Staying Healthy in Autumn

a woman hiking through the fall foliage

It's important to maintain your health as the weather changes. A healthy lifestyle can carry you through the season.

Ways to Stay Healthy and Happy in Autumn

  • Stay Focused

    With the start of the new season, get back to your studies and work hard—whether you’re in school or a student of life.

  • Reach Out to Loved Ones

    Instead of spending time watching TV or surfing the Internet, deepen your relationships with family, friends, and yourself.

  • Exercise

    Start a new exercise program that will carry you through winter’s cold, dark months.

  • Eat Healthy

    Look to autumn’s abundant harvest to nourish yourself and your family. Apples, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and beans will energize you this season.

  • Stay Limber

    Stay toned with yoga or other flexibility-enhancing movements during the cooler weather.

  • Consider Supplements

    Nutritional supplements—including vitamins C and E—are very useful this time of year, helping you avoid “what’s going around.” Selenium and zinc also support healthy immunity.

  • Try a Detox

    Fall is a good time to detoxify the body. Avoiding sugar, wheat, and dairy for a few weeks can help you feel more energetic and youthful.

  • Keep Sinuses Clear

    In Chinese medicine, the lungs are one focus of the fall season. Overdoing it can lead to congestion and toxicity, possibly resulting in upper respiratory infections. Try a facial steam to help clear sinuses.

  • Seek Herbal Relief

    If you do get sick, try taking hourly doses of vitamin C. Drink ample amounts of pure water, herbal teas, and hot soups. A popular British herbal remedy is to eat/chew several cloves of fresh garlic at the first sign of a cold. Peel the cloves first, dip them in honey, and chew several times daily for a few days. Another option is to squeeze a few cloves into a hot bowl of soup.

  • Get Enough Rest

    Rest now before the demands of the holidays arrive. Shifting and balancing with the seasons is vital to staying healthy.

Contributor

Elson Haas, MD

Elson Haas, MD has been an integrative family physician since 1973 and is founder-director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California.

During more than 40 years of medical practice Dr. Haas has authored 11 books on health, nutrition, and detoxification, including Staying Healthy with Nutrition, The Detox Diet, The False Fat Diet, Ultimate Immunity, and the classic, Staying Healthy with the Seasons. His most recent book is Staying Healthy with NEW Medicine – Integrating Natural, Eastern and Western approaches for Optimal Health.