Your Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge begins TODAY!

Coincidentally, it’s also the Dalai Lama’s birthday.

10 weeks of great activities to get you out and about in your communities and with your loved ones awaits.
As we begin, we reflect on what’s ahead.

Health is really about our ability to enjoy life with those we love. This week we begin by asking you to take time to break bread together. If you can do so in the presence of peaceful nature, you’ll be catapulted on a healing trajectory that could last you right through another crazy winter!

That’s exactly what the Dalai Lama teaches: loving-kindness for all people in nature breeds compassion that stays with the mind forever. This memory keeps us healthy in hard times and helps dissipate destructive emotions like fear, anger and guilt.

And you thought we were just asking you to share some veggies and quinoa at the summer BBQ!

Well, that’s kind of true too. We’re definitely asking you to choose some fun, healthy foods that will make you say “YAY” to eating well. Beyond that, science is clear that doing so with loved ones, sharing joyful moments, will make you exponentially healthier. In fact, according to research in Positive Psychology, when you show compassion for someone else, your DNA actually changes! Your genetic, molecular structure shifts so you become better at fighting disease. This is remarkable news.

We used to believe the world was flat. We used to believe the brain stopped growing by age 25. We used to believe your genetic makeup was unchangeable from birth. The miracle of modern science shows, ironically, what we’ve always known… We need each other, and in being with each other in healthy ways, we are changed for the better, forever.

In a speech the Dalai Lama gave the day before his milestone birthday he reminded the world that we are all meant to be happy, that no one is comfortable in a state of anger and that compassion is a powerful path to intelligence, health and dignity. He reminded us all of the power of our brains to change to the world:

“I thank you for your good wishes for my birthday, but I like to think of every new day as like a birthday. It’s a day we celebrate with joy which is an indication the purpose of our lives is to be happy. When we combine our intelligence with warm-heartedness it can be useful and constructive.

Usually we seek pleasure through sensory experience, but whereas sensory experience of pleasing sights and sounds is fleeting, lasting only as long as the stimulus is present, our mental experience remains with us 24 hours a day. When the music we enjoy stops, our pleasure is only a memory. Since we have this marvelous brain, we need to pay more attention to our mental experience.”

Celebrate your time together, celebrate yummy healthy food, and celebrate life every day with joy! Like it’s your birthday.

Oh, and click here for a fun recipe for some yummy, healthy cookies from our friend Rachel Druckenmiller at Rachel’s Nourishing Kitchen.

Also, check out the Blue Zones Solutions for ideas on what the world’s longest living people eat regularly.  If you want to live to 100 (and like it) these people have the key ingredients.

Good luck and enjoy the summer!

This is the last week of our 2014 Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge. This week’s focus is to find and pick your own produce. What a wonderful time of year to do so. The fruits and vegetables are plentiful. This morning, Amy Gilbert, VEHI PATH’s wellness coordinator, appeared with a pint of juicy raspberries in hand, and promptly added them to her breakfast regime. Amy and her mother traversed Pomfret and Rochester last Saturday, first picking blueberries at Moore’s Orchard and then discovering fall raspberries at the Sunshine Valley Organic Berry Farm. When I asked Amy if she had any specific plans for the berries other than eating them, she said she had frozen some of the blueberries and may indeed make some jam.

My small freezer at home is overflowing with frozen berries and the Montmorency cherries I picked earlier this summer. I guess that means it’s time to start using the blender once again for blueberry smoothies and the rolling pin for cherry pies. On my way to our office this morning, I passed Ray Allen, the owner of Allenholm Orchards in South Hero. Because he was driving a truck with a trailer attached, I envisioned both vehicles packed to the gills with a variety of apples. This is for me a welcome sign that Vermont’s orchards are open for business.

You might also consider gathering zucchinis, yellow squash, pumpkins and eggplant or digging up beets, carrots and potatoes. And should darkness arrive before you have filled your basket, rest assured that the harvest moon will provide you will all the light necessary to accomplish your mission.

Because this is the final week of the challenge, if you want to qualify for the grand prize and earn 25 points toward this year’s PATHpoints, you must do the following:   Complete the Sizzlin’ Summer Game Card in full and drop it in the mail this coming weekend. We must have your game card in our hands by September 19^th at the latest.  Our address, also listed at the bottom of the game card, is: VEHI Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge, 52 Pike Drive, Berlin, VT 05602

See you on the PATH Ahead.

By now, you have all experienced a taste of the new school year, engaged with returning and new students, reconnected with colleagues and introduced yourselves to new educators and staff. In recognition of new beginnings and the rekindling of friendships, this week’s goal is to post photos of ways in which you express love for those you care about. Before posting your photos and I imagine you have plenty of examples, please use the following information as guidance. Make sure your photos can be viewed by the general public without hesitation. In other words, only consider posting photos that would make your grandmother, parent or fifth grade teacher proud.

To get this week going, and yes, I realize it is now Tuesday, I want to share a few stories and photos which symbolize the expression of love for me. These first two photos were taken during my family’s recent trip through France. While in Paris, a must do is to jot the names of your loved ones on a lock, add the lock to a bridge over the Seine River and throw away the keys.  The second photo was taken while my daughter and husband patiently waited to learn which track the last train on our journey would depart from and symbolizes how meaningful the trip was for us.  Determined to have the ultimate adventure, we traveled with backpacks and a tent and spent several nights in close quarters in a variety of unusual campgrounds. We were incredibly proud of our ability to negotiate travel in foreign country while successfully dealing with language and cultural barriers and many sleep deprived nights.

The next photo represents one of many sections of the Vimy monument, a white marble sculpture constructed in memory of the 11,285 Canadian soldiers killed in France during World War I who have no known graves. To honor the Canadians for all they did to liberate France from the German occupation, the French government ceded Vimy Ridge and the land surrounding it to Canada in perpetuity.  For me, visiting this monument and learning more about how it came to be is a powerful example of love and gratitude between two countries. from one country to another.

The last photo was taken while visiting with my 98 year old father, my sister, my niece and her new baby this past weekend in New Castle, PA. Because my great nephew looks so much like his great grandfather, the family decided to purchase a cap for the baby and then shot multiple photos of the four generations wearing a variety of my father’s caps. It was an afternoon filled with hilarity and love.  Lastly, Gillian and I were introduced to a short video we thought you might enjoy viewing if you have not already had the opportunity  you tube look up .  

We look forward to seeing all your great posts.

See you on the PATH ahead.

We’ve been taking an informal poll over the summer (and over the years) to ask people what would make the transition from Summer back to school easier? What would make the coming year more manageable?

By far, the two things people say most often are that they want to a) be kinder, gentler and more full of grace, and b) have better communication with their co-workers and administration.

I find this fascinating in that school employees are the kindest most amazing people already. Gosh we are all so hard on ourselves. But what’s crazy cool is that this mass of people serving our Vermont families is wise enough to know that kindness begets kindness. There is no other means to that end. Thus they constantly seek to improve, forever and always. And they’re right. We all feel it over the summer in the calm sigh of a restful warm, breezy, blue bird day. That feeling is when we are at our best. Hands down.

How do we recall that feeling when the chips are down, in the heat of a hallway moment from which you wish you could run?  Sorry to admit but bad communication and stress are the nature of the beast in schools, quite often. Neither plan to disappear completely. So how can we tame the beast with grace and avoid any great expense to our soul (or that of others) over the next ten months?

A plan is in order. Dysfunction can be softened by default or by design we always say. Design your culture (your social and physical climates) to soften life with grace.  In order to breed kindness and stay stalwart in it, regardless of what whirls around you, choose moments to breathe and be grateful — mini meditations to get away and savor the previous joy of summer. To do so, you’ll need a few science backed, tried and true tips:

— Choose a space to go to daily that is reasonable and completely safe.
— Surround yourself with memories of love, fun and joy.
— Take deep breaths around those good memories. Maybe even try a brief “Loving Kindness Meditation” or LMK as suggested by Yoga Journal (April 2014). Direct the following phrase at yourself, then at someone you’re struggling with, then at someone you love who is need of support.

• May I be well
• May I be peaceful and at ease
• May I be happy

— Finally, practice, practice, practice — daily. Make it a ritual. Make it a norm. Practice your plan, practice your gratitude and kindness. The vibrational energy this small act can breed is undeniable, palpable even. And, over time it provides a priceless inoculation against all stress ills.

There are some fun websites and smartphone apps that can help guide your meditations if you do a quick search. And, friends and family may help support your efforts — that’s actually the best system available!

The bottom line is, make a plan to infuse your whole year with healthy ideas and smooth summer attitude. You can only win here.

Peace and see you on the PATH Ahead!

PS. Two fun thoughts on the idea of “graceful:”

“Elves are like trees, grounded and focused from the trunk down but graceful and agile on top.” – Orlando Bloom

Channel your inner elf!

“I have a hat. It is graceful and feminine and give me a certain dignity, as if I were attending a state funeral or something. Someday I may get up enough courage to wear it, instead of carrying it.” – Erma Bombeck

C’mon, muster it up!

This week you’re asked to try a new social activity.

Can’t think of anything? Oh come now, summer is still here. Drag out those last few days for all they’re worth! Keep your eye on the joy prize of a relaxing, rejuvenating summer as you ease into the coming school year.

Here are some ideas:

Hiking a new and different trail. Swim together. Be outside together. Give back or provide a gift of service together. Sing and dance together. Meditate together Discuss a book together. Read your own poetry out loud together. Play horseshoes or corn hole (or any other lawn game).  Eat new healthy foods together. Plant something together. Create together. Explore together. Take the ALS ice bucket challenge to raise awareness and money for a cure. Take the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s #Doubtfire challenge to help those who are hurting (cover your face with cream and shout, “hello!” to the camera then donate). Sign up for a walk or run for charity. Volunteer.

Then share a meal, a laugh and a hug — or simply do just that, share time together.

The idea is to a) do something new and b) be healthy doing it, and c) do it with others. Get out and be social in healthy ways that don’t compromise or undermine who you believe you are, what you strive for and who you are working on becoming. We like to say, “We’re always in training.” When someone else says “training for what?” I always reply, “Whatever comes my way!” Self-confidence and a commitment to your goal will get you through any anxieties or fears.

A teacher friend, looking ahead to the 2014-2015 school year, said her goal is to be gentler with the kids (she works at an alternative school — really tough kids, and she’s already a saint. We’re so hard on ourselves). I asked, “How will you do that?” She’s made a commitment to slowing down, being in the moment and doing a little meditation each day to practice that “now” factor, no matter how short. So, for the week 7 challenge, I downloaded an app she shared with me and then we sat right there at the dinner table and meditated for 30 seconds — in a restaurant! Next up we challenged each other to use the hand blow dryers in bathrooms to stop, breathe and be in the now while drying our hands until they are fully dry. Because we really do have more than 10 seconds to relax and recharge in the chaos of the day. If we choose it, the science of meditation says we’ll gain three-fold what we spend in time. We also pledged to take some of that same course while eating good healthy food. Savor.

Be here now! Do healthy social things now and be in it completely.

It was Julia Child’s birthday this week and she was remembered by some of her greatest quotes. What we love about her was her ability to share the wealth of her passion for good food — both for the health of it and for the emotional joy that makes the heart sing in a multitude of ways. Cooking healthy is scary especially when cooking for others — the expense, the taste, the unknown. She said there can be no fear when you have good ingredients that are fresh and whole, that speak for themselves. In theory that’s true but we all know how easy it is to overwhelm the simple or simply overdo (think olive, overdone peas or green beans).

So keep this challenge simple and stick to the basics but make it fun. Find something that makes you happy in the simplest of ways with the people you love — something you’ve never done before but always wanted to. Share your new adventure with us and maybe we’ll give it a try as well!

Go on, get out there and confidently get in the now…

“When you flip anything… you just have to have the courage of your convictions.” — Julia Child

See you on the PATH Ahead!

For me, laughter is a necessity for fully living. Laughter brings me inordinate pleasure, is a welcome respite from the everyday routine and occasionally serves in a healing capacity. In my family of origin, loud and boisterous laughter was a natural occurrence; as a result, my two sisters and I continue to carry forth that tradition. My youngest sister, so enamored with laughing, married a man with the last name “Laffey” and became Leah Laffey. Can’t get much funnier than that.

When I think back to how I was first introduced to laughter outside of my family, my first summer camp experience comes to mind.   As a seven year old girl, away from home for the first time, I found this activity incredibly magical and couldn’t wait to share it with my family and friends. The counselors led about 30 of us – a bunch of straggly young girls- to an open field. Then one by one they asked us to lie down, positioning each of our heads on the tummy of the person in front of us. Once we were all in place, they insisted the first person shout “Ha” and asked us to follow in sync, one by one. Once that round was completed, we were asked to add another “ha” to the mix and as each round concluded, we would add another “ha.” For anyone who has engaged in this activity, it is next to impossible to keep from laughing. Once you begin feeling the jiggling of the person’s tummy on the back of your head, you are toast; laughing uncontrollably. If you have not yet experienced this activity, I recommend you to try it out before this summer’s end.  

Throughout my life’s journey, I have been most attracted to individuals who enjoy laughing loudly. In college, my best friend and I were asked to leave the student lounge because our laughter was so loud, we were disturbing students in a class behind closed doors. Rather than this incident being a onetime occurrence, I have found myself in similar situations when my laugh has been frowned upon; then again, I have also found the opposite – because my laugh is so pervasive, others nearby have found themselves giggling and laughing for no apparent reason.

Over the past 20 years, laughter’s value has increased exponentially. Norman Cousins, who penned Anatomy of an Illness, describes in detail how he made use of laughter therapy to cope with crippling pain and illness by watching “Candid Camera,” Marx Brothers movies and listening to his nurse read humorous books.

“I was greatly elated by the discovery that there is a physiologic basis for the ancient theory that laughter is good medicine. It has always seemed to me that hearty laughter is a good way to jog internally without having to go outdoors,” declared Cousins. He found that 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give him at least two hours of pain-free sleep.

Patch Adams, the physician Robin Williams portrayed in a movie several years ago, promotes laughter as healing around the world to children and adults of all ages, appearing with his big red clown nose and gigantic underpants. Laughter yoga has plenty of buzz around the globe and the emphasis on the integration of comedy into our daily lives continues to blossom. 

How’s your laugh this summer? We anticipate receiving a slew of photos of your wide-mouthed grins over the next few days.

Welcome to Week 5 of the Summer Challenge!

From the French, comunité meaning commonness and the Latin communauté meaning fellowship, courtesy and affability, a sense of community today hasn’t changed much. It’s about getting along, sharing in common achievements, caring and belonging.

This weekend Burlington, VT hosted the amazing DragonHeart dragon boat races to raise money and awareness for a cure for cancer. It’s a great athletic event infused with creativity, perseverance, inclusion, laughter, straight up silliness, healthy competition, friendship, and hope. Where else can you get all that in one place?

Good behavior begets good behavior. Though we’ve all been known to behave badly at times, at our core, we are kind people always striving to do our best. I really believe that. This is how we got to the trophy generation, feeling all souls are inherently good and just need to be told so repeatedly in order to live a good life. There is truth in that and, of course, like all things American, we might have gone too far with our “you’re special” mantra. If we’re all special and the center of the universe (which David McCullough Jr. points out is physically impossible), we forget to take care of our neighbor, to do the right thing and to be there in times of need. After all, who needs help when you’re special and already have a hundred trophies for putting one foot in front of the other?

Making community connections allows for several healthy opportunities that just might be the antidote to the beef we have with our trophy generation blunders — tried and true lessons making a come-back.

Being together, striving for a common good, bolsters our self-esteem in the helping realm. If you came into the community feeling at all down (not special and not seemingly capable of offering anything worthwhile to anyone), you will certainly leave feeling imbued with the good you couldn’t help but preform while participating. If you came in feeling good, take care because you could be catapulted to a drug-free euphoria! Indeed, this is the exciting thing about our generation of Millennials. Because they are special, they actually believe in their ability to help and they do it. Far more than GenXers and Baby Boomers in fact (see M-Factor by Lancaster and Stillman). What once was the lady’s auxiliary is now a plethora of cool hipster troops “chill-axin'” for the good of the cause.

Being together helps us understand each other better so when behaving badly does happen down the road, we all have more context, more forgiveness and stronger, more meaningful ways of problem solving. Every time we interact with others we get better at it. No matter the baseline. By contrast, isolation and loneliness take years off people’s lives and throw social skills under the bus.

When we look at cures for depression neither drugs nor medical intervention top the list. No, indeed the magic bullet is getting out and socializing. Compound that beauty of an outcome with feeling good about how you’ve helped someone and how you’ve contributed to solving the world’s problems… enough said.

Making new friends doesn’t hurt either. The more quality relationships we have, the longer we live. Making friends in the context of healthy communities, healthy events puts you in a position to continue to be healthy, do healthy, crave healthy.

I always feel like I’m going to live forever because I work with school employees who are the most amazing kind of volunteers in the world. Between serving them every day and my family and friends, I’m immortal!

Send us your pictures (on Facebook) of your exploits in community connections this week and make the immortal leap! Imagine all the cool things we could do together.

See you on the PATH Ahead

Spending time being healthy with a pet or an animal is this week’s sizzlin’ summer challenge.
When I think about how one might spend time with a pet or animal in a healthy way, the possibilities seem endless. That said, I thought I would share some stories and photos from a few of the VSBIT crew. Larae Cirignano, our information technology coordinator and her family revel in taking their dog, Sally, up to camp in the Northeast Kingdom on summer weekends. Though always eager for a hike, Sally has a tendency to shiver when the temperatures become a bit breezy. To make sure Sally is well prepared for cooler weather, Larae and her family members make sure to follow the recommended hiking practice of dressing in layers.

Lisa Locke, VSBIT’s administrative assistant, owns a horse named Shiloh who will turn 14 this September. During the summer weekends she rises early to saddle up Shiloh and meet up with her sister-in-law and her horse. Together they head out for two hour jaunts through the forests and fields surrounding Waterville.
My partner and I continue to enjoy spending time with our golden retriever, Scarlet, (now nine years old) in Lake Champlain. While many retrievers enjoy playing fetch in water, our dog wants to swim with us regardless of the distance. Many an evening, you can find the three of us swimming from the town beach to the Grand Isle Lake House and back (estimated to be about a half mile in length). We assume that Scarlet is always thrilled with this activity because as we get closer and closer to the beach, she can barely contain her excitement. I think she loves connecting with us in this special way; in turn we are both amazed and proud of her swimming abilities. I will add that despite her doggie paddle, she is much faster than either of us. Nonetheless, she makes sure to circle back and check in before reasserting her lead.

If you don’t have your own pets, I am betting that there are some animals you can easily connect with not too far from home. For example, the Allenholm orchard and farm stand, a short distance from my home, is often jammed with visitors of all ages this time of year. They can be found petting, feeding and conversing with the rabbits, goats, chickens, donkeys and Fergie, the Scottish highland cow.And if you are in a larger metropolitan area this summer and think finding an animal to spend time with might be difficult, rest assured. Last week while visiting one of the neighborhood pocket parks in Cambridge, MA, I spotted a chicken who nonchalantly moved from one park guest to another with nary a care in the world.
The animal kingdom is indeed fascinating and often joyful.

We’ll see you on the PATH ahead.

Erma Bombeck said, “I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food.”
The summer challenge task this week is to make, and indulge in, a beautiful salad. There’s no derth of options this time of year thus it makes sense to seak out the best ingredients at the best prices. Now is the time to do the research on what you like, what’s different and exciting out there and what’s reasonable that you can count on all year.

Eating healthy doesn’t always have to be expensive. Per serving, broccoli will always be cheaper than processed food. The truth is, we end up throwing away a lot of food because we buy too much at a time. Beware that trap in the produce section of stores or at local markets. A serving of veggies is a half cup. We’re at our best when we’re getting 4-5 cups a day, and that includes fruits. So when you think of green beans for two, think a small handful for each. That’s all. It weighs a tiny amount and packs a nutritional punch. It’s less than fast food and far easier on the wallet down the road when health complications cease to exist

So this week, be a fresh food detective, an explorer extraordinaire. Ask questions at your local farmers market. Where can I get decent tomatoes in the winter? Do you sell all year? What’s a reasonable price to pay for carrots? Eggs? If I can’t get organic, what’s the closest alternative?

Food that comes from our local, organically treated farms is higher in nutrients than factory farmed goods. The soil is rich with vitamins and minerals that get passed on to our food. There is truth to the notion of tender loving care when it comes to farming. Soak it up now while the soaking is good!

Try adding protein to your salad to make it a meal – hard boiled eggs, beans, tofu, fish, chicken, steak, bacon. Yeah, we said bacon. It’s not the meat that’s bad. It’s how we raise the animal that matters. And, how much you’re burning it off. If the animal is happy and active and you’re happy and active, meat is a healthy part of a good diet.

Share a nutrient packed salad with loved ones this week keeping it colorful and therfore marvelous. Take the time to experience the color, the pop, the crisp, refreshing crunch, and slowly marvel in the wonder of an abundant earth.

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” J. R. R. Tolkien

We’ll see you on the PATH Ahead!

This week we ask you to post a photo of a milestone you have chosen to celebrate in a new and exciting way.  Because this is my week to blog, I wanted to make sure I understood the word “milestone” before addressing it in more detail.  Thus, I grabbed my dictionary.  The first definition made plenty of sense; a milestone is a stone set up beside a road to mark the distance in miles to a particular place. Nonetheless, I knew we were not looking forward to multiple photos of stones along roadsides.  The second definition was much more to my liking and provides unlimited potential for photos of distinction.  A milestone is an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development; a significant event, achievement or a watershed moment. It didn’t take long before I began reminiscing about some of my milestone celebrations.  Here are some of the highlights.

My sixth grade graduation — After seven years in the same small school, I desperately wanted to make my mark; a statement of my unique identity. In my mind, the best solution was wearing purple Keds on my feet while dressed in myfanciest attire.  Of course, I had no funds or way to find purple shoes but I did have a grandma anxious to help. Much to the chagrin of my teacher and parents, my RIT-dyed lavender shoes carried me through graduation ceremonies on a sunny afternoon.

My wedding ceremony – As my fiancée and I headed toward the West Virginia wilderness in anticipation of our wedding ceremony and hungry for a snack, we spotted a farm market filled with gigantic juicy looking apples. After all it was fall and what better time to engage in apple consumption. Unfortunately one of my front teeth became so enamored with the apple I bit into, it decided to remove itself from my mouth and rest within the confines of the apple. Horrified by my new look, I broke into tears.  In a desperate attempt to calm me, my fiancée turned the car around and headed 80 miles back toward a more populous area. Finding a dentist willing to provide emergency care late on Friday afternoon was no easy task but eventually we found a willing candidate. Armed with Superglue and a paper clip, Dr. Funderburk reinstalled my tooth temporarily and advised me to refrain from any strenuous kissing.  I suppose that is why in all of my wedding photos my mouth is tightly shut!

My 50th year –– Of all of the ways I have celebrated milestones this activity brings the most joy to my heart. A few months before my 50th birthday, Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent floods disseminated the lives, hopes and dreams of many Louisiana and Mississippi residents. As I repeatedly listened to the media coverage, I knew I wanted to serve as a volunteer in the relief effort.  In early September, I participated in three days of Red Cross sanctioned disaster training, received my certification and sent forth my application.  Two weeks before my birthday, I was assigned to serve as a mental health crisis services member and flown to Biloxi, Mississippi.  For me, there was no better way to welcome my next decade but to give back to others in such desperate need.    What’s your watershed moment celebration look like?  We look forward to seeing your posts.