Copyright AmUnivers

Natural health is all about understanding the influences around you – your foods, local geography and climate, the seasons; and even the clothes and gemstones you wear, and the positions of the planets and stars!

The seasons of Spring and Autumn represent major shifts in energy – Spring being the time of renewed vigour and the rising sap; and Autumn the time of slowing down, of withdrawing for hibernation and rest. In traditional societies, Autumn is the time of the final harvests; processing and storing foods; and preparing for the short days and cold, dark nights of Winter.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, Autumn is upon us with its qualities of change, of wind and sudden cold. Many people experience cold, cramps, anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation – the symptoms of increased Vata.

To balance these qualities and symptoms, we need to bring in the opposite qualities: of warmth, regularity and rhythm, sweetness, grounding, settling, nourishing.

Cleanse first…

Before balancing, it is a good idea to detoxify the body first; to eliminate the accumulated wastes, toxins and doshas (humours) from Summer. Regular detoxifying is one of the secrets of excellent health and longevity, and Ayurveda does this with Panchakarma. Panchakarma consists of a cleansing diet with detoxifying herbs, ingestion of ghee or oils to penetrate the fatty tissues, massage and heat treatments to mobilise the toxins, and a powerful elimination therapy. This is followed by a special diet to normalise digestion, and a programme of anti-ageing herbs.

Consult an ayurvedic practitioner about a Panchakarma programme; or contact us to discuss a programme we could offer you.

Alternatively, you could do a gentle 3-5 day detox diet at home – having freshly-made veggie soups for lunch and dinner, stewed fruits for breakfast and snacks, and sipping hot water and ginger tea through the day.

Then nourish…

Then think of a warming, nourishing routine. Eat warm, unctuous, slightly heavier foods; reducing the salads, toast and raw fruits. Think of stews, casseroles, thick soups. The ideal tastes are sweetness, and some sourness and saltiness. For sweetness, eat roots such as kumera (sweet potato), vegetables such as pumpkin, and grains such as basmati rice and quinoa.

Use warm or sweet spices such as ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom – in your savoury as well as sweet foods. You can use that combination to make delicious chai teas!

Increase your intake of high-quality fats and oils. Good fats and oils are not as bad for health as many people think – they have just been the victims of bad press. Take olive oil, coconut oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter). This will stimulate digestion, reduce the amounts of food you need to eat, and keep your skin (and the rest of your body) moist and well-lubricated. Good fats also decrease the risk of inflammations causing rheumatism, heart disease etc.

Take a formula of nourishing, anti-ageing herbs; such as Shatavari Gulam or Amla Plex, which can be purchased at our online store.

Massage for health

Use raw, warmed sesame oil for self-massage – daily or at least every few days. Rub it vigorously on your head, face, arms, shoulders, etc., working down to the feet. Keep it on for 15-20 minutes, then take a warm shower. Use a gentle soap, and just soap the “necessary” bits – this leaves a warming layer on your skin. Soon your skin will be glossy and radiant – unlike the dry and dull skin many people have at this time of the year. Try this for at least a month and see! You can obtain a good quality massage oil at our online store.

Every few weeks, have an ayurvedic massage given to you. This is wonderful for the body, emotions, mind and spirit. Increased Vata can create a sense of isolation and emptiness; of depletion and loneliness. Receiving care from another person fills the heart and raises our self-esteem. We feel reconnected, and feel valued. This has very profound effects on our mental and physical health.

At Science of Life, we use rich herbal oils for the massages we offer. Gerald has over 20 years experience in giving massage, and uses ayurvedic principles to tailor the massage to suit each client. Our clients almost invariably say that the ayurvedic massages are beyond anything they have experienced in the past…

Massage is one of the mainstays of ayurvedic medicine – it just offers so many benefits.

Strengthen with Yoga

Autumn is a time for rhythmic, strengthening, grounding ways of practising Yoga. Sun Salutes are great, done slowly and smoothly. Use Warrior Poses to strengthen the legs and feel the ground. Warm up the hips, stretch the legs and strengthen the core.

Do warming breathing exercises such as Bellows Breath (Bhastrika), followed by a calming exercise such a Alternate Nostril Breath (Nadi Shodhana). Finish with a relaxation in which you connect with the ground beneath you.

Honour the seasons

All traditional cultures have honoured the seasons, and celebrated the changes. This keeps us aware of the universal rhythms and what they mean to us on physical, emotional and mental levels. Being connected to natural rhythms gives deep meaning to our lives, reducing the effects of stress and enhancing our health and happiness.

Wear warming colours, eat the right foods, change your Yoga and exercise with the times; be aware of the shifts, and flow with them. And teach your children to do the same.