Author: Dr. Barbara Edwards | Princeton, NJ

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5 Surprising Foods That Are Actually Unhealthy for You

Unhealthy colorful candies

Don’t be fooled by foods that may seem “healthy.” With labels that say “all natural” and “low calorie”, people are often led to believe that they are making good choices with their food. Often, these labels are misleading and could actually lead to a dramatic spike in your blood sugar, increase blood pressure, or contribute to your waistline. These five snacks are commonly misconceived to have health benefits, but in reality, provide barely any nutritional value.

Pretzels

Even though pretzels have less fat than chips, they provide little to no nutritional value. The white flour spikes your energy levels while leaving you hungry for more. Ingredients can include corn syrup, corn oil, and lots of salt. Plus, one serving of pretzels can take up a quarter of your days’ worth of sodium.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is another popular snack that many deem as “healthy.” This snack can add up to around 300+ calories per serving and is packed with added sugar and salt. Well portioned mixes with nuts, dried fruit, and no additives are a better alternative.

Protein Bars

Most protein bars are just candy bars with added protein and can be anywhere around 300-400 calories with outrageous amounts of sugar. Don’t let the packaging fool you; read the ingredients list and nutrition facts on the bar to see what you’re actually putting into your body.

Rice Cakes

This snack may trick you into thinking it’s healthy because of the low-calorie count. Like pretzels, these snacks provide little to no nutritional value. The flavored cakes add sugar, fat, and other ingredients that are doing no good for your body.

Veggie Chips

While veggie chips may seem like a more appealing option than traditional potato chips, they have just as much salt and fat. The nutritional value from the vegetable is gone through the frying or baking process. Eating actual vegetables is always the way to go!

Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and also serves as Medical Director of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Community Health Center.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennifercohen/2012/07/25/14-healthy-foods-that-are-actually-bad-for-you/#5a9cab615b15

https://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/10-healthy-foods-that-are-actually-bad-for-you/slide-10

https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/50-seemingly-healthy-foods-are-bad-you

 

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Why You Should Reduce Your Salt Intake

Reducing the amount of salt you are consuming is an important step to living a healthier life. On a low-salt diet, you should notice an increase in your energy levels, some healthy weight loss, and lower blood pressure. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the leading cause of heart disease and strokes in Americans. If that doesn’t make you want to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, a study was recently published stating that microplastics were discovered in 90% of table salts sold to consumers. Though there are no known health effects of this finding, it raises the importance of being aware of what we put into our bodies. Here are my tips on how, and why, we should be reducing the amount of salt we consume.

Hypertension

The daily recommended salt intake for a healthy adult is no more than 2,300 mg, or one teaspoon according to the FDA. For those who suffer from high blood pressure, the recommended amount is just 1,500 mg per day which is also the “ideal” amount for all people according to the American Heart Association. To reduce the amount of salt in your diet, it is recommended that you replace processed foods by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Choosing foods that are labeled “low sodium” is another smart step. For those who just love adding salt to everything, try exploring other herbs and seasonings to use. Taking the time to read the food labels and serving sizes is also important—they are there for a reason and tend to be overlooked.

Exercise & Energy

Once you have the healthy diet portion down, exercising daily will feel easier to do. When you fuel your body with healthy, whole foods, you’ll be in a better condition to incorporate cardio exercise, which is known to increase your energy levels. Fitting in your 60 minutes of daily exercise will be the next step to a healthier lifestyle. It is recommended to exercise earlier in the day rather than at night, as energy increases can impact your ability to fall asleep easily. Regular exercise and healthy eating habits both contribute to your body’s ability to reduce body weight, lower cholesterol levels, and get in control of hypertension.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area – practicing at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.

 

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Choosing the Right Abroad Volunteer Experience

riding an elephant at a volunteer abroad experience

Making the right choice often takes time and requires some research, as with anything in life. Volunteer opportunities almost always sound like a life changing experience whether they be local or abroad. Gaining new skills, meeting new people and most importantly, helping those in need are the main reasons to volunteer. Unfortunately, there are organizations out there that scam the volunteers and mistreat children and animals. Below is a list of things to consider when looking into volunteer opportunities.

1. Consider Your Skills

The first step in choosing the right volunteer experience is to consider what skills you bring to the table and which skills you want to learn and grow. When volunteering, you should choose work that you are passionate about, which can help make the experience that much better. Not only are using new and old skills good for your personal growth, but they are great for your professional life too.

2. Research the Organization

Next in your search, narrow down your choices to your top 3. Now it is time to really research each organization and learn about its history, their mission and values, the cost and fees, and what a typical day of volunteer work might include. If there is a fee to volunteer, be sure to find out how the organization uses revenue from fees.

3. Be Careful of Animal Sanctuaries

Animal sanctuaries and orphanages can be great places to volunteer, but first, do your research. Too often, it is discovered that animals belonging to certain sanctuaries are abused and mistreated. Some organizations lure people from abroad with excursions like elephant riding, and while this may sound exciting, the animals are too often being mistreated in captivity. On a more positive note, most animal sanctuary organizations out there are doing the right thing and really do need volunteers.

Dr. Edwards Princeton, NJ Internist practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.

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Healthy End of Summer Dessert Recipes

Eating healthy and staying fit throughout the summer tends to be more difficult as many summer nights are spent with family and friends at the local ice cream stand. We all know how tempting and delicious dessert can be, but we also know how unhealthy it is. Dessert in the U.S. tends to be full of sugar and high in fat content—but isn’t that what makes it taste so good? These desserts listed below are just as tasty as traditional desserts but are far better for your health. Full of fruits, low-fat foods and natural sugars, these desserts are some of the best!

1. Vegan Chocolate-Drizzled Frozen Banana Bites

These delicious frozen banana treats are the perfect summer dessert. Not only are they easy to make, containing only 3 ingredients, but they taste great too. Frozen bananas can taste a bit like ice cream and you can store them for future nights. Low-calorie, one bite is just 58 calories, containing only 3g of fat.

Find the recipe here.

2. Pineapple Nice Cream

 

 

Because of the hot weather, ice-cream is likely the most popular dessert to have during the summer. Though it is tasty, traditional ice-cream can be very fattening. This healthy, fun twist on ice-cream is a great way to satisfy those cravings. The ingredients are all natural with no added sugars, but the sweetness of the pineapple takes care of your sweet-tooth. The recommended serving size is ½ cup and that is just 55 calories and 0 grams of fat!

Find the recipe here.

3. Mango Tiramisu

Packed with flavor, this mango tiramisu is a twist on the traditional Italian dessert. A healthier choice, the mango shares a bowl with Greek yogurt, whipped topping and agave syrup. The combination of these ingredients might make the version of tiramisu tastier than the original! The nutrition facts are just as impressive, a serving size of 2/3 cup is just 147 calories and 3 grams of fat.

Find the recipe here.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, Princeton internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.

 

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Calling All Volunteers in Princeton, NJ!

Volunteering your time to help and give back to others is always a great decision. Not only do others benefit from your kindness, but volunteering positively impacts your physical and mental health, as many studies have shown. Volunteering has been proven to improve your mood and decrease the chances of feeling lonely because it provides a sense of purpose. Other benefits of volunteering include gaining experience and skills you wouldn’t otherwise learn, earning community service hours, and it is a great way to meet new people and network.

volunteer

Why Volunteer?

Volunteer work includes a wide variety of different tasks. Whether you enjoy being outside, playing with animals or working on a computer, volunteers are always welcome and needed in all areas. Often our lives are busy between work, family and other duties and it seems difficult to find time to fit volunteering into your schedule. Actually, organizations that are looking for volunteers often offer flexible hours, and they will be grateful for any time that you can put aside for their cause.

Princeton Volunteer Opportunities

1. Penn Medicine Princeton Health

Love the medical field or looking to pursue a career in it? Volunteering your time at Penn Medicine Princeton Health is a great way to gain experience, meet other professionals in the industry, and give back to the community. A wide variety of jobs and tasks are available for volunteers, so find your fit today by contacting the Penn Medicine Princeton Health volunteer department.

2. Princeton Family YMCA

Volunteers are always welcome at the Princeton Family YMCA and play a vital role in the success of programs and events at the YMCA. Volunteers can be responsible for helping at events, coaching and mentoring children, and assisting children with disabilities. Each year volunteers invest hundreds of hours at the Princeton YMCA to serve and give back to their community. Learn more about the Princeton YMCA volunteer opportunities here.

These are just a few examples of volunteer opportunities in the Princeton area, discover more here.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards is a doctor of Internal Medicine in the Princeton, New Jersey area – practicing at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.