LiveWell Vermont

It is important to lead a lifestyle that is respectful of our environment. This includes respecting nature and those species living in it. Also, respect for others living in our environment is just as necessary as respect for the physical environment itself. While today’s climate is one of increased environmental awareness, the average person may still be unconcerned or simply uninformed about what he or she can do to help the environment. You don’t have to be a member of an organization to help; an individual can help by simply leading an environmentally conscious life. Tips to Improve Environmental Wellness Environmental wellness is an awareness of the precarious state of the earth and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment. It is maintaining a way of life that maximizes harmony with the earth and minimizes harm to the environment. It includes being involved in socially responsible activities to protect the environment.   Stop your jun...

Final Hike, Bike & Paddle Event Our Hike, Bike & Paddle events are a result of our work with local community advisory boards around the state to encourage physical activity in the great Vermont outdoors. Starting in 2009 with one location, we have expanded Hike, Bike & Paddle to three communities. These free summer events allow Vermonters to try a new activity in a fun and safe environment. At all three sites, guests enjoy free access to canoe/kayak and/or paddle boards, bicycles and hiking trails. We also provide free healthy snacks to all participants, including smoothies from our very own “smoothie bike.” The first 50 guests at each site receive a free Hike, Bike & Paddle t-shirt. “We designed Hike, Bike & Paddle to encourage everyone, regardless of age and experience, to get active and use the recreational resources around them,” explains Megan Peek, BCBSVT director of community relations and health education. “We work in close partnership with our sit...

Do you love the idea of making time to exercise but just can’t seem to find the motivation to do it throughout the week? Or maybe you are already an avid exerciser but are struggling to shake up the intensity of your workout? At some point in time you might find that motivation to exercise has faded- it happens to the best of us!! Here are some tips to maybe motivate you next time you are thinking about tossing in the towel.   Sign up for a class! Boutique and group fitness are becoming very popular, and there are many reasons why! Trying a new class or revisiting one you haven’t attended in a while could motivate you to push yourself. Friendly competition is a great way to exceed the limit we normally set for ourselves within. Not only are you getting physically fit, you are also allowing yourself to explore socially. Making friends that share your love for exercise could serve as a future motivator! To add to the competition- set goals for yourself! You might find that h...

STRAWBERRY SALSA INGREDIENTS 1 pint strawberries, hulled and finely diced 1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed, finely diced Half of a small red onion, peeled and finely diced (about 1/2 cup) 2/3 cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro, loosely-packed Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tablespoons (Pinch of salt and black pepper) DIRECTIONS Toss all ingredients together until combined. Season with extra salt and pepper, if needed. If you would like a sweeter salsa, feel free to stir in a few teaspoons of warmed honey. Serves 4. NUTRITION INFORMATION Per serving: 46 Calories, 1g Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 32mg Sodium, 481mg Potassium, 2g protein, 10g Carbohydrates RDA: 90% Vitamin A, 116% Vitamin C, 5% Calcium, 8% Iron

$50 in about 15 minutes! Yes, you can earn that! This is not a joke or a drill! On July 1st, Live Well Vermont changed portal platforms! Have you checked out the new portal yet? WEBSITE IS: MyWellnessVT.com Create a new account with a username of your choice (it no longer needs to be your employee ID number).  So what about the $50 we mentioned?! Just take your health assessment!! Yes, it is that easy! The payout will be in your December paycheck! Want to earn an additional $100?? Check out the Eligible Activities within the portal to learn how you can earn 100 additional points and receive $100! Questions about the program? Contact Live Well Vermont: 802-828-7308 or DHR.LiveWellVermont@vermont.gov *All permanent, active employees with BCBSVT through SOV are eligible for the financial incentive.

Are you "Socially" well?? The face-to-face interactions you have on a daily basis are one of the strongest predictors of how long you’ll live. As we learned from our journey through the Blue Zones, having a solid social group can significantly increase longevity! In Okinawa, they have a longevity tradition called a Moai. A Moai is a social support group that starts in childhood and extends throughout your life. The term originated hundreds of years ago as a means of a village’s financial support system. Originally, moais were formed to pool the resources of an entire village for projects or public works. If an individual needed capital to buy land or take care of an emergency, the only way was to pool money locally. Today the idea has expanded to become more of a social support network, a cultural tradition for built-in companionship. Research shows that your social connections can have long-term impact on your health and happiness. You mimic the habits of your...

Last week we told you August was Melon Month, but the fun doesn't stop there! This month also focuses on eye health! Below are some foods that positively benefit your body, specifically your eyes. Having trouble reading the image? Click on it for a larger poster! We're not stopping with the knowledge yet! Check out this video from OnLife health: In less than 2 minutes, you might find a small way to better protect your eyes.

It's melon month!! Some of the most common melons are honey dew, cantaloupe, and watermelon, but there are so many more to explore! They are a nutritious fruit, full of vitamins and bursting with flavor. Not sure if your picking a ripe melon? Try tapping it with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, it's probably ripe!  Melons are so versatile, check out these 6 ways (shared from   Luvo ) to enjoy them: Salty Melons The sweetness of melons pairs exceptionally well with anything salty, hence the popular appetizer combo of melons wrapped in prosciutto. If prosciutto isn’t your thing, olives also do the trick. Try this simple yet delicious-looking recipe:  Shaved Honeydew, Fennel and Olive Salad . Refreshing Melon Soup Gazpacho–or soup made from raw vegetables and served cold–is another one of those refreshing warm-weather recipes. Most often made with tomatoes, gazpacho can also be made with a variety of other fruits or veggies. This one features watermelon, a hit...

The  Wellness Portal  offers a variety of Personal Challenges to guide you to achieve all your wellness goals! Focus on physical activity, stress reduction, tobacco cessation and more!! Bonus: successful completion of a challenge will earn you 30 incentive points! 

National Exercise With Your Child Week (August 4-10) is observed the first full week of August! Good health should be a family affair. When you practice a healthy lifestyle, your children are more likely to follow. Starting young is the key to developing healthy fitness habits. Good exercise habits also give your child a head start for Physical Education in school, sports and other activities. Encouraging each other to stick with an exercise program also helps you stay fit. A healthy body is a key to a healthy mind. Use #NationalExerciseWithYourChild in social media. Tip 1: Get into the child mindset: Fitness as FUN instead of a chore! If you have kids of your own, you know that they are ALWAYS on the move enjoy every minute they spend motoring around. Take a cue from your child’s mindset and start seeing fitness as fun instead of a chore. When was the last time you went to the playground? Enjoyed a game of tag? Played hop scotch? All of these activities count as exercise! In addit...

This recipe is by: Let's Dish This side dish is especially great during the summer months, when corn on the cob is in season. But it’s the perfect accompaniment to any Tex-Mex dish, any time of year!  Typically it’s served on the cob, usually on a stick. But it’s so much easier to eat when you serve it off the cob, so that’s what I do. For extra spice, you can dice up some jalapeno and toss it in as well!   INGREDIENTS 6 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon chili powder Dash of cayenne pepper Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup crumbled feta (or cheese of your choice!) 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro INSTRUCTIONS Preheat grill for high heat. Brush corn with vegetable oil. Grill corn, turning every 2-3 minutes, until slightly charred on all sides. Cool and cut corn kernels off cob. In a medium bowl, combine corn kernels, lime juice, chili powder and cayenne. Garnish with feta and chopped cilantro. NUTRITION IN...

Intuitive eating is the concept of not dieting or focusing on a specific meal plan, but instead listening to your body and eating accordingly. Intuitive eating does not involve calorie counting or restrictions- it is simply becoming more aware of how you feel before and after you eat. Below are some basic principles of intuitive eating from MyFitnessPal. Stop Dieting.  No more calorie counting, feeling deprived, having to ‘earn’ calories or classifying foods as good or bad. Basically, stop treating food as the enemy. There are no villainous foods and no magic secrets; it’s a lifestyle. Find Balance.  This process is about being open to all foods. That doesn’t mean gorging on whatever is around, but rather enjoying foods that make you happy and nourish your body. If you want a donut one morning and avocado toast with poached eggs the next, or a steak and fries for dinner one night and tofu over buckwheat the next, then so be it. Liste...

Grilled scallops with orange? But wait...there is also a HONEY GINGER GLAZE! Gourmet taste with little effort! Ingredients: 1 tbsp. of raw honey (consider buying local ☺) 1 large navel orange (or 2 smaller ones) 1 tbsp. of fresh grated ginger oil for the grill (spray works too) 12 jumbo sea scallops, about 1lb salt and pepper to taste metal skewers for grill Directions: Cut ends off orange and cut remaining orange into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut the slices into 4 quarters. Squeeze remaining oranges into 2 tbsps. of juice. In a small bowl combine honey, 2 tbsp. of orange juice and ginger. Heat grill to high. Tip: make sure grill grate is clean to avoid scallops sticking. Prepare your skewers- orange first then scallop, ending with an orange. Grill about 2 minutes on each side or until scallops are opaque throughout, then brush sauce onto the skewers and cook for 30-60 seconds on each side. ENJOY!!

Mixing more vegetables into foods you already love can make meals more interesting and provide excellent health benefits!   Vegetables are full of heart-healthy fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. Eating vegetables can increase heart health, decrease blood pressure and regulate blood pressure. Add veggies to your favorite recipes! Try tomatoes, onions, spinach, and/or mushrooms in your omelets.   Add roasted broccoli or bell peppers to your pizzas. If you are feeling especially motivated, try cauliflower pizza crust! Add sautéed zucchini & yellow squash to noodles or use them as your base. Snack on vegetables throughout the day. Try eating cherry tomatoes, radishes, celery and carrots with hummus, light dressing or a bit of salt-free seasoning.   The high-water content of raw veggies will satisfy and hydrate you. Buying prepared veggies or taking some time to prep them at the start of the week will make a huge difference when you are hungry and looking for a ...

BBQ Chicken Foil Packs Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up into 1-inch pieces 1 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce of your choice 2 cups of pineapple cubed, drained if canned 1 pepper (green, red or yellow), chopped 1 onion, chopped cilantro, optional Directions: Cut 4 large pieces of tin foil (this tin foil will be used to hold your meat and vegetables). Divide chicken evenly into each of the 4 tin foil sheets. Top with equally divided pineapple, peppers and onion. Bring up 2 sides of foil over chicken so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space on sides for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal. Place folded foils on preheated grill. Cook for 10 minutes, flip packets over and cook for 10-15 more minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked in the center. Once chicken is fully cooked, your packets are ready to eat. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776. Today we celebrate the freedoms we have as Americans! Have a wonderful and safe holiday!!

Of course there are a variety of salads, but sometime it is nice to try something totally different with dinner. Are you looking for a way to heat up the Romaine lettuce game (literally)? Grilled lettuce is an easy and delicious spin on traditional lettuce. In just a few minutes, you can have a light, tasty appetizer or pairing for your meal. Ingredients: 1tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 1 head of Romaine, cut length wise salt and pepper, to taste Optional: Parmesan cheese, shredded Directions: Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate (non-stick spray works too) Drizzle remaining olive oil on lettuce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Apply cheese if using. Place lettuce cut side-down on preheated grill. Cook until lettuce is slightly wilted or charred (typically ~5 minutes).

By: Maebells Simple Living Ingredients (yields 2) 1 zucchini, ends removed and sliced salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tomato, sliced or handful of cherry tomatoes 1/8 cup sliced red onion 1 cup kale, tough stems removed 2 slices white cheddar or chipotle gouda cheese 2 large tortillas 4 tablespoons hummus Instructions Heat a skillet or grill to medium heat. Remove the ends from the zucchini and slice length wise into strips. Toss sliced zucchini in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place sliced zucchini directly on grill and let cook for 3 minutes, turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Set zucchini aside. Place the tortillas on grill for approximately one minute, or just until grill marks are visible and tortillas are pliable. Remove tortillas from grill and assemble wraps, 2 tablespoons of hummus, one slice of cheese, zucchini slices, 1/2 cup kale, onion and tomato slices. Wrap tightly and enjoy immediately.