Ahh, autumn. We just love this time of year. As much as we enjoy the warm, sunny days of summer, who can deny the wonders of autumn? Time to unpack your jumpers, break out the heaters, and prepare for the cooler temps to come.
Cold weather prep also means taking better care of you, so while you're prepping for fall and the upcoming holiday season, add the 11 health tips below to your autumn to-do list and everyday wellness routine.
1. Replenish Your Stash of Immune-Boosters
Help keep yourself and your family healthy by stocking up on immune health essentials now. Try a good quality vitamin C, L-lysine, zinc and immune-supporting herbs like full-spectrum olive leaf and echinacea.
And since at least 70% of your immune system is in your gut, it’s a good idea to reinforce digestive and immune health with probiotics and prebiotic fibre.
2. Get a Checkup
Did you know more heart health concerns are discovered during cold months than any other time of year? That’s because cold weather may affect circulation and make your heart work harder.
Autumn is an ideal time to get your checkup with a naturopath like myself to make sure you’re in tip-top health before winter weather begins.
3. Embrace the Flavours of Autumn
Eating whole foods that are in season is the way to go year-round for nutritional impact. Tables and baskets at farmers markets fill to the brim with seasonal produce like squash, apples, beets. kale, and brussel sprouts—and the list goes on!
The fun doesn’t stop at the farmers market. Fall is the perfect time to try healthy soup recipes, experiment with nutritional powerhouse spices like turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon and ginger. And get in on superfoods that are perfect for cooler temps like bone broth collagen and matcha green tea (you can find some inspo in my new cookbook here).
4. Shift Your Exercise Habits with the Season
Start planning your cold-weather activity routine now so you’ll be less likely to skip a workout later when the weather changes and going outside isn’t as appealing. If joining a gym or taking a fitness class isn’t for you, try online workouts or make up your own!
If you take part in our online detox program, we’ll give you a two week workout plan you can follow at home! Find it here.
5. Hydrate from the Inside Out
Staying hydrated is just as important now as it was during the summer. Your body uses water for everything, all year long! Drink up to benefit digestion, fluid and mineral balance, waste removal, energy, mood, skin, joint lubrication and more. Herbal teas are a great way to stay warm and keep up your fluids, as well as broths.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAM) an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups (3.7 litres) of fluids for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 litres) of fluids a day for women at a minimum.
6. Keep Your Sleep in Synch
There’s nothing like a time change to throw off your sleep schedule. The daylight savings shift combined with shorter days means it gets dark early and leaves many of us feeling tired. That’s because when the sun goes down and lights are dim our bodies are triggered to produce melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles.
If going to and from work in the dark makes you feel like napping on the couch by 6pm despite getting enough sleep the night before, it’s time to make some changes. Combat the urge to snooze too early by being more active in the evening—even if it’s just a brisk walk or a set of star-jumps in your living room—get your body moving.
Also, consider switching out your lightbulbs to an option that gives you natural, balanced light indoors. And don’t forget possibly supplementing with good quality vitamin D. Your body needs sunlight to produce this essential nutrient and the lack of sun leaves you more likely to be low in vitamin D, which can also contribute to feelings of fatigue.
7. Detox from Digital Overload
Chilly weather may keep you indoors more often, but that’s no excuse to spend all of your time in front of a screen. All that blue light from electronic devices can harm your eyes!
Instead of all that screen time, discover indoor activities that are interactive without the use of screens—like board games, creative hobbies, reading and puzzles that challenge your mind. Autumn is also the perfect time to start a self-care routine (go back and check out our blogs on self care here and here).
Have a Healthy Autumn!
Autumn is an amazing time to up your wellness game before cold weather! We hope these 7 healthy tips for you will help you make this the best season yet.
As usual, for extra support during this time, please make an appointment with me!