One of the challenges with the change in seasons is that we can fluctuate from hot to cold and everything in the middle, all in one day. In an ideal setting we can match our eating and lifestyle habits to match the weather patterns so that we can support our body through these transitional times.
Many of us have preferences as to what seasons we like better, and this will normally come back to our own personal constitutional make up. Being aware of your base constitution means that you can be more targeted in terms of what lifestyle interventions are relevant for you.
Important things to think about when the weather is shifting from hot to cold:
How much cold exposure are you getting?
Be mindful of the amount of cold that your body is exposed to, ie open windows/doors and cold floors cold breezes on the back of the neck and small of the back. These are common ways that the cold can enter into you body.
The way you can imagine this is like your house, you want to have some insulation from these cold extremes so that you can use your energy for maintaining health rather than burning to stay warm.
The type of food that you consume should change with the weather.
Yes! This means that it might be doing something different almost daily depending on what is happening outside. The ultimate goal is to eat to nourish our body and support our digestive processes. This means having lighter meals when it is warmer, and longer cooked and warm food when the weather is colder.
There are many people that will eat the same food all year round, however nature offers different type of vegetables and fruits at each time of the year so eating to match the seasons this aligns with the intuitive nature of following the seasons.
Some recipes you may like: kitchari, congee or pumpkin stew.
Cooler weather is a great time to rest and recover.
Plants use this time to conserve energy and prepare for the time of most growth (spring). The longer nights also lend themselves to a longer rest period with a longer period of darkness. It is not that you need to do ‘nothing’ during this time but rather a space where you can develop new skills or mindset and habits.
Remember to keep active:
We may not be looking to be outside as much but keeping our bodies moving is important all year round. The most important aspect when it comes to movement is that it has to be something that you can maintain for the next 5-10 years. This means finding something that you enjoy as well as offers the opportunity for ongoing challenge and testing of skills. Find a buddy and then trial some new activities (you’ll need exposure around 5-7 times before making a call if you like it or not). Some ideas that you might look further into, tai chi, rowing, hot yoga, functional movement classes.
