AYURVEDIC LIFESTYLE: TIPS ON HOW TO STAY HEALTHY IN THE AUTUMN
Beautiful and picturesque as it may be, the Autumn can be a difficult season for those unprepared for its abrupt mood swings, cold winds and waning sunlight.
What may feel like a relief after the summer heat to people of pitta constitution, to others may be extremely unpleasant – especially those, for whom vata is dominant. Being a vata season, the fall tends to aggravate this dosha, with its dry, cold, rough and changeable qualities.
But no matter what your Ayurvedic type is, the fall is a perfect time to introduce a few simple lifestyle changes that will help to keep the diseases at bay, doshas balanced and not allow vata to rave havoc in your body and mess up with your moods.
Here is a couple of things you can do to prepare for the season that can be either marked by continuously running nose and bad mood, or enjoyment of the colorful leaves and fresh crispiness of the air 
- Warm oil massage – there is nothing better to calm the mind and keep the body healthy than a warm oil
massage. It counters the cold and dry effects of vata, removing impurities from the blood stream, stimulating the circulation and nourishing the skin. It is highly recommended to do it regularly. Although a professional massage therapy is the best and fastest means to health and well being, nobody can afford the time and resources to enjoy such a treat daily. What you can do though, is a self massage with warm oils every day before showering. Simply heat a small amount of oil in:
* a double boiler;
* a plastic bottle filled with oil and placed in a pot of hot water;
* or my favourite: place a small metal bowl on top of a teapot candle heater. By the time you are done with showering, your oil will be ready to apply (be careful to let it cool down a little before applying! It will be pretty hot…).
Massage the oil into the skin stroking in the direction of the heart. Leave the oil on the skin for 20-30 min and follow with a hot shower (hot water opens the pores and lets the oil penetrate deep into the tissue).
If you have a predominant vata constitution, use sesame or almond oil. For pitta, best are coconut, olive or sunflower oil (make sure it’s of good quality, virgin and preferably organic). For kapha, use coconut or grapeseed oil. - Drink warm water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar – this simple trick cleanses and detoxifies the digestive system and brings healthy alkaline-acidic balance to the organism. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon or add 1TBS of ACV into a cup of warm water and drink daily on an empty stomach. Regularity is a key word here!
- Eat warm meals – bread for breakfast is OK, but don’t skip a healthy soup or stew for lunch. Warm and moist foods are easy to digest and help to create the inner heat. Especially beneficial in pacifying vata are the root vegetables and squashes abundant in this season. Avoid iced drinks and excess raw or dry foods (small side salad with your warm meal is perfectly fine!).
4. Get enough rest – you are not missing anything if you stay at home in the evening and skip that party or another event! The fall is a time for contemplation and self-analysis. It is great to spend some time all by yourself, reorganize your cupboards, iron all the linens and do whatever makes you happy and calm. If you feel like you need to sleep more than usual, then do just that- this is also a quality time that you spend with yourself
5. Make the best of your moods – don’t fight the autumn blues! If you feel sad or emotional, dive deep into that sensation, experience it to the fullest and see where it takes you. You may be amazed what unknown realms of your soul you can discover if only you don’t suppress yourself…
Don’t forget to take long walks and notice the beauty of the world around you – even if sometimes you will need to be accompanied by an umbrella…
