LiveWell Vermont

Some call it "soda, while other call it "pop" or a "soft drink." Universally it can be referred to as the worst beverage choice you can make. The fact is, you won't get any nutritional value from this fizzy drink, but what you will most definitely get are caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars, fructose or even worse, sugar substitutes along with food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring and preservatives. So then, why is the soft drink industry booming? This once considered occasional treat is now being consumed by Americans as the staple beverage with lunch, dinner, snacks and as a pick-me-up in between. An overly abundant amount of research is attributing this increase in soft drink consumption to numerous health problems including obesity, nutritional depletion, heart disease, diabetes, the formation of kidney stones and many other health challenges. Thinking of switching to fruit juice? This is also not the healthiest of options. Fruit ...

For many of us, sleep is hardly ever long enough or good enough. According to the National Institutes of health, approximately 30 percent of adults complain of problems sleeping. The consequences of inadequate sleeping patterns go far beyond feeling tired the next day. Those of us who average less than six hours of sleep a night have been shown to have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases, as well as being more likely to eat more, which lead to excess weight gain. THE FINDINGS Getting a good night's sleep can be far from easy for many of us. Women tend to sleep longer and sounder than men, although women complain more than men about their sleeping difficulties. Researchers are unsure whether this is because women are more willing to speak up, or if they're not measuring what's making women feel as though their sleep is not as refreshing. Women also tend to get more slow-wave sleep, which is the deep phase of sleep that has been found t...

Do you struggle with eating fruits and vegetables on a regular basis? Are you sick of eating green salads and raw veggies just to get your vegetables in? Are you itching for more variety when it comes to your fruit and vegetable intake? If so, perhaps today's blog will help. The fact is, the average American consumes less than 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day, and just 1% of adults and 2% of kids meet both the fruit and vegetable recommendations each day.* Not only are fruits and vegetables a rich source of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber, but they are a major part of any healthy weight management regimen. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of many chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Plus, fruits and vegetables are quick, easy and delicious! While many fruits and vegetables are tasty on their own, consuming them with low-fat dairy sources is a great approach to obtaining a nutritionally complete, balanced mea...

It’s almost fall, which means the excitement of football season is in the air. For many of us, the upcoming weekends are bound to be filled with game watches, spirited barbecues, and all-day tailgates. These events can be tons of fun, but with them comes an abundance of tempting snacks, over-sized burgers, and rich desserts…not exactly ideal for someone who is trying to make healthier choices and watch their weight. Don’t let the traditionally fatty foods and alcoholic beverages consumed on game day take the fun out of your celebration. To help you out, we’re bringing you lots of tailgating tips so you can navigate the food and drink situation more easily this season.   Offer to Bring Something or Organize First off, always offer to contribute to the party! Bring something healthy that you know you can eat and others will enjoy. If you can, volunteer to organize the tailgate or host your fellow fans at your place to watch the game. That way, you’ll have more control over the...

  Serves 6   Ingredients 1 pound thin-skinned new potatoes, not peeled (about 4 cups cubed) 1 cup sliced celery ½ cup sliced green onion Dressing: 3 tablespoons fat-free Greek plain yogurt 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon chopped garlic ½ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon dried onion powder ¼ teaspoon salt (optional)   Directions Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place in medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain.  Mix dressing ingredients. Combine hot potatoes, celery, green onions, and dressing. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold. Nutritional Facts Serving Size: 1 cup Calories 74 Carbohydrates 14 g Protein 2 g Fat 1 g Saturated Fat 0 g Cholesterol 1 mg Sodium 78 mg Dietary Fiber 2 g

This is a favorite recipe of mine and is a HUGE hit at get togethers and tailgate parties. Not only is it yummy, but it's healthy too! It contains beans and vegetables, which we all know are high in antioxidants, soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals. This recipe has a bite, but feel free to limit or ommit the adobo chilies if you don't particulary like spicy foods. Enjoy! Ingredients: - 3 cups yellow and red sweet pepper (about 1 medium pepper each) - 2 cups black beans (about 1 can) - Drain and rinse - 1 can corn - no salt or sugar added (can use fresh corn as well!) - 1/2 cup minced red onion - 1/2 cup chopped scallions - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro - 2 cups cherry tomatoes - quartered - 1/3 cup red wine vinegar or fresh lime (I like it better with lime) - 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (found in a can) - finely chopped - 1 Tbsp adobo sauce from can - 1/4 cup canola or olive oil - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper - 1 Tbsp ground cumin - 1 tsp sea salt...

Do you think you're eating healthy meals, but still question your methods? Have you been working on losing weight, and found it challenging or even seen a decrease in the amount of weight you're losing? If so, there's a good chance that you haven't been eating as healthy as perhaps you could be. There are 5 simple guidelines you can follow that will ensure your meals are both healthy and fitness-friendly. If weight loss is a goal for you, these steps may also result in a healthy weight loss! Five Simple Steps to a Healthy Meal: Step #1: Quality Ingredients Quality ingredients are the building blocks to a healthy meal. You most definitely don't need to dine in gourmet restaurants or shop at health food stores all the time, but it is important that you pay attention to the quality of the foods you eat. Choose foods that are : Fresh and organic (not all fruits and vegetables need to be organic. Visit the following website for a shopper's guide to the "dirt...

According to the Food and Drug Administration, "Diets rich in whole-grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers." A recent study conducted by Eating Well Magazine and the USA Rice Federation found that the majority of the respondents were confused as to what was and what wasn't a whole grain. Perhaps this is why only 10 percent of Americans get the recommended three 1-ounce servings of whole grains per day. Want to test your knowledge of whole grains? Take this quick quiz to see how you shape up: Which of the following foods are whole grains? A. Steel Cut Oatmeal B. Bran Cereal C. Brown Rice D. 100% Wheat Bread E. Corn Answer: A, C and E. If you guessed incorrectly, you're certainly not alone. Knowing which foods are whole grains can be tricky! The key to knowing whether or not a food is a whole grain is the ingredient label and the processing. You should look fo...

The past two weeks spent watching the Olympics have been so motivational and inspiring. The athletes we watched have spent years, even decades, training to to achieve their Olympic Dream. Although we may not ever have the chance to win a gold medal we ARE able to live our own personal dreams. One of the most important rules of happiness in life is to do what you love. But discovering that dream job and what you are meant to do in life isn't always so easy. Take a look at the happiest, most successful people on this planet: they are all doing something they love, creating something they believe in, living a life of purpose and passion. Do that, and it doesn't matter how much money you make. But what do you do if you don't know what you want to do? If you don't know what your dream is? This is a common problem, and many people wander through much of their life without discovering their passion, and go from job to job, unfulfilled and miserable. If that's you, don...

Ever struggle with what to eat during the day when trying to make healthier choices? Me too! That's why we've put together a sample day's worth of food to make at least one day of your life a bit easier. The following menu plan is designed for someone who needs are approximately 2,000 calories per day and is based on the OmniHeart Study, which found a diet higher in unsaturated fat and higher in protein cut heart disease risk the most when compared to any other diets out there. The menu plan is low in saturated fat, added sugars and salt, but is high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Breakfast 1 serving (look at the box-serving sizes vary depending on the type of cereal) Whole-grain cereal - look for cereals with sugar not in the 1st 5 ingredients and that says the words "whole grain" on the ingredient label 1/2 medium banana 1/2 oz unsalted nuts such as slivered almonds or crushed walnuts 1/2 cup skim milk or milk alternative (soy, rice, hemp, almo...

In many of our wellness classes we discuss integrating mindfulness into our lifestyle. But what does that really mean and how do we do it? First off, what does mindfulness mean? Is it some magical state of mind that only yogi's can reach? Thankfully, NOT ! Being mindful simply means being " aware ", paying " attention ", and being " present ". Sounds simple right? In today's age it is actually very rare for us not to being thinking about what happened earlier at today's staff meeting and what you have to take care of this evening once you arrive home. The best thing about practicing mindfulness is it can be done anytime, anywhere and is FREE! Now that is great and all but WHY in the world do I want to change and start practicing this "mindfulness". The benefits are endless.....decreased stress, improved eating, improved sleep, improved mood, increased efficiency, improved relationships and decreased anxiety. Those are just a ...

We all know that people tend to eat more when they're offered larger servings. The question remains whether it's being offered more food or bigger plates, bowls, bags or other containers that make the difference in how much people eat. To find out, researchers in Belgium offered 88 college students the option of choosing one of three bowls of M&M's to snack on as they watched a 22-minute TV show: a small (one-cup) bowl filled with  7 ounces of M&M's, a large (three-cup) bowl with 7 ounces of M&M's, or a large (three-cup) bowl filled with 21 ounces of M&M's. The students ate twice as much candy from the two large bowls (about 2 ounces, or 300 calories more) than they did from the small bowl (approximately 1 ounce, or 150 calories less). What's the lesson in all of this? Think twice about the size of your dishes at home. If your dishes are on the larger side and you're working on cutting down on your intake, it is most definitely wor...