With fall comes cooler air, golden sunsets, brilliant fall foliage and shorter days. With less daylight and more seasonal gatherings, it can sometimes feel like there isn’t enough time for ourselves. But this is when we need to be especially mindful about making self-care a top priority. During the seasonal transition into fall, our herbalists recommend getting grounded with seasonal foods and practices to prepare our minds and bodies for the colder months ahead. Here are eight fun and simple ways to easefully embrace the autumn season.
1. Stay rooted in your purpose. As the temperatures drop and the plants lose foliage, their energy returns to the root. People, like plants, can thrive during the autumn months by focusing on our root purpose. It’s a time to step back and think about what truly brings value to our life, express gratitude for our blessings, and consider setting some intentions for what we need. That way, once spring comes along, we are ready to blossom.
2. Nourish with seasonal spices and medicinal herbs. This is the time of year to warm our bodies with warming herbs like cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric, all of which may already be in your pantry in the form of ground spices or teas. Use these fall darlings to make your own spice blends to easily incorporate the magic of herbs into any meal.
As we often consume heartier foods during this season, this is also a perfect time to enjoy a warm mug of our Organic Turmeric with Meadowsweet & Ginger tea to aid in digestion.
3. Stay in tune with nature. Mother Nature provides all the cues we need, particularly during the transition from summer to fall. Consider creating celebrations or rituals around the fall equinox, rake up piles of leaves to jump in, or if you live in a mild climate, plant a winter herb garden.
4. Embrace healthy fats like grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut oil, olive oil and sesame seed oil. Inside and out, studies show that healthy fats are a must for our bodies to promote cardiovascular health and keep our bodies nourished. Whether you add some coconut oil to your oatmeal, add ghee to your morning coffee, or massage your body with sesame oil, it is especially important to keep your body fed and moisturized with healthy fats.
5. Practice relaxation techniques. After busy springs and summers, our bodies are naturally slowing down. With less activity and more hours spent indoors, learning to manage stress helps us avoid cabin fever by going within to find peace and purpose. Make a habit of bringing calm, soothing energy to your day by running a hot herbal bath, or making space for meditation. Be sure to brew a relaxing cup of Organic Stress Soother™ Cinnamon tea to ease stress and tension.
6. Stay active, and enjoy the season. Staying active is especially important during these cooler months as regular activity improves health and reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases. Whether you choose apple picking, mushroom foraging, yoga in the park or a hike to see fall’s showy colors, make sure you keep your body moving, while taking full advantage of the beautiful outdoors before winter’s arrival.
7. Stock up on adaptogen and cold & flu herbal teas. As part of your self-care practice and to help increase energy and resistance to stress, our herbalists recommend adaptogenic foods like reishi mushroom which you can find in our Organic Reishi with Rooibos & Orange Peel tea. Or consider our Organic Echinacea Plus® tea to help relieve the symptoms of cold and flu.
8. Sleep with the natural cycles. As the days are shortened, the plants shed their leaves and animals hunt and gather in preparation for winter. These are all clear signs that nature is signaling us to nourish ourselves, slow down, and get some quality sleep. Try incorporating calming sleep-aid herbs like passionflower and valerian into your sleep hygiene practices. These sleepy herbs can be found in our organic Nighty Night® and Nighty Night® Extra teas to help you sleep.
‘Tis the season to reflect and take care of yourself! We hope these tips help you flourish this fall so you can fully enjoy the full beauty of autumn.
