LiveWell Vermont

A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease. It’s not as hard as you may think! Remember, it's the overall pattern of your choices that counts. Make the simple steps below part of your life for long-term benefits to your health and your heart. Use up at least as many calories as you take in. Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight. Nutrition and calorie information on food labels is typically based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. You may need fewer or more calories depending on several factors including age, gender, and level of physical activity. If you are trying not to gain weight, don’t eat more calories than you know you can burn up every day. Increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to burn more calories. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity (or an equal combination of both) each week. Regular physi

  Berries are bright, flavorful, and sweet  superfruits  that have a long list of health benefits! These colorful fruits are high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which help fight chronic disease and cancer. And their health benefits just keep getting sweeter! A recent study in the journal  Circulation  suggests that sprinkling just a few more blueberries in your yogurt or blending strawberries into your morning smoothie may help reduce heart attack risk. Raspberries  are rich in heart healthy fiber; just half a cup delivers 4 grams. You also get 25% of your recommended intake for vitamin C and manganese too! Raspberries are low in fat and have high levels of polyphenols, which help reduce  heart disease  risk. Try to sneak these into your diet whenever you can!  Try this recipe:  Raspberries with chocolate mousse

case you missed last week’s wellness webinar with Kevin Gallagher, “There’s no such thing as bad weather.” Here is the link to the recording if you were not able to join us live or want to revisit the conversation.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history. Black History Month 2021 Theme Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme. The Black History Month 2021 theme, “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” explores the African diaspora, and the spread of Black families across the United States. For more info go to:  https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month

    Click here for complimentary registration. Visit the website for more information, and for recordings and materials from all of our events.   View this email in your browser     Agritourism & Racial Justice in the US Wednesday, February 17, 2021   9am Pacific time; 12pm Eastern time; 6pm Central European time, 7pm Central Africa Time; 10:30pm Indian time Join us for this gathering focused on the role of agri

  Enter for a chance to win a winter gear package! DETAILS ·          Share how you’re moving and exercising outdoors with us online! ·          From February 13 to February 28 post your photos to our Facebook or Instagram pages. Not on social media? Enter by sending your photos to events@bcbsvt.com ! ·          They can be photos of you, your family and friends getting outside and getting fit by snowshoeing, sledding, x-country skiing, winter biking, or however you spend your Snow Days in Vermont. RAFFLE DETAILS ·          After February 28 we’ll randomly select one of you to receive your choice of either a cross-country ski or snowshoeing prize package! ·          You can share more than once. The more photos you share and tag, the better your chances of being selected! QUESTIONS? events@bcbsvt.com

 

  Webinar #2: There is no such thing as bad weather Join us for a look into what keeps us from doing things that we know are good for us and how movement (be it exercise or parking farther from the grocery store entrance) can actually pay off in spades: less stress, more patience, better sleep, more energy, less depression and anxiety symptoms.  When: Wednesday, February 10, 2021 | 11 a.m. on Zoom Presenter: Kevin Gallagher is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in private practice in Burlington, Vermont. He has been practicing for 30 years working primarily with couples, families and adolescents. Kevin is also a workshop presenter nationally and internationally and consults with for profit and not-for-profit organizations. More about Kevin here . Register: here . Questions? Email bwell@bcbsvt.com .