Have you ever noticed that in the fall your routine naturally changes, you crave certain foods (hello pumpkin spice EVERYTHING) and your overall mood changes? You are not imagining this — fall is a natural time of transition. The season brings with it a drier, windier and cooler environment which makes it a good time to practice Ayurveda, an ancient system of wellness that dates back 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda focuses on whole, mind body wellness not just your physical body but your mental, spiritual, emotional and vibrational health. The VRC offers five Ayurvedic wellness tips for a balanced and healthy fall season.
- Enjoy Nature. As the sun sets earlier, it’s important to get out in nature as much as possible. Try and make time to get into nature every day. Keep it simple. Take a drive and find a place where the leaves change colors so you can witness fall in action. Pick apples or head to a pumpkin patch. Go for a long walk with your dog or children on trails or on the beach.
- Surround Yourself in the Colors of Fall. Colors like red, orange, yellow and even white help to pacify some of the emotional effects from fall such as unsettledness, nervousness and anxiousness. These colors help settle anxiety and balance our emotional qualities to help us get through the fall. So, whether it’s the clothes that you wear or the decor in your classroom or home, be sure to incorporate the colors of fall to help your emotional well-being.
- Eat Earlier and Sleep Sooner. Follow the rhythms of natures. As the sun sets earlier, so do our internal organs. When the sun goes down, our bodies follow the circadian rhythm. Eating before the sun goes down and getting to bed earlier than you would in the summer, allows the internal body to be in rhythm with nature.
- Create a Morning Wellness Routine. As the seasons transition to fall and winter, create a new morning routine to help boost your overall health and well-being. Get up a little bit earlier to ground yourself with breathing exercises or a self-oil face massage. Take the dog or your kids for a walk before sitting down for breakfast to get your blood flowing.
- Minimize Dry Foods. Try to minimize dry foods like popcorn, nuts, dried meat and dried fruits. Minimize salads and instead invite warmth and spice into your diet. Minimize caffeine and other stimulants to keep you grounded and whole during the fall months.
Watch these tips in our video here, and for more videos on staying healthy this fall, check out our Fall Wellness Series playlist.
