With the Summer Equinox just around the corner signaling the arrival of Autumn, now is the time to begin to introduce some new habits into our days to help us balance with the natural rhythms of nature.
Ayurveda – the sister science to yoga – considers Autumn as the period between the end of September & the end of October. According to Ayurveda, in Autumn, our VATA dosha increases. Vata is associated with dryness & the element of air. Indeed, the wind picks up in Autumn creating a dryness that makes leaves fall and plants to wither after their Summer fullness.
Ayurveda believes optimal health & wellbeing can be cultivated by balancing our inner rhythm with the outer rhythms of nature. So, as we move from Summer to Autumn, Ayurveda suggests some easy practices to help us balance our inner rhythm with the changing rhythm at this time of the year.
5 tips to help you stay healthy & vibrant this Autumn
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Eat & drink warm things.
In summer when it’s hot outside our internal body temperature increases & so we reach for cold, iced drinks & raw salads to cool us down. But, in Autumn when it starts to become cooler, we should eat & drink warm things to warm us from the inside out which will help balance the cold outer environment. Try drinking warm chai lattes or ginger tea which is also good for digestion. Eat lightly steamed veggies & cooked grains with a warm protein source. Warm things support our digestive fire – known as Agni in Ayurveda. When our digestive fire is robust then our body is able to digest & absorb nutrients easily.
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Avoid staying up late.
The ideal time to go to bed in Autumn is 10pm. In summer we stay up late as there’s more daylight hours & more things we can do. But as days become shorter & the nights expand, try to mirror the daylight hours. Head to bed earlier, read a book, do some breathwork, but try get to sleep as close to 10pm as possible so you awaken feeling refreshed & ready for the day.
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Take up – or recommit to – Meditation & Yin Yoga.
You may notice that around now your energy is beginning to flag from the high vibes of Summer and you want to withdraw & spend more time indoors – just like hibernating animals. This is the season to slow down, cosy up indoors & go inward by taking up – or recomiting to – a meditation practice and to introduce more Yin yoga into your week. These will help you rest and conserve your energy.
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Practice alternate nostril breathing.
This lovely breathing practice balances the nervous system, reduces stress, calms the mind, helps clear mucus from the nasal passage, lowers anxiety & fear.
How to? Block the left nostril with your little finger of your right hand & inhale through the right nostril for count of 4-5 seconds. Then, close the right nostril with your right thumb & exhale through the left nostril for count of 4-5. Repeat for 2-5 minutes.
Why alternate nostril breathing? The right side of the body is our warm, firey side – our yang energy. The left side is the cooler side of our body – yin energy. By inhaling through the right nostril and exhaling through the left we’re stoking the right side – our yang side – and releasing any excess cold from the body by exhaling through the left.
5. Increase intake of Vitamin C to boost your immune system. Though it may not keep you from catching a cold, there is some evidence that high doses of vitamin C may decrease the length of cold symptoms by as much as one to one-and-a-half days for some people. Natural sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, green and red peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts and kiwifruit, among others. To get the most nutrients, eat these as soon as possible after shopping and consider steaming or microwaving for short periods of time to limit nutrient loss. nb. obviously, check with your Doctor before taking high doses if you taking other medications.
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