Crystal Petrello, Author at Be Well Solutions

Indulging Without Overeating

Indulging Without Overeating Just when life feels stressful enough, the holidays arrive. For many, this time to unwind and relax, yet people commonly describe their stress levels as “very” or “somewhat” elevated from mid-November into the New Year. Pressure from finances, buying the right gifts, and a disrupted eating and exercise routine can drive some people to seek comfort or distraction in food. As a result, plans for an occasional indulgence may turn into an overeating habit. Making simple shifts in how you think about food might help. First and foremost, let go of the notion you need to punish or correct yourself for indulging. You can always return to your regular eating routine regardless of how much you ate or how much weight you may have gained through the holiday season. But if you find yourself stuck in a prolonged period [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, hunger, mindful eating, nutrition|

Healthy Holidays: Holiday Food Safety Quick Tips

Holiday Food Safety Quick Tips When hosting friends and family—particularly our older loved ones, people with weakened immune systems, infants, and pregnant women—safe food handling should be top of mind. When mishandled, protein-rich holiday centerpieces, like the Thanksgiving turkey, can harbor severe amounts of illness-causing microorganisms. Here’s a plan to facilitate a safer and enjoyable holiday meal. Fresh meat, poultry, and fish Before you bring home a fresh turkey, ham, goose, roast, or fish, make space on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator where a leak-proof plate or platter can be used to prevent juices from dripping onto other items in the fridge. Make the meat, poultry, or fish the last item in you pick up at the grocery store to keep it cold for as long as possible. Place it in a plastic bag on the bottom rack of your [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, food safety, holiday eating|

Stress Less: Visualization

Visualization Do you ever find yourself mentally visiting a serene beach or favorite vacation spot when things get stressful? Visiting your “happy place” can’t help you escape all your troubles, but it might provide temporary relief from stress and anxiety. Even just imagining a peaceful setting is shown to convince the body and unconscious mind that you are in a safe, beautiful, and therefore relaxing environment. This practice is called visualization, and like other meditative exercises, it offers a distraction to redirect your attention from a stressor to something more peaceful. The goal is to learn how to cultivate a state of relaxed detachment where you can watch, but not become overwhelmed by, stressful thoughts and sensations that enter your mind. With time, quick thoughts of a peaceful setting can begin to act as a cue that brings about relaxing [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, stress, visualization|

Healthier Halloween

Healthier Halloween Halloween is synonymous with candy, lots of it! Unlike other holidays, Halloween treats tend to linger well past October 31st, making plans for an occasional indulgence more of a challenge. Not to mention, Halloween is shortly followed by numerous other food-centered holidays that altogether cause the average American adult to gain 1-2 pounds each year! Instead of banning the treats or making them off-limits, start the holiday season mindfully by balancing candy with healthful foods and limiting how much candy makes it into the home. Whether you’re handing out candy or helping someone collect it, you can reduce cravings and the temptation to overindulge by having a nutritious meal or snack before you get started. If you’re already satisfied from a filling, nutrient-dense meal with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein, temptations to overindulge will subside. As [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness, Halloween, halloween snacks, healthy halloween, nutrition, teal pumpkin|

Plant-Based Red Meat Consideration

Plant-Based Red Meat Considerations You can now find ultra-realistic plant-based hamburgers at national fast-food chains, and soon, realistic replacements for chicken and seafood. These foods offer critical environmental benefits since their production requires up to 99% less water, 46% less energy, and 93% less land than an equal amount of animal-based protein, according to industry-funded research. Still, their swift introduction into the marketplace didn't give enough time for well-designed scientific studies to assess their impact on our long-term health. As registered dietitians, here's what we're considering about the new plant-based red meat alternatives. Lack of Research In contrast to diets high in red meat and processed meats, plant-based diets generally reduce the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers. But research that came to these conclusions only considered conventional plant-based diets—ones that [...]

Tags: clean eating, corporate wellness program, red meat, vegan, vegetarian|

Soreness Reducing Dynamic Stretches

Soreness Reducing Dynamic Stretches Almost everyone who’s started an exercise program can tell you about how sore their muscles felt a day or two following their workout. Fitness professionals call exercise-related soreness delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly abbreviated to DOMS. DOMS might catch you by surprise because you feel fine the day you worked out, but very stiff and sore 24 hours later. DOMS is an entirely normal body response to exercise and can last from 48- 72 hours. Doing a workout that you haven’t tried before is most likely to cause muscle soreness. You might also experience DOMS when you do workouts with lots of sets and reps or strengthening exercises that stretch your muscle tissue, like deadlifts or push-ups. If you find that DOMS is mild and goes away in two-to-three days, this can be a sign you’re [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, dynamic stretching, exercise, exercise warm-up, streching, warm-up|

Kettlebells for a Kick’n Workout

Incorporate Kettlebells If you want to switch up your strength training or if you haven’t yet found muscle-strengthening activities you enjoy, find the kettlebells at your gym or health club! Kettlebell exercises are straightforward and faster to learn than many other resistance training techniques. Since a kettlebell’s center of mass is off-center, it offers a unique challenge compared to other types of free weights like dumbbells. The kettlebell is a cannonball-shaped ball of iron with a handle on top that has roots back to the 18th century. First used as a counterweight for weighing crops, people soon realized its potential for building strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. In the late 19th century, it gained a spot in strength recreation and competition. Today, the versatile kettlebell makes for efficient strength workouts at the gym and at home. Strengthening exercises can be [...]

Tags: corporate wellness, exercise, kettlebell, weightlifting|

Plant-Based Omegas

Plant-Based Omegas One way to include more heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats in your diet is by replacing some servings of meat and poultry with seeds--they’re not just for birdfeeders! An example would be using a small amount of seeds like chia, flax, pumpkin, or hemp as toppings on salads or soups. Since they are high in calories, eat them in small portions. Seeds are especially important for individuals who do not consume meat or poultry because seeds also contain essential amino acids and minerals, including zinc, copper, and magnesium. Recently, chia and flax seeds have received particular attention due to their uniquely high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. You may have even seen statements in blog posts or on food labels about a serving of chia or flax seeds containing more omega-3s than a serving of [...]

Tags: chia seed, clean eating, corporate wellness, DHA, EPH, fat, flax seed, nutrition, omega, omega-3|

Seasonal Health: The Science Behind Flu Shots

The Science Behind Flu Shots Although influenza circulates all year, flu virus activity starts increasing in October and spikes between December and February. That means it’s time to start considering how you’ll protect yourself—and the people around you—this flu season. As with other viruses, you can reduce the chance of getting sick by regularly washing your hands and limiting contact with sick people. But influenza is different from others because it can be potentially life-threatening. During the 2017-2018 flu season, influenza contributed to nearly 80,000 deaths. It’s estimated, however, that 2017-2018’s flu vaccine helped prevent 7 million flu cases, 109,000 flu hospitalizations, and 8,000 flu deaths. The Centers for Disease Control strongly recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older as the best way to keep yourself and others healthy during flu season. Here’s some [...]

Tags: Corporate Wellness Firm, flu shot, immunization|

Your Brain on Exercise

Your Brain on Exercise If you read the BWS Newsletter even occasionally, it should be no surprise that exercise improves your health. Besides promoting a healthy body weight and helping maintain weight loss, regular exercise may also help reduce risk for chronic disease. For example, increased insulin sensitivity and HDL cholesterol from exercise give you a potent risk reduction for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. And without medication! If you need another reason to start and stick with an exercise routine, do it for your brain! Research shows that regular exercise changes parts of the brain’s structure, which can result in improved thinking and attention span along with a lower risk of cognitive decline. Avid exercisers will happily tell you about their boost in mood and energy levels following a vigorous workout. Exercise reduces stress hormones and increases levels [...]

Tags: brain health, corporate wellness, exercise, MIND, mind diet, physical activity|

About Crystal Petrello