FRESHER, CHEAPER, TASTIER The Benefits of Seasonal Eating
The nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables hardly need explaining. While the stock of protein, carbs, and fat seems to rise and fall at random, the value of fruits and veggies never wavers. These health staples, though, can put a dent in your wallet if you’re not making the right choices at the market. One way to feed your family healthy and delicious produce on the cheap is to eat seasonally. Not only will this save you money, but you will also vary your diet, support local farms, and put the freshest foods on your table. Ever wonder why tomatoes cost so much more in December than in July? The answer is simple: shipping distance. The less a tomato needs to travel to make it to your plate, the less it will cost. Transporting produce long distances is expensive because it needs to be protected and temperature-controlled. Eating seasonally means you’ll save a ton on fruits and veggies.
Even better is to cut out the middleman entirely and buy directly from a supplier. In his exceptional cookbook, “Six Seasons: A NewWay With Vegetables,” Joshua McFadden writes, “The best way to eat with the seasons is to frequent and support local farms, markets, and grocery stores that are doing good things.” Farmers markets have exploded in number and popularity recently, and the USDA website (ams.usda.gov) has a directory of markets that you can search for by ZIP code. Learning what’s in season at a given time might seem like a daunting task, but there are plenty of tools to help you. Again, the farmers market is your friend here. You can ask what’s in peak season now and what to look forward to in the coming weeks. Apps like Farmstand will also let you know the freshest crops in your area and alert you to deals on produce. Even if you opt for a grocery store rather than farmers market, you can still save by eating seasonally. You’ll be shocked how much you save by buying what’s on sale. And guess which items are usually on sale? The ones that are in-season and abundant. Getting the nutritional benefits and great taste of fresh produce doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg. Eat seasonally and locally, and the savings will pile up.
September Testimonials Don’t Just Take Our Word for It
NO NEED FOR ARM, CART, OR CANE! Whenmy doctor said, “I’ll send you for some physical therapy,”I had no idea howmuch that would helpme. But I
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED AND ACHIEVED! “Onmy first appointment to Gilbert, I was bent over, I walked
slowly, leaning to one side, and I experienced excruciating pain. Dr. Jon diagnosed that I had sciatica and arthritis. With a positive attitude, he assuredme things would get better. As Dr. Jon led the Gilbert team, including Beth, Rachel, and Pat, I learnedmany valuable exercises and tips that I will use each day tomaintain the healing that has taken place.
knew the steroids and pain pills weren’t enough. The stereotype of a little old lady exclaiming,“Oh, my sciatica,” didn’t seem as funny as it had inmy youth. I clutched onto my husband’s arm tomake it into a movie and gratefully crawled into a motorized grocery cart. Sometimes, the pain shooting downmy leg stoppedme inmy tracks. I bought a bright blue cane. From the start, my new friends at Gilbert promised no fast fixes. They held to that promise, but ledme through an increasingly upgraded series of exercises andmanipulation that left me with daily victories. With gentle encouragement, I progressed. When I wasn’t ready for the next step, they were quick to adapt andmove on at my speed. As a result, I am leaving PT a stronger senior with no need for arm, cart, or cane. Thank you to all who helped along the way!
“Whenmy son challengedme to walk a‘long’distance without assistance, he said he would take me to a Virginia Tech football game where I could see my grandson, who works with Hokie Vision as a part of the team. The challenge was issued, and Dr. Jon went into high gear. He said,‘You can do that!’Each therapy session included walking on a treadmill for five minutes. I wobbled. Several times, I moved forward only to take a step backward. The Gilbert team continued with an upbeat attitude, encouragedme, and cheeredme onward until I could walk at a decent speed for 3½miles on the treadmill. The game was fabulous, and the Hokies won. I could walk not only around the stadium, but around the campus. It was an amazing time with my son and grandson! “I have joined a gym, I walked 4¼miles onmy last visit, I do aerobics for 30 minutes each week in a class, and I have exercises to do at home to helpme continue moving forward. I can’t express how thankful I am to Dr. Jon, Beth, Rachel, and Pat for using their expertise, their support, their tenacity, and their compassion to give me solutions tomy back problems.” –Nancy A.
–Marty I.
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