Wellfie Wednesday Tip #112: If Its on Sale, Stock Up!

Happy Wellfie Wednesday! Welcome back! This week is brought to you by Patrick (@TheFuelPhysio) and he wants to chat about being thrifty when food shopping. 

What you need to first do is start recognizing the price of items you frequently buy. And of course take notice when the price is significantly lower, most likely for seasonal reasons, or because your store has posted a sale (most likely to unload their stock).

Now there are only certain things that I tend to stock up on when the price is right. Of course that includes any dry goods (beans, legumes, lentils, whole grain pastas, etc.), because they will eventually get used at some point in the year. Also, chicken and meats if I know we'll use them within the next month or two; they'll last in the freezer until then. But more recently because of the season, my eye has been on berries, specifically BLUEBERRIES, as they are my favorite and of course provide a tremendous nutritious punch. Berries are also the easiest to freeze and most frequently eaten fruit in our house, aside from bananas, which we prefer fresh. 

As blueberries have been on and off sale the last couple weeks, dependent upon where my grocery gets their supply (this week came from Washington state, who is nearing the end of their blueberry season), I have been stocking up. On the norm, blueberries can tend to be very pricey if bought out of season, anywhere from $4-5/pint. But because of recent seasonal sales, I've been buying them at $1.24/pint. And I currently have roughly 16 pints (washed, air-dried, and frozen) in my freezer. 

Now it may seem a little crazy to have purchased $20 worth of blueberries, and I'm actually thinking of going back for more, but I've realistically saved upwards of $40-50, because blueberries are something we eat year-round.

So next time your out food shopping, see if you can stock up on any sales, or just purchase seasonal items to cut the cost. Healthier eating is certainly achievable on a budget, though it may just take a little planning. 

Thanks for all of the support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members in your post (@TheFuelPhysio@Eric_in_AmERICa@AaronPerezPT@DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

Wellness Wednesday Tip #1: Try Some Blueberries

Happy Wellness Wednesday!

     I want to start by saying thank you to everyone that joined in on the #WellfieWednesday launch last week. We hope to increase the trending of this hashtag and continue to educate on how to live a healthier lifestyle. So as a way to help out, we’ll be giving out a weekly tip that you can try to incorporate into your day. They are only meant to be suggestions, so please feel free to post your own personal accomplishments towards better health. 

     This week’s tip is to try a handful of blueberries! I’m starting with blueberries because they are by far my favorite fruit, both for taste and the handful of health benefits they provide. 

 

Blueberries are packed with (1): 
     Vitamin C
     Dietary fiber
     Manganese
     Polyphenols, specifically anthocyanins

These substances aid in tissue formation, strengthening of your immune system, bone development, and processing of cholesterol and other nutrients (1). 

 

A regular consumption of blueberries has been shown to:

Promote cardiovascular health (2)
     By reducing blood pressure and arterial stiffness (3)
     Improve lipid profile (2)
     Lower chronic inflammation (2)

More information and resources on scientific research can be found through the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

     Though blueberries can be found all year round. Now is the time to grab some blueberries, as according to the Farmer’s Almanac, the best time for harvest is July and August (4), so stock up! I recently bought four pints for only five bucks! And in case you didn’t know, blueberries can easily be frozen and make a great addition to any smoothie, replacing the ice in this case. 

Hope you give them a try. Let us know if you do, using #WellfieWednesday

Enjoy your day and thanks for reading!

-       Dr. Patrick Berner, PT, DPT

-       Dr. Eric Uveges, PT, DPT

References:

1.   http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/healthy-living/blueberry-nutrition/ 

2. Yang B, Kortesniemi M. Clinical evidence on potential health benefits of berries. Current Opinion in Food Science. Apr 2015;2:36-42.

3. Johnson SA, Figueroa A, Navaei N, et al. Daily blueberry consumption improves blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with pre-and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Acad Nutr Diet. Mar 2015;115(3):369-77.

4.  http://www.almanac.com/plant/blueberries