By Taylor Smith | Images by Shutterstock.com

The last few years have brought significant advances in many areas of medical care. From artificial intelligence to revised treatments, tests, vaccines, therapies, and more, research continues to produce often life-changing impacts on those affected by a variety of illnesses and conditions.

In fact, one of the benefits of living in the modern age is that the latest technology can help everything from skin growth in burn victims to spinal cord stimulation in those who have suffered paralysis from a stroke. Following are some recent breakthroughs. more

TenBerke designed the new dining hall at Yeh College of Princeton University. (Photo by Chris Cooper)

How College Dining Has Evolved

By Wendy Greenberg

Chef Michael Gattis has the same philosophy whether he is introducing kale to Princeton elementary school students or working as executive chef at Princeton University’s Rockefeller College and Mathey College dining halls: “Our mission is to tie in what is going on here at Princeton (University), and that’s education. We have that gift to be able to do that through food,” he noted in a 2018 Dining Services strategic plan.

As a volunteer for Garden State on Your Plate, Gattis helps educate young students to be open to new tastes, comparing raw and cooked vegetables drizzled with lemon, salt, and pepper. “We are starting a healthy dialogue at an elementary school level,” he said of the 15-year-old program, which brings fresh produce to school cafeterias at lunchtime.  more

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

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

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

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