Category: Malawi Experience

For many people, achieving and maintaining optimal health is at the top of their to-do list. This goal can sometimes feel very distant, and finding the right balance between the hustle and bustle of everyday life can pose a challenge. Activities and specific modifications can create significant positive changes in your overall health. If implemented thoughtfully, these changes can be foundational for improvements in your life. Let’s look at some helpful tips to make you happier and healthier today.

Make Necessary Changes To Your Diet

We know this isn’t a huge revelation, but changing your diet can benefit your mental and physical health. After all, a well-balanced diet is at the core of general well-being. Most nutritionists recommend a diet high in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein, and whole grains for optimal energy levels. Try your best to avoid highly processed foods or ones high in sugar. Get rid of empty carbs and, most importantly, avoid fast food!

Get A Proper Amount Of Sleep Each Day

Another big one! Prioritizing your sleep levels is one of the best ways to set yourself up for a successful day. Sleep deprivation can cause you to go through your day feeling grumpy, unenergized, or burnt out. Fix this by going to bed and waking up at a reasonable time. Consider adding another step into the process to make it feel more worthwhile, like making your bed so that you have a nice, neat bed to lay back into at night or consistently make yourself an excellent breakfast in the morning. Whatever you need to get that sleep schedule on track, go for it! Most health professionals recommend a person get between seven and eight hours of sleep a night.

Set Goals For Yourself

A feeling of accomplishment is one we rarely forget. Think of a time when you wanted to get something done and how fulfilled you felt once it was accomplished. It’s very healthy to set goals of varying sizes for yourself. Maybe one day, you want to clean out a room of your house you barely step in, or perhaps you want to save up enough money to go on that dream vacation a year from now. Whatever the goal is, setting responsibilities for yourself that can be realistically met is a huge step up for your mental health. It never hurts to increase your self-value and self-worth.

Get Exercise

Sometimes, sitting around and not doing much can be relaxing or therapeutic, especially if you’ve had a long and eventful day. However, too much sitting around can leave you stagnant and affect your health. If you find yourself lethargic or depressed from being couped up in the house doing nothing, exercising could turn this feeling around. The US Department of Health recommends that a healthy adult get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly. Excluding the weekends, that only means 30 minutes a day. Remember to start small and build up to greater intensity over time.

Go After What You Want

What makes you happy in life? Is it spending time with family and friends? Forming a healthy long-term relationship with a partner? Achieving your dream career? Maybe it’s just getting out of your town and seeing the world? We often get stuck in the everyday routine and never really take time to care for ourselves. Remember, it is your life. Please take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially. Keeping your health and happiness in check is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

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.

For beginners with little to no running experience, taking on a 5K run can be daunting. Focusing on gradually building up your stamina can reduce the likelihood of injury and burnout. For those not used to working out consistently, a sharp learning curve can make the beginning stages very strenuous and leave your muscles sore as your body adjusts. If you start by training as if you are not a beginner, this will likely lead to sore muscles and possibly injuries. This increased risk of injury is due to your muscles not being accustomed to the training needed once you are nearing the race.

Training

Before you start running, you need to get into the routine of doing stretches and going on long walks daily. Make sure to consume enough food and drink enough water to keep up with the energy you exert and the fluids you will lose from increased perspiration. As you become more accustomed to these minor exercise routines, you can eventually switch to jogging instead of walking once you feel ready. Suppose you experience any soreness in your muscles after exercising. In that case, it is best to rehydrate and get enough electrolytes while taking it easy by getting enough rest until you feel better before proceeding with your new routine. Staying hydrated helps lubricate your muscles, reducing the chance of tears by increasing their flexibility. Allowing your body to adjust to changes and taking breaks when necessary to recover is essential for preventing injuries. Once you’ve become comfortable with jogging, you can slowly switch to running. You don’t need to start running the whole way and instead can alternate between jogging and running. Building up your stamina can help you to run for longer distances without burnout.

Conclusion

For those who are not typically active, it can seem impossible to run a 5K, but with enough time and effort, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to. If you overdo it by setting your standards too high, this can lead to you becoming discouraged and quitting since going from zero to one hundred in the intensity of your workout makes you hit the wall quickly due to the lack of stamina. Going at your own pace and gradually working up to your goal is the key to success.

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.

The pregnancy journey brings physical changes that can make your regular workout routine more challenging. However, if you’re accustomed to an active lifestyle, you can still maintain a fitness regime, provided you avoid overexertion and consult your doctor beforehand. With the shift of your body’s weight towards the front during pregnancy affecting balance and range of motion, some exercises may feel more arduous. But don’t lose heart! Here are some exercises that can safely be incorporated into your pregnancy workout routine with your healthcare professional’s approval.

Yoga: Embrace Mindful Movement 

With its emphasis on stretching and relaxation, yoga can be a less strenuous form of exercise that doesn’t put excessive strain on your body, unlike intensive activities like weight lifting or long-distance running. Practicing yoga during pregnancy could enhance your flexibility, particularly in the hips and pelvic joints, which could be beneficial during childbirth.

Nature Walks: Bask in the Great Outdoors

Taking strolls amidst nature provides several benefits during pregnancy. Besides giving you a dose of fresh air and sunlight—crucial for vitamin D synthesis—the calming ambiance of natural surroundings can help lower your blood pressure by reducing stress.

Swimming: The Gentle Workout 

With the extra weight of pregnancy potentially straining your joints and exacerbating conditions like arthritis due to hormonal shifts, swimming provides a welcome respite. This low-impact exercise is gentle on your joints and helps alleviate muscle aches from pregnancy-related weight gain. The water’s buoyancy offers effective pressure relief, making swimming a beneficial addition to your pregnancy exercise routine.

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