Reset and regroup this fall

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. The fall colors, cozy weather, yummy soups and stews. Everything just starts to slow down. Three cheers for:

Now that we’re in the thick of it in most places, at least in the US, this change of season is also a great time to do a reset on your goals, your mindset, and how you’re putting your every day schedule together. 

Living in our industrial world, our lives don’t really revolve around the seasons like they did before we had the technology that we do now. And as much as all of this technology has improved our lives in big ways, it can also mean that we are disconnected from the earth. 

So I wanted to share a few of things I do to make sure I’m nourishing my body and mind while moving into and enjoying the fall season. 

Limit sugary foods

I have to point out that the cold + flu season just so happens to coincide with the sugary pumpkin spice everything, more sugary carbs, less sun, and less physical activity season. That’s not a a coincidence.

I love all those treats too, but being mindful of how much and what kind of foods we’re consuming is super important. 

The reason is because too much sugar creates an environment in your gut that all the bad bacteria and viruses LOVE. It lowers your immune system, it feeds the bad bacterias and yeasts like candida, and it creates inflammation which ends up killing off your healthy microbiome which impacts your mental and physical health. 

You can still have those treats on occasion, But instead of drinking the pumpkin spice latte that’s full of corn syrup, artificial ingredients and other harmful ingredients, try making your own! Here’s a recipe to try out.

You can still have your treats, but if at all possible, reach for the ones that have ingredients you can read, and ideally ones made at home from scratch. All these processed foods wreak havoc on our gut long term and shouldn’t be a part of our daily diet.

I love following the 80/20 rule. 80% of my diet I opt for nutrient dense foods. The other 20%? If I want a cookie, I eat a cookie! Just pay attention that it’s only 20% of your overall food and drink intake!  

Eat all of the nourishing, warming foods

Fall is the season for squashes, soups, legumes, apples, but also warming spices like cinnamon and turmeric. Foods that are high in certain polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals that we need as the weather changes and we adjust to getting less sunshine.

In Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, eating seasonally is encouraged for a healthy body. Which makes sense - these foods have the most nutrients when grown in their peak atmosphere. 

I loved THIS BLOG POST with the different foods you want to be adding into your diet in the fall with links to recipes.

When we eat seasonally, we’re getting the most nutrients out of our foods because they’re growing in the conditions they thrive in. Plus they just taste better. A tomato grown inside a hot house in the winter just doesn’t compare to one vine ripened outside in August. 

Acclimate your body to the change in weather

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt cold. I was always the one with a space heater in my room, 20 layers of clothes, and still I couldn’t seem to get warm. 

As it turns out, the reason was stemming from a dysregulated nervous system which slowed down my thyroid’s production of hormones, which then slowed my metabolism. Yes, your hormones are largely in charge of your internal thermostat. 

But what a lot of people don’t know is that your internal thermostat is also affected by the temperatures you’re exposed to.

I really learned this when I starting taking cold showers. Adding this into my routine not only had a massive impact on my anxiety levels and rewired my nervous system, but I stopped being cold all the time!

It’s one of my absolute favorite practices that has so many benefits, but you don’t want to just jump into cold water, there’s a specific way to do it for it to impact your nervous system in a positive way. Download my PDF that walks you through how to start this practice HERE.

But the other way you can affect your internal thermostat is just by spending more time outside. Not only is it incredibly beneficial for us to spend time outdoors for the calming benefits of nature, but exposing ourselves to the lowering temperatures acts as a positive stressor on the body. 

Studies have also shown that exposing ourselves to colder temps can have a positive impact on our metabolism, the production of brown fat (the kind of fat we want), immune system benefits, cardiovascular health, as well as our mental health. 

My favorite way to do this is just going for a walk everyday. Don’t over bundle, dress appropriately but allow yourself to be somewhat exposed to the temperature. And starting this practice now makes it easier once the really cold temps start. Plus walking outdoors has so many other positive benefits.

If walking daily is not currently a part of your daily routine, aim to start now to prep you for winter! 

Get as much sunshine as you can

This can be tough depending on where you live, but remember that even behind a thick layer of clouds, the sun is still impacting you.

It’s hard for me to get my morning sunshine this time of year and into the winter months, so I use my Lumebox red light and it has made a dramatic difference in my energy levels through the darker months. Plus the infrared benefits have blown me away for any pain or inflammation in the body. They’re having their biggest sale of the year on November 11th so stay tuned if you’ve been wanting one! It’s one of my best tools to get through the long grey season of the Pacific Northwest. Click HERE for more info.

But I also still try and get outside every day and soak up as much sun as I can. Even on cloudy days, exposing your eyes to sunshine helps to regulate your circadian rhythm which balances your cortisol levels. 

Another reason to get outside and walk everyday!

Revisit your goals

So many people wait for January to start the new year fresh, but I actually love using this time of year to look back and see how the year went, and then decide how I want what’s left of the year to go. 

If you set yourself up now with some amazing habits, how good will you feel going into 2025? Instead of starting over, you’ll just be adding to what you’re already doing. 

So if this year hasn’t gone exactly as planned, decide to restart now. What goals are you working toward and what small steps could you implement today? 

If you know you struggle with the dark winter months, what habits could you start incorporating now so you’re set up to thrive then? Daily walks, red light therapy, gratitude journal, staying hydrated, cold showers, nutritious meal planning, etc. These all have a massive impact on how we feel both physically as well as mentally. 

Use these tools to support your body through this fall transition. The more in step we are with nature, the better our bodies will feel.