Category: Health

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Seasonal Vegetables: Recipe with Summer Vegetables

From cucumbers and zucchini to peppers, tomatoes, and everything in between, there is no shortage of hot-weather vegetables to keep your meals light, healthy and colorful this summer. Keep reading for some fun, easy recipes that include some of the best tasting and most nutritious vegetables in season.

Caprese Zoodles

Switch out those carb-loaded pasta dishes for something a little lighter (but just as tasty) this summer: zoodles! Zoodles, aka zucchini noodles, are a fiber-rich and low-calorie alternative to regular wheat pastas. Zoodles are loaded with Vitamin B6 and have even been known to protect against diabetes. For this simple recipe, dress the zoodles in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add some halved cherry tomatoes, quartered mozzarella balls, fresh basil leaves and balsamic vinegar into the mix. If zucchini is not your vegetable of choice, replace it with fresh corn or just stick to the traditional version of the salad: tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, balsamic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whichever way you go, you cannot go wrong with this fan-favorite summertime dish.

Stuffed Peppers

As another summer vegetable classic, stuffed peppers are fun and versatile in that they can be customized however you want and can pass as both a main and side dish. Although red peppers pack the most nutrition, all varieties are great sources of vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber. Cut and stuff the peppers with cooked rice, tomato sauce, onion, garlic, and a meat of your liking, bake at the required temperature, and top with cheese, parsley, and Italian seasoning. Most people opt for a ground beef filling, but feel free to think outside the box. If you are really committed to getting your vegetable nutrients in, substitute the meat filling with some corn, black beans, and pepper jack cheese for a southwestern spin on this dish.

Sheet Pan Summer Vegetables and Chicken

This next recipe is chock-full of nutritious veggies and is easy to both cook and clean up. Plus, if you keep a garden in the summer months, most of these ingredients can be found right in your backyard. Keeping true to the recipe’s name, all you will need to do for this dish is cut up and season some zucchini, tomatoes, and yellow squash, and bake them on a pan with cubed pieces of a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Vegetable-heavy sheet dinners like this one are perfect for vegetable lovers who need a little extra protein to get through the day. They  pack the nutrients and vitamins you would find in a meal that took twice as long to make.

Summer Vegetable Tart

Now for a slightly more complicated but equally healthy and delicious mention: a summer vegetable tart. Depending on how ambitious you are, you can either create your own dough-based crust for this dish by hand or get a premade dough from the store. Once baked to crispy perfection and filled with the creamy, cheesy filling, add bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, top with fresh basil, and enjoy the best version of a pizza you will have all summer.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Hearty Fruits & Vegetables To Implement In Your Diet

Incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet is a great way to satisfy your hunger while also reaping the benefit of fiber and other nutrients. These colorful foods offer a variety of health benefits and taste delicious as well.  Here are a few key foods to add to your next grocery store trip:

Berries

Summer berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are filled with soluble fiber and heart-healthy phytonutrients. Berries can be eaten by themselves, blended in a smoothie, or paired with yogurt.

Spinach

Dark greens are a great addition to any diet. Spinach contains iron, magnesium and calcium, and has been known to improve bone health, reduce blood sugar, boost immunity, and much more. Spinach is often considered a “superfood”.

Oranges

Not only do oranges have a tangy, refreshing taste, but they also have many health benefits. Oranges are filled with fiber, have anti-inflammatory properties, boost immunity, and help the body produce collagen.

Bell Peppers

Studies show that bell peppers can improve eye health, prevent anemia, and prevent certain cancers and heart disease. They can be eaten raw as a snack with some hummus or roasted in the oven.

Bananas

Not only are bananas sweet and delicious, they are also packed with potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin C, and more. They help moderate blood sugar levels, improve digestive health, and are filling. Bananas can be added in a smoothie, used as a substitute for sugar when baking, or taken on the go as a snack.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a great source of vitamin C, A, and K. Broccoli has been found to promote healthy bones and joints, support a healthy immune system, and promote healthy digestion.

While these are just a few of the many fruits and vegetables you can add to your diet, these options will provide you with necessary vitamins and minerals for an overall healthy and balanced diet.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Four Health Tips to Avoid this Summer

As summer is quickly approaching, many are looking to get a “beach body” with the weather warming and shorelines opening up. While it is great to strive for a healthier lifestyle, many “health” tips or topics create an unsustainable way of eating —and living. Here are a few health tips to avoid:

Low-Carb Diets.

While going low-carb for a period of time may help you lose a few pounds, it can be harmful to your health in the long run. People experience less energy and tend to eat foods like animal proteins, saturated fats, and cholesterol. When trying to live a healthier lifestyle, it is crucial to consume all food groups, just in moderation.

Excessive Exercise

Many fitness influencers show unrealistic expectations of exercise as a result of being in the gym for hours multiple times per week. In reality, excessive gym time is not an option for working people and busy parents. Exercise should not be a chore, and even setting small, attainable goals is a step in the right direction. Exorbitant gym time is not necessary to lose a few pounds.

Juice Cleanses

Swapping a meal with juice is a dangerous way to lose weight. Most juices are packed with sugar and will leave you feeling hungry later on. Fueling your body with whole foods will keep you feeling satisfied and will more likely curb your cravings in comparison to drinking juice as a meal.

Achieving that “Beach Body”

The most common mindset that people have leading into summer is that they must have the perfect beach body. However, what most people fail to realize is that every body is a beach body! Setting unrealistic goals can cause a negative relationship with food and exercise, so do what makes you feel your best.

If you are looking to start a healthier routine, setting small, attainable goals will put you on the right track this summer and beyond. A balanced diet and workout routine will help you reach your goals. Remember, what may work for others may not work for you, so it is important to listen to your body throughout the process and be patient with your results.

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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Tips to Remain Committed to Health Goals

One of the most difficult parts of self-improvement is setting and committing to goals. Setting ambitious goals can be stressful, and it may cause you to feel fearful at the thought of making lifestyle changes. Whatever your qualms are, there are ways to stay on track and be committed to your health goals.

Set the Goals

The first step is to set the goals. It’s very important to set goals that are actually attainable. Setting goals that ask too much of you will result in negative situations that aren’t conducive to completing the task at hand. Consider all aspects of your life when deciding on which goals you’d like to achieve. Once you have your goals established, write them down. Having your goals physically written down will help to cement them and encourage you to stick to them.

Find Motivation

Motivation is crucial when committing to health goals. There are many ways to motivate yourself towards a goal. One way would be to reward yourself after making steps to a goal. Another way is to follow people on social media that spread positivity and who inspire you. Finding what motivates you is key to committing to your goals.

Journal

Consider creating a journal to track your health goals. You can create to-do lists in a journal to keep you accountable for keeping up on your goals. You can also use the journal to keep track of your progress and reflect on what you’ve achieved. Journaling is an excellent way to organize your thoughts and create some accountability to keep you on track to your goals.

Stay the Course

The journey to achieving a goal is not always completely successful. There may be setbacks and failures along the way. It is important to stay the course regardless and continue working toward your goals. With enough motivation, you can commit to and achieve almost any goal you set your mind to!

Dr. Barbara Edwards, a Princeton MD is the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, providing quality care to uninsured and under-insured New Jersey residents in Mercer and Middlesex counties.

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How Meditation Helps Mental Health

Mental health is important. Through proper self-care, mental health can be maintained and even boosted. An excellent self-care practice is meditation. When most people hear of mediation, they picture a person sitting cross-legged on the ground with their eyes shut, but this is not the only way mediation can occur. Meditation can be taking time out of the day to read a book you enjoy, it can be going for a relaxing car ride, it could be going for a walk, or it could be any way that enables you to clear your mind and find happiness. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine can help your mental health. Meditation can:

Reduce Stress

Day-to-day life can be pretty stressful. With busy schedules and many responsibilities, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Carving out a little time every day — or even every week — can help to ground yourself and clear your mind of current stressors. While meditation may not remove your stress entirely, it is an excellent way to give your mind a minute to catch up and rest.

Boost Confidence

Meditation often involves repeating mantras or positive words and phrases. Whether said in your head or out loud, these positive words can greatly improve your confidence and outlook on life. Reminding yourself of your value and abilities through meditation can help to boost your confidence and make you feel proud of yourself.

Encourage Emotional Health

When juggling many responsibilities in life, it can become difficult to remember to consider and express your emotions. Meditation gives you time to reflect on and process your emotions. It’s important for your mental health to deal with any feelings you might have and encourage happy emotions.

Increase Attention Span

Recently, society has adopted a very fast paced way of living. This had led to a decrease in individuals’ patience and their length of attention spans. Practicing meditation reminds you to slow down and enjoy every moment. It gives your brain a chance to “reset” and not expect immediate results. Meditation can increase your patience and attention span thus boosting your mental health.

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