September in Your Body
With the conclusion of LDW, we can officially bring out the Autumn decorations, start preparing our hearths for the cooler season, and modifying our schedules to honor the darker time of year. Here we are, at a time to delicately balance our preparation for the cooler/darker months while practicing routine for the heat and activity that we’ve been in the throes of for a few months.
Lifestyle & Routine
After the warmth of the earlier summer months have sweated out all of our moisture, September rolls in ready for rest and rejuvenation, hydration, and cooling practices. Take time to maintain solid oil massage routine (abhyanga) and hydration practices (aka this morning bev).
September is the new season, the new routine, and the fresh pages of soon-to-be-used notebooks. This change of routine feels rocky and uncertain but could become a practice to look forwards to, preparing for the year to come— the rebirth on the other side of the season of darkness. Find beauty in “making your bed”, preparing your home and hearth to be the sacred landing space for you and your family to rest their heads as the climate outside becomes less and less welcoming.
Inevitably, this change in energy asks for a change in routine to factor in new commute times, new weather patterns, and proper sunlight exposure. Our circadian rhythms begin to fluctuate and these fluctuations lead to insomnia and poor recovery/rest— prioritize early sun exposure and lessen night-time blue light where you can.
The big take away from this time of transition is to dress properly for the weather (layer up for the cooler mornings/evenings), keep our bodies a bit warmer at bedtime (to counter the insomnia of late summer), and continue to prioritize a solid bedtime (and bed time routine) to keep the nighttime repair cycles on track and efficient.
Diet Staples
As within so without. As the season shift slides into place, our bodies start to crave the sweet and nourishing foods of autumn. Building/fatty foods will lay a solid foundation for our fall preparation. some examples of these foods include yogurt, beans, nuts, fish, root veggies, avocado, oils.
Think about our favorite Autumn staples- warming herbs, pumpkin spice, cookies, pies, nourishing and heavy meats (like turkey), milks and hot cocoa. Having time to create with your hands is a great way to stay grounded in a mobile and lighter season, and preparing the hearth for a season of cooking good food, keeping nourished and warm, is a twofold value of maintaining a hands-on practice while also setting yourself and your household up for success with home-cooked, down home foods.
It’s also vitally important to continue staying hydrated with the Summer heat still on and the body sweating throughout the day. Hydrating with just water actually often turns into dehydration so liquid foods are a great opportunity to both hydrate and nourish. Foods such as grapes, cucumbers, melons, peaches, tomatoes, and squashes are a great fit with their juiciness keeping us fueled with vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies running properly.
What’s Next
Summer has wound-down and the days are getting shorter, so now is a good time to restore your energy and soak up the last bit of sun as you begin to lay the groundwork in your body for what’s to come. As always, reach out to your friendly neighborhood lifestyle consultant if you need a hand getting started.
