Tag: Dr. Barbara R. Edwards Princeton

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The Dos and Don’ts of Working Out in the Humidity

There are lots of simple pleasures in life when the weather is warm enough to spend time in the great outdoors. One of those pleasures is working out outside. In the summer this can be a little difficult in the northeast, especially when the humidity is high. So when you want to take advantage of the warm weather, read on for some tips and things to avoid when humidity is almost insufferable. 

Do: Increase Intensity Slowly 

Similar to how you always want to start your workout with a warm up, you want to start in the humidity at lower intensity. The human body needs time to adjust to the heat, so if you work out at 110% right away, this can exhaust your body quicker, and you won’t get as much out of yourself as you exercise. 

Don’t: Wear Layers

Some people believe that layering when working out helps because you sweat more. While there is some truth in this idea, this does not stand true in the humidity. You will already be sweating enough that loose and light clothes are more appropriate. The last thing you want to do is pass out because of how you’ve dressed for your workout.

Do: Hydrate Properly 

Before heading outside, remember to properly hydrate your body well before the workout. This can help you regulate your body temperature. Remember to hydrate regularly throughout the workout so that your body is able to replenish the fluids it is losing while you are sweating. Having a sports drink on hand is also helpful to replace electrolytes lost as you sweat. 

Don’t: Ignore Your Body 

Working out can lead to fatigue and sore muscles, this is a given. Though if you are new to physical activity or you feel your body is reacting differently than normal, you may need to take a break. There are many heat related conditions like heat stroke and exhaustion that’ll cut your workout short, so if something your body is trying to tell you something, listen! 

When the weather is nice enough to workout outside, take every opportunity to do it. A gym workout, however nice your gym may be, can never compete with the serene feeling of being in nature. When you want to take advantage, make sure you know the way to workout during humid days safely. 

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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How to Work on Having a Positive Mindset

It’s not uncommon to find yourself feeling down or doubtful about yourself or certain things in your life. You’re not alone in this, and lots of things in life can get you down or lead you to carrying a negative mindset. Adopting a positive mindset can help improve not only your day, but your entire life. Thinking positively can lead a person to make better decisions in their life to set them on the right track for success. Keep on reading to see what steps you can take today to guarantee positivity!

Be more conscious of your gratitude

Having a sense of gratefulness can truly elevate your life. Being grateful helps a person to become an optimist instead of a pessimist, as you can appreciate all of the things in your life that mean something to you. This can range from telling a friend or family member that you love and appreciate them, to just being happy that the sun is shining and the clouds are gone. Being more grateful day-to-day can help get your mind into the habit of seeing the best in things, which will help if you’re feeling down!

Work on that voice in your head

We all have one of those voices in our heads that acts as an inner narration of our  thoughts. Do you realize that you can engage with this part of yourself and rework a bad mindset into a good one? That’s right, you can literally talk yourself up and out of a negative mindset. Work through negative or pessimistic thoughts in your head and reset that mindset!

Be mindful

Being mindful means to live in the moment and have awareness of what is going on. Doing so with an open and kind attitude can really help rearrange your attitude and outlook on life! For many, the mind can wander and be stuck on things like the past, or anxious worries about the future. Throw these thoughts aside and be able to pull your mind back down to reality and focus on the here and now. This in-the-moment attitude helps to build focus and can help guide you to your goals.

Define your success

Everybody’s definition of success will be different, but one thing is consistent: this definition of success will help support a positive mindset and will guide you along the road of achieving well-being. If you have a clear goal in mind of where you want to be in life, and carry lots of confidence about it, you can use that momentum to propel you forward.

Reworking your attitude and outlook on life can help you immensely. It’s been proven that keeping a positive mindset allows a person to be happier. Make your switch today!

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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Fruits That Strengthen Your Immune System

The immune system is one of the most important features of the human body. Without it, our bodies would be vulnerable to disease and ailments. The immune system can be strengthened even more through daily supplements and certain foods and drinks. Fruits are very nutritious and are often used as an immune booster to help overcome illness. Here are a few fruits that strengthen the immune system:

Oranges

Oranges are one of the most common fruits to aid in strengthening the body’s immunity. This fruit is packed with Vitamin C, containing over 100% of the daily amount needed. On top of that, its supply of vitamins prevent cell damage, encourages collagen production, and lowers cortisol, a stress hormone. Oranges are super versatile and can come in the form of cut fruit, juices, and other kinds of foods.

Apples

The saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is totally true! Apples are filled with natural sugars and fiber. What’s surprising is that the nutrition doesn’t come from the inner apple itself. The most nutrition comes from the skin, which contains a plant pigment flavonoid called quercetin. Quercetin not only boosts the immune system, but also reduces inflammation. 

Blueberries

Despite being one of the smaller fruits, a handful of blueberries are just as helpful. These tiny fruitlets contain antihistamines, aiding in reducing inflammation and minimizing various sickness symptoms like a runny nose. Also, they are packed full of antioxidants which boost one’s general health.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.

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Importance of Switching Up Your Workout Routine

 

For workout enthusiasts, a certain routine can make or break your motivation. This isn’t anything to fault yourself for, as humans naturally like to have a bit of structure and consistency. Despite this, keeping a rigid routine within your workout can make it feel more like a chore than an uplifting activity. Falling into the same handful of exercises also isn’t the best physically, especially if you aren’t seeing the results you’d like, or you’ve developed overuse injuries. Going forward, here are a few reasons why you should add a bit of spice to your workouts to get the best results.

Prevent strain

If you’re hitting one area consistently throughout the week without any rest, you could be putting extra stress on your body and could possibly do harm in the future. By only focusing on one area or one group of muscles and working them as hard as you can, you put yourself at risk of suffering an overuse injury. Switching up workouts to include several different points on your body can give one area rest while challenging another. As a side note, remember to stretch and relax before and after your workout!

Support your mind

Not only does switching up your workout routine benefit you physically, but it also helps you mentally and emotionally. One of the worst things you can do with your workout is making it into a chore. Once you do that, you open up the door for all motivation and love for exercise to slowly chip away as well. If you just jump on the treadmill for an hour every day, you’re going to start dreading it after a while. A good workout is supposed to have a healthy relationship with time, you shouldn’t feel like you’re working out for far longer than you actually are. 

That potential loss of motivation can lead you to not want to push harder in your workouts to gain progress or can keep you from wanting to be in the gym at all. By switching up your workout, you keep things fresh and exciting.

Additionally, workouts help support positive mental health and can reduce depression. Keeping it the same won’t challenge your mind as much as trying new things will.

How to switch up your routine

There are several ways to switch up your routine to keep things fresh. A go-to option for many is to get a gym buddy. Either meeting someone in the gym or asking a friend to come lift with you, having a friend to exercise with will give you an added layer of motivation and can even hold you to a higher sense of accountability if you miss out on a day. Another tip to keep things fresh is to consider an entirely new gym. Most gyms have the same general types of amenities but one gym may have a completely different set of machines than the next. It doesn’t hurt to shop around.

As you see, it can be easy for your workout routine to fall into the chore mindset, but this doesn’t always have to be the case! Switch things up and keep them exciting!

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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Healthy Foods That Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is a very interesting process that happens in the human body. It’s a series of chemical processes that helps to maintain bodily health. One of the most important things that it does is help people burn calories and maintain or lose weight. This, however, can only happen properly if you have a good metabolic rate. Besides daily supplements, there are foods to eat that can help to speed up the metabolic process. Here are some healthy foods that can increase metabolism:

Chili Peppers

These peppers may be hot, but they can be actually very beneficial to your overall health, including metabolism. Chili peppers contain a chemical called capsaicin which, backed up by research, can slightly increase one’s metabolic rate. There are even some who say that this chemical can aid in appetite control.

Beans/Legumes

Beans and legumes are among some of the highest plant protein foods. Some examples of such foods are peas, black beans, peanuts, and chickpeas. The body burns more calories with high protein foods and beans and legumes may be one of them, suggests studies. Along with protein, fiber is included, which can aid good bacteria and help the body produce fatty acids, which in turn help with storing energy.

Tea

Containing many healthy compounds, tea may be able to boost your metabolic rate. In particular, catechins are thought to work in conjunction with caffeine to increase the metabolism. Certain teas are better at this than others like oolong and matcha green tea, which can accelerate fat oxidation and calorie burning.

Dr. Barbara R. Edwards, Princeton Internist, practices at Penn Medicine Princeton Health in the Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center. She is also the Academic Director for the Ambulatory Residency Program at Penn Medicine Princeton Health.