Stay Healthy and Balanced this Fall

I love the arrival of  the cool, crisp  autumn air. Pretty yellow, orange, red leaves that look like colorful flowers - its colours, freshness and the sweet passing of summer is what autumn brings with it.
While some might feel this awesomeness, others experience it differently - dry skin and lips, cold hands and feet, constant digestion problems, cracking joints, stiffness, fatigue, insomnia and even depression. According to Ayurveda, all these are signs of an aggravated vata that tends to accumulate during fall.

So, how can we stay in balance with this transition in season?

Favor warm over cold
This is not the time to do a raw food cleanse. Look for whats local and seasonal and emphasize on warm, cooked foods made in ghee or olive oil. Drink warm water and sip on teas (not caffeinated) with spices like coriander, fennel, ginger, fenugreek and cumin.
Get in that movement
With cooler temperatures and stiffness in muscles and joints, movement is the best gift you can give yourself. Keep your exercise regime simple with fluid movements to create that internal heat. Ask yourself what exercises / physical movement make you feel grounded? 
I recommend Balance essential oil by Doterra if you like diffusing oils like I do in my yoga and reiki practice!
Create and nurture warmth in relationships
Diet is important to staying healthy and balanced but our surroundings have a big influence on us as well. Try to surround yourself with warm colors like orange, red, yellow to uplift your mood and create a positive outlook. Create warm relationships with yourself and others. Meet a friend you have not in a while or enjoy sipping on warm soup with your spouse.
Foods to favor
Try winter squash, carrots,beets,sweet potatoes, pumpkin.  Favor the taste of sweet, sour and salty and limit bitter and astringent tastes. I like including sweet grains like basmati rice, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and udon noodles  and find them very grounding at this time in the year.