Crystal Petrello, Author at Be Well Solutions

Healthy Grilling 101

Grilling becomes a convenient, delicious, and fun way to prepare food. While grilling can be a healthy method of cooking, the National Cancer Institute cautions that grilling certain meats, poultry and fish at high heat over open flames can cause carcinogens to form on the food. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables do not form carcinogens when they are charred. Here are a few tips to consider keeping the food you’re grilling healthy and safe for family and friends. Start with Seasoning - Marinades and dry rubs can add great flavor and reduce the formation of carcinogens on grilled meat, poultry, and fish. Make your own marinades and dry rubs. Store bought versions often contain added sugars and large amounts of sodium. Limiting your added sugar and sodium intake are key parts of a healthy diet according to [...]

Tags: Cancer, carcinogens, cleaning eating, corporate wellness, Corporate Wellness Firm, frui, grill, grilling, healthy eating, nutriion, vegetables|

Recipe-Overnight Oats

Overnight oats is the perfect grab and go breakfast recipe to make your mornings a breeze! Overnight oats are a no-cook method of making a nutritious and delicious breakfast with oatmeal. Instead of cooking the oats over a stovetop, simply add milk to a jar with oats and let sit overnight. Not only is oatmeal a delicious start to the day, they are also packed with essential nutrients like fiber and antioxidants. Overnight Oats 3 ways: Directions: Add oats, almond milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, sweetener of choice, and vanilla extract to a mason jar or cup. Stir until combined and there are no clumps. Cover with lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Toppings can be added the night before or immediately before serving. Uncover and enjoy from the glass container [...]

Tags: backtoschool, breakfast, brownbag, Corporate Wellness Firm, corporate wellness programs, fruit, grabandgo, overnight oats, recipe|

Sleeping Disorders

Sleeping Disorders Doctors normally classify sleep-related problems into two broad categories: Insomnia — any problem related to falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up too early. When insomnia symptoms occur more than a few times a week, and impact a person’s daytime functions, the symptoms should be discussed with a doctor or other health care provider. Insomnia can be a problem in itself (primary insomnia), or due to another condition (secondary insomnia). Insomnia can be acute (lasting less than a month) or chronic (lasting more than a month). Acute insomnia is often due to short-term stressors in our lives. Chronic insomnia can be due to medical, physical, medications or psychological conditions and should be discussed with your doctor. Hypersomnia — a set of problems characterized by sleeping too much, especially during the day when trying to attend to work or [...]

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Sleep Hygiene- Your Questions Answered

Had to finish the book, lost down the social media rabbit hole, or “I just can’t sleep”. Any of these sound familiar? People have so many things that occupy their time now, that sleep might be an afterthought for many. But activity at the cost of sleep is a mistake. Many people fail to realize that the 25-35% of each day we spend sleeping is productive, and crucial to living an energetic and successful life. Like our diet and exercise habits, it can be difficult to make sleep a priority. Sleep gives our body and mind the chance to repair, rebuild and recover from the events of our daily life. While you sleep, your body repairs itself from the stress of the day. A productive night’s sleep helps our body in several ways: Renews energy. Boosts the immune system and [...]

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Caffeine and Health

“Whenever I get to a new city, the first thing I do is to scope out the nearest Starbucks”, a woman told me the other day while on vacation hauling her familiar cup, sleeve and lid. “There’s nothing like this coffee” she continued. And she was right. In terms of caffeine content, Starbucks trumps other coffees hands down. A typical 16 oz. cup of regular coffee contains between 100 and 200 mg of caffeine and a regular strength “No-Doz” tablet has 100 mg. Starbucks contains 330 mg. Energy and productivity are essential for a healthy, meaningful life. People have used simple stimulants like caffeine for centuries. Everyday more and more people look for ways to improve their mental and physical focus. Many people turn to coffee for a liquid energy boost but there are newer preparations on the market. Energy [...]

Tags: caffeine, caffeine and energy levels, coffee, corporate wellness, corporate wellness programs, energy, energy drink, tea, which of the following beverages provides both caffeine and energy|

How to Meal Prep Healthy Lunches

“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP” the alarm seems so much louder on the first day of school! Back to school can be a stressful time between trying to adjust to all the new schedules, as well as making sure everyone is organized and fed. This includes school lunches that need packed. This can feel like an annoying chore, adding to the morning chaos. Until someone figures out how to make lunches pack themselves, here are some tips to streamline your busy mornings. Meal Prep! That’s right - meal prep. This is the key to a healthy week and is helpful for all. Preparing nutritious foods will save stress and time before heading out of the house for the day. Have a flexible plan for the week. Pick something to be the “main” component of your lunch like a whole grain sandwich [...]

Tags: back to school, corporate wellness, corporate wellness programs, How to Meal Prep Healthy Lunches, lunch, lunch box, morning rush, nutrition|

Natural Ways to Maximize Energy

Energy is both a physical and mental resource. If you use caffeine or another energy product on a daily basis, take a moment to understand the potential health effects of your daily habit. Also understand that there are many positive strategies that can help you boost energy, productivity and concentration. These lifestyle habits also allow you to minimize the use of artificial stimulants and reduce the potential for harmful side effects if they are used. Here are our Top 7 Caffeine-Free Energy Boosters: Fiber + Protein While simple carbohydrates found in energy bars and drinks boost blood sugar quickly, they often leave you feeling depleted shortly after the initial energy boost. Instead of buying these so-called energy products, eat whole foods for energy. Complex carbohydrates, also known as high fiber foods, are a better choice for sustained energy especially when [...]

Tags: caffeine, caffeine free, corporate wellness, Corporate Wellness Firm, corporate wellness program, energy, magnesium, Natural Ways to Maximize Energy, sleep hygiene|

Fitting Exercise into a Busy Schedule

Cue giggle and eye-roll. This is after your doctor says, “just exercise a few days a week”. It’s an uphill battle finding time to exercise consistently when our schedules are jam-packed and constantly changing. It’s not uncommon to feel like we are short on time, don’t have enough equipment, or are simply struggling to keep-up. First and foremost, we need to commit to making exercise a priority. Then, we can work on ways of creatively squeezing exercise into our busy schedules. Short on Time Often, we have an idea in our head that we need to set aside a large chunk of our day for exercise. On busy days, and with an ever-changing schedule, it can be difficult to carve out even 30 minutes regularly. Luckily, exercise sessions don’t all need to be this long. Studies have shown that [...]

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Flu Vaccines in the Time of Corona

Influenza or “flu” is caused by a contagious virus that infects your lungs and respiratory system. There are different strains of the influenza virus that are passed around the world. Symptoms of the flu may be mild or severe, and include fever, dry cough, sore throat, muscle aches and generally feeling tired and sick. Will the virus be worse this year since we are not wearing masks? Influenza viruses are spread by droplets that enter the respiratory system through our nose and mouth. Washing your hands is the best defense, but masks also reduce the likelihood of many types of respiratory (lung) infections. As the seasons change and we move indoors, viruses become more robust (cold, drier weather keeps them infectious longer) and that is why more people get sick during the winter months. If I get the flu vaccine, [...]

Tags: corona, corporate wellness, Corporate Wellness Firm, flu, flu season, flu vaccine effectiveness, flu vaccine side effects, winter 2021|

The Corona Impact – Drink Less Alcohol

How much is too much? Current CDC guidelines for alcohol consumption recommend less than one drink per day for women and two for men. Trends indicate moderate drinkers are consuming far more than the current guidelines. In the past year, it was found that men averaged four to fourteen drinks per week and women averaged four to seven drinks. There are short and long-term health consequences of consuming too much alcohol. The Corona Impact A 2020 study measuring alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic found that drinking increased amongst 60% of participants (compared to the year prior, 2019). Even before the pandemic, the consumption trends still far exceeded CDC guidelines! In addition to the health consequences this past year had on many individuals, increased alcohol consumption adds to the risks for more health issues. Risks Short-term consequences include alcohol poisoning [...]

Tags: alcohol, alcohol abuse, corporate wellness, dietetic internship, fluids, hydration, intern, mocktail, nutrition, water|

About Crystal Petrello