Holistic health and wellness tips for this fall
The fall season can be a challenging time of year to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. The shorter days can mean it’s harder to get outdoors to exercise your body, and depending on where you live, the weather might impact your desire to get outside! Colds and cases of the flu are more common in the colder months, due to people spending more time indoors. It can also be challenging to eat nutritious foods if the cold weather causes you to crave rich, decadent meals! Mental health struggles are often reported to rise during the colder months of the year. So, as we head into autumn, how can you support your physical and mental well-being this year? Kick off an amazing fall with these holistic health and wellness tips!
1. Eat warm foods
In the colder months of the year, eating foods that take longer to digest can help keep you warm longer! Additionally, there are foods that are considered warming in the Ayurvedic tradition that may help with circulation and digestion. You might want to consider adding these foods to your fall diet. Complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, black beans, brown rice, and other grains and legumes take a long time to digest which can help keep you warm when it’s cold out. Ginger can help keep you warm by improving blood flow, so consider sipping on ginger tea, or making a curry with ginger! If you can handle spicy foods, adding chili pepper or other similar spices can help boost your body's warmth too.
2. Make time for friends and family
The cooler weather and shorter days may have you wanting to hide out at home, but making time for your social life will help support your emotional and physical health! Positive interactions with our friends and family boost dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin levels in the brain, which are neurotransmitters that can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. You'll feel more relaxed and happier, which improves your mental health and reduces physical strain.
3. Eat seasonal produce
When it’s available to you, eating seasonally is a great way to stay healthy throughout the year. Seasonal food is fresher and more nutritious than out-of-season produce. In the fall it may seem as though eating seasonally means you have fewer options, but there are many delicious and nutritious options to choose from! Fruits that are plentiful in the fall include apples, figs, persimmons, and pomegranates. Fall is a great time to eat root veggies such as beets and sweet potatoes. Plus many types of squash are plentiful, including pumpkin, kabocha, spaghetti squash, and more. If possible, it can also be a good idea to purchase locally-grown fruits and vegetables. Since local produce hasn’t traveled as far, it’s usually fresher.
4. Get more sleep
With the sun going down earlier in the evenings, you may feel more sleepy than usual. Don’t resist that feeling! Since we get less light in the fall and winter, our bodies start to crave more rest. Getting more sleep is healthy for your body and can help you to stay healthy throughout the colder seasons.
5. Bundle up and get outside
Spending time outdoors has many benefits year-round, so even if it’s chilly, aim to get outside at least once a day! Bundling up in warm, moisture-wicking clothing can help you stay cozy even on the coolest day. It’s always a good idea to keep your head, hands, and feet warm when you head outside. Once you’re layered in warm clothing, try to take a walk every day. Breathing fresh air is good for your body, and soaking up sunlight (even when it’s filtered through clouds) will help regulate your sleep schedule. Plus, being in nature has many mental health benefits including reduced stress, improved focus, mood support, and more.
6. Try energy healing
Fall can be a great time for introspective work. Taking time to work on yourself can be a wonderful way to pass the cold months! Energy work such as Body Wellness Scan, has the potential to help with a wide variety of mental and physical issues, and can be a wonderful addition to your holistic health practices this fall! Energy healing has helped many people improve their health and wellness by balancing the body’s energy. Everything has an energetic vibration from thoughts and feelings to past experiences, nutritional imbalances, and more. When you are able to identify and release energetic imbalances in your body, it may be enabled to heal itself more easily.
If you need support from a trained energy healing coach, reach out, and let me help you boost your health and happiness this fall!