The Doctors: Burlington, Vermont City Market Co-op
The Doctors TV show partnered with SELF Magazine to find the healthiest cities in America.
The criteria for the healthiest cities was based on access to medical care, gyms and healthy foods. Lucy Danziger, the editor-in-chief for SELF, joined the doctors to talk about the healthy cities.
The number 10 healthiest city was Burlington, Vermont, which is home to the healthiest eaters in America. Burlington’s grocery store City Market is a co-op, which means it’s owned by the community. Most of the food is locally grown.
The Drs: Healthy Eating Can Turn Off Heart Disease Genetic Code
Surprisingly, many frozen vegetables contain more nutrients than fresh veggies.
Dr. Travis Stork said that healthy eating can turn off genetic codes for heart disease. The only thing that separates healthy eaters from non healthy eaters are 11 servings of fruits and vegetables a week.
Dr. Lisa Masterson said that it’s difficult to buy fruits and vegetables sometimes because they just go bad. Dr. Jim Sears informed her that buying frozen fruits and veggies can cut your grocery bill in half.
Dr. Sears said you need to remember the three P’s: plan, purchase and prepare. He suggested deciding what your family can afford to spend and then searching for quick and healthy meals online. Soups and stews will help stretch your dollar.
The Drs TV: Stick to Your List When Grocery Shopping
After you know your meals for the week, you can create your grocery list. Make sure you look for coupons! Dr. Sears said that when you go shopping, stick to your list. If an aisle doesn’t have something on your list, don’t go down it.
Dr. Sears suggested buying foods in bulk when possible. He cautioned against buying snack foods in bulk though, because research has shown that you’ll eat more of them if they’re there. He also said you shouldn’t shop when hungry.
When you’re preparing foods, you should have some fun with your family. Dr. Sears suggested doubling or tripling your meal and then freezing the leftovers for quick but healthy dinners later on. Learn more about the three P’s in the video below.
The Doctors: Are Frozen Vegetables Healthier Than Fresh?
Apparently, between the time the produce is picked and you eat it, your food can lose up to 45% of its nutrients. Within 24 hours of green beans being picked, they lose 40% of their vitamin C. Frozen spinach is actually more nutrient dense than the fresh and gives you more vitamins A, C, K and folate.
The Drs: Fresh Vs Frozen Vegetables
Frozen spinach has a ton of flavonoids to fight inflammation and cancer. Frozen peas have more beta carotene than fresh peas. Because of their hearty texture, brussel sprouts do well when frozen.
Dr. Stork said to make sure to watch out for vegetables in sugary or buttery sauces.
The Drs: Low Heart Disease in Fargo, North Dakota
The number 9 healthiest city is Portland, Maine. They launched an anti-obesity program two years ago, and they have lots of produce available. Their farmers markets even accept food stamps.
The number 8 healthiest city is Fargo, North Dakota. One in three Americans live with heart disease, but in Fargo it’s only one in 10!
The number 7 healthiest city is Minneapolis, Minnesota. It’s also America’s most playful city, and the lakes and parks encourage people to be active. There are lots of colleges, sports and art in Minneapolis to give it a strong sense of community.
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