Got a serious habit of sipping on refreshing cocktails, summer wines or a cold beer?
Dining out a bit more to not “heat up the kitchen” too much?
Snacking versus full meals becoming a thing?
Changes in season are a great for habit transformation.
For most, Labor Day signals the official end of summer and the beginning of Fall routines.
And now that it’s a week out from the last summer holiday…
…What could you do to move out of the habits that aren’t serving you?
Drawing a blank?
Here’s what I’ve found to be the most helpful for my clients…
- swap the alcohol for sparkling water or a super tasty herbal tea
- plan to meal prep or sign up with a meal service to add in those meals you were eating out
- meal prep cut up veggies and fruit on the weekend to have them in the fridge for quick snacks during the week
- opt for “cooling” foods to round out the last warm days of September and October
- take time to reflect and re-evaluate in the fall to align yourself with your purpose and missions in life
Using the transition from summer to fall as a stepping stone to create completely new habits is another great way to approach this time of year.
In East Asian Medicine it’s common to add in more foods that are in season right now…
- squashes
- root veggies – potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga
- pears and Asian pears
- apples
- melons
- cucumbers
- celery
- lettuces of all kinds
- cilantro
- parsley
These foods all nourish yin, the cooling energy that is often depleted from the summer’s heat and when you’re heading into menopause or andropause.
For many areas in the US, September comes with some really hot days and this excessive heat can be quite depleting for those that are having hot flashes and night sweats.
Embracing the foods I listed above can be a great way to support your body naturally in it’s need to cool down.
Estrogen and progesterone are yin hormones – the more depleted you are in them the better you’ll respond to cooling foods and habits.
Whether you’re taking bio-identical hormones or herbs supporting your hormones with food can be quite helpful.
One thing I do recommend is watching how much cayenne, spicy peppers, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice you’re adding to these fall foods.
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All of the spices I mentioned are warming spices.
And many coffee shops are rolling out their fall spiced drinks early!
They are great for when the temperatures drop below 60 consistently.
When temperatures are higher consistently, they could negate the good benefits of consuming foods more cooling in nature.
How much of the cooling foods should you eat?
One cup servings at two meals a day of any of the foods listed above will do the trick.
Once you’ve dialed in the food it’s great to support your yin energy by taking the time to reflect.
While this might sound cheesy, it did to me when I first was introduced to it, fall is the best time to look within.
Trees do it, you might as well take a cue from them!
Summer is often busy and fast paced.
Ride the wave of the summer high and float into fall by carving out a few minutes each day to sit still and quiet.
Sipping your morning drink on the porch in silence?
Taking a few minutes after work to relax with a bubbly water or tea?
Sync with the slowing down of nature and find peace.
So…what’s one thing you can do to help cool down from the summer?
Here’s to your health,
Dr. J
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