by Sandra Chabot Weber, Holistic Nutritionist
Come fall in Canada, there's this nationwide yearning to lean into a more health conscious routine. A routine is made up of habits and it's these singular elements of your day that ultimately help to build a healthy lifestyle.
With the change in season comes a change in what works best for your body to recharge and feel balanced. Different weather calls for different foods, supplements, and activities. When you choose your habits accordingly, you'll find that you naturally ease into the shift and your body will acclimatize well.
A strong constitution is one that is adaptable and anchored in a healthy regimen. While every body has its own biochemical individuality with unique needs, there are principles that will generally benefit most people.
Remember that applied knowledge is power and when you build a system that works for you, you allow for both preventative and corrective measures.
Here are three simple wellness habits to enhance your body's transition into the ever-beautiful autumn season:
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DRINK WARM WATER WITH LEMON AND APPLE CIDER VINEGAR UPON RISING
The warm water temperature is a philosophy practiced in both Ayurvedic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed that warm water is a more effective way to maintain homeostasis and harmony within the body whose temperature is 37 degrees Celsius.
Opting for 1-2 glasses of warm lemon water with apple cider vinegar has many benefits and helps to wake up your system for the day. First it provides a gentle cleansing effect and then it helps to stimulate your digestive fire. It's also simply a great habit to get into as a way to rehydrate first thing in the morning.
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SUPPLEMENT WITH A HIGH QUALITY VITAMIN D
From October to April our sunshine exposure is significantly reduced, making Vitamin D deficiency quite common. The preferred form of Vitamin D, D3 (cholecalciferol), is exclusively found in fatty animal foods such as salmon, sardines, egg yolks, and cow's milk products like yogurt and butter.1,2 It is, however, very difficult to get the appropriate amount of Vitamin D for optimal wellness through diet alone.
Supplementing with a high quality D3 helps in the development and maintenance of bones & teeth, and helps to prevent Vitamin D deficiency.3 And as we continue to discover the many ways in which vitamin D plays role in overall health, supplements containing high quality D3 ensure optimal levels. Progressive Vitamin D3 is an easy and effective way of getting your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin!3
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PRACTICE STRESS-MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
Stress is fundamentally a perception - whatever we perceive as danger sets off the body's stress response. This is a critical mechanism when we are faced with a serious threat like an angry mother bear, but it becomes detrimental to our health when we constantly experience daily living as a stress.
Some natural therapies to better cope with the stressors of life include journaling, meditation, gentle exercise, deep breathing, yoga, and connecting with nature. Alongside these habits you can work on changing your perception while cultivating a more positive outlook. Action coupled with greater self-awareness is essential for decompressing the mind-body and creating a more serene way of living.
The fall is such a refreshing time to tend to your body, uplift your mind, and create some invigorating health habits to keep your spirit high all season long. Start with these three easy tips, listen to your body, and be open to making the necessary changes.
References:
- Vitamin D. Office of Dietary Supplements. National Institutes of Health. Accessed online Feb 10, 2021. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-%20%20HealthProfessional/
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Centre. Vitamin D. Accessed Oct 30, 2020 at: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-D#food-sources
- Government of Canada. Product information. Accessed on June 29th, 2021 at http://health-products.canada.ca/lnhpd-bdpsnh/info.do?licence=80000436
