A Lifestyle Guide for People with Allergies and Food Sensitivities

Autumn is the season of harvest, a time when farmers' markets and roadside stands brim with colorful displays of just-picked produce. There are definite health, taste and price benefits to enjoying this seasonal bounty. Freshly-picked fruits and veggies pack more nutrients per dollar, along with peak flavor. Plus, buying locally grown produce has a positive impact on the area economy and environment, helping farmers stay in business and reducing the fuel needed to haul produce to distant markets. (The strawberries you purchase in November may travel thousands of miles to reach your grocers' shelf. The price you pay includes costs for transportation fuel and for chemicals to treat the berries so they look good upon arrival.)

The list of scrumptious fall vegetables includes beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, parsnips, pumpkin, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, turnips and winter squash. (Hard-skinned squash harvested in
late summer and fall earned the name "winter squash" due to imperishable traits that allowed the vegetables to keep until winter.)