Author: Dr. Barbara Edwards | Princeton, NJ

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Heart Healthy Tips from the Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet

The flavors of a Mediterranean diet are not only mouthwatering, but they’re also great for your heart. Authentic food hailing from the cultures surrounding the Mediterranean Sea are easy to create, and can help lower blood pressure. Here are some aspects of the Mediterranean diet you can use to improve heart health.

 

Eat Less Red Meat, Try Fish Instead

The amount of red meat consumed in America is staggering, and likely has something to do with the levels of heart disease we see throughout the nation. Fish became a staple of the Mediterranean diet centuries ago because access to the sea made it a plentiful, nutritious meal. Fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids which are great for heart and brain health. Try eating less red meat and replace it with fish at least once a week.

 

Eat More Veggies

Mediterranean dishes are full of vegetables, and that’s no accident. Their cuisine was formed through a history that overcame hard economic times, which limited the amount of meat people could afford. As a result, vegetables are the backbone of many Mediterranean dishes prepared in creative and delicious ways. The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies per day.

 

Choose Oils Wisely

Extra-virgin olive oil is the ingredient that holds just about every Mediterranean dish together. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first press of the olive, before chemicals are added to get the rest out, meaning you’re getting the purest form of oil. Try substituting butter for extra-virgin olive oil in order to benefit from those monounsaturated fatty acids which can help improve your “good” cholesterol.

 

Eat in Moderation with Company

A hallmark of Mediterranean culture is enjoying long meals together with family and friends. Eating slowly while enjoying the company of others lets you savor the food more while allowing your body to take its time telling you when you’re full. Portion control is an important practice to staying healthy, and eating slowly gives your stomach a chance to tell your brain when it’s full.

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How to Fit Volunteer Work into an Already Busy Schedule

You may like the idea of giving back to the community, but are already stressed by your commitments to family, work, and an overflowing inbox. However, it is possible to do your part and be of service to others in addition to the work you do from 9 to 5 (and sometimes longer). Here are some tips on how to squeeze volunteer work into your busy life:

Commit to Realistic Projects
Volunteering on projects that genuinely excite you will keep you thinking about volunteering throughout the day. Sometimes, figuring out how to prioritize your life can help you make time you didn’t realize you had. It can be helpful to find an organization that is deliverable-oriented so you feel productive in the time you spend volunteering. Make sure you’re realistic in the time you can commit to an organization. Over commitment can be stressful and make your experience less enjoyable­­—not to mention the cause you’re helping out with will suffer as well.

Try Voluntourism
Taking time off from work to spend a few weeks out of the year abroad serving a community half a world away enables you to give back in a big way. Instead of committing to weekly service or even monthly, voluntourism can enable you to get away with no other obligations but the program you’re serving.

Volunteer Online
There are online services that need volunteers to help virtually. Volunteering remotely can be less time intensive because you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Remote volunteering is anything from online mentoring to donating your unique skills to nonprofits. Find ways to volunteer remotely on iCouldBe.

Include Loved Ones
Sometimes it’s hard to find a work-life balance, but it’s essential for your mental health to establish. A productive way to give back can be through encouraging your family to volunteer with you. For example, serving dinner at a local shelter together enables you to break bread with those in need as well as with the ones you love most.

 

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How to Add Volunteer Work to Your Resume

Whether you’re fitting in volunteer work between your paid job, or you’re between jobs volunteering in the community, adding this experience to your resume can help show a more well-rounded picture of who you are. Volunteer work can show that you are proactive in creating change you feel passionately about. This is typically a sought-after trait that companies look for in the pool of applicants.

Whichever industry you’re pursuing a position in, there are transferable skills you can take away from volunteer work. Be it event planning, management, or customer service, you can glean a variety of skills from serving the community. Just showing up to volunteer regularly can show that you are a motivated self-starter.

Highlighting experience on your resume is an art form; there’s no secret sauce to making the perfect resume that’ll get you hired. However, there are ways to make your resume stand out using specific phrases and professional formatting.

Creating a header called “Related Experience” can encompass various paid positions as well as volunteer. As long as you can articulate a skill you developed during your time volunteering, it belongs on your resume.

Quantify your effect on the organization using numbers. Include how many people’s lives you impacted, if you helped them save or generate a significant amount of money, or even if you just increased their follower account on social media.

Use active verbs. Never rely on overused verbiage like “worked” or “assisted”. Instead, begin bullet points with “coordinated” “directed”. For a great list of resume specific action verbs, click here.

If your volunteer work is less relevant to the position you are seeking, don’t leave it out just because it doesn’t fit under “Related Experience”. Recruiters are looking for individuals who live multifaceted lives, and a unique experience can help your resume stand out amongst the rest.

 

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The DASH Diet

Salmon - DASH Diet

As a medical professional, I try to ensure that my patients aren’t only putting a bandage on their symptoms, but also taking a pragmatic approach to becoming healthier. When we get busy, it can be easy to reach for quick meals instead of nourishing food. Unfortunately, if you want to get serious about dealing with chronic illnesses, your lifestyle may have to change. Always work with your doctor to develop a food and exercise plan to improve your health.

 

What is the DASH diet?

It stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet was formulated to lower blood pressure, but it also can help aid weight loss. The diet consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat dairy and whole grains. This is one of my favorite diets to recommend to patients because of how easy it is to follow, as well as how delicious it is! This diet is also a great guide for those looking to decrease their meat intake. The DASH diet is recommended by the US Department of Agriculture as one of the ideal eating plans for all Americans.

 

What this diet limits:

  • Processed sugars
  • Sodium
  • Saturated fats
  • Alcohol

 

What you will be eating:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil)
  • Lean poultry and fish
  • Whole grains (quinoa, whole wheat couscous, brown rice)

 

DASH recipe examples from EatingWell.com:

  • Curried parsnip and apple soup
  • Indian edamame quinoa burgers
  • Seared chicken with mango salsa and spaghetti squash
  • Strawberry and yogurt parfait
  • Orange-sesame shrimp salad

 

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How to Volunteer Internationally for Free

Helping Hands - Volunteering Internationally for Free

There are countless resources online to help you find the right program to get you out into the world and helping those in need. You should consider your budget, your cause, and the location you’d like to serve. There are programs that may claim to be free, but you should be wary of programs that sound too good to be true. There are, however, ways to reduce the amount of money you invest in an abroad volunteer trip if cost is what’s holding you back.

 

The Truth About “Free” Programs

Though some volunteer programs may claim to be free, they are likely referring to a waived participation fee. It’s common that you’ll still find yourself paying for transportation, housing, and food. However, you may still find programs that’ll utilize grant money that covers everything but transportation. These programs are typically more long term.

 

How to Reduce Expenses

  • Buy Cheap Airfare: look for tickets as far away from the departure date as possible for a good deal. Many believe that Tuesday late afternoon is the perfect time to find an inexpensive flight. Comparing prices in a private browser can also help. Avoid purchasing flights that depart on Fridays and Sundays.
  • Crowdsource: Subsidizing your trip with donations from friends and family can be a great help. Include a compelling letter outlining why you’ll be volunteering and how a donation could help the mission.
  • Apply for scholarships: there are several scholarship programs for those who want to teach English internationally. Getting certified to teach English in a foreign country can cost a few hundred dollars, but it could equate to thousands of dollars in grants or scholarships.
  • Explore options: Compare programs and compile a list of possible expenses that may pop up while you’re volunteering. Different geographic locations may also be more expensive than others.

 

Online Resources

  • Freevolunteering.net – A great starting point to find programs with no participation fee
  • Helpstay.com – Hosts list their volunteer opportunities and the housing arrangement included in exchange for your work.
  • Wwoof.net – find a location to work and live as an organic farmer
  • Movingworlds.org – sign up for access to their volunteer database and Global Fellowship application.

 

Finding a place to volunteer abroad is a decision that should be made with a lot of research. Take your time when considering the location and amount of time you’d like to dedicate to the cause. Working with a vetted organization that is experienced in guiding volunteers can help put your mind at ease.

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