Fall is a time of transition and you can witness the changes happening everywhere around you. The days become shorter and the nights become longer. Temperatures begin to shift, and the winds start to pick up strength. The different trees and shrubs shed their leaves in preparation for the winter ahead, and their colors change from green to more vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows
Just like the weather and the seasons, your body is constantly adapting and changing along with the environment, both the outside environment and the inside environment, which includes your thoughts, emotions
For some, the Fall season might bring to mind pumpkin patches, Halloween and Thanksgiving festivities, as well as hot apple cider. However, for
Possible effects on your body and mind include but are not limited to dry skin, dehydration, constipation, bloating, insomnia, high blood pressure, achy painful joints, irregular digestion and appetite, migraines and headache pressure, weakened immune system, increased appetite and food cravings, poor circulation, cold hands and feet, sciatica and nerve pain, fatigue, needing more sleep, anxiety, nervousness, worry, feeling ungrounded, spacey, unsettled, restless and jumpy, overactive mind, overthinking, change in mood and feelings of sadness (SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Take a closer look at the symptoms above, these are all imbalances that correspond to the elements of ether and air which make up the Vata dosha. If you missed our dosha blog click HERE to read.
Autumn is Vata season and it brings with it a predominance of the air and ether (space) elements. It’s characterized as being cold, dry, light, rough, dispersing, moving and quickly changing. To maintain overall health and vitality during this time, you want to balance those qualities out with the opposite qualities of warmth, moisture, oiliness, nourishment, smoothness, slowness, stability and focus.
During the seasonal transition period, people can sometimes experience more feelings of fatigue during the day, difficulties getting out of bed in the mornings if it’s still dark outside, the need for more sleep, and cravings for more carbohydrate-rich foods. Honor yourself and give your body some extra love and care to meet its needs during this time.
Here are some tips to maintain wellness during Fall Season:
- Stay warm. Snuggle up. Layer your clothing. Keep feet covered and dry your hair after bathing.
- Establish a daily routine with structure and consistency. This will help ease your mind, relax your nervous system, keep your digestion strong, and your energy stable.
- Follow a seasonal diet. Eat plenty of root vegetables which are grounding such as beets, squashes, carrots and sweet potatoes.
- Pay attention to what is growing locally and try to eat the organic foods coming from your local farmers.
- Favor foods with sweet, sour, and salty (Click to read a summary of the different tastes and how they affect us)
- Eat cooked foods. Try to avoid cold, dry, raw foods and instead have something warm, moist, and well-cooked like
a curry , blended soup, stew or roasted veggies. - Incorporate healthy oils and fats into your meals to combat dryness.
- Practice daily abhyanga (oil massage) to help keep the body lubricated, calm the mind, improve circulation, strengthen the body, and boost immunity.
- Watch your thoughts and mental patterns. Keep them positive and affirmative.
- Notice when you are feeling damp (have a cold) or dry (are constipated) and be mindful of what foods you may have eaten or what thoughts you might be holding.
- Move your body and get plenty of exercise throughout the day.
- Practice gratitude to shift your mood.
As you start to get better acquainted with your body, and how it responds to different foods or activities during different times of the day, week and year, you will notice that you are constantly changing and adapting to live in harmony with nature and the changing seasons. Have fun, embrace the changes and “fall” into