Tag: dr. edwards princeton

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Benefits of Bone Broth

There are many food crazes that tout certain foods as super foods. Bone broth is commonly seen as a superfood, but what does that really mean? “Superfood” is a trendy word used to describe a food that has a host of nutritional and health benefits. Bone broth fits into this category due to its dense nutrient profile and anti-inflammatory properties. Bone broth has been seen to help not only joint and gut health, but it also has been used for beauty purposes due to its high level of collagen,  a protein that gives skin its elasticity. Overall, the benefits of bone broth can contribute to helping multiple systems within the body due to the level of vitamins it has. 

Bone broth nutrients

Iron: the high levels of iron in bone broth make it good for contributing to balanced hormones and adequate oxygenation since iron helps red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. 

Vitamin A: The vitamin A in bone broth is good for eye and immune health. 

Vitamin K: Vitamin K in bone broth helps with wound healing as well as bone health. 

Zinc: Zinc is another nutrient found in bone broth with many health benefits including boosting your immune system and increasing your metabolism function. 

Manganese: Manganese found in bone broth helps many functions in the body such as regulating blood sugar, brain as well as nerve function, calcium absorption, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. 

Selenium: Selenium is an antioxidant found in bone broth that can help reduce oxidative stress in the body. This can potentially reduce the risk of developing cancer since it helps protect cells from damage that this stress can cause.

Asking a physician before making changes to one’s diet is important to make sure that the new addition will be beneficial. 

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 Keto Diet Foods

Despite the stringent guidelines the keto diet entails, it remains one of the most popular specialty diets in the United States. It puts a huge emphasis on high-fat and protein-rich foods paired with low carbs to help your body burn useful fats rather than carbs. When considering foods or recipes to buy, there are certain “building block” foods to keep in mind as you shop for groceries. Here are a few high-fat, low-carb foods to consider when following a keto diet:

Seafood

Seafood is known for having a combination of healthy fats and lower carbs. Being rich in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients such as protein and selenium, it is a prime example of a keto building block food. What’s also fantastic is the assortment of keto seafood to choose from, such as shrimp, crab, tuna, cod, mussels, salmon and others that you can incorporate into your recipes or diet plan. Play around with recipes from different cuisines, including Mediterranean, Caribbean and East Asian.

Meat and poultry

Foods such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and lamb are also great sources of healthy fat and protein for keto diets. Meat makes up a good portion of keto, and like most keto foods, it’s versatile so there are many ways to serve it. It is important, however, to purchase organic and grass-fed meat and poultry. Since you are consuming these foods frequently, you want to sustain your body with the highest quality available.

Dairy

Adding dairy keto foods such as cheese, Greek yogurt, and assortments of cream and butter are also beneficial. Cheeses are amazing as they tend to have high protein and low carbs. In general, dairy foods are a great source of protein, calcium, and even healthy fats!

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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Post-Workout Healthy Snacks

Whether it’s going to the gym, taking a walk, or going for a jog, the steps we take after we’re finished exercising is just as important as the workout itself. For example, in addition to stretching before and after a physical exercise, eating healthy foods is a necessary piece to the puzzle in living a healthy lifestyle. Follow along to read the benefits of post-work out eating, healthy snack ideas, and ways to prepare those snacks.

 

Benefits of eating post-workout

When you work out, you not only burn fat and calories, but you also can deplete nutrients and become dehydrated. Making sure to replenish what you lose from working out will help you recover faster and reduce potential soreness afterwards. Eating foods high in water is important to replenish the hydration you sweat when working out. Consuming high-protein foods will help heal the tears in muscles from working out. High electrolyte foods and supplements will  restore these essential minerals lost during exercise. Healthy post-workout snacks you can try include fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and yogurt.

 

Healthy post-workout snacks

Healthy foods high in water content that help increase hydration after working out include watermelon, cucumbers, cantaloupe, strawberries, peaches, oranges, grapefruit, bell peppers and celery. Healthy foods high in protein such as nuts and seeds are great foods to snack on after exercise to aid in repairing and building muscle. In order to avoid sugary electrolyte beverages, consider consuming foods high in electrolytes such as spinach, kale, bananas, raisins and yogurt.

 

Ways to prepare post-workout snacks

You don’t need to cook a full meal after a workout. Try eating post-workout snacks either in their raw form or in a smoothie. Seeds and nuts can be eaten raw, or as a seed/nut butter spread on a carbohydrate-rich base, or added into a smoothie in place of a protein powder. “Ants on a log”, a childhood snack, is a fun, classic way to combine protein, electrolytes and a high-water content all in one simple snack. All that is needed is celery with nut or seed butter spread on top with raisins placed on the buttery spread to make a fun, healthy treat for your post-workout snack.

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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Benefits of Outdoor Exercise

Everyone understands why exercise is important both physically and mentally but lacing up those sneakers and getting out there is another story. As the weather becomes milder during the fall season, conditions are ideal for outdoor exercise. Here are a few reasons why you may want to switch up your exercise routine and move some of your workouts outdoors while the weather is so nice:

 

Being Outdoors Helps Fulfill Vitamin D Needs:

One benefit that really separates exercising indoors compared to outdoors is the difference in vitamin D exposure. Vitamin D is absorbed through spending time in the sunlight. There are alternative ways to get vitamin D, however, the sun is one of the best (and easiest) sources to obtain it. Vitamin D not only helps to regulate the amount of calcium & phosphate that is in the body, but it also helps to keep your bones, teeth and muscles sustained.

 

Provides Variation to Regular Routine

Switching up your exercise routine can have many benefits for the body overall. Incorporating outdoor exercise can really help give you a chance to try new things, which can help you avoid common overuse injuries. For example, doing walking lunges up a hill gives a shock to different muscle groups and areas of the body; stabilizer muscles are activated more regularly as the terrain is on an incline. Being outside for exercise will also switch up your training environment. Fresh air is not only good for your body, but for your mind as well.

 

Provides Other Health Benefits that Indoor Gyms Cannot:

Aside from the added benefit of access to vitamin D, exercising outdoors gives us many other health benefits as well. Mentally, exercising outside is a fantastic de-stressor on top of helping to lower blood pressure. Being outside also helps play a role in reducing levels of insomnia and can allow for better overall sleep. Exercising outside can also provide you with access to fresh air–not air-conditioned air that is being breathed in and blown around a hot, sweaty gym full of other people. Working out outdoors also allows you to burn more calories purely from the environment that you are in alone.

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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Five Easy & Healthy Poolside Snacks

Swimming is a great activity to keep you fit this summer. With this activity, you might find yourself hungry after you make your way out of the pool. These are five healthy snacks for you as you sit and relax in the backyard.  These snacks are not just for kids, but they can be great for adults as well. These snack ideas are not only healthy but filling enough to give you the energy needed to swim, run, and play on a long summer day!

Apple Pops

For apple pops you will need to start off by cutting apples into wedges.  Then, spread peanut butter on them; try choosing an organic peanut butter option. Then, insert a popsicle stick.  By keeping the apple covered it will protect the apple from turning brown. The peanut butter is also a delicious filling food. Worried about peanut allergies? Swap it out with another delicious nut butter like almond or sunflower seed butter.

Boiled Eggs and Veggie Sticks

This delicious snack is packed full of protein. Hard boiled eggs are easy to take to the poolside and are filling.  Veggie snacks is a great side for the eggs. These veggie sticks can be eaten by themselves or with a side of hummus. You can even add some left-over peanut butter from before.

Frozen Grapes

Not only are grapes sweet, but they are also refreshing. For this snack, all you have to do is put some grapes in the freezer and let them sit overnight. This is the easiest poolside snack to have.

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins do not always have to be eaten for breakfast. Homemade muffins can be a good to snack when sitting by the pool since muffins are filled with healthy carbohydrates and are sure to give you the energy needed to swim. Be sure to make these ahead of your day by the pool. Freeze them and when you are ready take them out. This snack is sure to have you wanting more. Try a recipe with a low sugar content when baking your own muffins.

Cheese and Carrot Sticks

This is a great snack option.  Cheese and carrot sticks are great to bring to the pool because they are fast and easy. You can use the leftover veggie sticks or apples to go along with this tasty snack. Crackers are a good addition as well. Pair with a store-bought cheese platter or cheese sticks.

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.