LiveWell Vermont

1. They surround themselves with other happy people. Joy is contagious. Researchers of the Framingham Heart Study who investigated the spread of happiness over 20 years found that those who are surrounded by happy people “are more likely to become happy in the future." Make sure to spend more time with uplifting people. 2. They smile when they mean it. Even if you’re not feeling so chipper, cultivating a happy thought - and then smiling about it - could up your happiness levels and make you more productive. It’s important to be genuine with your grin: the study revealed that faking a smile while experiencing negative emotions could actually worsen your mood. 3. They cultivate resilience. Happy people know how to bounce back from failure. Resilience is like a padding for the inevitable hardship human beings are bound to face. As the Japanese proverb goes, “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” 4. They try to be happy. Yep - it’s as simple as it sounds: just...

Are you in need of an easy main course, quick snack or simple ways to shop, prepare, and safely handle food? Here are 14 quick and easy ways to eat healthy, while still loving every bite. Enjoy! Tip #1: Sweet potatoes are super nutritious and yummy to boot! They’re loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Mix in a 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 tbsp of all-natural nut butter for extra moisture and sweetness. Tip #2: Instead of chips, try munching on asparagus or edamame for a quick snack. Both are delicious lightly steamed. Throw some in your lunch box for a snack or add to your salad for a nutritious boost. Tip #3: For an easy vegetable side dish, steam a bag of fresh or frozen spinach for 2 or 3 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or parmesan cheese for some added flavor. Tip #4: For a quick, healthy pizza, buy a whole-wheat crust and top with a low-sodium spaghetti sauce, sauteed onion and red pepper, and any other favorite vege...

According to research, prolonged sitting: Is a predictor of weight gain. Correlates with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health problems. Do you find yourself stuck at a desk for hours at a time? Here's and simple (and easy) tip for your health: Take lots of quick breaks! The following tool may help! Set your timer for 20 minutes. When you hear it ringing, take a brief walk or stretch, and then reset it for another 20 minutes. Repeat this act ALL day. Simple, but extremely effective!

Walking is fundamental. Everyone does it day in and day out, but very few people ever think there's a right or wrong way to walk. It is actually quite common to walk inefficiently. The good news is it isn’t hard to change the way you walk. Try to employ these three simple tips today and see how your body feels at the end of the day.   TAKE SHORTER STEPS Contrary to most people’s beliefs, short strides will make you go faster than long strides. You just need to take more of them. Too long of strides lead to a host of troubles including hyperextension of the knees, which is also a major issue for both walking and standing. Hyperextension is when a joint has been taken past its normal range of motion. In the case of walking, we hyperextend the knees when our stride is too long and the area behind the knee locks backward with each step we take. If you tend to hyperextend when standing the odds are you will hyperextend when walking. Long strides also tend to...

On average, most Americans fill up their gas tank once a week and many more do so at least twice a month. How many times a month do you visit a gas station? A trip to the gas station can take as little as 5 minutes, which is more than long enough to pick up nasty cold or flu germs from the pump handle.  We all know bacteria is everywhere. In fact, there are 10 bacteria living on our bodies for every one cell we have. Considering that we have about one hundred trillion cells, that is a lot of bacteria. Some of the bacteria are in us and some are on us, some are good and some are bad. The things that we do daily or weekly, like pumping gas, spread bacteria all over anything and everything we touch. Studies show that one of the worst offenders for breeding germs is the gas pump, followed by public mailboxes, escalators, ATM machines, parking meters and crosswalk buttons. The level of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) found on gas pump handles was high enough to trigger disease transmi...

Live Well Vermont State Employees’ Wellness Program is excited to announce our new look and name as well as our 2014 Wellness programming. Our new name “Live Well Vermont” was chosen to  reflect the wellness program’s beliefs and goals. We   believe that each individual has the right to live his/her best life, whatever that might be. Our goal is to support you on that journey. Our health assessment & biometric screenings, wellness challenges, classes and coaching are just a few of the programs dedicated to help you “live well”.     Throughout the year we will provide personalized and motivating opportunities to support you in identifying and reaching your unique health and wellness goals. We only get one life... so live it well! Yours in health, Maura O’Brien, Jessica Gerhart &  Alissa Robertson

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent This homemade dishwasher detergent has a shelf life of months, but if you plan on storing it for that long, be sure you store it in a dark bottle since light can change the effectiveness of the essential oil. If you don’t want to use lemon oil, you can use any that you prefer. However the lemon oil is in this recipe for a reason. Aside from the pleasant scent, lemon has disinfecting properties. Any citrus oil would have those same properties which make oils like   lime oil ,  grapefruit oil or  orange oil  a great substitution!   You Will Need: 10-15 drops  lemon essential oil ¾ cup  Super Washing Soda ½ cup  Borax ¼ cup  liquid unscented Castile soap   (or   make your own liquid homemade Castile soap ) 4 cups water Place water in a  large heavy bottomed pot  and heat on medium-high heat until it boils. Stir in the washing soda and using a whisk, sti...

The new year is fast upon us. Are you, like most people, itching with the desire to get healthy? Most New year's resolutions  are aimed at changing habits, and habits — regardless of their nature — are hard to change and even harder to maintain. But just because New Year's resolutions are tough to keep doesn't mean they're impossible. Start with a new approach: goal-setting that includes physical and emotional well-being, with milestones that increase your commitment as you reach them. Idea #1: Learn to Laugh at Yourself Laughing is one New Year's resolution that should be easy to keep — and it's good for your health. Being able to engage life positively and with spontaneity is crucial to mental and even physical health. When we laugh, this is exactly what we are doing. Studies have found that people who laugh a lot are at decreased risk for heart attack. So make a resolution to chuckle, giggle, or cackle  — even at your own expense when you do somethi...

2014 is fast upon us! Join Live Well Vermont: State Employees' Wellness Program's "21 Days of Happiness" Challenge and get your new year off to a bang. "Train your brain in 21 days" to be more positive and happy. Register HERE by Tuesday, December 31, 2013. Every day you will practice: Gratitude: Write three new things for which you are grateful. Journaling: Write about one positive thing you have experienced. Exercise: Accumulate 30-minutes of physical activity. Meditation: Sit still with your eyes closed in silence for a minimum of 5 minutes. Random Acts of Kindness: Consciously do something kind for someone else.

During the Holidays, most people find it challenging to stay on track when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Our time becomes limited and our reserve energy reaches its limit. This often leads to neglecting ourselves in subtle ways such as no longer working in exercise, failing to pre-plan our meals, no longer keeping a journal of our dietary intake and beginning to eat more high calorie, high fat foods. Take control this Holiday season using the following tips and strategies: The Importance of Planning Ahead: If possible, write down what you plan to eat before the meal and stick to your plan. Determine what foods you will allow yourself to eat and those you will pass up. We recommend avoiding any foods you find tricky to eat in moderation. For example, in the past you would consume almost a whole bowl of nuts or M & M's because they were there. Plan ahead of time what competing behaviors you will use to stay away from your problem foods. Promise yourself that you...

Are you looking for the perfect gift for someone who lives a healthy lifestyle or who is working on making healthier choices? Are you working on staying motivated in reaching your health and wellness goals in the New Year and making a wish list? Check out these Holiday gift ideas that are sure to motivate you and your gift recipients and help in making it easier to stay on track. Your friends and family are sure to love one of these gifts and you'll also benefit if you're the one on the receiving end! The Vermont State Employees’ Wellness Program does not favor or endorse any specific brands. Any listed are only examples and may be substituted with a similar product. Cookbooks A  vegetarian cookbook  to try a few meatless days or for anyone who prefers meat-free meals! A  slow cooker cookbook  for when saving time is of the essence. A  vegetable cookbook  to help add more delicious veggies into meals. A  low-cal cookbook  to help lighten ...