LiveWell Vermont

Feeling stressed out? Can't sleep? Check out these ideas to help you relax in 5 minutes or less! 1.) Sip on a cup of tea. If it's early in the day, sip green tea (this has caffeine in it so don't drink it too late in the day). Green tea not only has a lot of antioxidants, but it contains compounds that can help you reduce anger. If it's later in the day, drinking herbal tea can help you relax. 2.) Meditate. 5 minutes of meditation is all it takes to feel the benefits. Find a comfortable spot in a quiet place and focus on your breath. Watch your stress and anxieties start to disappear. 3.) Try counting backward. If you're feeling stressed, frustrated, worried, or upset, try counting back from 10. Sometimes all it takes is 10 seconds to help you refocus your thoughts. 4.) Close your eyes. If your office or environment is chaotic, closing your eyes for a minute is an easy way to regain calm and focus. 5.) Squeeze a stress ball. This is an easy and por...

Stress, work, and family responsibilities, and a similar routine day in and day out can lead to negative thinking and unhappiness. Finding ways to refocus on the positive can help you break this cycle. Keeping a gratitude journal is one of the best ways to retrain your thoughts to focus on the positives in your life. Here are some things to keep in mind when starting your own gratitude journal. 1.) Choose Your Journal What works best for you? Do you enjoy writing and find it helps you slow down and connect with what you’re feeling? Is typing your preferred method of getting thoughts down quickly? Decide what format fits your needs best. You may also want to decorate your journal in ways that remind you of your purpose or help you feel more positive.   For example: attach or paste photos that make you happy on the cover or random pages, draw pictures that depict positive feelings about the things you’re grateful for, write inspirational quotes in the margins, and not...

To be happy is an innate human desire, slightly different but no less important than food, sleep and shelter. Happiness is what allows your mind and spirit to be nurtured and to grow. On your road to wellness, your first stop along the way should be to dump your desire for perfection at the curb. Letting go of the desire to be "perfect" will free you to feel the happiness you crave. Below are 11 tips to develop more reasonable and attainable expectations for all the important areas in life, from career to relationships and even your body: Finding Your Happiness 11) Be Forgiving. It's important to forgive your friends and loved ones, yes, but here we're referring to the forgiveness you need to give to yourself! You're human and you're entitled to make mistakes, so don't be so hard on yourself. 10) Be Realistic. It's great to set goals and standards for yourself, but make sure they're attainable. For instances, if your desire is to lose we...

Do you find that you easily get bored with drinking plain water? This can lead to reaching for sugary drinks when you start to feel thirsty. If you’re not really enjoying the taste of plain water, try reaching for some of these different options.    Great Flavored Water Combinations: 1.)                        Raspberry and Lemon 2.)                        Kiwi and Cucumber 3.)                        Watermelon and Mint 4.)                        Orange and Blueberry 5.)          ...

Do you want to sign up for a yoga class, but are unsure of what kind of yoga to try? There are so many different yoga classes out there that it can be confusing! Take a look at these common types of yoga to help you decide which one is best for you! Additionally, there are many more that aren't on this list - the best thing you can do is ask the yoga studio or teacher for more details!   1.) Ashtanga Yoga is a rigorous style of yoga that follows a specific sequence of poses. 2.) Bikram Yoga is held in heated rooms follows the same series of 26 poses. 3.) Hatha Yoga is a generic term and applied to classes that teach postures. Hatha yoga can be a great introduction if you're nervous about trying a class. 4.) Hot Yoga is very similar to Bikram Yoga in the sense that you will be practicing in a heated room however, Hot Yoga may deviate slightly from the Bikram sequence which is why they call themselves something different. 5.) Restorative Yoga is a great way to re...

Have you thought about adding yoga to your routine, but are unsure of how it may help your health? Check out these health benefits of adding yoga into your fitness routine.   1.) Emotional Health Boost. Yoga can help relieve stress and tension in addition to helping you practice mindfulness. By adding yoga to the beginning of your day, you can feel ready to tackle on any challenges. Adding yoga to the end of the day can help you relax and sleep better. 2.) Relieve Pain and Tension. Yoga helps you to stretch and relieve tension and sore muscles. By increasing your flexibility, yoga can also help with chronic pain. 3.) Sleep Better. Yoga can help you reduce stress and anxiety. Try a relaxing yoga class or poses before bed to calm your mind and body and get ready for sleep. 4.) Improves Your Flexibility and Strength. Strong muscles and flexibility can help with posture, muscle tightness and injuries, and help to build up strength to prevent falls and chronic pain. 5.) Dr...

  1.) Focus on Your Food Being busy often means eating quickly. By taking a moment to focus on what you're eating and that you're eating, you'll have a chance to catch your breath through the day. 2.) Engage All Your Senses Think about the smell, taste, and texture of your food. The more senses you can engage, the more satisfying your snack will be! 3.) Portion Your Food It's tough to figure out the right portions and different people with different lifestyles have different needs. The key is to start out smaller and if you're still hungry when you're finished eating, you can always serve yourself more. 4.) Eat More Slowly Eating slowly can help with digestion and help you be more aware of when you're full. If you're practicing focusing on your food and engaging your senses, eating slowly will come more naturally. 5.) Listen to Your Body When we're rushing around all day, it can be easy to ignore cues from your body, but pay attention ...