LiveWell Vermont

  You’re triple-booked with meetings, eating at your desk— with no time for a social life, let alone a lunch hour! Some of us may still be on a sugar high from holiday season, when all our best habits have dissolved into sugar cookies, sparkling cocktails and cheese trays. No time to hit the gym? If you can carve out just 15 minutes from your workday, you can keep up your fitness without having to drop any of your spinning plates. Try this simple routine a few days a week .

  Want to be healthier and feel better? My Healthy Vermont can help. Local coordinators can connect you with workshops right in your community. These are led by health experts who understand your needs because many have faced similar health challenges.  Workshops available in the management of: Chronic Disease Chronic Pain Diabetes High Blood Pressure Smoking Cessation Not up for a full workshop? Try the Prediabetes Risk Quiz .  There is a lot you can do to lower your risk!

 Warm BBQ Tempeh and Quinoa Bowls with Winter Squash and Bleu Cheese Try this quick weeknight dinner for a nourishing, comforting, and delicious complete meal. Prepare the components, then assemble the salad to your liking!  Ingredients: 1 medium delicata squash olive oil as needed salt 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon BBQ sauce to taste 1/2 cup quinoa 1 cup water Several handfuls of fresh greens Bleu cheese, feta, or chevre  Squash Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut one 1 medium delicata squash in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds from the middle but do not peel. Slice into 1/4 inch thick half-moons. Toss with olive oil to cover, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp curry powder and 1/2 tsp cinnamon . Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast until soft and golden brown, flipping halfway through, 20-25 minutes.  Tempeh Slice an 8 oz block of tempeh into 1/4 inch thick strips. Toss with  BBQ sauce to cover completely and let it marinate for about 30-60 minutes....

  InvestEAP is a resource available to promote the health of employees and their household members by offering immediate access to free, confidential counseling for a wide range of life issues.  Below are some examples of Invest EAP’s confidential services, but if it causes you stress or worry, call 1-866-660-9533.  24/7 telephone access to counselors In-person and telehealth counseling sessions Management consultation Counseling, resource and referral information to address issues involving: Relationships and Family Drug and Alcohol Mental Health Grief and Loss Medical Disability Eldercare Finding Childcare and Subsidies Parenting Techniques Workplace Conflict Legal Issues Financial Problems Critical Incident Stress Debriefings Facilitated discussions Organizational development Much, much more!

  There are a wide array of human emotions and experiences and each of us can feel a mixture of emotions, at any given time. When life gets challenging, we want to respond with resilience but sometimes we’re overwhelmed, or worse. When the going gets tough, what is the harm in the friend that says, “look on the bright side”? WHAT IS TOXIC POSITIVITY? Toxic positivity is using positivity to reject the challenging parts of life. You can do this to yourself, or it can occur between people, like friends telling you to “just be positive” during a mental health crisis. TOXIC POSITIVITY EXAMPLES See if you have heard these types of statements before: telling a parent whose child has died to be happy that they can have children asserting after a disaster that “everything happens for a reason” telling someone to get over their grief and focus on the good things in their life labeling people who always appears positive as being stronger than others brushing off someone’s concerns by say...

  Rest days. Those of us that love the gym (or soccer, or rock climbing, you name it) know we need to do them, but often have a hard time.  While working hard and pushing ourselves is excellent, we must rest to recover and reach our goals. When we rest, we give our body time to repair and restore our muscles. It's during rest that our muscles grow, and we make the most physical progress. So, if we know resting helps us reach our goals, why is it so hard for some of us to take a day off?   How to Make the best of REST Try these strategies to enjoy rest days as much as your workouts: Changed the way you view rest days. Instead of seeing rest days as a negative, I see it as a day to honor my body and appreciate all it does for me. This simple shift in mindset has changed my way of thinking. As a result, I've reached my fitness goals, experienced less stress, and felt happier!   Substitute your gym time with another form of me time.  This can mean hobbies,...

  WHAT IS SELF-EFFICACY? Self-efficacy is the belief that you can succeed at a given task. It affects your motivation, performance, and even learning capacity.  When you believe it is possible to succeed you attempt more tasks and put more effort into the tasks you take on.  WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Self-efficacy is important because it drives our confidence in our abilities. This is a helpful quality, but as with so many things it is best in moderation. Think of self-efficacy this way. Would you ever follow a leader if they didn’t believe in their mission? No. Also, would you a leader if they had a reputation of blind confidence, and never learning from their mistakes? I hope not! Best results come from balance.  We hone our craft and take every opportunity to show it off, but also learn from our mistakes as we go.  This leads to positivity outcomes all around; we become even better at our skill, and exist in a positive emotional state, believing we are capable of ...

  Self-forgiveness is a way of reconciling the way you see yourself after you experience guilt or shame. These feelings happen when you do something that makes you question the image you have of yourself. Whether you have disappointed yourself or others, it can be hard to be kind to yourself when you do something you aren’t proud of. Here are some tips for how to practice self-forgiveness: Have empathy for more than yourself: Without having empathy for both you and the other person involved, self-forgiveness can be empty and not mean much. Empathy is powerful. Take responsibility: You cannot forgive yourself if you don't own up to what you did both to yourself and other people. Learn to fully accept what you did. Try to repair the damage: It may be hard for you to truly forgive yourself if you feel you haven't done what you need to do to make amends. Be kinds to yourself: Life is not perfect, so why would people be?  When the going gets tough, remember to be caring and lovin...

  Have you ever struggled to manage your stress with limited time and resources? Managing stress can take many forms, from improving daily habits to finding new healthy coping mechanisms.  At times it can feel like all the best ways we can improve our lives are expensive, time consuming or both! However, there are options that are free and require minimal time to implement.  Meditation is one of them.   Meditation is the practice of mindfulness and helps to train attention and awareness.  The benefits are far reaching, but many of us seek meditation for helping us find calm in tense moments. This practice serves us best when done regularly and practiced during moments of low or no stress initially.  Once the meditative state is accessible, we can then use this technique in even in very high stress situations to manage stress, control anxiety, and improve our mental health. There are different types of meditation.  Silent and guided...

Being more organized can lead to better self-care You cannot underestimate the power of self-care during the hustle and bustle of the holidays. With the flurry of things to do, your self-care activities might fall by the wayside. One way to ensure you are making time for yourself is by organizing and planning all your tasks around the holidays. Consider the tips below to optimize your time and set boundaries. Learn to say no:  Decide what traditions offer the most positive impact and which plans cause too much stress. You do not need to attend every dinner you are invited to. If you become overwhelmed with baking, caroling, shopping, and visiting relatives, you may want to revisit your commitments. Pick a few favorite activities that you truly enjoy and politely decline others. Set a holiday schedule: Putting your plans on paper can show you how realistic they are. Try to use a time management planner. You can fill in the hours with your scheduled activities including driving time ...

  Benefits of mindfulness: Being fully present and aware helps us to focus, respond with compassion and avoid outsized reactions As the world around us changes and we are surrounded with uncertainty, mindfulness helps us cut down on unhelpful stress By helping us manage our stress, mindfulness helps us to become more resilient Anyone can learn and benefit from it We practice mindfulness as we are, there is no need to change to be able to use mindfulness Practicing mindfulness through enjoying the five senses Try increasing mindfulness by focusing on adding beauty, enjoying sound, savoring scents, cherishing treats, or relishing a stretch. Opportunities are everywhere, try: Mindfully petting your dog/cat/tarantula Interacting with loved ones while fully present, enjoying sight of their face, sound of their voice, etc.  Go on a walk, and take time to notice something positive with each of your senses What else would you like to do mindfully?

This season leaves millions of people blue, not joyful. Contributing factors include: Family members who live far away. Memories of a loved one who has passed away. Financial problems. Fatigue and feelings of being overwhelmed by tasks and obligations associated with the holidays. Idealistic expectations. Some ways to prevent the holiday blues include the following. Begin holiday preparations well in advance, to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Delegate chores like writing greeting cards or baking cookies to other members of the household. Don’t drink alcohol if it makes you moody and depressed. Don’t expect everything—food, decorations, family get-togethers—to be perfect for the holidays. Don’t spend beyond your budget. If keeping old holiday traditions is painful, start new ones. If you expect to be alone for the holidays, don’t wait to be invited somewhere; invite people over.

Today is the last day of autumn!  That feels weird to say, considering we've been deep into the cold season for a while now.  Anyway, let's send off the Season of Change with a celebratory cup: some healthier alternatives to the beloved PSL (pumpkin spice latte). Pumpkin Spice Coffee Brew a cup of joe using your favorite method In a separate container, mix together two parts canned pumpkin puree to 1 part half and half and 1 part maple syrup (for example, 2 tbsp pumpkin, 1 tbsp half and half, and 1 tbsp maple syrup). Stir in a few shakes of pumpkin pie spice Add in the pumpkin spice mixture to your coffee spoonful by spoonful, stirring well in between, and tasting until it reaches your desired level of flavor.* Pumpkin Chai Boil a cup of hot water and add 1 chai tea bag; let steep for recommended time while you prepare the pumpkin spice mixture In a separate container, mix together two parts canned pumpkin puree to 1 part half and half and 1 part maple syrup (for example, 2 t...

 

  Merry Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah! When we talk about nutrition around the holidays, a lot of the chitter chatter is about “temptations” and a lot of the advice we hear is about “resisting temptations” And yea, there are a lot of what we think of as “temptations” around this time of year. What are your favorite holiday treats that get labeled as “temptations”? (here are some of DHR's favorite treats!) Gingerbread cookies Pie Stuffed mushrooms Chex mix Eggnog Morning sticky buns hot cocoa chocolate peanut butter balls peppermint ANYTHING Latkes These treats are important for helping us celebrate! They help us feel connected to traditions, feel like the holiday is actually here, connect with family, remember family members who’ve gone before us, etc.! However, healthy eating doesn’t have to mean that we have to “stay strong” in the face of cookies and eggnog and latkes. In fact, depriving ourselves of these foods that we see as such an important part of the holidays is...

 Few desserts are as beloved as brownies. There's nothing more satisfying than an ooey gooey, warm, and chocolaty treat in your mouth! Brownies, and other baked goods, have gone through a recent "glow up" in the past few years. Lots of fresh new recipes for "healthy brownies" and other treats have popped up with swaps for healthier options.  Let's break down which healthy baking trends are HYPE and which are HEALTH.  Fats: Olive oil brownies Fats in pastries provides the texture, mouthfeel, and flavor that we love in our desserts. Replacing the butter with olive oil adds heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, and reduces saturated fat. HEALTH! Starches: Black bean brownies Starch is the backbone of any pastry! Replacing refined flour with complex carbs from beans can help reduce the spike in blood sugar and add some gut-friendly fiber. HEALTH! Sweeteners: It wouldn't be a dessert if it wasn't sweet! Maple syrup  sweetened  Maple syrup is composed...

Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Bowl      Officially, winter doesn't start til Dec 21st! That means there is still plenty of time to maximize on the pumpkin spice goodness (though for some of us, pumpkin spice knows no date constraints!). Extra points for pumpkin spice: Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and folate (among others). And those warming spices we love have great antioxidant properties! What's not to love?! Build yourself a pumpkin spice breakfast: Plop a serving of plain Greek yogurt into a bowl and top with: - canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling) - pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom) - a drizzle of honey or maple syrup - toasted walnut halves  - coconut flakes (optional) - chia seeds and/or toasted pepitas (optional) Prefer a warm breakfast? Lactose intolerant? Try these toppings on a bowl of oatmeal! If you go this route, have a hard boiled egg on the side to meet your breakfast protein needs!

 Between flights to visit family, gifts for everyone, plus that new pair of skis you really *need* this year, it can be hard to fit into your budget this time of year.  Check out these tips for staying out of debt this holiday season! 1. Do you actually have a budget?      Write down your monthly income, and then create two columns: one for "fixed" expenses, and one for "flexible". In the fixed column, write out every expense you have to pay this month, like bills, groceries, rent/mortgage, loan payments, and subtract that total from your income.  In the flexible column, write out your usual spending categories, like entertainment, eating out, alcohol, and clothes and subtract the total from your remaining income. Play with the amounts you plan to realistically spend in those categories and see how much is left for gifts.  Hint: If you're new to budgeting, it can be helpful to review old credit card statements when decided how much you plan to sp...

  Many of us depend on habits and routines to help us fit in our healthy habits.  Whether it is prepping your favorite recipes on Sundays or a 10-minute stretch before bed, small routines are a common way to stay healthy.  These little habits add up and help our health and fitness a lot.  So how do we maintain our health through schedule changes? Identify Your Motivation Determine what deeply moves you to want to continue your healthy habit.  Tapping these deep desires, feelings and values are more meaningful than just "because I should" thinking. Quick Fix Determine an abbreviated version of your favorite routines, something you can fit in no matter what.  For instance, if you normally enjoy an hour of yoga daily, find a 15-minute fix .  This will help you fit it in for when life gets crazy. Make a List Although many things add up to a healthy life, make a list of your non-negotiable favorites that help you feel your best.  Note the ideal fre...

 Check out these tips for approaching the holiday feasting with a healthy attitude! 1. Regular Mealtimes       It can be tempting to skip breakfast or lunch to “save calories” for the feast but that plan can backfire, leading you to way overeat at dinner time!  Eat a healthy balanced breakfast and lunch so that you aren’t famished right before the big meal.  Treat the celebration meal as just another meal. Listen to your body and try not to eat to the point of discomfort. There will be leftovers, and you are allowed to have them.  How often do we say “I’ll just wait for dinner” or “I want to have room for all my favorite dishes” It’s really not a good idea to skip meals. Not to mention, it can make your digestive system pretty unhappy! If you have the mindset, “I can only have this once a year so I’m going to pack it all in right now” banish that thought! You can totally make turkey and stuffing another day. They sell turkeys all year round. 2. Fruits ...