Health | Princeton Magazine

Turning Toward a Healthier Lifestyle Through Mindful Nutrition

By Mary Abitanto | Photography by the author

I am Jersey-born and raised and a true Jersey girl at heart. Growing up, I spent every summer on Long Beach Island at our shore house, only a stone’s throw away from the beach. One of my most cherished memories is shopping at the local farmers market in Viking Village located in Barnegat Light, a quaint little fishing town. The small farmers market there carries fresh-from-the-farm produce. My dad and I would pick the ripest tomatoes, corn, eggplant, and figs. The long-awaited first bite into a juicy, red-fleshed fig — oh how I love that taste. It’s a memory that will be forever etched in mind. more

Exercising to Avoid Injury

How a balanced body can keep you active for the long-term

By Taylor Smith | Photos courtesy of shutterstock.com

When people begin to exercise, they may correlate high-intensity and discomfort with physical “gains” and progress. This misleading way of thinking has led to countless injuries. What many people do not realize is that pain is our body’s way of signaling an imbalance and the potential for serious injury.

Recovering from an injury can also be a sliding scale of pain in terms of the ability to maintain previous activity levels. Typically, a sliding scale of injury could equate to taking a week off from weightlifting due to some slight tenderness versus being unable to walk after tearing a hamstring in a skiing accident. Surgery is generally the last resort, as most people will choose rehabilitation and physical therapy as their preferred recovery route. more

Volunteers Plant 100 Trees in Lambertville

Sixteen volunteers recently gathered to plant 100 native trees and shrubs along a new section of the Lambertville Nature Trail. The group, including Lambertville Mayor Andrew Nowick, planted a variety of native trees and shrubs including eastern red cedar, flowering dogwood, sweet birch, white oak, and eastern redbud. These trees and shrubs will help to reduce flash flooding from this hillside neighborhood, filter and cool air and water, and provide important wildlife habitat. more

Making Medicine Personal

Thanks to precision medicine, medical care is getting personal — highly personal. Described as the future of medicine, precision medicine technologies enable doctors and researchers to analyze what a person’s genes say about them and how that relates to a specific diagnosis. The intention is that precision medicine can provide more accurate care, especially when it comes to cancers, COVID-19, and other rare disorders.

One leader in the field of precision medicine is David C. Fajgenbaum, M.D., MBA, MSc. Dr. Fajgenbaum is an associate professor of medicine in translational medicine and human genetics at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the founding director of the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment and Laboratory (CSTL), which aims to identify and treat patients with Castleman disease, COVID-19, and other cytokine storm disorders. CSTL works to uncover “novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutics, identify optimal treatment approaches, and to provide world-class patient care,” as noted on med.upenn.edu/CSTL. more

2023 Central New Jersey Heart Walk

Join Penn Medicine Princeton Health on Sunday, October 29 at 9 a.m. for the 2023 Central New Jersey Heart Walk. This walk to save lives will begin at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor.

To reach fundraising goals, participants can donate to an already established team or team member. Visit www2.heart.org and find your location to view team members, walkers, and event-day instructions. more

“The Future of Healthcare” with Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato

On Tuesday, October 24 at 8:30 a.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) welcomes Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Joaquin Duato as part of the business partner roundtable series.

Duato believes that science and technology will advance healthcare more in this decade than it did in the last century. He also holds firm that New Jersey, as a state, is a leader in medical research and pharmaceutical manufacturing. more

Finding the Way of Nature in Tai Chi

By Taylor Smith | Photo by Shutterstock.com

The origins of tai chi harken back to ancient China. Today it is used by people around the world to improve balance, mental health, and rehabilitation, and to ease physical pain and/or discomfort. As an activity that promotes gentle, thoughtful movements, and conscious breathing, tai chi is a surprisingly effective way to incorporate exercise into your own life, no matter what your age. more

LHT Full Moon Ride 2023

The Lawrence Hopewell Trail’s Full Moon Bike Ride is an out-of-this-world experience! This year’s night of music and fun with a moonlight ride through Mercer Meadows Park is on Saturday, September 30 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Bring your own picnic dinner and dance to the music of a live techno DJ before the ride. Attendees can also participate in decorating their own bike before the start of the event. more

Bike New York’s Twin Lights Ride Down the Jersey Shore

On Sunday, October 1, join over 2,000 cyclists for the annual Twin Lights Ride — an unforgettable bike ride down the Jersey Shore. For over a decade local cyclists, New Yorkers, and visitors from around the country have enjoyed the 15- to 100-mile ride in Monmouth County. All proceeds from the event help fund Bike New York’s free bike education and safety programs. more

In-Person Series at Penn Medicine Princeton Health

Beginning September 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. and running through September 21, Penn Medicine Princeton Health will be offering an in-depth workshop on strategies for living with osteoporosis and osteopenia. The cost to attend is $50 per person. more

The West Windsor Community Farmers Market Prepares for Fall Season

Voted one of New Jersey’s top-ranked farmers markets by the general public via American Farmland Trust, the West Windsor Community Farmers Market (WWCFM) is ready and excited for the return of fall in the Garden State. more

Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County Celebrates Project Healthy Bones Award Winner

Interfaith Caregivers of Mercer County congratulates Project Healthy Bones Program Coordinator Maria Sergio on her well-deserved Community Advocate Award from New Jersey’s Interagency Council on Osteoporosis (ICO) for her work in osteoporosis prevention. more

Penn Medicine Princeton Health Recognized for Sustainability Efforts

Health systems account for nearly a tenth of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions, a main cause of climate change. Penn Medicine Princeton Health is dedicated to doing its part to reverse that trend.

In the restaurant at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center (PMC), staff members and visitors end their meal by placing trays stacked with plates, utensils, and uneaten food and drink bottles into a conveyor belt that slowly carries them out of sight. more

Princeton Public Library Parent Support Group

Following Baby Storytime on Thursday, June 29, early childhood experts Krista Gervon and Jillian Best Adler will lead an informal discussion and support group for parents of infants and toddlers. This parent-led event, held at the Princeton Public Library’s Story Room, will begin at 12 p.m. and end at 1 p.m. Advance registration is not required, and additional summer dates will be posted.

Gervon and Best Adler will be available to provide guidance in the areas of infant care, lactation, and formula feeding, as well as early childhood development, sleeping, potty training, starting school, and other key transitions. They can also answer questions on postpartum challenges such as postpartum physical recovery, nutrition, family adjustment, sibling adjustment, and emotional support. more

Summer Solstice Trail Run for Clean Water

Join The Watershed Institute for their 9th annual Solstice Trail Run on Wednesday, June 21. Run or walk the 5K, 10K, or 15K trail options. As it is an outdoor run over uneven terrain, expect to traverse exposed rocks, roots, and possible mud. This evening event has a 6 p.m. start time in honor of summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Runners will receive an event T-shirt if they register by June 1. Women have the option of a tank top. Complimentary s’mores around the fire pit await the event finishers. The post-race beer sponsor is Old Hights Brewing Company in Hightstown. more

ACLU-NJ, Planned Parenthood NJ, and Labyrinth Deliver Presentation on Abortion Access in NJ: Rights and Realities

Labyrinth Books will host an informative presentation on “Abortion Access in NJ: Rights and Realities” on Tuesday, May 23 at 6 p.m.

Amol Sinha, executive director of the ACLU New Jersey, and Jackie Cornell, executive director of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, will discuss how New Jersey fits into the new reality of reproductive health care being tied to and determined by a person’s zip code. more

Are you Socially Fit?

By Wendy Greenberg | Illustration by Jeffrey E. Tryon / Shutterstock.com

With so much health guidance available — reduce cholesterol, get more exercise, monitor blood sugar, get regular check-ups (all good advice) — it would be easy to overlook something like social health. But it might also be surprising to learn that something called “social fitness” can lead to better overall health throughout our lives, especially as we age. more

NAMIWalks Mercer County, May 20

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) will host their annual NAMIWalks event in Mercer County on May 20. The event begins at 9 a.m. at The Gazebo at West Lake Park in Robbinsville. The goal is to make every mile and “milestone” count in this walk towards mental wellness and health support. With the aid of participants and particularly those who have chosen to fundraise for the event, NAMI takes one step closer to the goal of “Mental Health for All.” more

Rebecca Boswell of Penn Medicine Princeton Honored by YWCA Princeton

Rebecca Boswell, Ph.D.

Rebecca Boswell, Ph.D., supervising psychologist at Penn Medicine Princeton Center for Eating Disorders, was recently honored in YWCA Princeton’s Tribute to Women, an annual awards ceremony celebrating professionals, volunteers, and activists who promote equity and support underserved and marginalized communities.

The Princeton Center for Eating Disorders — administered by Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health and housed at Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro — provides inpatient treatment for adults, adolescents, and children age 8 and older who are diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders. more

A Closer Look at IVF in the Modern Era

By Taylor Smith | Images courtesy of shutterstock.com

When people begin to think of fertility treatments, in vitro fertilization (IVF) most likely comes quickly to mind. That’s because the procedure of fertilizing an egg and sperm outside of the body in a petri dish and then placing it inside the uterus has clinically been practiced since 1978. more