September has flown by and the start of fall last week shifted something. All of a sudden the season change is not only on the calendar but can also be felt when walking outside. Instead of cooling salads and gelato recipes my attention has shifted to more of a focus warming soups and roasted vegetables.
Shifting the focus to the foods that are available in your area will support your body inside and out. Food that is in season is more flavorful (ever eaten a tomato in February in the northern hemisphere and again in late August and can tell the difference?). Look for produce that has been grown locally (organic if possible) as it will be more nutrient-rich (harvested closer to ripeness then its counterparts from far away).
Fermenting foods like carrots, cucumbers and even the cabbage that has started to appear can be enjoyed for weeks to come and also support your gut bacteria and in turn your immune system. Look for another mini-newsletter later this month with more on this topic.
The first day of fall is always a good reminder that the length of day and night are similar all over the world. Those of you in the southern hemisphere are headed into spring, longer days and balmy evenings as we in the “north” start to pull out the scarves and boots from the back of the closet. As much as we might want to stay in the season we just experienced the earth reminds us that change is inevitable. There is a saying: Change is the only constant.
Not to be terribly cliché, but fall reminds us that there is always a shift that occurs. It may start out feeling like summer but somewhere during this month, the air changes, the light changes, and as September has always felt like the start of the year to me and not the last quarter (might be all those years I was a teacher), I always look for something new to focus on. By now, I’m sure that everyone is back into a routine. The change of season provides us with a chance to make a change and now is the perfect time to think about what changes you want to focus on in your health in the upcoming weeks.
I’ve spoken to this topic before – but think it bears repeating. We live in a time and culture of insta-“ness”. Anything you could possibly want or are looking for can be found with a simple search and can easily be in your hands in 24 hours or less.
Health and overall wellness are both topics that need to be supported over the long term. If you have been wanting to start: insert your health goal here (sleeping better, lose x lbs/kg, deal with indigestion that happens when you eat x, recover faster from your workout, etc.) it’s the long-term habits that will add up to success in this area.
How do you get there faster? Let me be blunt. You. Don’t. Of course, there are ways that you can lose 10lbs fast… but ask yourself honestly if it will it be a lasting change? Short term habits will be the ones you need to change and as they become regular habits you will start to notice a change. Pay attention and notice these small changes. They will be there. They are important. They can and will build upon each other. The small habits should be an everyday occurrence and may seem “hard” or unmanageable but this is where you need to trust yourself in the process — or just trust the process.
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. – F Scott Fitzgerald
If you’ve been wanting to try but aren’t sure how or where to start, or you’re ready to start reaching your health goals this fall, get into touch and let me support you in reaching your health goals.
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