Changing with the Seasons
The foliage is just beginning to show signs of change from the low water bridge on Redbud Trail. The autumn joys of wearing a light fleece, turning off the AC, and opening windows are finally here! Austin’s “SCORCHING SUMMER of 2009” has finally yielded to “the FABULOUS FALL of 2009!”
“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” — Henry David Thoreau
Action: Receive, embrace and adapt to the changing season. Make proper adjustments so your body and life can be in balance with the season.
Given today’s weather, can you believe we are living in the same city that just experienced one of the hottest and driest summers in its history? It was only three months ago when we dreamt of getting as far from here as possible! How can this be the same place?
Seasonal changes are refreshing, exciting and a real gift. Fall is a time of harvest, a time when cooler winds begin to blow, and a time when plants become dormant to conserve their energy for winter. So it’s only natural that we too would want to curl up and hibernate.
But the shorter, darker, cooler days to come can easily upset our equilibrium, and, for many, lead to seasonal depression. During this time, it is all the more crucial to maintain balance in the body, mind, and consciousness through proper drinking, diet, and lifestyle.
With daylight savings time and the holiday season coming our way, now is the perfect time to begin making adjustments to your workout wardrobe, kitchen, diet, and lifestyle to allow your bodies and life to be in sync with the new season. And outdoor exercise—even with cooler temperatures—offers many benefits to keeping our spirits up. Consider this:
- Without energy our cells cannot function, our bodies cannot move, and our brains cannot think—lack of energy is the first step towards illness and disease. But exercise is all about energy! The oxygen we take in during outdoor exercise fuels our energy producing cells.
- Outdoor exercise raises serotonin levels, which helps regulate our moods. A study in Austria found that outdoor exercisers were less anxious and depressed than those that stayed indoors on a treadmill. A daily dose of athletic-induced endorphins gives you the power to make better decisions, helps you be at peace with yourself, and offsets stress and depression.
- Exposure to the outdoors also reduces stress related anger and enhances sociability AND the smell of grass has a calming effect on the nervous system.
In the morning chill it’s important to keep your head and body warm. Time of day and type of exercise determine the best clothing strategy. It is always better for the body to be warm than cold, so don’t be afraid to add an extra layer.
Keeping your body properly lubricated—inside and out—is important too. Massage your feet with warm sesame oil and use olive oil when cooking.
Eating fresh, seasonal foods is a great way to keep your diet in balance. During the fall season, avoid foods that are dehydrated, extra spicy, cold or raw. Take advantage of local farmers markets or Farmhouse Delivery to bring fresh, organic, seasonal, and local produce to your house each week!
When you’re doing the cooking, it’s the perfect time to begin using warming spices. Not only do they smell and taste delicious, but they also have fascinating health benefits!
- Ginger Root or Powder — Used in remedies for the common cold, congestion, nausea and is also an anti-inflammatory.
- Wasabi Powder (the “sinus eliminator”) — Add to any condiment and use on crackers, sandwiches, etc.
- Cinnamon — A wonderful anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. It plays a role in lowering cholesterol.
- Nutmeg — Aids in lowering blood pressure, calming muscle spasms and helps increase blood circulation.
- Cloves — Soothes tooth, gum pain and intestinal stress caused from parasites, bacteria and fungus.
- Turmeric — An anti-inflammatory with immune boosting properties.
- Cumin — Aids in digestion, soothes nausea, and relieves gas pain and indigestion.
- Coriander — Settles the stomach, decreases inflammation, lowers blood sugar, increases good cholesterol (HDL), and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL).
Now with all this talk of food for fall, doesn’t the thought of a baked butternut squash or apple with sprinkles of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove sound HEAVENLY?!?!!?
Just as carving pumpkins, enjoying a few pieces of candy corn, and cozying up on the couch to watch a football game is a thrilling fall affair, so is this weeks video. Enjoy and be THRILLED!!
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