Fall is here, and that means winter is right around the corner. This is the time of year when our bodies start to change and prepare for the ‘cold days’ ahead. We are in tune with nature and our natural rhythmic cycles are preparing us for hibernation in a sense…just like bears! Our bodies are no fools, even though we often treat them that way by feeding them junk and processed food, especially now. But, if you are in tune with your body and how it feels, it will usually tell you when it needs some TLC in the form of exercise, yoga, healthy food or whatever. This is the time of year, to especially nurture your body, pay attention and really eat healthy, not the opposite!
As the holidays approach and we get even busier and there are a lot of dreaded temptations lurking around every corner, we need to check ourselves even more and tune into what is best for us. The gluttony usually starts right at Halloween and endures until straight after the New Year rolls around. By then, we are feeling horrible and most of us are 6-10 lbs. heavier than where we started in October. And that’s not 6-10 lbs. of muscle my friends, it’s PURE FAT!!!
Yes, we need to slow down at this time of year, or at least our bodies do, to prepare for the change in weather. When we feed our bodies processed, junky food full of sugar and fat, our bodies will usually revolt with illness. Did you ever notice that most people catch the “flu” or get really ill during or immediately after the holidays? And why does the media always blame it on some new flu strain from some other country that is taking over the USA?? To sell more pharmaceuticals? (Uh oh – I hope I don’t get in trouble.) Why don’t we blame it on what it really is…OVEREATING, OVERINDULGING, NOT TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES AND HOLIDAY GLUTTONY!!
Our bodies cannot handle the overload of sugar, fat and salt that we give it during the h0liday season and it will literally revolt by getting sick. That’s the body’s way of saying, “STOP, feed me something good, take care of me, give me some greens.” Yes, I understand that we all like to indulge a bit over the holidays, as it’s festive and it brings our families together over the dinner table, but did you notice that every holiday in the US is centered around EATING lots of heavy, fatty food and ingesting large amounts of alcohol? Valentine’s Day = chocolate, Easter = more chocolate & processed marshmallow peeps, St. Pat’s day = beer and brats, 4th of July = BBQ’s with greasy food and loads of booze, Labor Day = more alcohol and greasy food. What has happened to our society, which is now riddled with people dying every day of diabetes and heart disease??? When did we learn to stop taking care of ourselves and give over to the pressures of life? When did eating bad food and eating on the run become the norm?
This is not just about the changing of the seasons. It’s about taking pristine care of yourself, especially at this time of year, and slowing down and making the right choices with your food to keep you healthy as the weather changes and we move into our shorter days and colder months. Enjoy hearty soups, satisfying stews and meals made with healthy, whole foods – not processed sugars, fats and flours.
Make sure you are still exercising at least 4-6 days per week and also allow time for relaxing, getting more sleep and enjoying time to yourself, so that you can nurture your body and soul at the time when it’s most vulnerable to illness and disease. If you need to skip a holiday party to take care of yourself, no one will care and if they do, they don’t really care about you! Honor the changing of the seasons and HONOR YOUR BODY – it’s the only one you’ve got!
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Melissa is personal chef , wellness coach and nutrition educator. Check out her website here.
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