Times of seasonal change are important re-organizational periods. They are also times of increasing self-awareness and looking at priorities in life. Seasonal changes can create greater stress and therefore, create the potential for illness. How you adapt is vitally important to your good health. Research supports eating seasonal foods –foods that are naturally available in your area at this time, which help to keep you in balance. Eating locally available food also means fresher foods that haven’t been shipped thousands of miles away and are devoid of nutrition and life force.
Autumn is a time for warming foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, onions, and squash as the weather turns colder. Be careful to stay balanced. Ideally your diet should consist of mainly vegetables with a little fruit, along with some whole grains and building foods like nuts, seeds, legumes and small amounts of quality animal foods. Some olive oil or healthy fats act as lubricants and is needed in the diet. Remember, eating a lot of congesting foods (dairy, meats, bread, pastas, sweets, cheese) and overeating are difficult for the body.
Fall gives us wonderful immune building foods that are rich in beta-carotene like pumpkins, kale and squash. These provide extra sweetness, but with fiber to stabilize blood sugar. They help keep us energized as the days grow shorter. Baked squash stuffed with brown rice, sliced almonds, and mushrooms makes a great fall dish. Soups filled with root vegetables and some greens added at the end of cooking are wonderful for this time of year.
Enjoy the bounty of the season and stay healthy!!
