Time to Start Anew

The seasons are changing. Leaves are falling, the air is getting a chill and it’s even raining with the threat of snow this morning. It makes me begin to think about preparing for the coming winter. I took the winter jackets out of storage, spent a half hour switching out sandals for winter boots and packed up the shorts and tanks to replace with the woolies. All of this got me thinking… should I also be shifting my diet to prepare for the winter. I mean it’s not like I am hibernating!

As I began to dig into this, I discovered that there are studies that have looked at differences in consumption over changes in seasons.  The participants in the study naturally increased their caloric intake in the fall and decreased it in the spring! From personal experience as well as from working in the nutrition industry the past several years I have noted that cravings and the types of foods we gravitate towards changes from season to season as well.

Depending on where we live and how the daylight hours affect the seasons, the foods that are available from Mother Nature will also be a factor. In the fall her in Canada the squashes, pumpkins and root vegetables are a plenty this time of year and they bring a sweet as well as savory flare to the kitchen. The scent of pumpkin spice, cinnamon and sweet potato mash makes my mouth water! Nothing beats a warm bowl of chili or a creamy soup to warm up from the inside out.

With the changes in temperature, will my body’s needs change though? As a gal that generally runs cold, I know that I love to add warming spices to my foods all fall and winter. My favorite thing to drink in the morning is a ginger hot chocolate (See Recipe Below) it’s both healthy and nutritious. It keeps me warm and satisfied on the cool fall mornings when I drop the kiddos off at school. Cinnamon and horseradish are fantastic additions to meals as well. The best thing about these herbs is that they help keep the metabolism chugging!

Warming Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 can of full fat coconut milk

• 1 can of filtered water

• ½ teaspoon or 2 sticks of cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons of raw honey

• 1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder

• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

• ½ teaspoon grated turmeric

• Pinch of sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon of cayenne (optional)

Directions

Add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the liquid to steep for 20-30 minutes. Sip Away!

It’s also important to keep your immune system supported during the fall and winter, also known as cold and flu season! All the foods we have discussed can help keep the bad bugs away! I like to keep foods like citrus fruits and bell peppers around to increase my vitamin C. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds will help boost your zinc and don’t forget to drink lots of water! When it’s cold outside grabbing a big glass of iced water doesn’t seem appealing so try some herbal teas like Holy Basil or Rooibos which are full of antioxidants!

So, I guess the answer to my query is yes, we should be prepping our insides when the seasons change. My goal is to keep my body as healthy and strong as I can. I like to keep things practical and make little changes to reach health goals and when the seasons change, I will switch things up to support those goals.

Do you want to know more? Are you looking for tips and tricks to support your body this fall? Would you like to know more about how you can begin to get to the root issues holding you back from reaching your health and wellness goals? Let’s chat about how holistic nutrition consulting and health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes so that you can feel your best every single day. We can provide recipes, meal and snack ideas and support changes to transform your health! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with Megan OR Meghan today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  We work with women from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!