Health and Wellness

What are Awe Walks?

An awe walk is a hike or walk focused on enjoying and taking part in the natural world around you. To take part in awe walking, all that is needed is to focus on the world around you and awe-inspiring aspects of nature while you walk.

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Community

Michigan Spring Bucket List: Best Spots to See Holland’s Famous Tulips 

This West Michigan town is known for its spring tulip displays. Here are some insider tips on scenic spots to see them in full bloom.

Wooden Windmill in Holland Michigan
Community

Teacher Appreciation Week: Simple Acts to Show Appreciation

May 6 to May 10 is Teacher Appreciation Week this year. It is common to celebrate teachers during this week with events, gifts, and an outpouring of appreciation and respect for teachers and their work. Here are some examples of acts that students and parents can use to show their appreciation for teachers.

Community

Michigan Bucket List: Public Golf Courses 

Ready to break out your clubs? You’re not alone. Here are some popular public golf courses to check out across the state.

Arcadia
Podcast

Hacks to Improve Your To-Do List

Sometimes, creating a to-do list can feel like a process in itself. Some tasks are urgent while others can wait. Some don’t take much time to complete, and others can take longer. It can be difficult to figure out what to prioritize. So, when it comes to creating a to-do list, is there a more effective way to write and organize our list to maximize how tasks are completed?

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Podcast

How to Snack Smarter on the Go

When we’re constantly on the go, making healthier choices may fall to the wayside at times and leave us favoring convenience. According to the CDC, 37% of adults consume fast food on a given day. Fast food can impact blood sugar and blood pressure in the short term. Additionally, diets rich in fast food could lead to a plethora of issues in the body including digestion, inflammation, heart health, and more. So how can we approach ways to snack smarter on the go to better our health and keep us fueled between meals?

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Podcast

Do Natural Sleep Aids Promote Better Sleep?

According to UC Davis Health, sleep is one of the three pillars of health. It promotes improved mental function, helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces stress, and improves mood to name a few. However, getting quality sleep can be easier said than done for some. In a 2022 Gallup survey, it showed that 1 in 3 adults do not regularly get the recommended amount of uninterrupted sleep. So, for those that have trouble sleeping, can natural sleep aids be a way to help improve sleep quality?

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Health and Wellness

Tips for Coping with Social Anxiety

15 million Americans struggle with social anxiety disorder specifically, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This can be an obstacle to regular life and comfort, with most adults with social anxiety reporting moderate impairment from their symptoms or anxiety.

Food and Nutrition

Spice Up Cinco de Mayo with Two Healthy Recipes

Cinco de Mayo is more than just a day for margaritas and tacos; it commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Despite its historical significance, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a lively celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

Recipes

Saucy Pulled Chicken Tostadas

Traditional tostadas are made up of fried corn tortillas, topped with refried beans and beef and toppings. In this lighter version, flour tortillas are baked with spray oil to achieve a crispy base.

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Woman doing meditative pose
A bowl of salad
Drawing of Family on a couch
The state of Michigan

A Healthier Michigan Podcast

Podcast

Why You Should Consider Power Naps

For many of us, we’ve likely experienced the mid-day slump at least once in our lives. According to the Sleep Foundation, it’s normal for people to experience a drop in energy after lunch due to the body’s natural circadian rhythm. There are a myriad of options to break out of the fog and get your energy back up, but our focus today is something that’s accessible to most people – a nap. And we’re not talking carving an hour out of your day. A lot can be accomplished in less time that you may think. Power naps can be this tightrope walk when it comes to getting it just right to achieve the maximum benefit. We’ll uncover how to approach them on this episode.

Podcast

How Positive Self-Talk Reduces Stress

According to the National Science Foundation, the average person has 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative. On a previous episode, we discussed the negativity bias and how negative thoughts often carry more weight in our minds than positive ones. And too often, the pattern of self-talk we develop is negative due to experiences we’ve had throughout our lives. Frequent negative self-talk may lead to decreased motivation and greater feelings of helplessness. So, is it possible to combat negative thoughts by changing our outlook to something more positive?

Podcast

How to Stock Your Cupboards for Better Heart Health

Our kitchen cupboards are a window into our diet. There are items in there that are in constant rotation while others might be collecting dust. However, something we might not think about is how these items we stock up on affect our heart health. So, when it comes to the foods we choose, which staples should we always have on hand to better our heart health?

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Video

Valentine’s Day Dinner Recipes for Dummies

Putting together a three-course meal for a special someone on Valentine's Day can feel overwhelming. The good news is it doesn’t have to be complicated. Check out this easy three-course line-up with health-forward dishes.

Video

Why Tanning Beds Don’t Help with Seasonal Depression

Thinking about popping into a tanning bed to ward off the winter blues? Not so fast.

Video

Creamy Curry and Veggie Soup

This flavorful creamy curry and veggie soup packs in a healthy dose of nutrients from onions, garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes. The curry paste is lightly sauteed to bring out the variety of flavors, then combined with creamy coconut milk.

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