6 simple everyday guidelines for the season: food tips, recipes, exercise & sleep habits

Fall is the season when the Vata dosha is on the rise. According to Āyurveda, Vata is shorthand for the elements of air & space, bringing with it certain qualities: dry, cold, rough & mobile. Think of the effect of the dryness of the season on the skin to understand what vata looks/feels like. Because there is more vata in our environment, there is more vata in our bodies as well. We have to combat the qualities of the season so they don’t push us out of balance.

Seasonal transition tip #1: early to bed, early to rise

Daylight savings time is still more than a month away but our bodies have already been feeling the subtle shifts in light, signaling that the seasonal change is on the move. The pineal gland acts like a switch which triggers certain regulatory functions in the body including our sleep patterns. The pineal gland receives its signal to adjust through light changes registered in receptor molecules in the skin & the eyes. Ever wonder why you sleep so well when you go camping or spend time outdoors? Contact with natural light patterns ‘resets’ our own natural patterns & give our bodies the chance to be in greater rhythm with our true internal clock-the sun! ☀️

Likely your body is already feeling the energy drain that comes with this transition. If you feel a big energy crash around 7/8pm? Are you having more difficulty than normal getting out of bed? Are you noticing a sluggishness in your body & difficulty processing? These are signs that your body is slow to make the inevitable changes that are coming.

Beat the clock this season by beginning to shift your sleeping & rising times a bit earlier. It may take a few days for your body to adjust & you MAY need a bit more sleep than normal until you’re over the hump but you will be amazed at how much more energy you will have!

Seasonal transition tip #2: conserve energy by cutting the coffee

Feel you have an unhealthy dependence on caffeine? I did! I still love to indulge in some delicious dark roast preferably with a frothy topping of milk & paired with a delectable pastry. Mmmmm. However caffeine, especially from coffee has a dangerously depleting effect on the body when over-consumed.

We have a saying in eastern medicine about coffee: it ‘borrows’ tomorrows energy for today.

Remember that while it feels like caffeine ‘gives’ energy, it’s actually just acting on your bodies current energy reserves. Like playing with a switch board, substances allow our levels to be dialed up or down but don’t change the essential amount. If you operate on a ‘dialed up’ system with high amounts of caffeine, there IS a cost to your system & you might notice the crashes becoming more intense as a result. For our bodies system which is constantly striving for homeostasis, the dramatic ups & downs are stressful.

Coffee is very drying so as we enter the dry fall season, it’s an appropriate time to curb your intake. Vata season is dominated by the elements of air & space, and you may already be seeing the signs: chapped lips, thirst even though your drinking plenty of water, constipation, dry skin & cracking nails. These factors may increase as we move through the season so take care to adjust accordingly.

Seasonal transition tip #3: slow down

My body feels permanently linked to the school calendar such that I always view the fall as the beginning of the year. It always starts with the excitement & promise of new beginnings. However at this time of year my enthusiasm for new projects quickly turns to overwhelm. Overwhelm turns to exhaustion. Exhaustion turns to illness. The ’seasonal cold’ might seem impossible to evade but I have found that taking a few preventative measures early in the season makes all the difference. When you start to notice the initial signs and signals and you take the care to respond, your health will right it’s course without much difficulty. The key? Slowing down. You won’t even notice the messages your body is sending if you aren’t listening. Giving yourself the gift of a little space might be as simple as not agreeing to a meeting during lunch so you can have a meal in quiet by yourself. Choosing to leave a few minutes early so you’re not rushing to work or appointments. Having the courage to say ’no’ to requests on your time. Being willing to see some of your commitments as optional and being willing to rethink timelines is difficult but a necessary practice of self-care.

Seasonal transition tip #4: drink more plants!

Early fall has been gifting us some beautiful days of sunshine here in NYC. I’ve been taking every opportunity to walk the sun-drenched sides of the street or take my lunch on a park bench to absorb as much as possible. But the signs that it is fall are impossible to ignore. The wind has a gentle bite to it and sundown brings a big drop in temperature that will leave you feeling vulnerable without a coat. We still have another full week of the seasonal transition period and potentially longer before the season stabilizes. Our bodies are feeling every change and adjusting to these changes is taking some of your immune strength. This is not the time to push, this is a time to listen. Are you feeling exhausted or depleted? Are you noticing skin & lips are dehydrated? Do you feel a bit congested in the mornings or evenings or a dry tickle in your throat? These are signs your immunity is low and that care should be taken. One of the simplest ways you can support your immune system is to drink tea! Any herbal tea is fine but better to consume health-boosting adaptogenic herbs and plants that are gentle doses of easy-to-absorb medicine in a cup. Our body prefers room-temperature to slightly warm (not super hot or iced) beverages because it doesn’t have to do any work to adjust the temperature to match our bodies preferred 98.6 degrees. Sipping room temperature water and tea throughout the day will keep your body hydrated & happy. Herbs to prioritize this time of year, are energy-balancing adaptogens like Tulsi & Ashwagandha, anti-flu beauties like Elderflower, Echinacea & Star-Anise, anti-inflammatories such as Nettle & Cinnamon and Red Clover & Ginger for colds, coughs & asthmatic symptoms. Don’t have access to some of these herb? Start with whats in your kitchen cabinet! Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, Nutmeg, Clove & Garlic all have powerful immune boosting properties. Simply steeping any of these in hot water will do just fine.

Pictured, a delicious tea of some of my favorites for the season sourced at Radicle Herb Shop in Cobble Hill. Tulsi

Elderflower, Echinacea, Nettle, Red clover, Ginger & Cinnamon.

Seasonal transition tip #5: slow & steady exercise for stability & grounding

If you hadn’t already been feeling the challenge of the fall transition, you likely felt a big shift these last 2 weeks. Energy levels are low & many are already fighting off the first cold of the season. This is not the time to push past signs that your body is vulnerable, this is the time to listen-in. The right amount & quality of exercise can actually increase energy levels but knowing when to say when can be difficult.

Consider taking a restorative themed class over power yoga. Use hand weights and perform stabilization exercises for shoulders and pelvic girdle. Isometric exercises like holding squats and planks for 1+ minutes is preferable to a lot of fast-paced cardio.

Seasonal transition tip #6: keep warm

The dramatic fluctuations in temperature these past couple weeks are confusing & tiresome for our bodies but they are not all together unexpected. Yes, global warming is a contributing factor but all seasonal transitions bring weird variation in temperature, air quality & pressure before it finally stabilizes further into the season. The problem is, the variable conditions can wreck havoc on our system IF we are already in a vulnerable state. Don’t lose stress over what you cannot control, take charge of what you CAN do. Expecting the unexpected can sound like a weighty mental task but it can mean something much more simple when it comes to the body. Stabilizing the bodies core temperature will go a long way to keep the immune system strong.

Do this in 3 simple ways:

1. pack an extra layer when you leave the house to be able to cover neck & shoulders as we transition from cool to warm temperatures inside & outdoors. Don’t be fooled by weather forecasts because some buildings & subway cars are still using AC while other days the heat is running! It’s always possible to take off a layer but if you’re stuck without one when you need it, you’re out of luck!

2. Drink room temperature to warm drinks only. Ditch the iced beverages because it’s too hard on the bodies need to maintain its ideal 98.6 degrees. Fact: Iced drinks are NOT hydrating to the system. Sipping warm water throughout the day IS.

3. Eat only cooked foods, ideally prepared with some digestive-stoking spices such as ginger, cumin & black pepper. This is NOT the time for smoothies, salads & raw, harder-to-digest food. Your body will expend precious energy & resources trying to ‘cook’ the food, so the body is able to break it down & absorb its nutrients. Favor soups & stewed meats & vegetables, cooked whole grains & sautéd or steamed greens. Your body will thank you. You or someone you know is struggling with a cough or head-cold right now. My seasonal transition workshop on Thursday will give you valuable tools perfect for this time. Learn simple tips for how to blast the cold out the system as soon as possible & the best ways to care for your body to prevent illness this season.

Keep these daily considerations in mind and enjoy a smooth transition into the winter.

Remember, preventative care is the best medicine.

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FALL RESET WORKSHOP

Wednesday 11/20/19

Alchemist's Kitchen, 21 E. 1st St

Tickets at TheAlchemistsKitchen.com

This workshop will cover:

-Tips for how to adjust your diet for fall including food lists & recipes. Everyone will be gifted a fall spice blend

-Why seasonal living matters the science behind adjusting daily routines for fall

-Guidelines for healthy self-care: daily lifestyle practices including cleansing therapies & breath practices