find your skin is dull and dry as opposed to moisturized and plump, you might want to increase your water intake. The color of you urine is an oddly accurate way to find out how hydrated you may be. The darker the yellow, the more likely you are dehydrated. When you do not have enough water in your system, your kidneys have to work much harder and produce a more concentrated liquid. PROTECT THE KIDNEYS! Drink the water! Frequent headaches are painful and can interrupt your day to da...

Have you heard about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont's Snow Days?! These free events give Vermonters the opportunity to try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, in an effort to encourage physical activity during the cold winter months. Rentals are free on a first-come, first-served basis. No preregistration required. For more information, call (802) 371-3205 or email events@bcbsvt.com  

Sugar is EVERYWHERE! You can find it in your snacks, drinks and even in your vegetables! But is all sugar equal? Let us break it down for you! According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are ( 7 ): Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons) Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons) Natural sugars are found in foods like yogurt, milk and fruits. These sugars do not lead to the same health problems that added sugars do. Think of it this way: whole foods, especially fruits, contain health-promoting substances, like calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber. Because of the nutrients these sugars provide, there isn't much need for worrying about them. There is one exception- you can overdo fruit juice. Because a cup of juice contains more than one piece of fruit, you get more fructose — the natural sugar without the fiber. If you’re drinking more than one cup of juice per day (or serving t...

Live Well Vermont is walking around the world in the first semester of Start Small. Go Big!! Over the next 3 challenges we hope to get 49, 802, 000 steps!! The first segment of the challenges, Around the World: Phase 1, starts on January 28th. YOU CAN REGISTER TODAY IN THE PORTAL!!! Sign up now and start walking with Live Well ! Contact LiveWell Vermont with any questions: DHR.LiveWellVermont.Vermont.gov or 802-828-7308

January is the month of citrus fruits, the best source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids that help us strengthen the immune system and prevent seasonal ailments. To better absorb their active ingredients, citrus fruits should be eaten whole. Other allies against cold are dried fruits, which are nutritious and energizing as well as excellent ingredients to prepare savory and light sweets. Consider adding any of the following fruits to your menu this week: kiwi, orange, tangerine, clementine, lemon, grapefruit, apple, pear, dried fruits (fig, plum, raisin, date, apricot). If you are looking for something new and exciting, check out this  Pan-Seared Halibut with Citrus-Jalapeño Salsa recipe and let us know what you think!

A  New Year's resolution  is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life.  Unfortunately,  only 8 percent of people actually achieve their New Year's resolutions.  So, instead of joining the 92%, do your best to focus on realistic and meaningful improvements! The following tips will help create a healthy foundation for the new year.   Drink half your body weight in water - For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If this is out of your comfort zone, start smaller! Aim to increase your average intake by one glass (8oz)/day for the next week! Add one new healthy food each week - trying new foods can be overwhelming. There are so many to choose from! Where do you start? How do you prepare them? Breathe. Pick one new food ...

Happy New Year!! Now that the stress of the Holidays is over, we can start to focus on a fresh start! It is common this time of year to hear people making healthy resolution! Unfortunately, these resolutions tend to get lost by about mid month. Some studies say 75% of people stick to their goals for at least a week, less than half (46%) lasts for about 6 months. This year, start by focusing on what is truly important to you.  Do you want to improve your diet, exercise routine, finances, or spiritual wellness? Then, set some goals.    Make sure your goals are SMART Goals which are: Break your long-term goals into short-term goals and further into a series of steps and set weekly targets which are not only realistic, measurable and time- based. To stay motivated, make a checklist of how to achieve your short-term goals. Share your goals with family or friends. Maybe they have similar goals. They will hold you accountable and can act as a support system. Tre...